1989 Club Car 36V keeps burning up solenoids

[dj_bowers]

I have a 1989 CC 36V that I have restored with thanks to BGW's sticky notes. However, I am now on my 3rd solenoid in only 1 year. I have checked and rechecked every wire with volt meter and it all seems fine. From large solenoid terminal to oppisite large solenoid terminal I have 36.5V. Is it possible that I'm burning them due to have more than 36V? If I jump the solenoid, large post to large post, will this burn up my solenoid? The reason I jumped was due to a wire not being on my V-glyde microswitch that I did not know about at the time. Is there a certain way the new solenoid needs to be wired in terms of positive and negative on the large solenoid terminals? I have noticed that one direction with volt meter conected onto the the wires that bolt to large solenoid post will give me +36.5V and if I switch my volt meter wires and test the same two wires just in the oppisite direction I get a -36.5 volts.

[wildbillw]

Go back and clean and polish all connections to the "large" posts on the solenoids, including the resistors. Make sure that the "bus" bar connecting the solenoids are also clean. This should lengthen the lives of your solenoids.

Six fully charged 6 volt batteries will always be greater than 36 volts. 36.5 is not a problem and should not effect the solenoid life.

Jumping the solenoid should not have effected the life of the solenoid.

With a voltmeter you get a positive reading when the meter is connected properly - read red lead to positive potential on battery. When reversed, (red to negative potential on battery) the reading will indicate negative.

Hope that helps.

[scottyb]

Sounds to me like you 'jumpered' the master solenoid. It is the one closest ot the driver's side. If so then you had all of your solenoids hot ... all the time... THey got like 20yrs of use in a year

[dj_bowers]

Thanks yet, I should have been more specific. This 89 CC has only one solenoid. And if jumping it does no harm then I have either bought a crapy solenoid or I still have the wiring wrong. When I connect the two small wires that lead to the solenoid I get 36.5V with cart on, in forward, and gas pedal pressed in. I also have 36.5V flowing between the two large wires that connect to the solenoid as well. Time to buy a decent solenoid and not the cheapest one.

[rib33024]

( QUOTE) Time to buy a decent solenoid and not the cheapest one.


What do mean by this, did you buy a solenoid from the auto parts store???

[scottyb]

You can not run a golf cart solenoid with a jumper wire in place It will burn up the best solenoid you can buy, period. Fix it right.

[GLEEMO]

Go to the site sponsors and buy a High quality solenoid and resistor.

The voltage on the small wires , open and close the solenoid so 36 ++ will not cause the solenoid to burn up.
Are you installing the resistor (anti arcing) on the solenoids large lugs .
Also should have a diode across or in line with the small end to protect micro switches ?

Excessive arcing on the large lugs will fry solenoid, so check resistor to make sure it is not burnt up.

[golfcarfixer]

Do you have a lift kit and back seat on this car?

[dj_bowers]

Thanks to all replies! Problem solved! It was the solenoid. I had purchased the last two solenoids from a popular golf cart web site who's initials are "B.U." I made the two hour drive to my local club car dealership and explained to him what was happening. After explaining he only had one reply, did you buy it from "B.U." Lesson learned. Thanks again!

[GLEEMO]

Good work DJ, some learn faster than others ,
stick around and see what I mean