97 electric ez go txt overheating while slow riding

[Gmrowe]

I have a 1997 36 volt Ez-go txt DCS. I installed new batteries and new 2 guage copper wires (all 10) with copper ends. Cleaned all terminals. I blew out and cleaned around the controller. It has a stock controller on it and I have 23x10.50-12 tires on it. When I drive at slow speeds 2 to 3 MPH around fields and sand the controller over heats and goes into overheat protection mode. If I wait a few seconds I can start to move again. All wires are cool to the touch, but controller is hot. I have no problem going full speed on pavement. I also replaced the solenoid. Any ideas to fix this problem?

[MILLERTIME]

Welcome to the madness.

[Mooncarter]

[Sir Nuke]

Originally Posted by Gmrowe

I have a 1997 36 volt Ez-go txt DCS. I installed new batteries and new 2 guage copper wires (all 10) with copper ends. Cleaned all terminals. I blew out and cleaned around the controller. It has a stock controller on it and I have 23x10.50-12 tires on it. When I drive at slow speeds 2 to 3 MPH around fields and sand the controller over heats and goes into overheat protection mode. If I wait a few seconds I can start to move again. All wires are cool to the touch, but controller is hot. I have no problem going full speed on pavement. I also replaced the solenoid. Any ideas to fix this problem?

you have two issues that the cart is not designed for...…

1. first off its not designed to creep around, especially the DCS and PDS carts.
2. second, you have put large tires on it, and the rest of the drive system is stock.

these two thing put a lot of strain on the system in the form oh heat, thus its why it goes into thermal shutdown.


oh and btw....Welcome to our happy little corner of the net, and to BGW. There is a BIG fridge on the back porch with anything you can think of in it...help yourself...of course only take what you can LEGALLY have. Make yourself at home on one of the big fluffy couches, kick your shoes off, put your feet up on one of the tables, yes we are allowed to do that, mom's, wives’, husbands, girlfriend’s and boyfriends here don't care....and take it easy.



oh...btw....every once in a while a food fight breaks out...so you may not want to wear nice clothes here.

Welcome!!

[radioman]

You can install a small fan to circulate air around the controller heat sink. I mounted a small fan at the top or the controller heat sink and rear fender panel. This helps but does not completely solve problem. The other alternative is upgrade controller or modify how and where you operate cart. This is normal for a stock PDS cart controller.

[R.Boyd]

It's the oversized tires putting too much demand on the stock controller. I have a 2000 pds that I put stock size ag tires on and I have done a lot of slow driving on muddy camp roads and I've never had overheating problems. However, just about everyone who has put big oversized tires with stock electronics have had problems with overheating. Takes a lot of amps to turn them.

[Brob1969]

Agreed on the stock controller. A higher amperage controller would likely serve your needs better.

[JohnnieB]

Tall tires and slow speed and sand adds up to a triple whammy.

Sepex motors (DCS, PDS and TXT-48 ) draw a lot of amps and generate a lot of heat at low speeds and with the 23" tall tires, the motor is turning about 28% slower than is would with stock height (18") tires, so the motor is capable of drawing more amps through the controller and overloading it. Add the increased rolling resistance of driving through sand and I'm surprised the controller and motor are still running.

That combination of factors is crying for an Alltrax XCT48500-DCS (or larger) controller with a high torque motor.

[Gmrowe]

Thanks for the big welcome and thanks for all the great answers. I'll keep you updated.