running slow / hot cable wire

[brad@logolinkusa.com]

My ezgo pds is running slow. Water level on batteries is fine, batteries are charging (only 6 mos old). Its been sitting for a week while I removed spacers and replaced driver side rear wheel hub. Took it out for a quick spin last eve. and smelled something "burning" the main cable wire to the controller in hot to the touch. Any ideas?

[Gregorio]

Check for loose or corroded connections and bad wires. Replace any that are corroded or cooked. Their resistance is going up creating more heat.

[brad@logolinkusa.com]

thank you, Gregario. I dont have any "testing" equipment. If corrosion or bad connection is not visible, or everything appears to be a tight connection, whats best way to go about this? How would I know if wire is bad / which one.

[Gregorio]

Look for green or blackened copper and crispy plastic on the wires. I would take this time to remove each one, clean the posts and inspect the ends, one at a time. Go all the way to the controller and to the motor. Recheck torque and visually inspect wires monthly at battery maintenance time.

Put it in Tow (if you have that kind of system) before you pull the pack negative wire to the controller. Leave this wire disconnected the entire time and reconnect last before you put the cart in Run again.

[yurtle]

Another test would be to drive it and touch each and every cable end. Just because it looks good, doesn't mean it is. Are these new cables or original?

[cgtech]

Here's an easy fix, if the cable is getting hotter than the others, replace it immediately. Or even better, get a 4g upgrade cable set for the whole thing. Every single thing that is getting warm is indicative of watts that never make it to the wheels to move you down the road.

[Cruise Master]

Save yourself some time and also a burn injury and get something this. They are cheap, easy to use, and surprisingly accurate.

Infrared Laser Thermometer Clicky

[yurtle]

Yeah, I need to get one, one day. I always do the sizzle test. Lick my finger before touching anything that might be hot, like our moms did on irons.

Remember, you can boil water in a paper cup, and the cup can never get hotter than 100° C.

[Cruise Master]

They are a handy little tool for sure. I would think they are mandatory for a sparky even.

I've used mine from finding a sticking brake caliper on the SUV causing a low tire light to come on, to a GFI outlet that was going bad in my motor home. Kept smelling burning insulation one morning. Used it to shoot every outlet and sure enough the bathroom GFI was hot. The common wire was all brown from the heat build up. Could have been bad.

They go on sale a lot and the smallest ones I think are less then $10.

[cgtech]

I have a nice one & a cheapo HF one, they both work fine.