Controller upgrade, now won't charge

[sleepyluke]

Ok so here is the update. I did not have a chance to do much but I did check. Put the charger on about 2.5 hours ago, came on but went out and checked volt meter dropped but charger now off. Something in my volt check does not add up. Individual batteries all 6.6 or better ( right off charger unhook) but b+ and m- on the controller shows 34.5 which would seem closer to what the meter is showing, way too dead, but I don't think it was that low earlier.

I know I need to look more, but do I have separate issues?
1 - I did not hook back to the reed switch, may try that tomorrow, did something happen with the charger at the same time but have nothing to do with the controller?

2 - do I seem to have a bad wire?

Batteries seem to be a possible, but literally 2 weeks ago they ran 10 plus miles with no hiccups at all, charged then started this project. I have no idea how they were treated in their first 2.5 or so years of their life but since have been treated fairly well. 3.5 years old or so now. Trojan 105s.

And don't have cash flow for new batteries right now...

Again thanks for playing.

[JohnnieB]

Something is wrong, but I'm not sure if it is the charger, battery pack, controller, wiring or mangled communications via the forum posts.

1. If all six batteries are all 6.6V or higher, the pack voltage is at least 39.6V, which is a ballpark figure when the voltage is measured just a few hours after the charge turns off automatically.

To get an accurate indication of battery health, the voltage should be measured at least 6 hours , preferably 12 hours, after the charger shuts off automatically. After 12 hours rest, the pack should read 38.2V, each battery should read 6.37V and all six should be within 0.1V of each other.

What is the voltage between the battery pack's main positive and main negative terminals?

2. Having 34.5V between B+ and M- may or may not be significant since you didn't mention the conditions under which the voltage reading was obtained.

With Run/Tow in RUN, keyswitch ON and F/R switch in either F or R, the voltage between B+ and M- should be Zero when the pedal is pushed just far enough for the solenoid to click and climb to FULL battery pack voltage when the pedal is pushed to floor.

What positions are the Run/Tow, Key, F/R and Pedal switches in when you measure 34.5V between the B+ and M- terminals on the controller?

3. In your first post, you mentioned that the Battery meter was now staying on all the time.
If so, is the LED on the controller staying on all the time also?
(The LED should be off unless the Key is ON and F or R are selected.)

4. Is this a factory installed battery meter, or was it added later?

5. What charger are you using?

[sleepyluke]

I agree something is wrong and it is probably me!

34.5v was at rest no switch on f/r in neutral position same time as battery pack reading was taken, 2 minutes after unhooking charger

I just checked and battery pack is 38.0, but when you turn on key and f/r the B to M on the controller is 37.2 which should be at 0

LED volt meter factory install and on if in run mode, key does not matter at all anymore, it is on

Charger is powerwise can't remember model. Maybe powerwise 2.


The installed voltmeter is what leads me to believe that I have a wire wrong somewhere and is a simple cross or something. I think I have run it hot now and not going through the switch f/r set up now, but can't find what is wrong. Only way that it is not illuminated is to go to tow mode.

I really think it has to do with the hook up, but again I seem to be running it hot around the key but don't have any spare or missing wires that I can tell.

Thanks again and if any pictures would help I can take a picture of what ever.

[JohnnieB]

There are three bus-bar terminals on a DCX controller that are labeled B+, B- and M- and it is very important to fully and correctly identify which terminals the voltage is measure between.
When the solenoid first clicks you should get Full pack voltage between M- and B- and the voltage decreases to near zero as the peadal is pushed to the floor.
Conversely, the voltage between M- and B+ starts at Zero when the solenoid first clicks and then increases to nearly full p[ack voltage as the pedal is pushed to the floor.

With the Run/Tow in RUN, Key ON and F/R in either F or R, but the pedal not pushed (Solenoid not energized) the voltage between M- and B- would be pack voltage less a few volts due the the resistor across the solenoid's large terminals dropping a few volts.

The attached schematic shows the way the various switches are connected and the red highlighted path is how B+ gets to the solenoid coil. Disregard the blue highlighted path, it is only active when pedal is pushed.

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A stock PDS controller only supplied voltage to the keyswitch when the F/R was in F or R. With a DCX controller, the voltage to the keyswitch is supplied by the DCX to PDS adapter via one of two diodes that are connected to the F/R switch by the adapter. The keyswitch still doesn't have voltage to it unless F/R is in either F or R.

If your meter is factory installed, meter terminals 1 & 2 should be connected directly to the battery pack and terminal 4 to the switched leg of the keyswitch as shown in the second attachment.

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A picture of the PDS wiring harness plugs plugged into the DCX to PDS adapter and a picture of how the battery meter is connected to keyswitch would be helpful.

Also, a picture of the charger faceplate.

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[sleepyluke]

Key switch and meter

[sleepyluke]

Overview

[sleepyluke]

I tried to run the red/white wire to the reed charger and the controller would not come on. I re did the connection and to the battery and it comes back on. Meter still on all the time.

Across b+ to m- I get -37.7 or there about, not 0 when key and f/r switch on.


Any clue other than I did something wrong? Thanks again

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by sleepyluke

Key switch and meter

Looks like the two red wires on meter are reversed.

[sleepyluke]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

Looks like the two red wires on meter are reversed.

That is easy but I did not swap them! Never touched that set of wires. Swapped it. It now reads full but still on.

Biggest question I have is that it seems the main wire feeding power to the controller is the small red/white striped wire that should be going to the charger reed. This does not seem right in my mind which would lead me to think one of my other wires is the actual wrong one.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by sleepyluke

I tried to run the red/white wire to the reed charger and the controller would not come on. I re did the connection and to the battery and it comes back on. Meter still on all the time.

Across b+ to m- I get -37.7 or there about, not 0 when key and f/r switch on.


Any clue other than I did something wrong? Thanks again

Ouch! I screwed up and told you the connect the heavy red wire to the solenoid's battery side terminal. I can see that it goes into the same wire bundle that a black wire from the main negative terminal goes into. That would make it the other end of the red wire that attaches to the battery meter. It should be on the Main positive terminal where it was. Sorry.

I mistook it for the smaller red wirte that should go between the battery side termina and J1 Pin-5 of the PDS wiring harness.
Pin-5 is the passenger side bottom row of the 10 pin plug and the wire appears to be brown in the picture.
Where is the other end of it connected?

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RE the voltage between B+ and M- terminals: I've only measured between M- and B- on a DCX controller since only the control element (MOSFETs) is physically and electrically located between those two points. There are many other things connected between M- and B+, so there may be a phantom path and it doesn't take much current flow to get a voltage reading on a DVM. Since the cart does run, that voltage is probably okay.

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BTW: After switching the red wires on the battery meter, Fully charge the batteries, disconnect the heavier red wire (terminal-1), wait five minutes and then reconnect it. (Be sure to put into TOW when connecting or disconnecting any wires) That should reset the meter to 100% SoC.