Alltrax XCT 1 Green/1 Red Open/Short Circuit

[JohnnieB]

Since you are getting an erratic Ohms reading every 90°, I suspect one of the armature's three dozen, or so, of coils has failed.

The armature coils are connected between two bars on the commutator that are 180° apart, but the four brushes are connected in pairs, so the single bad coil would show up between the A1 and A2 studs every 90°.

I don't know how many coils are in the armature of a stock PDS motor, or how exactly they are connected, but here is how to check them: https://www.groschopp.com/how-to-che...otor-armature/

Personally, I'd take the armature to a motor shop and have them test in on a growler, or whatever they use to test armatures these days.

[MauiHoss]

Brushes are wearing evenly and appear to be moving smoothly. Wires at the studs and at the brushes are not broken or disconnected.

After cleaning up the commutator with 600 grit wet/dry paper, VOM results are mostly under range from 0.0-0.2 ohms with the occasional 0.3-0.5 reading.

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by MauiHoss

Brushes are wearing evenly and appear to be moving smoothly. Wires at the studs and at the brushes are not broken or disconnected.

After cleaning up the commutator with 600 grit wet/dry paper, VOM results are mostly under range from 0.0-0.2 ohms with the occasional 0.3-0.5 reading.

Sounds promising? What does Alltrax say?

[MauiHoss]

JohnnyB -- good info on the armature and good advice about the motor shop.

Found a video on YT, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmjFzukDhqI, that covers the three basic tests for the armature as outlined on the website you mentioned. Two of the tests are fairly easy and it seems to pass them. The third, testing resistance 180 degrees apart, I'm having trouble doing with the armature still in the end cap.

I called our local alternator shop and they have a growler to test the motor.

Yurtle -- I haven't called Alltrax yet. If I could verify that the motor is actually OK, then I'd call them to see why the controller would indicate an open/short problem.

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by MauiHoss

JohnnyB -- good info on the armature and good advice about the motor shop.

Found a video on YT, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmjFzukDhqI, that covers the three basic tests for the armature as outlined on the website you mentioned. Two of the tests are fairly easy and it seems to pass them. The third, testing resistance 180 degrees apart, I'm having trouble doing with the armature still in the end cap.

I called our local alternator shop and they have a growler to test the motor.

Yurtle -- I haven't called Alltrax yet. If I could verify that the motor is actually OK, then I'd call them to see why the controller would indicate an open/short problem.

I was kinda joking. I meant what does YOUR Alltrax say, as in LED error codes.

[MauiHoss]

The guy from the motor shop just called to say he isn't finding a short in either the coils or armature using the growler. He told me that when installing new brushes, the commutator should have been resurfaced to insure the best possible contact with the brushes. I just sanded them with wet/dry 600 grit sandpaper which was probably not the best idea. For about $100 he can resurface the commutator and clean between each of the contacts to insure there's no continuity between them. I didn't find any continuity between the contacts when testing with the VOM last week.

This motor was working well with the new brushes for the last year but I'll have him resurface the commutator.

yurtle: the answer to your question about the Alltrax LED error code is in the title of this thread. 1 green/1 red = open/short circuit

[MauiHoss]

The motor guy found no shorts or opens in the motor. He also dressed the commutator.

I installed the motor after double checking the wires for continuity. With everything connected, the Alltrax XCT still displays the open/short problem with 1 green/1 red LED flash.

Is there anything else I should be checking? Maybe it's time to talk to Alltrax.

[Sergio]

The Alltrax error message is just about a short or over current condition in the output wiring, the word "Open" is not part of the error message.

Did You take the entire motor or just the Armature to the shop?

Did You ever fix or retest that Field to Motor case resistance problem?

Have you tried disconnecting the M- cable and then the Field cables to see if you still have the problem?

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by MauiHoss

The motor guy found no shorts or opens in the motor. He also dressed the commutator.

I installed the motor after double checking the wires for continuity. With everything connected, the Alltrax XCT still displays the open/short problem with 1 green/1 red LED flash.

Is there anything else I should be checking? Maybe it's time to talk to Alltrax.

Originally Posted by Sergio

The Alltrax error message is just about a short or over current condition in the output wiring, the word "Open" is not part of the error message.

Did You take the entire motor or just the Armature to the shop?

Did You ever fix or retest that Field to Motor case resistance problem?

Have you tried disconnecting the M- cable and then the Field cables to see if you still have the problem?

I've attached the list of error code and their definitions for everyone's reading enjoyment.

The definition given for the 1-Green/1-Red error is "short circuit or other fault on the output circuit". True, it doesn't say "open", but it doesn't exclude it either. In fact, Alltrax's definition statement doesn't exclude anything.

Also, it doesn't define which output, armature or field. There is a Motor Field Failure error code (1-Green/5-Red), but its definition indicates a short and no other conditions, so an open field might trigger the 1-Green/1-Red error instead.

Have the armature and field circuits been checked from the controller terminals rather than at the motor studs? Might be bad cables.

------------
Yes it is probably about time to contact Alltrax.

[Sergio]

JohnnieB, the XCT page in the Alltrax website defines that error:

1-GRN (+) 1-RED LED flash = Over Current/Short Circuit

I agree that a missing or weak field current could cause an over current condition in the Armature circuit.

Maybe I missed it, but I did not see where the Field to Motor case current path was resolved/retested in the thread.