Help Have Burned Out 3 Solenoids 1993 Club Car 36 Volt

Baneberry

New Member
Looking for help please. Trying to determine why I burned out 3 solenoid switches. The golf cart is a 1993 Club Car DS with an electronic speed controller. The batteries are 5 years old but are fully charged and check out as good on my load tester. The cables are new and all connections are clean and tight. When the cart runs for just a few minutes, the large post on the solenoid begin to heat up. They will continue to heat up until they get so hot that you cannot touch them. On two occasions, the solenoid burnt out when going uphill (under a load). The solenoids where purchased from ebay and are not HD solenoids. They are sold as golf cart solenoids for 36 volt carts. The cart runs fine but fairly slow until the solenoid blows. Can the old batteries contribute to this problem? Controller maybe? Suggestions please. Thank you.
 

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
Weak batteries can cause cables, controller, and solenoid heat. Also make sure the cables are in good condition. It sounds like the solenoids you're buying could be in question though.
Welcome to the forum.
 

Diode

Cartaholic - V.I.P. Sponsor
Have you replaced the cables connecting to the solenoid ? low voltage equals high current. What solenoids are you getting? What’s the amp rating? What’s the voltage rating? Are they continuous duty solenoids?
 

Baneberry

New Member
Thanks for your quick response. All the cables are new across the batteries and to the solenoid (large red) and to the controller from the negative end of the battery series (large black). The only old cable is the yellow one from the solenoid to the motor. They are tight and clean.The solenoid is 36 volt sold on ebay as OEM part 8016 made for Club Car 36 volts carts. I have purchased from two different ebay sellers so the solenoids should be OK. If the cart runs for a period of time before getting very hot does this not mean that the solenoids are continuous duty? I am not sure about the amp rating. I can not find the amp rating on the old solenoids or on the ebay listing.
The statement "batteries can cause cables, controller, and solenoid to heat" may be the answer but as I stated, the batteries are five years old and show good with a load tester. New batteries will cost me about $650.00 for Trojans. A rebuilt controller is about $350. This is why I am trying to make certain that I fix the correct thing. A HD solenoid cost about $50 I think but I am not sure this will help. Right now I am leaning toward buying new batteries. Comments please.
 

Baneberry

New Member
Correction...... The only old cable is the yellow one from the solenoid to the controller (not the motor). Sorry about that.
 

Diode

Cartaholic - V.I.P. Sponsor
Replace all old cables first drive it and feel for heat on all the other cables if you find heat replace those cables
 
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