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+-- Thread: Electric Golf Carts (/showthread.php?tid=7355878)
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Electric Golf Carts - crokett™ - 06-11-2020
I'm going to try to help a friend with one this weekend. He says it won't do anything and the charger doesn't show output. I'm not sure what that means as I haven't seen the charger. He says the wall outlet is good. I am Sgt Schultz when it comes to golf carts, other than there are batteries under the seat and and there's a motor in the back. Online searches are vague and most instructions are written by companies that fix golf carts so they all end with "bring it in and let us fix it". If it matters, I believe his has 6V batteries. it was working a day or two before he discovered it not working. He parked it, then a day or so later it wasn't working.
Will a bad ground cause the batteries not to charge? Based on my experience charging car or small engine batteries I don't think so, but there you connect the charger directly to the battery. Is a golf cart wired such that one side of the charger goes to ground? I was going to bring an MM and to start by testing the charger. Is there a particular amperage I should be looking for as output? If the charger works I am then going to test each of the batteries. I did find one search that referred to a reset button on the motor. I'm going to find that button and try that. Would this keep it from charging?
RE: Electric Golf Carts - TDKPE - 06-11-2020
I've never played with a golf cart, but those 6V batteries will be wired in series for 12V or higher, and possibly in groups of two, three, four, whatever in parallel. A quick check on line shows 48V in a Yamaha, so with 6V batts, that's 8 of them in series. Break that chain anywhere, and you get nothing.
That's where I'd start - removing and cleaning the jumpers and main leads, one at a time. But I'd remove the chassis ground cable from the first battery in the chain first, so if you lose one of the others, you're not arc welding everything near it.
RE: Electric Golf Carts - Charlie - 06-11-2020
(06-11-2020, 01:01 PM)crokett™ Wrote: I'm going to try to help a friend with one this weekend. He says it won't do anything and the charger doesn't show output. I'm not sure what that means as I haven't seen the charger. He says the wall outlet is good. I am Sgt Schultz when it comes to golf carts, other than there are batteries under the seat and and there's a motor in the back. Online searches are vague and most instructions are written by companies that fix golf carts so they all end with "bring it in and let us fix it". If it matters, I believe his has 6V batteries. it was working a day or two before he discovered it not working. He parked it, then a day or so later it wasn't working.
Will a bad ground cause the batteries not to charge? Based on my experience charging car or small engine batteries I don't think so, but there you connect the charger directly to the battery. Is a golf cart wired such that one side of the charger goes to ground? I was going to bring an MM and to start by testing the charger. Is there a particular amperage I should be looking for as output? If the charger works I am then going to test each of the batteries. I did find one search that referred to a reset button on the motor. I'm going to find that button and try that. Would this keep it from charging?
The reset button on the motor won't keep it from charging. If this is a 36 volt cart (6-6 volt batteries) the charger needs to see that the batteries are connected and putting out voltage. The charger will have a 3 wire cord that connects to the cart. Measure the voltage of the battery string should be close to 36 volts. If not you have a bad battery, measure individual batteries until you find it. You won't get a voltage reading from the charger if the sensing circuit is not satisfied. My money is on bad cables between batteries.
RE: Electric Golf Carts - crokett™ - 06-11-2020
I asked, he says this is an EZ-GO, 6 batteries so should be 36V. thanks for the suggestions. I'll get over there with a multimeter and see if we can track it down.
RE: Electric Golf Carts - Charlie - 06-11-2020
(06-11-2020, 02:01 PM)crokett™ Wrote: I asked, he says this is an EZ-GO, 6 batteries so should be 36V. thanks for the suggestions. I'll get over there with a multimeter and see if we can track it down.
They could also be 8 volt batteries.
RE: Electric Golf Carts - Cooler - 06-11-2020
I know nothing about these either, but the service manuals are available: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=golf+cart+service+manuals
And the companies selling the service manuals also sell parts.
I do know that EZ-Go and Yamaha have the best reputations.
EZ-Go makes electric wheel chairs. You know the ones that require a van with a special lift. They are basically downsized golf carts. They weigh about 400 pounds.
Yamaha makes a wheel chair that weighs 53 pounds and fold up to fit in the trunk of a car. They cost about the same.
A friend illegally imported a Yamaha wheelchair (it is contraband because it is not FDA approved). I guess the customs agents had more important things to do than to confiscate a wheel chair. It is about 20 years old and is on the third battery, but otherwise it is good to go. Beautiful aluminum welds. Very nice. And no special van required.
It is beautifully made and engineered.
And that is the extent of my knowledge on the subject.
RE: Electric Golf Carts - EdL - 06-11-2020
IME, ez-go is 6, 6 volt batteries wired in series, charger is a 2 prong plug.
A now passed friend had it, he forgot many things in his last year, one was to add water to the batteries......parked for the winter very low on water, batteries froze...junk at 1 year old.
Ed
RE: Electric Golf Carts - aquaticjim - 06-11-2020
Golf Cars may be very complex based on the era. You never said if it was a 1960s model or only a few years old. Before you just start guessing have your friend send you the model and serial number of the car and the charger then do an online search. In this way, you will be more prepared when you arrive.
RE: Electric Golf Carts - crokett™ - 06-12-2020
(06-11-2020, 10:42 PM)aquaticjim Wrote: Golf Cars may be very complex based on the era. You never said if it was a 1960s model or only a few years old. Before you just start guessing have your friend send you the model and serial number of the car and the charger then do an online search. In this way, you will be more prepared when you arrive.
He is certain it is a 36V EZGO. He says it is a 1996 model. So not 1960s but also not recent. I'm looking for a wiring diagram.
RE: Electric Golf Carts - Cooler - 06-12-2020
(06-12-2020, 07:49 AM)crokett™ Wrote: He is certain it is a 36V EZGO. He says it is a 1996 model. So not 1960s but also not recent. I'm looking for a wiring diagram.
There is lots of information on the wiring for that model: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=36V+EZGO+wiring+diagram
This article is a good starting point: https://www.ballsweekly.net/