Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum - View Single Post

scottyb · 04-25-2010, 04:39 PM

How a resistor cart works:
The application will differ from cart to cart but the theory is the same .... key switch powers the micros at the F&R. The micro activates the solenoid which brings power to the speed wiper board assembly. The speed wiper selects a cable depending upon peddle position. Each of these cables runs to a different speed resistor . Each resistor has a graduated resistance value which regulates how much amperage is allowed to flow to the motor ...the motor goes faster the more amperage it is allowed to draw. THe down side is that the resistor cart draws the same full power from the battery pack to go full speed as it does to go 1/8 speed.... the difference in amperage is WASTED(burned off) by the resistor coils

Modern carts use solid state speed control. These controllers only draw as many amps as you ask for with the peddle.... If you push the peddle down 10% they deliver 10% of their capacity. I say their capacity because a controller is like a gate valve (or a hose bib) to the amperage stored in the batteries... We have different size controllers(valves) available so 10% of a 400 amp is less than 10% of a 650 amp controller. Amperage = Torque.
The solid state controller does not waste any amps and this increases the run time.Hope this helps?

04-25-2010, 04:39 PM	#9
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,418	Re: 36 to 48 conversion How a resistor cart works: The application will differ from cart to cart but the theory is the same .... key switch powers the micros at the F&R. The micro activates the solenoid which brings power to the speed wiper board assembly. The speed wiper selects a cable depending upon peddle position. Each of these cables runs to a different speed resistor . Each resistor has a graduated resistance value which regulates how much amperage is allowed to flow to the motor ...the motor goes faster the more amperage it is allowed to draw. THe down side is that the resistor cart draws the same full power from the battery pack to go full speed as it does to go 1/8 speed.... the difference in amperage is WASTED(burned off) by the resistor coils Modern carts use solid state speed control. These controllers only draw as many amps as you ask for with the peddle.... If you push the peddle down 10% they deliver 10% of their capacity. I say their capacity because a controller is like a gate valve (or a hose bib) to the amperage stored in the batteries... We have different size controllers(valves) available so 10% of a 400 amp is less than 10% of a 650 amp controller. Amperage = Torque. The solid state controller does not waste any amps and this increases the run time.Hope this helps?