Cart running half speed?!

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by tankdogg60

I did not put in Tow mode every time before messing with anything. That's my bad, I was told that was only when I need to push the cart. How do I test the solenoid and the controller to see if one went bad? The morning after I changed the initial 2 batteries, I backed it out fine and went to take off and it just quit and started the jolting. That's when I replaced the 3rd battery and it started running just not very well.

That was incomplete information. The switch is actually labeled Run - Tow/Maintenance. That switch needs to be in the Tow/Maintenance position whenever the cart is pushed/towed or worked on.

Of course, there are times when the controller has to be powered up when troubleshooting, but anytime you are disconnecting or connecting any wires anywhere in or on the cart, it should be in the Tow/Maintenance position.

The only exception would be plugging and unplugging the charger.

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You can download the Owner, the Service and the Parts manuals for your cart in the Stickies at the top of this forum.
They are the three PDF files near the top of this post: http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...g-manuals.html

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If cleaning all the connections mentioned in an earlier post doesn't clear the problem, try pushing the cart by hand while the Run/Tow switch is in the RUN position.

The beeper should start beeping rapidly and the regen barking should come on.
If not, there are speed sensor issues, or a bad controller.

If it does beep and try to stop, you'll need a voltmeter to continue troubleshooting.

[radioman]

Just to eliminate a simple voltage or connection problem in the batteries and high current connections to the controller I would suggest you measure the voltage between the two big connections on top of the controller marked B- and B+ referring to the drawing JohnnieB sent you. Measure it when you turn key on. It should measure slightly less than the battery voltage and increase to battery voltage when the solenoid clicks. If you get good voltage there that would suggest the batteries, solenoid and connections are good to that point. All the suggestions here are good ones but sometimes we jump into the middle assuming things and overlooking the simple things.

[tankdogg60]

Just an update. I had to go get a new volt meter as mine was acting up. I'm about to try and trouble shoot the areas mentioned. I replaced the solenoid, so that isn't the issue. I will try and understand the testing processes as best I can and let you guys know the results.

[tankdogg60]

So I cleaned all the molex plugs on the controller with electronic cleaner. I tested the B- and B+ on the controller and it is reading 38.1 V. When I press the pedal, it drops down to around 37.7. If I press more it goes down around 35. I checked the J1 ports 4 and 5 and it is reading around 32V but seems to drop some as I leave the tester on it. Not sure if I'm testing it correctly. I am putting the positive side of the tester in the end off the plug on the 4 and then 5 port. Any ideas from these reading or anything else I can check? I appreciate everyone's help immensely. I also put the cart in neutral and rolled it and it beeped quickly and slowed down as it should.

[tankdogg60]

Tested my carts batteries and am getting 38.2 V, when I depress the pedal it drops around 36.45. I am getting the same reading on the B- and B+. I then tried the positive tester probe on the A1 and the negative on the B- and when I press the pedal that reading drops to around 18V. Does that mean bad controller?

[scottyb]

If the controller senses that the solenoid is not disengaging to will go into limp mode and limit speed for safety.

[tankdogg60]

Originally Posted by scottyb

If the controller senses that the solenoid is not disengaging to will go into limp mode and limit speed for safety.

How do I test that? I just replaced the solenoid?

[tankdogg60]

Just checked my ITS sensor and it is reading 14V. That means faulty correct?

[radioman]

Originally Posted by tankdogg60

Tested my carts batteries and am getting 38.2 V, when I depress the pedal it drops around 36.45. I am getting the same reading on the B- and B+. I then tried the positive tester probe on the A1 and the negative on the B- and when I press the pedal that reading drops to around 18V. Does that mean bad controller?

No. That don't mean the controller is bad. It means the controller is working to some degree and may be sensing something not right making it cut back. The lower the voltage at A1 terminal the faster the motor would turn. Is the motor running? 18 volts at A1 is the reason cart not running fast. The lower the voltage at A1 the better as far as speed. Take a close look at the solenoid. Does it click when the pedal is pressed? Note the solenoid on the drawing JohnnieB sent you. The little square thing with the blu and yel wires is the coil. This is where the solenoid gets the voltage to make it click.The other part at the bottom is the contact. This is where the resistor is connected across. It is the little jagged thing in the dotted outline area at the bottom with the number 250. Note one end of the solenoid contact is connected directly to Battery Positive (B+) and the other end goes to the A2 terminal on the motor and to the B+ terminal on the controller. Make sure all these wires are connected as shown to the proper place and not mixed up. ScottieB suggested taking the resistor loose. With it disconnected temporally (just take one end of the resistor loose) and leave the rest of wires connected. There should not be any voltage on the B+ terminal on the controller. With the resistor in the circuit is normal to measure voltage on both big terminals of the solenoid. Lets take one thing at a time. You might even want to take a break from it and study the drawing. If the B+ wire on the controller is connected to the battery side of the solenoid contact instead of the switched side it could fool the controller to go into limp mode.

[radioman]

Originally Posted by tankdogg60

Just checked my ITS sensor and it is reading 14V. That means faulty correct?

Not necessarly. Hold on and quit jumping to conclusions. Testing the ITS is a project for another day.