cart just died/no crank /nothing

ironmonkey17 · 11-22-2015, 07:00 PM

looking for some help Please, took the cart (93 gas marathon) into the woods to climb a few hills, test out the new springs/lift and after the first hill and down the other side stopped and backed up a few feet then back to forward and nothing, no crank, no click, nothing, oh I do have reverse buzzer.

my1423 · 11-22-2015, 10:20 PM

First gently tap the solenoid with a hammer and see if it starts. Try a couple of times.
If no go, Try the starter generator. Give it a manual turn and tap.
Wiggle all the cables next and try it.
If no go Get a multimeter or at least a test light.
Make sure power 12v or whatever the battery has is coming out of the micro switch when the throttle is pressed.
Then make sure you have the same at the solenoid.
Make sure at the input from the switch and the battery cable.
Then see the output.
If still having power check at the starter generator.

ironmonkey17 · 11-23-2015, 05:47 PM

thanks my1423 I tested pretty much everything I even jumped the solenoid and nothing so I assumed it had to be the starter generator..so I started to take it apart when I got the air box off, I decided to test one more thing and that was the lights (I had them disconnected a few days earlier) and nothing??? so I put the wires to my lights on my battery charger and the lights worked, so I connected the charger to the cart and the lights worked, ok lets see if cart starts, and sure enough cart starts??? so now I'm really stumped battery reads 12.60, now with charger connected it reads 12.89 and that's only with 2 amp charge selected.. What Gives?? why will it only start with charger connect (I'm guessing battery bad, maybe I don't know..i'm no electrician but I remember reading something about amperage and that's what pushes the volts. (not real sure on that) anyone have an idea of what's going on?

TomStark · 11-23-2015, 05:59 PM

does not make a lot of sense with only 2 amp charger making it work. You do need amps. Here is an easy example. If you put 2 9 volt batteries in series, you have 18 volts. Now go disconnect your 12 volt car batter and try to start your car with 18 volts from the 2 9 volt batteries. Yep, nothing would happen, not enough amps. A VERY over simplified way of getting the relationship is this. Think of voltage as how fast the electrons are moving, and think of amperage as how many electrons there are moving that fast.
Anyway, all that aside, sounds like your battery is weak. Try charging it fully, then see if it will work, perhaps it is not being charged and will only work till it is run down to where it does not. And if that does not do the trick, try putting another battery in there, like from your car. If it works then, you know you have the problem. If you have a load tester, you can load test your battery, which would be preferred, but I am guessing you don't have one. Perhaps an auto parts store near you has one? Make sure your battery is fully charged before load testing or it will surely test bad.
Tom

ironmonkey17 · 11-23-2015, 07:59 PM

Thanks Tom, I'll charge it up and take it to the auto parts store and have it tested, this week is the first little cold spell we had, maybe the battery was already dying and the cold weather is letting me know its time for a new one.

TomStark · 11-23-2015, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmonkey17

Thanks Tom, I'll charge it up and take it to the auto parts store and have it tested, this week is the first little cold spell we had, maybe the battery was already dying and the cold weather is letting me know its time for a new one.

Yeah batteries are real jerks that way, no warning, just .... Well you know! Hope that is all it is. When your cart is running, be sure it charges and does not OVER charge. The volts should not go over 14.5 if they do, it will cook the battery. A friend had a cart where the regulator went bad and it would over charge. You may want to buy a cheap LED volt meter off ebay, I got one for like $8 delivered and wired it into the cart, now as I drive I can see if it is over charging or under charging.
Tom

my1423 · 11-23-2015, 11:01 PM

The battery charger is a new wrinkle.
I had that same thing happen to my truck.
I would hook up the charger and everything would work.
Unhooked just clickkkkkkkkkkkkkkk.
Turned out the cable was corroded on the inside from a little pinhole in the insulation.
Old cable but looked great.
The battery charger would wiggle it and make contact with good cable and start.
Figured it out when i pulled the battery and the end fell off the cable.
Only had like 4 wires left intact all the rest was green powder.

Take off your cables and clean them well. Corrosion can also make them not work on the posts. Bet you check the voltage at the solenoid its like 4 volts when you hit the gas and nothing goes.

ironmonkey17 · 11-24-2015, 04:37 PM

Thanks for all the help, I put the battery on charge all night, a friend of mine had a load tester, so I hooked it up and battery reads good then I hit the load button and it drops out. time for a new batter, I guess its better now then in the middle of a snow storm.

TomStark · 11-24-2015, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmonkey17

Thanks for all the help, I put the battery on charge all night, a friend of mine had a load tester, so I hooked it up and battery reads good then I hit the load button and it drops out. time for a new batter, I guess its better now then in the middle of a snow storm.

Glad it is as easy as that! And you are right, really sucks to find out you have an issue when it is cold, tons of snow, and now you have to fix the issue to clear the snow! Been there done that, which is why I now have a golf cart rather than a riding mower! LOL!
Tom

racin161 · 11-25-2015, 01:34 AM

Besides cutting grass in a snow storm SUCKS

LOU

11-22-2015, 07:00 PM	#1
ironmonkey17 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Ohio Posts: 960	cart just died/no crank /nothing looking for some help Please, took the cart (93 gas marathon) into the woods to climb a few hills, test out the new springs/lift and after the first hill and down the other side stopped and backed up a few feet then back to forward and nothing, no crank, no click, nothing, oh I do have reverse buzzer.

11-22-2015, 10:20 PM	#2
my1423 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 256	Re: cart just died/no crank /nothing First gently tap the solenoid with a hammer and see if it starts. Try a couple of times. If no go, Try the starter generator. Give it a manual turn and tap. Wiggle all the cables next and try it. If no go Get a multimeter or at least a test light. Make sure power 12v or whatever the battery has is coming out of the micro switch when the throttle is pressed. Then make sure you have the same at the solenoid. Make sure at the input from the switch and the battery cable. Then see the output. If still having power check at the starter generator.
my1423 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 256

11-23-2015, 05:47 PM	#3
ironmonkey17 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Ohio Posts: 960	Re: cart just died/no crank /nothing thanks my1423 I tested pretty much everything I even jumped the solenoid and nothing so I assumed it had to be the starter generator..so I started to take it apart when I got the air box off, I decided to test one more thing and that was the lights (I had them disconnected a few days earlier) and nothing??? so I put the wires to my lights on my battery charger and the lights worked, so I connected the charger to the cart and the lights worked, ok lets see if cart starts, and sure enough cart starts??? so now I'm really stumped battery reads 12.60, now with charger connected it reads 12.89 and that's only with 2 amp charge selected.. What Gives?? why will it only start with charger connect (I'm guessing battery bad, maybe I don't know..i'm no electrician but I remember reading something about amperage and that's what pushes the volts. (not real sure on that) anyone have an idea of what's going on?

11-23-2015, 05:59 PM	#4
TomStark Gone Wild Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 449	Re: cart just died/no crank /nothing does not make a lot of sense with only 2 amp charger making it work. You do need amps. Here is an easy example. If you put 2 9 volt batteries in series, you have 18 volts. Now go disconnect your 12 volt car batter and try to start your car with 18 volts from the 2 9 volt batteries. Yep, nothing would happen, not enough amps. A VERY over simplified way of getting the relationship is this. Think of voltage as how fast the electrons are moving, and think of amperage as how many electrons there are moving that fast. Anyway, all that aside, sounds like your battery is weak. Try charging it fully, then see if it will work, perhaps it is not being charged and will only work till it is run down to where it does not. And if that does not do the trick, try putting another battery in there, like from your car. If it works then, you know you have the problem. If you have a load tester, you can load test your battery, which would be preferred, but I am guessing you don't have one. Perhaps an auto parts store near you has one? Make sure your battery is fully charged before load testing or it will surely test bad. Tom

11-23-2015, 07:59 PM	#5
ironmonkey17 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Ohio Posts: 960	Re: cart just died/no crank /nothing Thanks Tom, I'll charge it up and take it to the auto parts store and have it tested, this week is the first little cold spell we had, maybe the battery was already dying and the cold weather is letting me know its time for a new one.

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11-23-2015, 11:01 PM	#7
my1423 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 256	Re: cart just died/no crank /nothing The battery charger is a new wrinkle. I had that same thing happen to my truck. I would hook up the charger and everything would work. Unhooked just clickkkkkkkkkkkkkkk. Turned out the cable was corroded on the inside from a little pinhole in the insulation. Old cable but looked great. The battery charger would wiggle it and make contact with good cable and start. Figured it out when i pulled the battery and the end fell off the cable. Only had like 4 wires left intact all the rest was green powder. Take off your cables and clean them well. Corrosion can also make them not work on the posts. Bet you check the voltage at the solenoid its like 4 volts when you hit the gas and nothing goes.
my1423 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 256

11-24-2015, 04:37 PM	#8
ironmonkey17 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Ohio Posts: 960	Re: cart just died/no crank /nothing Thanks for all the help, I put the battery on charge all night, a friend of mine had a load tester, so I hooked it up and battery reads good then I hit the load button and it drops out. time for a new batter, I guess its better now then in the middle of a snow storm.

11-25-2015, 01:34 AM	#10
racin161 Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 1,515	Re: cart just died/no crank /nothing Besides cutting grass in a snow storm SUCKS LOU
racin161 Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 1,515

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