Burning Smell

GEM Forum
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Hello everyone, I have a 2000 e825 GEM. I bought it new in 2000 and have had it stored for 3 years due to batteries needing replacement. I just bought and installed 6 new batteries. All Marine deep cycle. 5 of them are 29’s and 1 is a 31 Gel. They sold me one 31 for the same price as the 29 due to the fact they only had 5. I installed them and 2 miles later there was a burning smell and the car stopped and would not start up again. I smelled a burning smell from the hood area. I touched the motor and it was very hot. It no longer works even after cooling down. Any ideas on whether this issue is a bad motor or a bad controller? Thanks for your help.
Jeff

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Would STRONGLY suggest that you dont try to move the car under power. Possibilities are:

The motor is probably toast. If it is shorted out it will take out the controller if you try to move it under power. It cost me $454 to be able to drop this little piece of wisdom on you. If the motor is full of oil (common) you need to reseal the input shaft. You have a 3.5HP motor which isn’t too expensive. If your display still worked and showed an error code your controller might be Ok.

Ohm out the motor. Open or shorted windings are possible. A short to the case is bad because it could take out the controller.

Size 29 MDC batteries aren’t a real good choice. All 31’s would have been better. You will have 1 battery undercharged all the time. - Shortens life.

Rodney

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Thanks for the help Rodney.

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I may have the same problem. So how do you ohm the motor to be sure it’s good? I have a 7.5 hp ride4fun version. Thanks. Mike. 2002 unit

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Take your multi meter and set it on ohms lowest setting, You have 2 windings, armature (big wires) and field (small wires) Each pair of wires should show a few ohms but NOT a dead short. Check each lead to the motor case. You should NOT get a reading. If each pair of wires does not show a reading it indicates an OPEN. An open or short means the motor is defective - toast - kaput - junk - etc.

Unhook the wires from the motor before doing these tests.

I’m going to repeat this. Do NOT try to move the cart under power with a failed motor. Stock motors are not that expensive. Repair of a failed controller is.

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Thanks. Let see if I understand this. My motor has 4 leads. A1,A2, F1,F2. I test A1 to F1, and A2 to F2. I’m looking for a small ohm reading to show OK. If no reading, then a short means dead motor. Then I test each of the 4 leads to the case. And I should not get a reading indicating motor is OK.

If my tests show defective motor, can it be repaired? Any good repair places in the Gulf Coast area, I live in Daphne, AL?

Thanks again.

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Not quite

  1. A1 TO A2 should show a few ohms

  2. F1 TO F2 should show a few ohms

  3. ALL THE ABOVE TO CASE should show nothing

  4. F’s TO A’s should show nothing.

  5. ANY DEAD SHORTS motor is toast.

  6. All tests with motor disconnected from control.

Other than replacing a bearing it’s cheaper to buy a motor on Ebay. I have two 3.5HP motors on my bench.

Rodney

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Thanks. Much more clear.

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With my meter set on the 200 scale:

ARMATURE .3

FIELD 1.4

Any thing in the ball park is acceptable.

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OK. Testing done

Armature. .52 Scale set at 2K. (no reading at 200 scale?)

Field. 1.1 with scale set at 200

Zero readings from armatures and fields to case
Zero readings from armatures to fields

I Assume the motor is OK? Would you agree?

Thanks so much for your help.

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Probably is. I don’t have any experience with a R4F.

Does the motor smell burnt?

What controller model do you have.

Are you on flat or hilly country

Is your cart Hot Rodded or have oversize tires and wheels? Any thing over 14 inch makes controller rebuilders happy.

Recommend Flight Systems for rebuild. going direct eleminates the middle man.

What - how hard - were you driving when you had the failure.

Note: T1 and T2 controllers are 350 amp units T1 is really good for 5 HP if your in flat or moderate hilly country. T2 will stand a little more abuse as it has a little more heat rejection capability. It won’t hold up to Hot Rodding with a 7.5 HP motor on anything but flat ground and then only for short periods. Larger wheels and tires amplify the problem.

Rodney

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Motor does not smell burnt, controller is a t-2 which I have sent to R4F for testing and repair if necessary, don’t know if controller was reprogrammed when 7.5 HP motor installed in 08, but probably was since that could be done for free. I’m 3rd owner so no history. I’m on flat ground, few small hills, has 14" tires, runs 35 mph, maybe more. Problem started when powered up after a week parked. Only gave a feeble attempt to run then stopped cold. No error codes shown. Guess we’ll see what R4F says after testing. Probably just the controller. Did not want to reinstall a good controller if there was any chance the motor was fried too. I asked R4F for instructions on bench testing their motor too. See what they say.
Thanks, Mike

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Please share R4F response.

Rodney