Confirmation of Controller Failure

[Chalfin]

2004 Ez-Go TXTPDS 36V
When I press the pedal the cart moves for approx. 5 feet then stops. I let up on the pedal and press back down...nothing. I wait a period of time and press again and cart moves approx. 5 feet and stops.....so on and so forth.
Batteries test fine and are only 2 years old. Motor shows continuity between F1 and F2, A1-A2, but not any between A and F. Solenoid shows 36V to motor initially then 0 when the cart doesn't respond to the pedal being pushed down. I am currently testing the J4 positions on the 1206MX controller....with batteries all connected, key on, shift in forward here is what J4 pins on the controller are reading.....J4-1(green wire)=24.6vDC, J4-2(red wire)=12.3vDC, J4-3(black wire)=24.6vDC and J4-4(white wire)=9.8vDC. I might add that none of these change when the pedal is pushed down. Is my controller bad and causing my issue??

[scottyb]

When we spoke I thought you said no voltage J4-4? Here is the ITS test voltages. Check the 4 pin connector between the control and the pedal box for a poor connection.

[Chalfin]

Thanks Scotty, I will look at that tomorrow night.

[Chalfin]

That is a tricky test ! With key on and cart in "FWD" there is a voltage reading of 3.8 at the ITS white wire. When I depress the accelerator and the solenoid clicks it fluctuates but I am gonna say .3vDC, then when I push the pedal to the floor I get 4.2vDC. Meter is really jumping around !

[Chalfin]

I just did the test again three times and got different results each time.

[scottyb]

That's not good, controller wouldn't be happy seeing a different range each time you press the gas... Umm, put a fresh battery in the meter and re test making sure you are getting a good connection.

[Chalfin]

Just did test again....still getting 3.8vDc w switch on and in FWD without pressing pedal down. I press pedal far enough to click solenoid and no change on voltage...press pedal to floor and get 4.2vDC

[JohnnieB]

Two sets of symptoms that need to be addressed.

1. "Solenoid shows 36V to motor initially then 0 when the cart doesn't respond to the pedal being pushed down"
This indicates the solenoid contacts are not closed.
The solenoid may be clicking, but the solenoid contacts are not closing or this voltage would stay at the pack voltage level.

The pre-charge resistor is charging the filter capacitors in the controller and the B+ terminal on the controller is also attached to the same Solenoid terminal that has the cable to A2 attached to it, so you will read something close to pack voltage until the controller starts feeding current to the motor.
Then the filter capacitors are discharged through the motor, which may move the cart a few feet.

The pre-charge resistor will probably get hot since total motor current is trying to be drawn through it.

Remove the pre-charge resistor and disconnect the B+ cable from the battery pack to the solenoid. Then measure continuity between the solenoid's large terminals after the solenoid clicks.

Be sure to place Run/Tow switch into Tow before disconnecting or reconnecting any electrical wiring.

2. "with batteries all connected, key on, shift in forward here is what J4 pins on the controller are reading.....J4-1(green wire)=24.6vDC, J4-2(red wire)=12.3vDC, J4-3(black wire)=24.6vDC and J4-4(white wire)=9.8vDC."

Those voltages are all wrong. And they are from two separate power sources inside the controller, so the first step it to make sure you have FULL battery pack voltage on J1 Pin-4 and J1 Pin-5.

If so, Check for FULL battery pack voltage on all four pins on J3 when Run/Tow switch is in Run.

If you have it there also, You should have FULL battery pack voltage on J4 Pins 1 & 2 when pedal is pushed just far enough to make solenoid click and you should have 14V to 16V on J4 Pin-4 and 0.7V to 1.3V on J4 Pin-3.

Sounds like you might have a bad solenoid and a bad controller, so it might be a good time to consider upgrading to an Alltrax DCX400 (or larger) controller and a HD or SD solenoid.

[Chalfin]

Ok....just did the continuity test and its jumping all over the place....

[Chalfin]

J1-pin 4=37.1
J1 pin 5=37.1
J3 all pins=37.0
J4 pin 1=0.00 before solenoid click and 36.6 when solenoid clicks
J4 pin 2=37.0 before solenoid click and 36.6 after solenoid click
J4 pin 4=14.5
J4 pin 3=.9