Newbie - Melting Wires / Sparks / Dead Cart

billmcewen

New Member
Hi Everyone, I need some help....

I have a 1989 EZGO 36V cart (resister back by drivers rear wheel). Even though the cart has a 1989 plate on it, it appears the guts maybe an older model from what I have been told.

It's been working great and the kids have been having a blast on it.

My son and I were driving and the cart and all of a sudden it just started loosing all power and died. After it sat for a few minutes it started to go again. The batteries were charged.

The last few days I noticed a burning smell on occasion after the cart had been driven. This weekend the kids drove it for hours. Stopping and starting, slow, fast for hours. From trying to educate myself it seems like resister type carts should be driven at full speed?

A wire coming off the solenoid was very hot and the insulation was starting to melt. This wire goes to the F/R plate (I believe this is what it's called). I replaced the wire and this time another wire actually melted into the new wire, sparks flew and now my cart is completely dead.

Can someone please give me an idea as to what I did and what I need to do to get up and running again?

I am trying to figure out how to attach some pictures so you could see the wires in question and where they are attached.

Thanks Guys!!!!!

Regards,
Bill McEwen
Clermont, FL
 

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
Welcome to the forum...

Melting cables is usually caused from loose connections, corroded connections, bad cables or cable lugs. By looking at your pictures I'd say your forward and reverse switch is shot. There's copper contacts in the switch and when they go bad they will cause the cables to heat up that are connected to the switch. The smaller black wire that shorted is connected to the micro switch. It's possible its bad now also. You can check it with a ohm meter. I'd say your looking at a new forward and reverse switch, some new cables and probably a micro switch. If you buy the complete forward and reverse switch it comes with new micro switches. Here's a link to a F&R switch for a 89 EZGO

89 EZGO Forward and Reverse Switch
 
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