Any Trolley Electrics Experts?

[Region3]

The trolley I have has a wheel you turn to control the speed, much like a Powakaddy.

The sales literature for it says it has "seamless speed control". Either they're wrong or I have a faulty one. Either way I'm not going to them for anything.

Moving the wheel in as small an increment as I can, it goes from dawdle to a fast march.

Having forgotten everything I learned about electricity in physics at school, I'm hoping someone on here will be able to tell me if I'm right or wrong about how I want to go about sorting it out.

I might try another generic potentiometer to see if that fixes it, but the other idea I had was to put a resistor in the cable.

Am I right thinking this will just cut the current sent to the motor by a certain percentage?
Am I barking mad?

Any other bright ideas?

Thanks.

 

[upsidedown]

Had similar problem , was under warranty sent it back and got it fixed.Why don't you want to deal with them ?

 

[Region3]

Just fed up with the hassle and would rather sort it myself.

I spoke to them about it when I first noticed and the response was "the remote has steps to the speed, but the dial is seamless."

Only it isn't

Either they're wrong or I am their unluckiest customer.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Has the little wheel been replaced ?

How old is trolly ? Possibly could be something in the wire which is turning it into an on off switch instead of incremental ?

 

[CliveW]

What make is your trolley? A quick Google search shows plenty of spare part suppliers to choose from. http://www.thegolfersworkshop.co.uk/Electric-Golf-Trolley-Spares/?page=all

If you don't want to start taking things apart, a generous squirt of contact cleaner down the spindle of the control knob might well do the trick.

 

[Region3]

Has the little wheel been replaced ?

How old is trolly ? Possibly could be something in the wire which is turning it into an on off switch instead of incremental ?

It's about 6 months old. It isn't working like an on/off switch. There are steps to the speed increase, just that the steps are too far apart imo.

I'll just take it apart and see if I can replace the pot. I don't think there's anything faulty with it, but I don't like the way it works.

 

[Region3]

What make is your trolley? A quick Google search shows plenty of spare part suppliers to choose from. http://www.thegolfersworkshop.co.uk/Electric-Golf-Trolley-Spares/?page=all

If you don't want to start taking things apart, a generous squirt of contact cleaner down the spindle of the control knob might well do the trick.

I'd rather not name them as they've tried to be very helpful and I don't want it to come over as I'm slagging them off.

Im sure I can find a replacement if I take the old one to somewhere like maplins.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

It's about 6 months old. It isn't working like an on/off switch. There are steps to the speed increase, just that the steps are too far apart imo.

I'll just take it apart and see if I can replace the pot. I don't think there's anything faulty with it, but I don't like the way it works.

Ah right - that does sound like it could be very frustrating

Possibly the idea of using a different pot could make a difference

 

[Huwey12]

If you can trace the speed control wires at the circuit board and source a digital meter set to resistance or ohms attach the leads of the meter at the circuit board and turn the speed control knob (might need assistance). You should get a smooth change of resistance reading on the meter, if you do then the fault is on the board, if you don't ie. the reading just jumps from high to low(or vice versa) then you need to change the pot or clean it with contact cleaner, you can use suede cleaner but don't breath it in. As Clive said this should be your first course of action anyway
The motor control is usually of pulse width modulation with the pot regulating the width of the positive pulse so sticking a resistor in line unless it was a super low value wouldn't really help

If it's going on slow to high certainly sounds like the pot
Sorry for rambling. Good luck
Just had a thought if it's a cheaper carbon type pot it might pay to change it to a wire wound type of the same value, they don't get gunged up with carbon particles

 

[Region3]

If you can trace the speed control wires at the circuit board and source a digital meter set to resistance or ohms attach the leads of the meter at the circuit board and turn the speed control knob (might need assistance). You should get a smooth change of resistance reading on the meter, if you do then the fault is on the board, if you don't ie. the reading just jumps from high to low(or vice versa) then you need to change the pot or clean it with contact cleaner, you can use suede cleaner but don't breath it in. As Clive said this should be your first course of action anyway
The motor control is usually of pulse width modulation with the pot regulating the width of the positive pulse so sticking a resistor in line unless it was a super low value wouldn't really help

If it's going on slow to high certainly sounds like the pot
Sorry for rambling. Good luck
Just had a thought if it's a cheaper carbon type pot it might pay to change it to a wire wound type of the same value, they don't get gunged up with carbon particles

Thanks for the detailed reply. I think the control board will be out of reach for my below average skills, as it's buried inside the trolley somewhere - I think they said it's all in the axle.

Can the pot be tested if I manage to remove it from the trolley? If so does the same logic apply?

 

[Huwey12]

Yes take it out and check it with a meter. If you think it's working ok but just a bad design value go for a lower value one ie. it's 500k ohms max change it for say 330k or just to experiment with resistors in series until you get the speed range that suits your pace of walking.
You won't get a zap as you're just working on the control side, you will need a soldering iron to get the wires off the pot, but obviously do any work with the battery disconnected

 

[Region3]

Yes take it out and check it with a meter. If you think it's working ok but just a bad design value go for a lower value one ie. it's 500k ohms max change it for say 330k or just to experiment with resistors in series until you get the speed range that suits your pace of walking.
You won't get a zap as you're just working on the control side, you will need a soldering iron to get the wires off the pot, but obviously do any work with the battery disconnected

Thanks again :thup:

 

[Beezerk]

I agree with the changing of the potentiometer, as long as you know the correct value you should be able to pick one up at Maplins. I'd be tempted to remove the original and take it with you as there's varying lengths in shaft etc.

 

[Huwey12]

Looking at some electronic diagrams on Google it looks like the pot is soldered onto an encoder board. You should still be able to test it on the board but to take it off you will need a soldering iron and a solder sucker to suck the solder up otherwise it's a pig to remove

 

[Huwey12]

A bit more on your project, some boards have a trimming pot soldered on to slightly alter the resistance from your speed control pot
This is identified with a screwdriver slot in the top of it a little 3 legged device, if you can find try adjusting that as well

 

[Region3]

A bit more on your project, some boards have a trimming pot soldered on to slightly alter the resistance from your speed control pot
This is identified with a screwdriver slot in the top of it a little 3 legged device, if you can find try adjusting that as well

Sounds like I might have to let the experts have a go if changing/cleaning the pot does no good.
It's not their trolley, but I live close to the guy that runs Fraser trolleys.