How to test an electric golf cart motor?

How to test an electric golf cart motor?

OUTL4W

AMA
Admin
Addict
617
80
12
47
How do I tell if my motor is series or shunt wound? I have a 1995 ds 36v with a controller.
There’s nothing visually different between the two that I know of but a shunt motor has the field windings connected in parallel with the armature .. and a series motor has the field windings connected in series with the armature.

But perhaps Crash Test Dummy crash test dummy has a better idea?
 

Crash Test Dummy

Dazed and Confused
Admin
Donater
Addict
Tech
1,164
253
2
12
How to tell the difference between a Series and a Regen cart. CLUB CAR
(4 easy ways to tell the difference - Use at least 2 of 5 to confirm.)

1. Does the Golf Cart have a Tow/Run switch or Run/Maintenance switch? This would be under the seat. If the cart DOES have this switch, it is a Regen (Regenerative Braking) cart.
If there is NOT a switch, then its a Series cart.
See examples below

Club Car
Tow/Run Switch


2. Series Vehicle Features
Club Car Series Cart Features
-
OR


3. Does the motor have a speed sensor wire protruding from the end head? If the answer is YES, then it is a Regen motor.
If there is NO speed sensor lead on the motor, then it is a Series motor.

Club Car Regen Motor

4. Are there 2 smaller diameter (1/4-20 UNC) terminals and 2 larger diameter (5/16-18 UNC) terminals on the motor?
Or are all 4 terminal studs on the motor the same size (5/16-18 UNC)?
If there are 2 smaller and 2 larger terminals bolts, its a Regen motor.
If all 4 bolts are the same size, then its a Series motor.


5. What do the motor Field Coil Windings Look Like?
a. Regen motors have "shunt" or "round wire" coils, usually with smaller gauge wire (12AWG - 24AWG range). Usuaully, with a large amount of turns (60 to 200+ turns) per field coil.
b. Series motors have "flat wire" coils with larger wire sizes. Usually, the wire is rectanular in shape (cross-section). These coils have a much lower number of turns (usually 5 to 15 turns) per field coil.


Note: A Regen cart will normally automatically slow down when you hit approximately 15 MPH going down a hill. This is for safety reasons (as not to over-spin the armature).


EZGO CARTS
 
Last edited:
4
0
0
0
Wow!! Lots of info , thank you !! Mine doesn’t have a tow/ run switch so I can use the series wound schematic to test it. Bought this thing as a basket case somebody gave up on. Figured it’d be a good way to learn. Thanks again, Mark
 
4
0
0
0
Thanks, the diagram will be extremely helpful. Hopefully I can get out to the garage this weekend and get this thing moving
 

Snotty B

Newbie
27
4
0
0
Series motors are almost always marked A1,A2 and S1, S2 S stands for stater and that is the stationary windings of the motor.

Sepex or Separately excited motors are almost always marked A1, A2 and F1, F2 The F stands for field and that also is the stationary windings in the motor.

These markings can almost always be found on the outside can next to the terminals
 

About Us

Wild Buggies is a golf cart enthusiast community, with some hot rod/retro/ratrod enthusiasts peppered in, which is committed to providing a safe and effective communications platform related to the industry.

Affiliates

Support Us!

If you like advert free forums.

Donate now
Top
Forgot your password?