'99 DS, Lacking Oomph

Golfdog · 06-09-2014, 02:30 PM

Are we talking about a Series or a Regen 2 cart? lever or rocker switch Fwd/Rev

dabretty · 06-09-2014, 09:56 PM

Thanks for the response, guys.

It is a series cart, although I admit I had to look up the visual differences it case it was a regen and it was somehow bypassed (I have never felt any regenerative braking). The cart is quite rough, I bought it from a guy who bought it from a storage unit place, where it probably wasn't maintained very well (it's quite dirty inside, but operable). There's definitely no speed sensor attached to the motor. The serial number starts with A9952 (I understand it wouldn't start with a single A unless it was a series cart?).

After a full charge, the battery reading (w/o loading) was 51.4V. I drove it around my neighborhood, and saw the voltage drop (during a moderate incline) to 48.0V. Once I stopped (no load again) it was 50.5V but appeared to slowly be on the rise (neutralizing across batteries and cells?). I then measured individual batteries and all six were ~8.49V. To me, this kind of vindicates any issues in the battery system.

Cabling looks okay, also felt the cables and nothing felt warm/hot. I'm puzzled here, it's always been quite slow and maybe trending slower now. Slight uphill - with just me onboard - slows to probably ~6 MPH, but flat driving is okay (I get up to an okay speed and can sustain it once I have it, until I hit an incline!).

Is it possible that its motor is just on its way out? It's easy to imagine the previous owner (storage unit) abusing this thing, shuttling customers back and forth to units all day every day, for a decade. I've seen the Plum Quick talk (and talk of +25% performance upgrade), but honestly 6 mph to 8 mph uphill doesn't seem like a big enhancement!

Any other thoughts/suggestions? Reading your forum and posts has definitely motivated me to get inside the thing more and look around ... with a young one at home my cart tinkering time is limited to evenings, but I do enjoy this stuff and want to see what I can make of this old beast.

93yellowclubcar · 06-09-2014, 10:01 PM

Your voltage readings seem good, especially under load, and the voltages recover, so that's good. Top end on a properly functioning 48 volt series cart is only 12 MPH, so about 6 while going uphill is probably pretty much right. I will suggest one thing though, but I need to know first if it has a V-glide. Can you tell me if it has a black pie shaped box between the batteries on the driver's side frame rail under the seat?

One other quick question, does it really have 8 six volt batteries?

06-09-2014, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 93yellowclubcar

One other quick question, does it really have 8 six volt batteries?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dabretty

Oops, had that backwards in my post ... 6 x 8V batteries.

where are your glasses ?

93yellowclubcar · 06-09-2014, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crash test dummy

where are your glasses ?

That's what I get for skimming the thread - gotta quit doing that!

dabretty · 06-09-2014, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 93yellowclubcar

One other quick question, does it really have 8 six volt batteries?

Sorry, should have corrected the original post (followed up on it in another) ... it has six 8V batteries (I reversed it as I typed).

Quote:

Originally Posted by 93yellowclubcar

I will suggest one thing though, but I need to know first if it has a V-glide. Can you tell me if it has a black pie shaped box between the batteries on the driver's side frame rail under the seat?

It does. I noticed that tonight for the first time. I haven't tried to open it yet to see what's inside. What's inside?!

Maybe I do need to manage my expectations a bit ... it just seems like I could easily get out and jog home far faster than driving this thing up the slightest of hills.

06-09-2014, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dabretty

It does. I noticed that tonight for the first time. I haven't tried to open it yet to see what's inside. What's inside?!

.

93yellowclubcar · 06-09-2014, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dabretty

It does. I noticed that tonight for the first time. I haven't tried to open it yet to see what's inside. What's inside?!

Maybe I do need to manage my expectations a bit ... it just seems like I could easily get out and jog home far faster than driving this thing up the slightest of hills.

Inside that box is a wiper with a contact on it and a fan shaped set of contacts that the wiper runs on. It gives an output of 0-5k ohms for the controller to know how much power to supply. Pop the cover off of it and with the switch off and the gear selector in neutral, verify that at full throttle the wiper moves all the way to the top contact.

Nice pic Crash!

06-09-2014, 10:39 PM

thanks ..all i would add is look at wiper arm and contacts to see if they are not miss alined , or worn past the wear line

dabretty · 06-09-2014, 10:45 PM

Awesome, thanks guys! I am out of time tonight (early day tomorrow), but will check it out tomorrow and post back. Thanks!

06-09-2014, 02:30 PM	#11
Golfdog Gone Wild Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 488	Re: '99 DS, Lacking Oomph Are we talking about a Series or a Regen 2 cart? lever or rocker switch Fwd/Rev
Golfdog Gone Wild Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 488

06-09-2014, 09:56 PM	#12
dabretty Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 13	Re: '99 DS, Lacking Oomph Thanks for the response, guys. It is a series cart, although I admit I had to look up the visual differences it case it was a regen and it was somehow bypassed (I have never felt any regenerative braking). The cart is quite rough, I bought it from a guy who bought it from a storage unit place, where it probably wasn't maintained very well (it's quite dirty inside, but operable). There's definitely no speed sensor attached to the motor. The serial number starts with A9952 (I understand it wouldn't start with a single A unless it was a series cart?). After a full charge, the battery reading (w/o loading) was 51.4V. I drove it around my neighborhood, and saw the voltage drop (during a moderate incline) to 48.0V. Once I stopped (no load again) it was 50.5V but appeared to slowly be on the rise (neutralizing across batteries and cells?). I then measured individual batteries and all six were ~8.49V. To me, this kind of vindicates any issues in the battery system. Cabling looks okay, also felt the cables and nothing felt warm/hot. I'm puzzled here, it's always been quite slow and maybe trending slower now. Slight uphill - with just me onboard - slows to probably ~6 MPH, but flat driving is okay (I get up to an okay speed and can sustain it once I have it, until I hit an incline!). Is it possible that its motor is just on its way out? It's easy to imagine the previous owner (storage unit) abusing this thing, shuttling customers back and forth to units all day every day, for a decade. I've seen the Plum Quick talk (and talk of +25% performance upgrade), but honestly 6 mph to 8 mph uphill doesn't seem like a big enhancement! Any other thoughts/suggestions? Reading your forum and posts has definitely motivated me to get inside the thing more and look around ... with a young one at home my cart tinkering time is limited to evenings, but I do enjoy this stuff and want to see what I can make of this old beast.
dabretty Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 13

06-09-2014, 10:01 PM	#13
93yellowclubcar ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: West Virginia Posts: 4,094	Re: '99 DS, Lacking Oomph Your voltage readings seem good, especially under load, and the voltages recover, so that's good. Top end on a properly functioning 48 volt series cart is only 12 MPH, so about 6 while going uphill is probably pretty much right. I will suggest one thing though, but I need to know first if it has a V-glide. Can you tell me if it has a black pie shaped box between the batteries on the driver's side frame rail under the seat? One other quick question, does it really have 8 six volt batteries?

06-09-2014, 10:39 PM	#19
crash test dummy Guest Posts: n/a	Re: '99 DS, Lacking Oomph thanks ..all i would add is look at wiper arm and contacts to see if they are not miss alined , or worn past the wear line
crash test dummy Guest Posts: n/a

06-09-2014, 10:45 PM	#20
dabretty Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 13	Re: '99 DS, Lacking Oomph Awesome, thanks guys! I am out of time tonight (early day tomorrow), but will check it out tomorrow and post back. Thanks!
dabretty Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 13

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