2000 DS No Torque in Reverse

[Hunter450]

Just purchased my first cart a CC 48 volt with serial A0032. Cart seems to perform well but when I try to back up my driveway in reverse it just stalls. I turn the cart around and it will go up my driveway easily. I have good voltage on the battery pack. I'm not looking for break-neck speed in reverse but more torque would be great. Thoughts?

[mrgolf]

Some carts use half the battery pack for rev. Not sure what you have there.

[Hunter450]

Interesting, For what its worth I called a CC dealer and their response was the cart is doing what it was designed for which was to be somewhat safer in reverse. My cart does fine on level ground. Are there any other stock DS owners out there that believes their carts are weak in reverse? This is my hunting cart so it has me concerned about getting nosed downhill and I can't even move.

[Sergio]

You did not say how steep your driveway was, but in any case it is easy enough to have the same speed/torque in reverse as in forward.

The diagram below should match your cart:

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/attac...car_ds_48v.jpg

Disconnect the Green and the White wires from micro-switch #3 (in the FNR switch assembly) and connect them together.

You will now have full speed in reverse, so keep it mind when you press the pedal all the way down.

[Hunter450]

Sergio,
Thanks for the reply, my driveway is not that steep but probably drops 6 or 7 feet in 60 feet. The schematic you referenced doesn't look like what I have. I have the second dynamic breaking solenoid and my FNR switch is 3 position button switch. The schematic I have (2000 maintenance service supplement for Powerdrive plus) shows only 3 wires connected to my FNR switch 1) white 2) red/white 3) blue that go straight to the controller and no mico switches shown. I'm ignorant of this cart but I'm trying to figure it out.

[Sergio]

Is this what You have (Resistor coil on top of DB Solenoid):

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/attac...s_-regen2-.jpg

If so, the Controller is in charge and the only think you can check is that the Resistor on top of the DB solenoid is not getting red hot when You are trying to go in reverse.

[Hunter450]

I think that is the one.
So, to make sure I understand, I'll put the cart in reverse and try to back up my drive, if the resistor gets hot then its bad and needs to be replaced?

Thanks again!

[Sergio]

One thing at the time, if the resistor gets hot (which would reduce the torque considerably) in reverse, the controller is not working correctly.

If that is the case, the best option would be to by-pass the DB solenoid and disconnected the speed sensor.

[Hunter450]

Originally Posted by Sergio

One thing at the time, if the resistor gets hot (which would reduce the torque considerably) in reverse, the controller is not working correctly.

If that is the case, the best option would be to by-pass the DB solenoid and disconnected the speed sensor.

Sorry, something called work got me distracted:

Can I perform this DB resistor heat test with the rear of my cart on jack stands? I know this would not exactly simulate backing up an incline but it would help me out as I'm a one man show. Or, would it be better on the incline and I just quickly check it?

If the resistor coil heats up and I try bypassing the solenoid does it matter which large terminal I connect the cables to on the solenoid? I do understand the 2 small wires connected to the DB solenoid need to be disconnected and isolated for the test. And lastly, to disconnect the speed sensor is to just unclip the small 3-wire connector coming off the motor.

Thanks for your help and patience!

[Sergio]

I think a quick explanation of the operation of that system will help with the reason for the test.

The controller should keep the DB solenoid engaged (therefore by-passing the resistor coil) under most operating conditions, that includes both Motoring and Regen brake, in both forward and reverse.

Unfortunately, that system did not have a very effective Regen system, so when the motor was turning below a certain RPM (equivalent to approximately 9 mph), there was not enough voltage being generated by the Motor during Regen brake to over power the battery pack.

It was only in that case that the controller disengaged the DB Solenoid (allowing the current to flow through the resistor coil) and shorted the armature winding to activate the Dynamic Brake.

If the DB solenoid or the activation circuit inside the controller is failing, the resistor coil would be in series with the armature circuit during motoring, which would limit the current and prevent the cart from developing any torque.

The reason to unplug the speed sensor when you by-pass the DB solenoid is not because the Regen brake, but if the controller shorts the armature without that resistor in the circuit, the brake action would be quite violent.

Perhaps the easiest method would be to just put both large cables on one of the big solenoid posts on the DB solenoid, it does not matter which one.

You don't need to disconnect the small wires from the solenoid.

You do have to unplug the 3-pin Deutsch connector coming off the end of the motor to prevent the controller from engaging the Dynamic brake.

Test drive in reverse after that to see if the torque is better.