Reed Switch Problems

[Thetruth]

I went to use our 1996 Ez-Go electric cart after a couple of months of no use. It sits in a detached garage at our lakehouse. When I went to run it, it wouldn't do anything. I first checked the solenoid and noticed a severely burned post and wire, the left side large post and wire. I ordered a new one and replaced it. Still nothing.

I then noticed that the speed controller appeared to have overheated to the point where there is a melt mark on the top of the box that indicates it was hot enough to melt the plastic apart on the box top, and cause a heat wave down the front side of the box. You can also see on the B+ post on the top of the box, that it got hot enough to score the post. So I ordered and replaced the speed controller. Still no luck.

I also noticed that my charge meter is not working, so I did some research and found that the Reed switch can go bad. I found a post that gave instructions on how to bypass the Reed switch, which I did. That resulted in the charge meter operating, and when I pressed the gas pedal the solenoid kicked in. However, there was an immediate puff of smoke from the solenoid, and the small resistor melted/broke off it's wiring. Now the charge meter still works, but the solenoid is no longer activating.

Any thoughts on the root cause?

[scottyb]

Dead short somewhere.
Motor short or wires going to the motor shorting against the frame?
Check for frame voltage, you should have 0.

[Thetruth]

Thanks for the quick reply. No frame voltage. Is there a test I can perform on the motor to determine if its bad? Also, I've read several posts about continuity between the A1/S1/A2/S2 posts on the motor, but have seen contradicting answers. What is the real answer. Which posts should have continuity? And I'm understanding continuity to mean a "0" on the multi-meter between the the two tested posts?