Information about improving the performance of the speed control system on electric, Club Car golf cars. I show a substitute relay that can be used in place of the factory relays which are prone to failure when used continuously.
Excellent job explaining this. I just learned all I know about old pre computer controlled golf carts by watching this 6 min video! I was recently bestowed a 1958 "Turf Rider IV" and Its so cool but I was so confused as to what the heck I was even looking at when I began to try and clean it up and see if I could get it to run. Its got an original 36v 1phase DC motor (GE) and 8 of what I now know are Speed relays, along with 3 resistor coils. I cant wait to go pretend I know what Im doing now Thanks!
Thanks for the video! I am currently trying to tamper with a golf club car myself. I was wondering if i can email you a problem im experiencing trying to install the relay to kill the engine. Let me know what is the best way to go about this. I am a noobie when it comes to golf carts.
I just got a older club cart, researching my accelerator issue. 1/4 throttle works fine, anything past that I have to keep applying more till about 3/4 then it Kicks in. Once full speed the mid range works. once in a while mid range work. not often. Thanks
Thank you, very informative, I'm looking to buy my first golf cart and didn't know anything about them. and your video was extremely helpful and and comforting for me to buy a more affordable cart now and be able to maintain it myself.
By the time you buy all those it would be cheaper to rewire the cart to a speed controller it's more efficient and you can set your speed,torque, and pull out speed. I have a cart just like this and I will be changing mine out
Hello! I have the exact same cart, but I'm having trouble with the accelerator, micro-switches, etc. engaging. Occasionally, the cart will go 20-30 feet and quit, even though it has full charge. A guy told me to smack the pedal hard a few times and it would "unstick" the micro-switches... I don't particularly care for that method. What would you recommend I do? Replace the micro-switches? Or is this a relay problem.. like the one you describe?
Could you show us the assembly and the materials and components you used. The truth is they gave me one of these same golf carts and it doesn't start, it only turns on the lights.
Thanks for the comment. I bought this cart second hand. The previous owner installed that rack. I don't know where he got it. It looks "store bought" or someone was very good at customizing/fabricating because it fits like a glove.
How do you have your forward and reverse switch wired? That’s where I’m having the most trouble. Not sure what wire goes to where from the forward and reverse switch
Thanks for the video - the problem I am having is ... my 36 volt EZ-GO has forward and reverse - and the in both "directions" it goes FULL SPEED ! there is no progressive acceleration. any idea what that might be? thanks much !
I'm not sure about the EZ-GO because there are several different types of speed controls used by golf car manufacturers. Mine is one of the earliest speed control used. Mine has a series of micro-switches that are activated by the GO pedal. As you push the pedal down the micro-switches are progressively activated much like a "music box" type of arrangements. If yours operates like this maybe the micro-switches are stuck or something. Take a multi-meter and go across the relay coils to see if they are energizing all at once or one at a time. May need to disconnect the motor or jack up the drive wheels so you don't run over yourself. Good luck.
Thanks .. Ha - good thing you said "jack it up or something" .. I didn't realize it would STICK WIDE OPEN .. and went forward after getting the batteries in and it SHOT to the side of my 2009 pickup... and did $500 worth of damage [more actually] my deductible is $500 oh well .. that is life . ha .. thanks again .. will look into this . Gary
Hello. Very informative and easy to understand. Good video. I'm having a hard time finding the relays your using. Any chance you can put a link to where I can purchase the aircraft relays. All I've found are used ones on ebay that look really old. Thanks again.
There are LOADS of vendors selling the 36 volt continuous duty solenoids. Check the internet. www.amazon.com/Terminal-1976-1998-Automotive-Authority-LLC/dp/B072W9TL9M/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=36+volt+solenoid&qid=1598529869&sr=8-6
I think I see what you are saying. In an emergency situation you can swap in a relay to get back home. The "first" relay closest to the drivers side applies power to a bus that all the other relays are connected to. If it burns out, your dead in the water. So, swap in one from another position. This will work but depending on which one you swap you will loose the lowest speed, highest speed or some intermediate speed. This video is about swapping in a better relay to improve reliability. So far, the relays you see in this video have proven to be very robust.
NO! By doing this you will lose 4th speed and run the resistors extremely hot!! If the master solenoid fails, run a heavy jumper across the two large terminals on that master. The golf car will function normally like this until the master can be replaced.
I have the same golf cart. My problem with it is it runs fine everywhere but I go up a hill. Its like it barely makes it. On the same hill if I go in reverse it flys up it. Any suggestions on what it could be? Thanks.
Good stuff, thanks. My '88 Club Car (36volt) I just bought is running real slow after putting in new batteries. Continuity checked out on the solenoids and checked that the speed control was working properly, sending the signals to to relays. Is there a chance the motor is bad? Would it run at all if it was, or could the solenoids still be bad? We can hear them clicking and we're getting voltage on the out side after energizing. Any ideas? Thanks Dan
Thanks for the comment. Make sure the cable connections to the motor are good. Mine burned off when I was at Disney's Fort Wilderness. I ended up replacing all my cables and repairing all the connections. Its possible the motor brushes are worn out. When I fixed my cables I also replaced my brushes. Seemed to run a lot better afterwards. Also make sure you don't have a voltage drop across the relay contacts when energized. Just because you hear a click doesn't mean there working. Another thing, make sure that when all the relays are energized the motor is seeing the full battery voltage. In high speed, all the relays should be energized and all the resistors should be bridged out. Make sure too that your resistor connections are clean and tight. Check my other videos out: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iNyizCg80ac.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HdCa2jV5wKE.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2jR-gDeoyA8.html
My commutator was in pretty good shape. They can get really grooved though. Motor shops, if there are any around anymore, used to be able to resurface them good as new.
I have an 86, I am experiencing issues in reverse only... it had no power up the slightest incline and won't go. I replaced the forward/ reverse switch because when I swapped the wires on that switch the issue reversed. It lost power in forward. However after I installed the new switch same problem exists? Any ideas? Thanks!!!
You have the forward and reverse wires inverted. The green cable is for reverse and the red cable is forward. Put them both on the front battery, passenger side, positive post. You will now have the same speed in either direction.
My car looks the same but when I push down the peddle it clicks but doesn't go. Now if I keep pushing the peddle down it jerks when it gets to the second one and takes off. Any advise would be great?
Sounds like a faulty relay. Sometimes you will hear a click but they won't make contact properly. Also check the "micro switches". In a box below the seat, attached to linkage to the GO pedal. Could be a dirty "Micro Switch".
guys! can you help me with my electric golf cart..the problem is this.when i switch it run and turn on the key it run bit but stop and dead i need to turn the switch to tow and back to run..and do again same work thank guys,,,
+Luis Leonor I'd get a multi-meter and look for voltage drops at the relays or motor to see if there is an open circuit somewhere. Maybe a bad wire or connection or even an open cell in one of the batteries. Check each battery while under load and see if there is a battery that is open. An open battery would show most of the voltage being dropped across that battery's terminals. Good luck!
Possible open cell in one of the batteries. Check voltage across entire string of batteries under load. If voltage drops, look for a bad cable or an open cell in one of the batteries.
all the batteries are good, checked them, was driving hit a bump care quit running had to get off road push golf car to side was I gear do not hear any noise when depress accelator
Where is the micro switch that sends the signal to the solenoids? I think my switch is out. Oh well I'll look else where, but check back here as well. Thanks for the information.
There are several micro switches located on the frame rail under the driver side seat area. They will be housed in a small metal box. Strangely enough, I have never had any problem with them.
There is one on the F/R switch that leads to the speed box of micro's. Change it.... Also inside the box is a white plastic sleeve that tells which micro switch to turn on, after some usuage it wears out..small price..but causes all kinds of issues
Yes. 1st check the resistance of the coil. That would be the smaller terminals. Shouldn't be real low or real high. I'm guessing you should see somewhere between 500Ω to 2500Ω. (Do this with the wires disconnected) 2nd put a voltmeter across the big terminals. You should see 36 VDC across the terminals. When the relay "pulls in" you should see 0 VDC. May have to do this with the cart up on jack stands. Also, you may not see 36 VDC until the first relay in the string "pulls in". (Make sure all wires are connected and batteries are charged) 3rd Also listen to them. When power is applied to the coil, you should hear a "click". That indicates at least the relay armature is moving.
@@10630390 thank you. I'm going to test out hopefully today. Cart runs good on flat surface but struggles bad on an incline. I have a 1996 club car 48v. It only has one relay.
Only if that motor had been replaced. 1981 donned a 1.5HP motor bolted to the greatly inferior Terrell differential. 83 or 4 is when they changed to a 2HP motor and the Kawasaki differential and when they released their first gas powered car. THAT was an 8.5 HP Kawasaki flat head.
+Conner Meadows I believe they sell high speed motors, but very expensive. Check Buggies Unlimited online. One way to get the most out of an electric cart is to make sure the batteries and connections are in good condition, full of water and keep them charged. I use and recommend a battery maintainer. I have one and my batteries stay in excellent condition. Bought mine from VDC Electronics. 36 Volt Maintainer.
You can speed up these analog vehicles by simply implementing a field shunt. The cost is one solenoid, one horn or starter button and some wire. If you don't know what I'm talking about......DON'T DO IT.
***** what do you mean? you said it slows you down and without the resisters you will get the highest speed. the whole video you were saying it will make it faster?
Not sure why the confusion. The relays were replaced to improve reliability. The resistors are there to control speed as designed by Club Car. This modification has nothing to do with making it faster. In the video I discuss the function of the resistors and relays.
I suggest you take an electronics class at your local community college so you can better understand this circuit. Taking the resistors out will give you high speed only. Not sure that is what you would want but you can do that if you so desire.
I know that they call them solenoids, (like call boat engines are called outboard "motors") but they are more correctly termed relays or contactors. A relay will have a solenoid, but a solenoid will not have a relay. A solenoid moves something, a relay switches electrical current or signals.
