97 Club Car project – need electrical help

[MichEE]

I have a project that I am into and need some help deciding what to do next. It is a ’97, 48V Club Car and I believe that it is the ill-fated generation 1 sepex system. Cart serial number A9726-581061, GE motor controller number EV4L48XB2. I am not afraid of digging in electrically but I need some help from all of you first.

The cart does not function and I am interested in electrically troubleshooting this but I cannot find an electrical diagram (with voltages) that describes the cart I have accurately since it has the “T” shaped GE controller.

First Question: Does anyone have a wiring diagram for the gen 1 system I using? And if so do you have the input/output connections and voltages at the pins of the motor controller since this component is suspect.

As I understand it the gen 1 system and controller are not reliable and if I spend any money on it I should replace the entire system. It is a project cart for the neighborhood so I don’t want to spend too much on it. Especially if I am not sure exactly what is wrong with it.

Second Question: What are the budget options for getting this thing running again if the motor controller is the problem?

I would appreciate any info anyone has for what my options are.

[andy4639]

My suggestion is tear it out and put a series setup in it. In the long run it's cheaper, easy to work on and it doesn't have that sorry ass OBC to ever mess with again. You asked.

[gaminde]

48 volts on everything. What are you wanting to do with the cart and how much money will you be willing to spend.

[MichEE]

48 volts on everything. What are you wanting to do with the cart and how much money will you be willing to spend.

thanks for the adivce andy4639 - I am looking to do that

gaminde I am interested in first off getting it running and not spending $1500 on a cart I paid $500 for. If we use it enough I MAY put some extra items on it but it is just for my little subdivision here in Michigan so I'm not looking to make it go fast or do much. I want it to be safe and reliable in case we DO use it a lot or if I want to sell it. I am OK with spending $300-$500 max. But I likely can get a sepex controller from a friend at a very low cost and then make it work however I am not sure how much more I would need to change if I went that route. I am making some voltage measurements today to make sure it is the controller and will post my schematic and voltages later.

[MichEE]

ok, so I have voltage (~45V) to the main contactor coil from the key switch but no voltage across the main or propel contactor coils. So another question for you really smart people.

QUESTION 3: What can I do to bypass the Onboard Computer?
I have 0V to B- on the green wire from the OBC and +45V to B- on the yellow wire. Can I just jumper these two wire together to bypass the OBC?

[gaminde]

Not to be mean but instead of jumping all around lets start at the solenoid.

Clip you meter leads on the small terminals of the solenoid, turn the key on and depress the pedal do you read any voltage ?

If not !! clip one meter lead on one terminal and with the pedal pressed touch the meter lead on 1st the +48 of the battery pack, 2nd on the neg 48 of the battery pack any readings ? then swap you meter on the solenoid to the other small terminal on the solenoid and do the same test. ?

what are your readings ?

If the controller is bad I think you can get a stock 250 amp IQ controller for about 150 bucks maybe 250 don't remember, it will require some rewiring if your up for it. if so you will have the technology of this decade and it should be capable of 15 to 20 mph.

[MichEE]

Not to be mean but instead of jumping all around lets start at the solenoid.

Clip your meter leads on the small terminals of the solenoid, turn the key on and depress the pedal do you read any voltage ? .

No. The voltage across the coil of the main contactor is 0V dc.

If not !! clip one meter lead on one terminal and with the pedal pressed touch the meter lead on 1st the +48 of the battery pack, 2nd on the neg 48 of the battery pack any readings ? then swap your meter on the solenoid to the other small terminal on the solenoid and do the same test. what are your readings ?

I get ~45V dc on both terminals to B- and ~0.2V dc on both terminals to B+

If the controller is bad I think you can get a stock 250 amp IQ controller for about 150 bucks maybe 250 don't remember, it will require some rewiring if your up for it. if so you will have the technology of this decade and it should be capable of 15 to 20 mph

What is an IQ controller and is there a wiring diagram for it? I can easily make any harness.

Thanks for the help! I still would like to know what voltages I should be seeing on the motor controller and if I can bypass the "computer". There are people rebuilding the electronics and that is what I intend on doing in the long run - yes I am up for the challenge.

[gaminde]

OK you are missing ground to the solenoid, voltage to the controller does not matter until the solenoid kicks in.
The IQ controller is used in all the new carts. When we get to that point I have a schematic that will show you how to make it work.
What color are your wires going to the small terminals on the solenoid.

[gaminde]

FYI
I have the manual with good schematic on my site

They call the regen 1 a power drive plus or power drive systems 48 its all under the 1997 power drive manual.

[MichEE]

OK you are missing ground to the solenoid, voltage to the controller does not matter until the solenoid kicks in.
The IQ controller is used in all the new carts. When we get to that point I have a schematic that will show you how to make it work.
What color are your wires going to the small terminals on the solenoid.

Correct, I am not getting B- to the BLUE wire from the motor controller. See attached for wire colors.

[gaminde]

Nasty solenoid!! do you want to buy some more rust from me ?? cheep

well lets jack up the rear and run a ground wire from batteries to the blue/white ?? wire and see what happens. It very well could be the OBC I think it tells the controller to wake up.

[MichEE]

Nasty solenoid!! do you want to buy some more rust from me ?? cheep

well lets jack up the rear and run a ground wire from batteries to the blue/white ?? wire and see what happens. It very well could be the OBC I think it tells the controller to wake up.

OK, I'll do that once I get home tonight - but I'll take the Blue/White wire off the contactor first because it could damage the controller putting B- on that pin.

Also, I found EXACTLY what I was looking for here:
http://www.golfcartsforum.com/golf-c...ce-manual.html
Section 21A is a complete description of the Powerdrive Plus system including a test procedure for testing the controller AND the stupid computer! Yahoo!!

[MichEE]

GOT IT GOING!! The main contactor was fine but the motor controller was not pulling it low to B- so I followed the procedure below and POP! Something sparked!! I selected my choice adjective and tore apart the circuit board. There was a small clip lead from one of the resistors on the board that was near the black area on the board. It was shorted to one of the FETs on the board. I clipped it off, prayed and turned it back on and BINGO it works! I need to put the board back together and then find a reliable method to eliminate the stupid computer but it should be good to go!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Test Procedure 13 - On-board Computer By-pass
If test procedures 1 through 12 show proper operation (no malfunction), but the solenoid will not actuate,
then the problem may be in the on-board computer solenoid lock-out circuit. By-pass the computer and test
the solenoid as follows:
1. Turn the key switch to OFF and place the forward and reverse switch in NEUTRAL. Leave the batteries
connected and leave the Z plug connected to the controller.
2. Locate the yellow wire at the Z12 position on the Z plug. Unplug the bullet connector in the yellow wire
approximately three inches (7.6 cm) from the Z plug.
3. Connect an 18 gauge jumper wire to the female bullet connector on the end of the yellow wire coming
from the Z plug. Connect the other end of the jumper wire to the negative (-) post of battery No. 6 (Figure
21-34).
4. Turn the key switch to ON. If the solenoid clicks, test the OBC and OBC fuses. If the solenoid does not
click, test the Z4 blue/white wire and the controller.

[MichEE]

well... it is dead again...

Lesson learned: Do not short B - to chassis.

[MichEE]

Shorting B - to chassis takes out the motor controller. Replace that and all is working fine again. Sure makes a lot of noise though. Maybe the transaxle is a little low on oil??