HELP!!!! Stalled cart

[pier252]

HELPP!!!

hey guys.... i was driving my buggies up a decently steep hill on my families land this weekend just taking in the great weather...got half way up it and realized that the cart wasnt going to pull it...i had the pedal all the way down and the cart stalled....then shook and lost all ability to drive forward or reverse...the batteries are sully charged and still hooked up... what in the world could it be? Blown Fuse? Controller? Motor? anyone had this happen before?

[camaroluvz28]

sounds like you have prob popped the controller...are you still getting a solenoid click and back-up buzzer?

[pier252]

nope...getting nothing....my back up buzzer never worked... when i turn on the key and press the pedal no sounds no nothing happens...

[JohnnieB]

Is it the '97 Txt series cart with 23" tires that died?

If so, and the solenoid isn't clicking, you killed your battery pack.
Maybe a blown fuse, it would connected to one of the heavy cables if it exists. (It would be 200A or more - the 60A one just goes to the charger.
Could be a interconnecting cable in the battery pack.
Or it might be one of the batteries.

If the solenoid is clicking, it could be the controller or motor, or the F/R switch, or one of the heavy cables outside the battery pack.

[pier252]

it sure is.....AHHHHHH....my heart sank when it happened...and the whole way pulling it back with the atv....

Thanks a ton guys...

johnnieb...what troubleshooting steps should i take now to see what im working with?

[pier252]

besides checking the fuse....i understand how to check that haha

[JohnnieB]

First, check voltage at main terminals of battery pack. Should be 38.2V if fully charged.

If you don't have battery pack voltage, move the DVM positive test lead to the positive pole of the Front-Center battery.
If no voltage there, move positive teat lead to positive pole of Front-left battery.
Keep moving positive test lead to next battery going in a counterclockwise direction until you find voltage.
The battery, cable and/or connections between the first place with voltage and the lest place without voltage is where the problem is.

If you do have battery voltage at the main battery pack terminals, move the positive DVM test lead to smaller of the three wires coming out of the cart's charger receptacle.
If battery pack voltage is there, move positive test lead to Red wire on MS-2
Attached is schematic with current path of solenoid activation circuit traced in red all the way to solenoid coil.

Once the solenoid is clicking, the cart will probably run, but if it doesn't, we'll continue troubleshooting.

[scottyb]

If this is a lifted cart with a stock control then the chances are real good that the controller overheated and had a melt down.
I'm curious to hear what kind of battery pack voltage you have? What is the battery pack history?

P.S.
When you are under load and you feel the cart is not going to make it you MUST stop before it has a melt down. The high amperage drawn in this type of situation creates excessive heat in the controller.
Some thing else could have gone first... but if the F&R or a cable end or a weak battery didn't let go first then the controller did... in my experience.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by scottyb

If this is a lifted cart with a stock control then the chances are real good that the controller overheated and had a melt down................

Controller failure was my first thought, but solenoid doesn't click and on a series cart, the solenoid ought to click even if controller is toast.
Of course, controller could have had a meltdown, which in turn, could have taken out something else, which is now preventing the solenoid from clicking.

Just have to start from scratch.
Check battery pack.
Check solenoid activation
Check high current path.

Whatever the problem or problems turn out to be, pier252 needs to upgrade the controller, F/R and cables to run those big tires.

[pier252]

AHH Scottyb and johnnieb...crazy helpful guys...the great B family..

ok heading back to my parents place tomorrow and will begin checking this...

I knew the controller was coming eventually...just was putting off to save some pennies. Thanks for the guidance fellas...will be back on here letting yall know what i find asap..and im sure asking for ways to remedy