Starter/generator issue? G2

[sho305]

If you get power to the gen at the large cables, then its the gen or ground to it. The brushes go bad in the gen but about as often as the solenoids go bad, not very often.

Basically your key sends power to the pedal, when you push pedal it sends that power to the start solenoid, the ignition coil and ignitor. The start solenoid is on any time it is running or starting, any time the pedal is down. It just connects the starter/gen to the battery through the big cables, but it stays connected while running. The voltage regulator looks at the 12v and when it wants to charge it sends power to the field of the gen and makes it charge, when needed, since the gen is running all the time. It only starts at really low cranking rpm, above that it does nothing unless the VR lights up the field and makes it charge. It only charges at higher rpm.

[cfherrman]

I have this problem as well, sometimes clicks and sometimes it's fine, other times it barely will turn the motor over and I have to help it on the compression stroke.

I'm gonna check my brushes

[Wolfracing1]

Well, I replaced the cables and the battery since it was old. All is good now!
Thank you for the help!

[cfherrman]

The ground wire on mine gets really hot when it doesn't want to crank, so I'll be replacing that before checking the brushes

[Lochlin]

Originally Posted by cfherrman

I'm gonna check my brushes

Worn brushes are the cause of many issues with S/Gs yet people tend to overlook them when troubleshooting starting / charging issues. Pop the top off and give your brush springs a looksie too. Sometimes they rust up and don't have much spring action to them. While the top is off, blow compressed air all over the inside. You'll shocked at how much black dust comes out of there.

[ElHuaPo]

Well, I'll be a "Monkey's Uncle". I have an old Taylor-Dunn cart with a Yamaha G2 power train---my first one. Someone has re-wired (read as massively-molested) it to skip the starting and stopping switch, it just uses an automotive key switch. It was junked and given to me and I've gotten it running fairly well but can't get it to charge the battery. Now I read that the "Start Solenoid" needs to stay engaged all the time it's running. I will make a wiring change to make it so. Here I thought the various wiring diagrams I found were mistaken to take control power from the load side of the solenoid, leaving no return path to charge the battery. Thank you, "sho305", very much for the enlightenment.

[sho305]

Originally Posted by ElHuaPo

Well, I'll be a "Monkey's Uncle". I have an old Taylor-Dunn cart with a Yamaha G2 power train---my first one. Someone has re-wired (read as massively-molested) it to skip the starting and stopping switch, it just uses an automotive key switch. It was junked and given to me and I've gotten it running fairly well but can't get it to charge the battery. Now I read that the "Start Solenoid" needs to stay engaged all the time it's running. I will make a wiring change to make it so. Here I thought the various wiring diagrams I found were mistaken to take control power from the load side of the solenoid, leaving no return path to charge the battery. Thank you, "sho305", very much for the enlightenment.

That is how this gen works on carts, others are not necessarily the same in tractors and such. One thing is you need a constant duty solenoid, the car and truck ones are momentary and they will not work. Glad to help.

Some people just don't like the cart start system, they want a car type key start like their rider lawn mower has. The cart system was made to start a million times, no starter would ever last long at a golf course and no golfer would want to start it all the time, and nobody would pay for the fuel to have it running and making noise. Its really a hybrid vehicle just because it has the ability to not idle. There is little reason to disable it because you don't like it, but whatever. Or the solenoid died and they didn't want to buy one.

[ElHuaPo]

Thanks again, "sho305", the Starter/Generator is working like it should now. I just added a double-spade connector to the "Run" connection on the key switch (the stock switches are long gone) and added the start wire to it. Now I read 14 volts at the battery any time I rev the engine. As a long-time automobile tinkerer, I had to grit my teeth to make the starter stay engaged with a running engine, but now I understand. This whole forum is very cool, I have learned a lot in several areas, thanks to all.

[sho305]

Have to remember a DC motor will stop taking power when it runs faster than it was designed to. The more you load it below that rpm the more power it will take. If you run the motor above that rpm it begins to be a generator, the field in these controls that.

[Tjax1970]

Hi, I have an ezgo (probably and 85 year model), which has stopped engaging the generator/starter. I am trying to troubleshoot, but am confused with the meter readings I am getting.. I feel like a switch or solenoid is bad..

The Starter/Generator is a Hitachi GSB107-03 and I have had this cart for years and has run like a champ.. I have not changed any of the wiring.

When I run a wire from the motor frame ground to the F2 post on the starter/generator, it starts right up... so I know my starter/generator is good.

What is confusing me is that when I put a v meter on the solenoid, all posts are hot, all posts on the starter/generator are hot and both of my key switch posts are hot when in the ON position and one is off when in the OFF position and the gas peddle when pressed makes them both them both hot even with Key in the OFF position, which I assume is correct...

Any suggestions on what and how to trouble shoot to see what is failing?

Thx!