Slight setback..........

[JohnnieB]

Both rear wheels locked-up and cart slid to stop.
Bad noises and smells coming from under seat.
The arcing sounds stopped when I flipped Run/Tow to Tow, but the magic smoke leaked out of the controller for a while.

At first I though it was the differential because both wheels were locked and both tires slid when we pulled it off the road.
(Probably have some flat spots on tires, they slid quite a ways while cart was stopping, slid further when getting it off the road and still more getting it on the flatbed car hauler.)

Since the differential is the same/similar to the ones used in older rear wheel drive cars, my auto mechanic said his guys could probably fix the differential if I could get the parts. While I was home loading the cart and Dana differential service manuals on a flash drive, he called and said they got the wheels moving and didn't think the differential had locked up.

Apparently the motor is what locked up.

He is going to haul it to my place sometime today and I'll do the necropsia cadaverum this weekend. (A Necropsy is an Autopsy on a non-human )

----------
I know the controller smoked because the motor seized, but I'm not sure if the motor failed because I overheated it or over revved it. (I was probably doing both)

-----------
I had gone over the hill in one direction on the way out and was on the way back home. I was taking the 42V pack down to 37.0V (1.76VPC) climbing the hill, so I was drawing a lot of amps, which was generating a lot of motor heat. I was hitting 33MPH (7,500+ RPM), so I lifted my foot and the regen braking kicked in for a moment and then the tires started screeching.

---------
I'll let you guys know what all I took out when I find out myself.
However, I may have to pawn my cameras to buy the needed parts, so there might not be any postmortem pictures.

One thing is for sure, the new set-up will real-time monitoring of Amps, RPM and Temperature.
And maybe a few helium filled balloons tied to the toe of my size 16 boots!

---------
To my surprise, SWMBO said that I had better hurry and get it fixed because summer is half over with and not much more riding weather left.
I was anticipating a much different reaction. After 30 years, I thought I had her figured out better than that.
God I love that woman.

[scottyb]

Good and bad news. The Cart failed but the Woman passes with flying colors TTYL

[sportcoupe]

Do you suspect the high amount of regen at 7500 rpm, or the high rpm alone as the cause of motor failure?

oh wowv !!!!

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by sportcoupe

Do you suspect the high amount of regen at 7500 rpm, or the high rpm alone as the cause of motor failure?

I suspect all of the above.
I'll have a better idea when I get the motor off and apart, but the cart isn't here yet.
If the armature is exploded, it was RPM, if the windings are melted down, it was regen.

I'm leaning towards Regen or heat because the tires didn't start sliding until after I lifted my foot and they started rolling again for a few feet and then they locked up for good a few feet later. That sound like some slag jammed the armature mechanically, broke free and then more slag jammed it again.

[patgrim00]

Eww that sucks I took a trip to the plum quick hq Wednesday to have my motor rebuilt and he was extremely adimate about me turning off ALL regen on my controller when I got it installed so I guess that's what he was talking about

[ab46501]

Locking up the tires at 33 mph probably wasnt much fun!! Glad you are OK.

[yurtle]

How does the regen know how fast you're going? Didn't you say the controller doesn't use the speed sensor?

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by ab46501

Locking up the tires at 33 mph probably wasnt much fun!! Glad you are OK.

I neglected to mention, there were also nasty sounds and smells emanating above the seat.

Fortunately, both rear wheels locked up. Otherwise, I would have been making use of some skills I acquired on a skid pad at a driving school I attended in my younger and wilder days.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by yurtle

How does the regen know how fast you're going? Didn't you say the controller doesn't use the speed sensor?

Correct, speed sensor is not used by a DCX controller, but the the faster the armature is spinning, the higher the generated voltage and the higher the voltage, the more amps pumped into the battery pack.