Teach me about chargers

[TahoeDawgZ71]

Originally Posted by nickdalzell1

Really? we got tons for parts and can get just about everything (timers, ammeters, diodes, transformers) from Nivel or Mad Jax.

Sadly, lately most of the chargers we deal with are the failure-prone PowerWise QE, PowerDrive 3 (which seems to stop working completely if you replace bad diodes) and whatever Yamaha Drives use. I despise disposable, non-fixable anything.

Yeah. They were chargers from the early 1990s. Couldn't find parts anywhere. The PowerDrive 3 is easily repairable if you use the correct diodes. The issue you're having is because you're more than likely not installing the correct diodes. They have a top diode strip and a side diode strip. The actual diodes on these strips are reversed when you compare them side by side. If you install two diode strips that are the same, the charger won't work.

[nickdalzell1]

That must be it. They look identical to the diode strips used on Lester chargers and such. Every time I've tried to replace one set that failed it just clicks, never hums, almost as if the transformer was bad or the AC wasn't going in. We got one that's doing the diode fail symptom today (pops circuit breaker after reading backwards on ammeter for a second or two--on a PowerDrive 2 a new rectifier and fixed) and I keep saying to the boss that every attempt at fixing them is met with a click and absolutely nothing.

Nivel doesn't list diodes for PowerDrive 3, just relays.

Our Lesters and Lestronics (or ones we used the timer upgrade to make Lestronics) are from the 1970s or earlier (some with glass fuses that screw in) and we keep them because some customers want cheap replacements. Sadly none will work with any car that uses the QE or a disposable. Tried to put an end on an old one for 48V to use with a TXT 48 and it just didn't accept it.

[TahoeDawgZ71]

Originally Posted by nickdalzell1

That must be it. They look identical to the diode strips used on Lester chargers and such. Every time I've tried to replace one set that failed it just clicks, never hums, almost as if the transformer was bad or the AC wasn't going in. We got one that's doing the diode fail symptom today (pops circuit breaker after reading backwards on ammeter for a second or two--on a PowerDrive 2 a new rectifier and fixed) and I keep saying to the boss that every attempt at fixing them is met with a click and absolutely nothing.

Nivel doesn't list diodes for PowerDrive 3, just relays.

They look "almost" identical, but not entirely. If you pay close attention to the corner, they're cut at an angle. The 1015914 diode strips in the old PD1 and other Lester chargers are a perfect rectangle. They're cut on an angle to keep you from installing them in the wrong application, or by installing a side on the top, or the top on the side. You're probably having to pull out a plastic piece out of a small hole in the back of the charger in order to install these diodes. The plastic piece is there to alarm you that the diode you're trying to install doesn't fit. I can't speak for what Nivel sells or doesn't sell. I'm not a dealer for them and don't plan to be. When I started my business in 2015 after 14 years of experience at a Club Car dealership the first thing I did was try and get on board with all the right vendors. They didn't want to talk to me because they had "too many dealers within a 20 mile radius" of my location. I can guarantee you none of those other places in that radius have done the volume of business that I've done online since that day. If they wanna keep selling gaskets and solenoids to the local engine rebuilding shops working out of their houses, but won't supply me for my online store (and now service facility) it's their loss and not mine. I don't know what they sell for the PD3 and I don't care, but we have the correct parts for your chargers in our store if you're interested in the correct parts.

[nickdalzell1]

Very Interesting. Thanks. Not sure what will happen since she's decided to consider the PowerDrive 3 as non-repairable....Who knows. We don't have many of those fail, this would be number 3 in 5 years. What happens most is a stockpile of bad PowerWise QEs. I hate those blasted things!

[TahoeDawgZ71]

Originally Posted by nickdalzell1

Very Interesting. Thanks. Not sure what will happen since she's decided to consider the PowerDrive 3 as non-repairable....Who knows. We don't have many of those fail, this would be number 3 in 5 years. What happens most is a stockpile of bad PowerWise QEs. I hate those blasted things!

I agree with you. I'm not a fan of the fact that these chargers are non-repairable either. But unfortunately that's the way things are going. The only other choice you have is to keep the factory simple PowerDrive charger with the OBC, or upgrade to something else like a Lester Summit or a DPI Accusense. The Summit is the same way. It's not serviceable but it has a good warranty and a low failure rate. The DPI is serviceable, but buying a board for one of those is not cheap, so either way you look at it, it's expensive.

[nickdalzell1]

Actually we have gotten good popularity with the Eagle Performance series from Pro Charging Systems. Made in America (yay!) and advertised as 'repairable, not a throw-away' and can even charge dead packs, as well as maintain charge over winter since it's also a trickle charger. Costs about the same as we can get a junk replacement QE for too.


Problem is the tightwads out there who want something cheaper, and the only option for say a TXT 48 is another QE, since rebuilt units (might last for 2 years or 2 seconds, whichever comes first!) are half the cost of a Eagle.

The one thing that I have noticed that kills QEs the fastest is lightning strikes (yes, homes out in the sticks tend to not even have grounds!) so many come in after a severe t-storm, and the other thing that seems to guarantee kill one is GFCI outlets. they make them run extremely hot, and if they trip the end that remains plugged into the cart somehow backfeeds the unit from pack voltage and blows the soldered in fuse.

[NoleFan4Ever]

Wow.... Never had a PD3 quit on me like that. Maybe I am lucky....

Edit: Just saw Tahoe's post and "Yes", I have bought he correct ones so that must be why mine haven't had that issue

[nickdalzell1]

Yeah, they're generally reliable. 3 failures in 5 years, one was also a lightning hit, took out one of the diode strips.


We replace Rectifiers a ton in the 2's though. common issue.

[NoleFan4Ever]

Originally Posted by nickdalzell1

Yeah, they're generally reliable. 3 failures in 5 years, one was also a lightning hit, took out one of the diode strips.


We replace Rectifiers a ton in the 2's though. common issue.

The PD2's are about the best for replacement parts because of the rectifiers, but I love the hard kick a PD3 starts out with.

[nickdalzell1]

The PD3 kinda scares me since they are kinda scary loud (especially on a low SoC pack) and the ammeter stays pegged well beyond the 15A max, and sounds like it's about to catch fire. Seems to be ok, just different than what i'm used to.