36 volt motor test

[slong1958]

Hi to everyone I'm new to this site. I,m trying to find out how to check a 36 volt golf cart motor to see if its ok.If I connect jumper cables to motor and run straight 36 volt to it, how fast should it turn.The reason for this is that I had the Motor checked and where I took it they said it was ok but i don't think they took it apart.All I think they did was check the continuity which it does have . I put the motor back on the cart not hooking up any wires to it and ran 36 volts direct to the motor but it only ran at half the speed. Thats what happens when I connect everything, and with cart on stands only runs at half speed if that.Please help

Thanks

[golfcartg]

Hey there, welcome aboard! It's great to see you diving into the nitty gritty of your golf cart motor. I understand your curiosity about getting that motor running at full tilt. Let's break it down: When you're feeding 36 volts straight to the motor, you're essentially giving it a litmus test of sorts. See, when your 36 volt battery pack is juiced up and ready to roll, it should be putting out closer to 40-42 volts. If you're only seeing 36 volts in action, it's a telltale sign that your batteries are hanging out at a 50% state of charge or even less. Now, why the dip? Well, batteries can be affected by age, sulfation or internal resistance issues. Before you go down the rabbit hole of motor diagnostics, let's do a quick check up on those batteries. I'd recommend putting them through a load test to see their state of health. Once we've got the battery situation sorted, we can roll up our sleeves and dive deeper into motor diag.

Here's a quick rundown on how to go about testing your motor: You should be dealing with a series motor, start by disconnecting all cables from the motor. Then, grab a jumper and connect it from A1 to S1. Next, it's time to hook up your power source, you'll want to apply 12 to 24 volts, with the positive terminal going to A2 and the negative terminal to S2. Once everything's hooked up, give it a spin and observe the results. If needed, you can easily change the rotation direction by swapping S1 and S2. Keep an eye out for worn or damaged brushes, which can result in erratic performance or even complete failure to function. Additionally, inspect the commutator for signs of wear, such as pitting or grooving, which can hinder electrical conductivity and motor efficiency. Another thing to watch for is worn bearings, which can cause excessive noise or vibration during operation. Additionally, check for any signs of overheating, such as discoloration or melting, which could indicate an underlying issue with the motor's insulation or wiring. To test at full speed, load test your power source, whether it's batteries or an external power supply, and confirm that it is supplying the motor with the required voltage that matches the motor's maximum voltage requirements.

Overall, this should strictly be carried out with the motor securely attached to the transaxle. Attempting it otherwise could lead to the armature bouncing about recklessly, as it depends on the input shaft on the rear end to maintain its centering.