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Re: (ET) Tractor woes

I have been using the 1204 24-36 volt Curtis Controller for about 10 years now.  I needed a way to use the tiller in a slower speed then the Elec Trak could go and my friend Nick and I, who were driving early electric car conversions, thought we could use one of the smaller controllers that you find on golf carts.  This was before Alltrax was making them to be used on Elec Traks.. The contactors are all used (excepting the 1A on the main studs) as well as all of the other automatic and manual switching.  After the start switch on the speed controller is moved forward or reverse from  the neutral position, a small pot on the dash controls the amount of voltage supplied, taking the place of the different set speeds that the Elec Trak has.  I could never go slow enough to till or mow in tall grass or brush with the mid-mount mower.  To be honest. Nick helped with most of the brain work.  He unfortunately now lives out of state.  I have done well keeping it alive and well all these years, now just a little stumped at the issue I am having. 

I am attaching a schematic I made of the set up.

Kevin


On 5/23/19 6:03 PM, Jim Coate wrote:
I was going to try and clarify what voltages are being measured but then saw "and a Curtis controller also". Huh?? If you have converted to an electronic controller, I'd expect that you would no longer have most of the relays or contactors. Do tell more! 


On 05/23/2019 6:28 pm, Lisa B. wrote:

Hello everyone. New to this email list. Having troubles with my
tractor.

A couple of weeks ago went out to mow and nothing, no forward, no
reverse, some clicking (small 2A contactor). Had just mowed day before
and it had been mowing for well over a month prior to this with no
issues. The things I notice? The key switch passes it's test across
the terminals, but once it is turned on, things test wacky with
voltage doing pretty much the opposite than it should...voltage up
with key off. When key is turned on, it drops to nothing. Isolated the
main wire to the relay (2RTN) and when the key is off it reads 34 V
and when on, zero.

Installed new RTN's today. They look beautiful and are working as they
should however, it did not fix the problem. We are still getting
voltage at the fuel gauge when the key is off. We did see a change
with the new RTN's in that the voltage on the fuel gauge doesn't drop
when key is turned on. Looking at the schematics in Simplified
Troubleshooting- it seems negative current is being drawn up into the
fuel gauge when it shouldn't be, activating it when the key is off. We
tested the motor and field and got the following= Test 19-Wires 62 and
22 Plug 3. Get around 16 volts at all speeds. All of the remaining
tests-20-24, we get nothing. We had the key on for awhile and noticed
that the small 2a contactor got hot which is the main one that clicks
when the key is turned on. FYI-I have the new single contactors
replacing the double pole and a Curtis controller also. I have
continuity between the armature studs. Mystified. PTO works good.
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