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-   -   Solenoid clicks but motor does not engage (https://www.buggiesgonewild.com/showthread.php?t=113046)

Kencart 12-02-2015 02:21 AM

Solenoid clicks but motor does not engage
 
First what a great site.. Big help! I purchased a 36volt 1995 EZ-GO electric cart with bad batteries but was able to drive it home. Purchased new batteries installed them but then the cart would not run. I have used threads on this site to troubleshot and will walk through what I have done to this point and share concerns that I have regarding what I have found.

Have cleaned almost every connection and checked continuity on most all wires I believe to be involved. The controller I have has 2 smaller connectors or terminals (F1 and F2) and then 3 larger post (not marked but I believe to be from left to right) B+, B-, and M-

When I walked through the solenoid test I found on this forum, it looks to check out fine. Strong click.. Voltage slightly less between the large terminal (battery side) than the other large post. I took off the diode and 250 OHM resistor.. Tested the diode and get strong current with the DVM but much less when switching the DVM contacts on the diode. When testing the resistor continuity nearly pegs out regardless of which side the meter connectors are placed.. I believe this is a good sign? One finding that I want to share is when testing the blue wire connected to the smaller solenoid post (side close to the controller) I get full voltage around 37v but when I press the pedal it drops to 0, then back up when released.

When testing the controller (all testing tried with wires to the motor disconnected and then connected) tested continuity of wires of the 10 pin connector (which only has 9.. From left to right there are 2 pins, a vacant space then 7 more) on the first pin from left I found that the pin had shorted and was melted.. I removed the wire from the connector housing (red wire with yellow stripe) cleaned the pin and then connected it too the pin.. Connected the housing but when I turned on the Tow-Maintenance switch it flashed.. I took off the wire and tested the wire and got 3.7v.. Tested the pin on the controller and get 35v (this seems strange that there is power present at both points... At this point I feel there must be something wired wrong. I touched the wire to the pin and nothing happened.. I found that when waiting a while it would flash again.. not sure if this is related to the resister collecting power or not (also noticed that the resister would get hot sometimes and found that it would heat up when the Tow switch was in the on position but the key was turned off ... This seems weird.

All the other pins passed the test that I followed (given on this forum) except the last wire (white) which I believe is related to the throttle switch.. So here is another finding I would like to provide.. When checking the white wire I found it had around 5v (not the 0.5v that the trouble shooting test dictated) but when I pushed throttle pedal the voltage would drop to around 4v... Then slowing back to the 5v when slowing releasing the pedal... So the pedal switch seems to function in the regard that it changed the voltage but it was at a higher voltage and the voltage drops not increases...

I have tested the motor using a 12v battery, connecting the terminals on the motor and then placing the positive and negative from the 12v battery. Also another thing.. Looking at motors online I have seen a wire coming out of the end of the motor.. Mine looks to have been removed and a cap siliconed on.

One last thing I noticed that there are three wires that come out of the battery charger connector... A thicker white wire and a black wire which connect to the battery series. But there is a red and white wire that is just left hanging..

Anyways I hope this information is complete enough but I would be happy to provide more info.

scottyb 12-02-2015 08:41 AM

Re: Solenoid clicks but motor does not engage
 
1 Attachment(s)
But there is a red and white wire that is just left hanging..

The solenoid needs + and - between the 2 small posts to activate and send power to the control. Since the cart ran before you put new batteries in it I suspect you missed something reconnecting the cart to the new pack. The red wire above originally brought (+) to the solenoid activation circuit by way of the F&R ms, key switch,and pedal switch. It may have been replaced with a wire directly from the pack main (+). That's okay too

See attatched is PDS circuit for carts with rocker F&R on the dash

JohnnieB 12-02-2015 09:34 AM

Re: Solenoid clicks but motor does not engage
 
2 Attachment(s)
If it is a 1995 EZGO cart, the controller has F1&F2 terminals and a 10-pin connector on top, and a motor without a speed sensor, I'm pretty sure it is a DCS drive system rather than a PDS. :mrgreen:

Since it was driven home on bad batteries and a DCS controller has no low voltage cutoff, it is very possible the controller was all but destroyed on the trip home.

Since the solenoid clicks and the third wire coming out of the backside of the charge receptacle is hanging loose, the reed switch has been bypassed somehow. Also, the solenoid clicking indicates the controller is powering up.

It was mentioned that full voltage from the new batteries is only 37V, so I suspect they have not received a full charge yet. While 37V is not enough to drive cart very far, it is enough to troubleshoot.

Connect your DVM between the B- and M- terminals on the controller.
Press pedal just far enough for the solenoid to click and you should read full battery pack voltage (apparently only 37V now, should be 38.2V when batteries are fully charged.)

If you get full pack voltage, slowly press pedal to floor and the voltage between B- and M- should smoothly decrease to Zero Volts.

If it doesn't either the controller, or the throttle input to the controller is bad.


---------
If your F/R switch has a rubber boot over it (see picture), the attached schematic is the one for your cart.

scottyb 12-02-2015 10:02 AM

Re: Solenoid clicks but motor does not engage
 
1 Attachment(s)
You are right Johnnie - It must be DCS not PDS in 1995
I get lost on the first post like that.
Here is the solenoid activation circuit highlighted for DCS below.

Kencart 12-02-2015 12:23 PM

Re: Solenoid clicks but motor does not engage
 
Thanks guys for the quick responses! I will go ahead and charge the batteries up.. Your right I have not charged them since installing... then do the testing you recommend. Thanks again.

Kencart 12-03-2015 04:07 AM

Re: Solenoid clicks but motor does not engage
 
Alright, I charged the batteries and now have 38.2v... So I went through the test and want to walk through the process and what I found. Turned on the key switch, (the Tow switch is still off) and the direction switch in Forward. I connect my meter to the B- and M- controller terminals and get a reading of 36v. I also tested the first pin on the controller (the one that flashed and was melted.. Which I believe happened before my buying it) it also read 36v. I then turned on the Tow switch took a reading again on both the 1st pin and the B- and M-and get a reading on both of 1.8v to 1.6v... the volts fluctuate up and down somewhat quickly. When I push the pedal down just enough for the solenoid to click I do get a full 38.2v but no change as I slowly push the pedal down. Once I let off the pedal the volts start very slowly to fall... Once I turn off the Tow switch and then back on the reading goes back down to the fluctuating 1.8v - 1.6v.

One more thing I noticed when doing this testing, with about 30 seconds of turning on the Key and Tow switch, the solinoid resistor heats up too the point it cannot be touched. Before it seemed this only happend when the key switch was off and the a Tow switch was off but it heated up with both switches on.

Also, my cart does have the rubber boot on the back off the direction switch, so thank you Johnnieb for the schematic.. I will look over my wireing to make sure wireing is done right. Also thank you Jonnyb for the solinoid activation info.

Appreciate all the help!

scottyb 12-03-2015 10:46 AM

Re: Solenoid clicks but motor does not engage
 
When the resistor heats up too hot to touch this indicates the solenoid is not closing and the motor is trying to draw enough power to run through the resistor.
The solenoid may click but not closing contacts. Remove the resistor and test with a meter to see if 36v is on both large terminals when the solenoid clicks.

Kencart 12-03-2015 12:38 PM

Re: Solenoid clicks but motor does not engage
 
Hey Scottyb, removed the resistor and pushed the pedal.. When the solinoid clicks I do get full power to the opposite post. When I reconnect the resistor and wire to the post, power is present.. Obviously passing through the resistor but is only at 36v.. When the pedal is pushed power jumps back up to 38.2v.. When I release the pedal the volts slowly drop down to 36v.

Kencart 12-04-2015 04:59 AM

Re: Solenoid clicks but motor does not engage
 
This evening I went through the entire wireing system to see if anything was wired wrong, here is what I found.

The green/black wire from the controller and one of the red wires run from the smaller solinoid posts were conected together.. These wires are to connect to the back up warning beeper. When I connect them correctly and turn on the key and tow switches it starts beeping until I press on the pedal, then it stops beeping. Then once you put the direction switch to reverse it makes a continuous beep.. Pretty annoying so I can see why the alarm was bypassed.. But is there a need to connect the two wires together... Seems this would not be a good thing to have done.. not sure if this could have damaged the controller.

Also, I found that the small white wire out of the charger resepticle, which turns to red/white, that was hanging disconnected, I see should connect to the Tow switch.. Someone basically bypassed and got power directly from a positive battery post. The reason it was bypassed was understood once I open the charger resepticle and found the Ignition interlock or Reed switch was burnt... It looks like a diode... Is this needed or is it ok to just get power from the battery directly?

It appears that now all wireing is correct but I still have no motor action.. And number 10 pin on the controller still flashes sometimes when I attempt to connect it.. Would it appear the controller shot?

Thanks again,

Kencart 12-08-2015 12:32 PM

Re: Solenoid clicks but motor does not engage
 
Just wanted to see if there was any input anyone had regarding my last two posts.. Thanks


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