getting shocked

[waddison]

I am new to electric carts but have a good electicity understanding.

Help me out here. I have a 48v club car that my son says has shocked him when he touched the handle on the turn signal. If I put my meter's negative lead on the brake pedal, and the positive on the turn signall (chrome) housing it reas -48v. Of course reversing the leads shows +48v. However, grounding at the brake pedal and touching the aluminum trim, I do not get a reading. Any ideas where to start looking?

 

[Zman]

Is this a factory Turn signal switch? If not remove switch from steering column and insulate it from column and retest.

 

[waddison]

thanks for the quick reply zman.. I am not sure. I bought this cart used. he bought it new from a dealer. I dont know if the dealer dressed it out or what. I beleive my cart is a 92 or close to that. The switch is chrome, little green lights top and bottom and a red pull switch for emergency flashers. But it is mounted to the steering column with what looks like a hose clamp. That being said there is a plastic sleever around the steering column that it is clamped onto. I would guess its after market. There are a hadnful of wires running to it. Should I see about splitting the cover open to make sure there is not a raw connection inside the switch?

 

[Zman]

No , do not take it apart just remove and insulate the switch from the column. Some after market switch kits require the swtich to be insulated from column per their instructions.

 

[Diode]

Ok there is a problem here, most likely the brake switch and turn signal were installed at the same time.

carts are not frame grounded, so the system is isolated This is why there would be isolation at the turn signal switch. Something is shorting to the pedal or turn signal switch or both, sorry your just going to have to take it apart and start checking for bad switch or wire rubbing ect. could be moisture and or dirt shorting to switch at brake pedal.

Also you do not just have -48 or +48 you have both !!!

 

[waddison]

you know, that is making some sense. There was a wire that was unplugged under the cart at the brake pedal. I reconnected it and noticed that now I had brake lights. It was right after that that my wet hair from the rain came in close contact with the turn signal switch. I saw what looked like a flash bulb and felt a tingle. So I will be checking the in the area of the switch.

that switch (brake light) was beneath the cart. There are 2 or 3 wires that run up to the pedal in the cab area, what are those for?

 

[Diode]

It was right after that that my wet hair from the rain came in close contact with the turn signal switch. I saw what looked like a flash bulb and felt a tingle.

GEEZ talk about an electric chair, that can't be good for the thought process.

When I did my brake switches I used hermetically sealed switches

the wires not sure I don't even know what year or model cart you have, don't know if the wires are factory or add on but I think were in the right area its going to take some trouble shooting. I work better with pictures!!

 

[waddison]

Thanks everyone, and Diode, I will get more info tonight and some pics if necessary. I bought a new set of batteries yesterday and installed last night. I also bought a power meter and was looking to install it when I saw the brake light switch disconnected (assumed it snagged on something and pulled loose). Now not sure. Although my sons says it shocked him before hum??

Anyway, it has to be something bleeding it through there. What I need is a schametic.. lol. But first need a year model for sure. The guy I bought it from was pretty sure it was a 92 or a 94.

Thanks again, will post more tomorrow. I am at work trying to figure it out remotely right now.. LOL.

 

[HotRodCarts]

Welcome to the forum.

Post your serial number and we can tell you year and model.

 

[waddison]

Serial number was A0048 96????

I looked it up and from what I saw on the net looks like I have a 2000 DCS Cart. That sound correct?

I removed the turn signal from the plastic steering column sleeve and it appears to have cleared most of my issue. It still reads a 2 volts or something, but i have a cheap meter plus that could be coming off of bleedover. Atleast that wont shock the pi$$ of me.. I wrapped electric tape around the column and put it back on and it stil shows the 2 volts. Go figure...

I cant for the life of me understand how a plastic column could be grounding. I'll keep a eye on it and see how does.

Thanks to all for your help. I GREATLY appreciate it.

 

[HotRodCarts]

Yes it's a 2000 DS.

 

[COPB]

You may have the turn signal ground wire hot. Don't ground the meter to the brake pedal when you check. Ground it to the neg. post of the battery. Than check you turn signal and anything else you suspect to be hot.

 

[waddison]

Will do..

Another question for you experienced guys. I just bought new batteries and I also bought a 48v digital power meter (gas gauge so to say). The instructions say to go across the battery pack and its optional to insert a power switch so that its not on all the time. Then it noted that it will take 22 min (if I read correctly) for it to give a accurate reading once its turned on.

So my question is: how much draw would it be drawing just to straight wire it as directed in which case it would stay on all the time?

I welcome any opinions/recommendations on this matter.

And Thanks again for all the help.

 

[S2MFH]

I wired mine to the key switch, ran a ground to the batt, and it's pretty easy to figure out which one of your hot leads on the key switch to run to, that way it only works when you turn the key to the on position.

 

[waddison]

[email protected],
Mine says it takes 22 minutes to get a accurate read once you power it on. Is yours that also? I can see my kids turnig it off everytime they stop which is what I taught them. But during the break in period on the batteries, I dont want to drain them too much before I charge them.

 

[S2MFH]

If I understand you correctly on what you are doin, then no mine is instant when I turn the key, but all I hooked to the batt. was the neg. end of the meter, the Pos. end I hooked to the key switch. I hoped I answed your question. If not my excuse is I am a back yard tec. and I can assure you there are guys on the form way more qualified to help you.