2008 RXV 10amp ignition fuse blows instantly

[2006h3]

Hello!

I have a 2008 RXV with the the navitas controller upgrade and speed gear. Cart has been working great since it was built last year. Today, while going about 15mph, the cart just stopped. Found out the 10amp fuse on the controller cover panel is blown. Replaced it and it blows the second the key is turned. Is there a way to test the ignition switch on these things? Everything else looks perfect everywhere else. This is the circuit from the solenoid through the yellow wire to the switch. Thanks.

Brad

[BobBoyce]

Originally Posted by 2006h3

Hello!

I have a 2008 RXV with the the navitas controller upgrade and speed gear. Cart has been working great since it was built last year. Today, while going about 15mph, the cart just stopped. Found out the 10amp fuse on the controller cover panel is blown. Replaced it and it blows the second the key is turned. Is there a way to test the ignition switch on these things? Everything else looks perfect everywhere else. This is the circuit from the solenoid through the yellow wire to the switch. Thanks.

Brad

On the 2008 RXV, the 10 Amp fuse is more than a keyswitch fuse. It also powers the motor brake circuit, which draws more than the keyswitched solenoid load. On later RXVs, E-Z-GO seperated the circuits and used a pair of fuses. A 7.5 Amp fuse for the keyswitch, and a 10 Amp fuse for the motor brake circuit. A single 10 Amp fuse is really a bit too small for both circuits WHEN the motor brake coil begins to draw too much current. And it will... eventually. The motor brake used in the early RXVs was a flawed design. Buy a newer OEM motor brake to replace it with once you verify that it is toast.

Bob

[2006h3]

Thanks for the reply Bob! With that said, when I built this cart, the original brake unit was replaced with an aftermarket heavy duty assembly. Yesterday when this happened, I took a 15 amp fuse out of my headlights to attempt to get going and this also instantly popped. At this point, I will unplug the brake assembly and see if I get different results. I'm hoping this is the case....

[BobBoyce]

Originally Posted by 2006h3

Thanks for the reply Bob! With that said, when I built this cart, the original brake unit was replaced with an aftermarket heavy duty assembly. Yesterday when this happened, I took a 15 amp fuse out of my headlights to attempt to get going and this also instantly popped. At this point, I will unplug the brake assembly and see if I get different results. I'm hoping this is the case....

That's a problem. The aftermarket HD (heavy duty) motor brake will not only cause problems, but it will also eventually burn out the motor brake control FET inside of the controller. They draw way too much current. They should never be used on an RXV. Always use the newer style (no lever) OEM replacement motor brake.

[2006h3]

Bob,

I unplugged the brake unit and the same exact thing happened. I’m beginning to wonder if the ignition switch has a short at this point.

[cgtech]

I can count on 1 finger how many actually failed rxv keyswitches i have seen, and I been in this business longer than the rxv has been around. But, people do like to replace them for fun to attempt to fix other problems on an rxv.

[yurtle]

Solenoids seem to be big on TXTs.

[2006h3]

I haven’t seen a key switch go bad on an RXV either, but was willing to try it. After sitting back and thinking a bit, I remembered that I had wired the voltage converter to power up with the key on off the solenoid. Low and behold, the converter had shorted, went through the 25amp mini fuse and kept popping the system 10amp. Swapped it out and all is good now. I swapped the system fuse to a 15 and put the converter on a 15amp also. When I initially checked the converter fuse, it showed good so I didn’t think anything of it. Feel like an idiot, but it’s all good. Lesson learned! Thanks for all the help!

[BobBoyce]

Originally Posted by 2006h3

I haven’t seen a key switch go bad on an RXV either, but was willing to try it. After sitting back and thinking a bit, I remembered that I had wired the voltage converter to power up with the key on off the solenoid. Low and behold, the converter had shorted, went through the 25amp mini fuse and kept popping the system 10amp. Swapped it out and all is good now. I swapped the system fuse to a 15 and put the converter on a 15amp also. When I initially checked the converter fuse, it showed good so I didn’t think anything of it. Feel like an idiot, but it’s all good. Lesson learned! Thanks for all the help!

Rewire the reducer so that it gets its power from the controller B+ side of the solenoid output (large) terminal. The solenoid activation circuit, and the sokenoid output of the keyswitch itself is only rated for 3.75 Amps. Besides that, the 3 outputs of the keyswitch are digital outputs that feed the 3 inputs of the controller. Fluctuations in voltage caused by varying loads (reducer loads) on that line can corrupt the controller. The RXV has both 5V and 48V logic lines.

Bob

[2006h3]

Bob, correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't wiring the converter to the output side of the solenoid only power up the converter when the pedal is depressed?