Re: Golf cart motor trouble

["Paul A. Cianciolo" <paulc@snet.net>]

Darryl,

Thank you for all the advice on the golf cart.  I will check the things that
you said and then If I need to I will pull the motor.

Hopefully it is something that I overlooked.
Also you are correct about the other winding being A1and A2

Thank you again for your help


Paulc
W1VLF
Cloudbounce Webpage  http://www.qsl.net/w1vlf/

1986 Vanagon Gas
1982 Vanagon Diesel  Turbo Diesel 1.9
GE Electrak E20 and E15  electric tractors
First place in local tractor pulls  at 1750 LBS
With Stock E-20 Electric tractor
----- Original Message -----
From: <darrylmcmahon@igs.net>
To: <ev@listproc.sjsu.edu>
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 1999 8:57 PM
Subject: Re: Golf cart motor trouble


> Paul A. Cianciolo wrote:
> <snip>
> > After looking at the wiring for a while and wondering why the field
> > winding has such large posts on it I have a number of questions I assume
> > that it is a series wound motor?
> If the armature posts and field posts are the same size it is most
> likely a series wound motor.  This is the most common in golf-carts.
> > It looks like the armature and field are
> > in series.  They series arrangement passes through a switch that
reverses
> > current polarity  through them.  There are micro swithes that shut off a
> > contactor when you are switching from forward to reverse.  Also the
> > accelrator has a microswitch that cuts the  contactor out it the cart is
> > idle.
> All of this is typical in golf-carts with simple resistor controllers.
> > I followed all the wiring and there are no bad connections
> anywhere
> > that I can see.
> Bad connections can be tricky to find.  I have some extensive first
> hand experience in debugging my Elec-Trak tractor.
> > SO is it possible that the Armature is open?
> >
> > I put a wire across the armature contacts on the motor to see if the
field
> > would draw current.  It was aa small aubout a #20 wire and it burned up
> > rather quickly.   Next  I put another piece of the same wire across
the
> > field winding.  This time nothing happened.
> >
> >
> > 1) Is it possible that I have an open in the armature circuit somewhere
> > like brushes etc.?
> Possible.
> > 2) Is this a series wound motor?
> Almost definitely.
> > 3) The field windings
> > were marked S1 and S2 not F1 and F2.  I call it the field for lack of a
> > better term
> For a series field, the S1 and S2 markings are common.  Are the
> armature posts marked A1 and A2?  That is also common.
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated
> Next I would suggest removing the wires that are connected to the
> S posts from the controller arrangement, then measure the
> resistance of the field (S1 to S2).  The resistance should be low,
> but not zero (shorted) or infinite (open).  Reconnect the field wires,
> then disconnect the armature connections, and measure the
> resistance across the armature.  The resistance here should be
> higher than on the field, but also not zero or infinite.  If the armature
> reading is suspicious, try turning the armature by hand to see if
> that makes any difference.
>
> You have not mentioned trying to power the motor without the
> controller being involved.  One additional test is to disconnect the
> motor completely from the controller leads, connect one field post
> to one armature post, then put 12-volts across the remaining field
> post and remaining armature post.  If the motor turns, the motor
> works and your problem is elsewhere.
>
> These motors are generally pretty rugged.  Likely problem areas
> are bad brush leads, worn out brushes, inoperative brush springs.
> If you start to take the motor apart to look at the brushes, brush
> gear or commutator, make diagrams and mark parts to ease the
> reassembly process - it's too easy to reassemble things slightly
> out of alignment.
> >
> > Thank  you
> >
> > PS the motor was supposedly just rebuilt a short while ago
> >
> >
> > Paulc
> > W1VLF
> > Cloudbounce Webpage  http://www.qsl.net/w1vlf/
> >
> > 1986 Vanagon Gas
> > 1982 Vanagon Diesel  Turbo Diesel 1.9
> > GE Electrak E20 and E15  electric tractors
> > First place in local tractor pulls  at 1750 LBS
> > With Stock E-20 Electric tractor
> >
> >
>
>
> Darryl McMahon          48 Tarquin Crescent,
>  It's your planet.      Nepean, Ontario K2H 8J8
>  If you won't look      Voice: (613)828-0805
>  after it, who will?    Fax:   (613)828-3199
>                         http://www.igs.net/~darrylmcmahon
>