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how to know if golf cart generator is bad

by Kobe Price Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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How to Know If Your Golf Cart Starter Generator is Bad

  1. WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY, CART DOES NOT START When you turn the key to start your cart but nothing happens or hear only...
  2. JUDGING FROM ‘TIME TAKEN TO CRANK’

A bad starter generator gets hot quickly when the cart starts moving around. Within a short time, it might start letting out smoke as well. Once the smoke starts coming out of it, you know that your starter generator is damaged.

Full Answer

How to tell if your electric golf cart motor is bad?

Here’s how to tell if your electric golf cart motor is bad or if the problem has another source. When your golf car doesn’t start, it’s tempting to jump straight to the perceived problem area: the motor. But the issue could be a simpler one concerning another part of the car.

Why is my starter generator not charging my golf cart?

Why Your Golf Cart Starter Generator is Not Charging If your starter generator is not charging properly, it may be that the solenoid, voltage regulator or brushes are faulty. If you’ve ensured that all of these parts are working fine, the starter generator may not be drawing enough current to regenerate the battery.

How do I know if my starter generator is bad?

Here are the main signs to look for to check if there is a problem with the starter generator: When you turn the key to start your cart but nothing happens or hear only a clicking sound, there could be a problem with your starter or your battery. Now identifying if its the battery or not is fairly easy.

How do I know if my golf cart battery needs replacing?

Another tell-tale sign that your golf cart battery might have seen better days is that it simply doesn’t hold the charge like it used to. 6. Decreased Output / Power Despite having been charged to capacity, you may notice that the cart just doesn’t seem to have the same power that it used to.

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How do you test a starter generator on a golf cart?

0:000:42Zip Tip Starter Generator Testing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipGround it hit your start side or your a side or your G side not the field side spin the engine up toMoreGround it hit your start side or your a side or your G side not the field side spin the engine up to speed. And while it's spinning down come over to your.

What does a starter generator do on a golf cart?

The starter generator works in two ways; the starter portion cranks the engine and the generator portion recharges the battery. When the gas pedal is depressed the starter cranks the engine over. When it begins to run on its own, the generator portion of the unit begins to charge the 12-volt battery.

How do you fix a starter generator?

0:329:20How to Your Rebuild Garden Tractor's Starter Generator - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTo disassemble your starter generator you simply remove these two long bolts that's holdingMoreTo disassemble your starter generator you simply remove these two long bolts that's holding everything together you'll find them on the brush. End of the starter generator.

How many volts should a golf cart starter generator put out?

The ideal voltage output from the starter generator in these carts is around 14-15 volts. The Yamaha G1/G9 has a forward solenoid and a reverse solenoid in place, which makes the wiring a lot more different from that in other golf carts.

How do you jumpstart a starter generator?

0:443:36Starter Generator Field testing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWith your cable. Just tap it onto it or if you're like mine you have a switch I would clamp it firstMoreWith your cable. Just tap it onto it or if you're like mine you have a switch I would clamp it first then use the switch. So you don't arc on your stud right here and burn up your threads.

How does a belt starter generator work?

Belt Driven Starter Generator The main difference with a standard belt drive system is the reinforcement of the belt tensioning, the BSG acts bidirectional on the belt to speed up the combustion engine during start-up. For small engines a conventional starter is not needed while it is required for larger ones.

What causes the generator not to start?

1. Battery Failure. One of the most common reasons a generator will not start is due to a battery failure. Often this could be caused by a loose connection or a sulfation build-up (a build-up of lead sulphate crystals on the plates of lead-acid batteries).

How do I manually start my generator?

1:453:27How to Start Your Portable Generator - Pull Start - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf your generator is not an electric start model grab the handle on the recoil rope and pull theMoreIf your generator is not an electric start model grab the handle on the recoil rope and pull the recoil rope. One to two times briskly to start the generator.

How do you polarize a golf cart generator?

0:391:11How to Polarize at the Generator - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTake your live jumper lead and touch it touch touch. You're going to get a small spark. When that'sMoreTake your live jumper lead and touch it touch touch. You're going to get a small spark. When that's happened that's the end of it lay. Your field wire back on where she belongs. And the job is done.

How do you check a golf cart charging system?

1:103:54Golf Cart Charger Troubleshooting Guide | ASK DAVE - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTest good first off the most common issue when a charger doesn't engage is dead batteries golf cartMoreTest good first off the most common issue when a charger doesn't engage is dead batteries golf cart chargers start automatically by receiving voltage from your cart.

What keeps the battery charged on a gas golf cart?

Gas golf cart accessories will also rely on battery power. However, they feature a starter/generator that will charge the battery on its own while the gas pedal is depressed. This doesn't mean a gas golf cart battery is invincible – any accessories left on while the cart isn't running will eventually kill your battery.

Does a golf cart have an alternator?

Unlike with a regular car battery that charges as it's running, a golf cart does not have an alternator in which to do this. It should be a 3-phase charger and pay close attention to the position of the battery poles while charging.

Why won't my golf car start?

If your batteries are charged and in working condition, but your car still won’t start, check its solenoid. A solenoid is an electromagnetic coil of wire that transmits energy from your car’s battery to its motor to help it start. Every time you start your golf car, you should hear the click of the solenoid. If you don’t hear it, you probably have an issue with your solenoid. If you suspect an issue with the solenoid, take your car to a repair shop to have it repaired or replaced.

How to reset a golf car?

To reset your golf car’s motor, open the hood to expose your motor and look for the red reset button. Push this button and test out your golf car again. If this hasn’t solved the issue, your motor may be burnt out and will need to be replaced.

What to do if your car won't start?

If your car still won’t start or you notice any issues with acceleration, it’s time to check the potentiometer. The potentiometer sends an electric signal from the accelerator pedal to the speed controller, allowing the car to accelerate properly. Inspect the potentiometer and then test it out—if you discover any issues, have it repaired or replaced.

Why is my golf cart generator not charging?

If your starter generator is not charging properly, it may be that the solenoid, voltage regulator or brushes are faulty. If you’ve ensured that all of these parts are working fine, the starter generator may not be drawing enough current to regenerate the battery.

Why is my EZGO golf cart not charging?

This is because of the configuration of EZGO Golf carts. Almost all of the EZGO models have a setup that is foolproof to any generator failure. If the battery is not charging, it is usually the wiring or the voltage regulator. The possibility of having an starter generator that doesn’t charge the battery is very low.

What is battery regeneration?

The battery regeneration part involves the starter generator brushes, Solenoid and Voltage Regulator. The solenoid has to remain energized at all times to ensure that the return path via voltage regulator to the battery remains open. This return path is the route through which the current is returned to the battery to recharge it while the cart is running.

What is a golf cart starter?

A golf cart starter primarily serves two functions; turning over the engine to start the cart and act as a key link in getting the battery charged. The starter has enough current to crank the engine. The generator converts the alternating current to direct current and recharges the battery.

How many volts does a starter generator have?

If the starter generator is showing 15 to 16 volts during the full field test, replace the voltage regulator.

What is a starter generator?

The starter generator is an electric motor that runs on the voltage drawn from the cart’s battery. After igniting and cranking the engine, when the starter generator is spinning at over 1200rpm, it starts converting the AC it produces to DC to regenerate the battery.

What happens when a green wire is shorted?

When the green wire gets shorted on its own, the field current starts flowing directly to the starter generator circuit, therefore recharging the battery.

How to check if a golf cart battery is fully charged?

With a basic digital volt meter we check system voltage first. Whatever the operating voltage is of your golf cart you should check current voltage levels to know if the cart is in fact fully charged , partially charged or completed dead. You will usually find the batteries to your golf cart under the front seat which opens or folds out towards the golf cart steering wheel on most Club Cars, Ezgo and Yamaha golf carts.

What happens if my golf cart is not charging?

If you do not have any voltage in the batteries you will need to get some back into the battery bank before the golf cart charger will charge again .

How to wire golf cart batteries?

No mater how many golf cart batteries you have it will always work the same. To wire multiple batteries in a series you would just connect each batteries positive terminal to the next batteries negative terminal. Then continue this process for however many batteries to intend to connect together. After you have done so you will always have two terminals left over. One will be positive and one will be negative. Those terminals will reflect the new operating voltage of said battery bank. For example as shown in image above – most golf carts these days operate on 36 volt or 48 volts. Which can be achieved in a few ways depending on the batteries used. Whether 6 volt, 8 volt or 12 volt batteries. All of which will have different capacity and or range limitations. Simply put the more batteries you have the larger your so called gas tank will be – or the longer run time and range possible.

How many volts does a 36 volt golf cart have?

So now that we know where to check voltage and test. What is the answer? Jot down or remember whatever number you get. 36 volt golf carts when fully charge will reflect 37-38 volts… and 48 volt systems will reflect roughly 49-51 volts. All batteries hold slightly more voltage than advertised on case when fully charged so when combined the numbers are always slightly higher. So no need to be alarmed.

What voltage do golf cart batteries work on?

All golf cart battery chargers usually operate on 110VAC but some have the ability to operate on multiple voltages for other power grids like in Europe vs US. 110/230VAC would reflect this feature on charger. Good DC side connection. This is the wire or cord with a connector that you would plug into the golf cart.

What is the third pin on a golf cart?

Then the third pin is usually a low voltage signal for a lock-out feature on these newer style golf carts. This is so the user cannot drive off with a golf cart “If the charger is still plugged in”.

What does the green circle on a golf cart mean?

Note – The green circles in image above indicate positive and negative most battery terminals to check voltage on your golf cart. These images cover all the basic golf cart battery configurations. If not hopefully you will now better understand how to determine which terminals to test in your application.

How to tell if golf cart battery is bad?

1. Charging Issues. First, check to ensure that your golf cart was charged before you took it out.

How to check if golf cart is charging?

First, check to ensure that your golf cart was charged before you took it out. Plug it back into the charger and follow the instructions. Just in case the charger is the issue, check that the battery charger is turned on. There should be an indicator light to show that it is charging the batteries. In the morning, disconnect ...

What hole does a golf cart stop dead?

It’s a real hassle if your golf cart stops dead and you’re only at the 15 th hole of play. Not only is this an embarrassing event, but it’s a major pain to have to arrange for the cart to be towed back to the parking lot.

How to check if a battery is sealed?

Inspect the batteries to see if they are sealed lead-acid batteries or if there are caps on the top of the batteries . If there are caps (lids) present – then open them and check that the cells inside are adequately covered with the clear fluid. This fluid is the acid – so be careful not to splash it near your eyes or on clothing. It will burn.

Why won't my cart fire up?

But more often than not, your cart suddenly refused to fire up and go due to a dead or bad battery.

Can you top up golf cart batteries?

Only top up your golf cart batteries using distilled water. Also, it is common for golf carts to be powered by multiple batteries. If this is the case, you will notice how several individual batteries have been “daisy-chained” together to form one large battery. 4.

Can you top up a golf cart battery with distilled water?

You need to leave enough room for expansion, so the acid should only be filled to just above the lead cells inside. Only top up your golf cart batteries using distilled water. Also, it is common for golf carts to be powered by multiple batteries.

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