PLEASE HELP. All hope lost. Marathon

[Mooncarter]

Did you check your linkage to the MS as JB suggested?

[JayWalk]

I did indeed. Switch seems to be working fine as far as mechanical function is concerned.

JB mentioned connecting a "DVM". What does that mean?

[JayWalk]

Never mind......digital voltage meter im assuming. 37.1v from B- to M-

I checked and found the box for the replacement controller. (picture attached)

It says "HPD" series which I am assuming is the extra terminal that is on the controller. Would that have something to do with the issue?

[Andy4639]

Your pictures are nice and clear but lack details of connections. I have a hard time seeing the wires and where they attach. But here is mine and how it hooks up should be the same as yours. The solenoid should ground off of the b- of the controller in my picture is the off white wire. Yes the key switch activates the solenoid when you turn it on.
In your pictures I don't see this wire hooked up???

[kgsc]

Did you check to see if the controller is getting pack voltage on pin 1? Solenoid is getting power but the controller needs it too.

[LukeL]

I would still do a motor test as well… it’s always the first thing I do when troubleshooting an old cart.

[JohnnieB]

As previously stated, there is more than one problem.

1. Solenoid clicks when key is turned on. (I suspect solenoid does not click when key is turned on when F/R is in Neutral.) This is due to the NC terminal (yellow wire) on the pedal switch having 38.4V on it when pedal is in the full upright position. The NC terminal ought to switch from 0V when pedal is up to 38.4V when pedal is pushed, thereby controlling whether the solenoid's coil is energized or not.

This is a binary issue. Either the switch is bad electrically or maladjusted mechanically.


2. Controller: The picture of the box it came in indicates it is a Curtis 325A with a 0-5k throttle and High Pedal Disable (HPD). The only 325A controller listed in the Curtis manual (attached) with an A2 terminal is a 1204M-6301, which is a 48V to 72V controller and you have a 36V battery pack.

There ought to be a label somewhere on the controller that list the complete Curtis part number with suffix. If it is what I suspect, it won't run on 36V.

3. The pot-box has two sets of wires, one set goes to controller and the other goes to one of the microswitches on the F/R assembly. I see brown and blue wires on both. are the right wires landed on the correct places?

The HPD feature prevents the controller from passing amps to the motor unless the throttle is at zero when it powers up.


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Also. FWIW, the A2 terminal is for plug braking and isn't of much use in golf carts.

[Mooncarter]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Your pictures are nice and clear but lack details of connections. I have a hard time seeing the wires and where they attach. But here is mine and how it hooks up should be the same as yours. The solenoid should ground off of the b- of the controller in my picture is the off white wire. Yes the key switch activates the solenoid when you turn it on.
In your pictures I don't see this wire hooked up???

Andy, if your solenoid clicks with the key, wouldn't that suggest that MS-3 in your diagram is faulty or out of adjustment?

[scottyb]

If the solenoid clicks when the key is turned on the solenoid could be left latched (activated) when not in use allowing the coil to overheat while you eat dinner, watch TV, go to bed, wake up, etc. Normal duty for the 'constant duty' solenoid is < 10 hours.
In the solid state marathon the key should power up the F&R ms which powers the POT box ms which powers the solenoid and controller circuit panel. Follow this path with your DVM using the diagram Andy posted.

Do you have a power wire going to controller pin #1 from the solenoid or Pot ms ? I don't remember seeing it.... I hope this helps

[JayWalk]

Good evening fellas,

Thanks for all of the replies today. I took a 4 hour road trip to see my mom and as soon as I got home, I read the replies from today and got to work. The following is the answers to your questions.

1. Andy - Attached are better pictures with explanations. Let me know if i missed anything. The white wire in the picture runs from B- to the small terminal on the solenoid opposite of the pot micro.

2. kgsc - Pin 1 which is the blue wire in the picture has full pack power when key is turned on.

3. Luke L - I will stop by harbor freight in the next few days and get a battery cut off switch and run this test.

I will answer JB and SB's questions in the next reply.

Someone also mentioned alignment of different things. I took pictures of the switch side of the f&r switch with the cart and F and R. I also took pictures of the throttle positioning on the pot micro when the pedal is up and down. Both pictures attached.