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Re: (ET) Elec-trak E12 beginnner needs advice
On 1 Apr 2004 at 14:10, John E. Baker wrote:
> Can I assume a
> newer_than_1983 used controller would be cheaper than trying to replace
> exactly what was under the dash?
Is it really a 1983? I didn't know they made ETs that late. Well, be
that as it
may ...
I may get some negative feedback for suggesting some of these, but if you
have a fair bit of electrical knowhow, here are some possible
alternatives:
- Get an Alltrax ET controller. Best option, but may be beyond
your
budget in your current circumstances. (Very sorry to hear about your job
loss. I'll bet you now look closely at everything you buy, to avoid items
made
in China. I do too, FWIW.)
- Get a used or rebuilt 36 volt Curtis golf car controller
(~$125-200).
May require separate field wiring if you have a wound field. May also
require
a separate inductor in series with the armature to prevent jerky starts
and/or
possible failure of the controller from excessive current. (Someone who's
used a Curtis an an ET may be able to address these issues better than I
can.) You'll also need a 5K potentiometer to operate as a throttle
control. If
you don't have a wound field on the motor, you'll also need to use the
original
ET contactors to reverse the tractor.
- Retain the original resistors and contactors (if still present)
but
eliminate the circuit board. This will require some re-engineering. It
will also
remove some important safeguards, notably the ones which keep you from
accelerating too abruptly, so think twice about it.
- If you have access to some inexpensive surplus contactors
capable
of handling 200-300 amps, build a series-parallel controller using 18 and
36
volts, plus field control (assuming you have a field winding in your motor
- if
it's a permanent magnet type, this is not so practical). Again this will
probably defeat some important safety factors, so proceed with caution.
- Find a rusted-out ET with good electricals, and marry the two.
This
may be the easiest, cheapest, and best answer.
>
> I am guessing that this would be a place to start, but need all of your
> input: 1. Get schematic of motor from somewhere.
You should be able to find something useful in the scanned microfiche
manuals from elec-trak.org, though they're not easy to read thanks to age
and wear. Otherwise, you can look for a used Homeowner's Service Manual
on Ebay, or buy one new from Bill Gunn.
2. Get motor tested
> somewhere (golf cart repair shop?) or learn how to test myself.
If you have a field winding, apply 12 volts to it. Appply 12 volts to the
armature terminals. Don't apply voltage to armature terminals without
powering field terminals. See if the motor runs. Listen to determine
whether
it makes frightening noises.
If you're not sure of what you're doing, call up your local golf course
and ask
them who works on their golf cars' motors.
> 3. Decide to use or replace motor.
Replacement will most likely be expensive.
4. Get advise on what to do next.
Get a junk tractor - same model - for parts.
Others here will probably have some further thoughts. Good luck!