golf trolley submerged in water oh no

ProRider Golf Trolley Submerged into Water

My wife’s ProRider electric golf trolley sank into a pond and now doesn’t work. I have stripped down and dried. It started to work but speed controller didn’t. The LCD lit but now doesn’t. The sealed silver box seemed dry but when I opened it was wet.  I have the same trolley so can switch parts to isolate parts that need replaced. Can you advise what to do and I presume you can supply all the parts.

My trolley accidentally went into a water filled drainage ditch -it was switched on and after 15 minutes when I dragged it out – there was no power. Later on I put the battery on charge but all I had was a red light with no green charging lights. It is still under warranty but the vendor says it is not covered for water . I have tried a new charger which made no difference. Any comments? Thank you.

Yes, we have all the Prorider golf trolley spares needed. I will do a full explanation and will post this on the website as an instruction for other golfers in order to potentially help those who have the same issue.

So what happens when damp or wet gets into an electric golf trolley? For example; if it is submerged into the water by accidentally running away into a stream, burn, loch, lake or pond, (the sea is different as it is salty water – not good!). The trolley will hold water in various parts and components. The water itself will not do any harm, where and when the golf trolley gets damaged is by having an electrical current going through the electronic circuits when wet. The reason for this is due to the components within the circuits shorting by way of an electrical current around the circuit boards or various component parts. Sometimes when this happens it can cause no damage or later problems, but more often than not, damage occurs as most people try switching on to test in the hope the golf trolley is working while the circuits are wet and this more often shorts and damages the circuits. No need to purchase a new Prorider golf trolley when it can be fixed.

So now to figure out when a golf trolley gets fully submerged in water, what spares parts have been damaged. First, the most complex and vulnerable component is the controller box. This can carry water as all the electronic components are enclosed within a metal rectangular box. This is difficult to dry out, although there are small screws on the side of the golf trolley controller which can be removed and by opening up the controller box. Opening up the controller allows warm air to evaporate the water and the water evaporation can take a couple of days depending on the environment. The second part is the handle circuit, removing it, or opening up the handle and allow it to dry out – also a couple of days. The third is the golf trolley speed control switch, this can be removed or simply by opening up the handle and allowing it to dry out. More unusual damage would be the motor, it can take a bit more time to dry out but is much more robust and less likely to get damaged. Also, it would be advised to go around all the connectors, dry, clean, and spray with some WD40 or similar.  Sorry, I can’t be more certain about which parts could sustain damage.

Other parts to check: Check the speed switch control to make sure it is scrolling nicely smoothly up and down the speeds.  The connections are dried out (using a spray of WD40 helps dispel any dampness in the connectors).  Making sure the trolley motor is dry.  This is more a case of taking the golf trolley into a warm dry area and letting it dry out for a few days.

It’s just trial and error and patient testing.

Many many thanks for such a comprehensive reply.  I had actually done some of what you say. I opened the handle and dried out the speed switch and LED circuit board with hairdryer.

I checked the controller which seemed watertight so didn’t open it up. I thought everything was dry so connected the battery. The LED lit but the go button didn’t respond neither did the speed switch. The 11 yard did and the motor turned. Switched off and had another look at speed controller. Water appeared so opened up. It was wet so hair dryer again. Then connected and now nothing works. I guess the controller shorted.

Can you just supply all three parts and I will just fit them all rather than take a chance. The led and speed switch on my trolley are playing up so I might change them if it’s only the controller that’s faulty on my wife’s trolley.

Yes, I can supply all three components. It can be a risk trying one at a time as one faulty component can damage the other non-faulty components. Anyway, it’s most likely the speed control switch will have problems as it tends to be the one that has the most sensitivity to getting damaged.

Here is the link to the store where all three components are available. Just check these are this correct circuit/controller ( controller S1G…. and rectangular handle circuit see photo attached), as there are a couple of changes in some.

1. Speed control switch
2. ProRider Handle Circuit
3. S1 ProRider Controller box.

Thanks – received and replaced on the trolley. The only problem is the three buttons on the left don’t work. It seems when depressed they don’t click the micro-switches. The main power and go work.  I’ve tried moving the silicon cover a little but it obviously it all locks in when screws are tightened.  Is there anything I’m doing wrong or need to do. At least everything else works.

If I understand it’s the contact with the small micro-switches. This is the ProRider circuit, it’s exactly right, so it must be the alignment with the display cover. Possibly the T handle got damaged slightly while submerged. I would check the seating of the circuit, it is possible to peel back the display (carefully, so it easy to stick back down) and check the alignment and closeness of the buttons from the front side. Maybe need a bit of building up under the circuit with some paper or material, so the buttons make contact with the circuit.

Trolley now working great.

You are welcome.

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Display came on stuck in no 2 then went out now no power showing at all.  Battery new
What do you think it is?

I think possibly water or damp has got into the handle and the circuit inside or connections. Rather than buying a new circuit, I would try drying it off and even try a spray of WD40 inside, as this dispels any water. Let me know how you get on and if you have no success, we can look at any other causes.

6 thoughts on “ProRider Golf Trolley Submerged into Water”

  1. Donald Macdonald

    my prorider trolley (couple of years old) went fully into a drainage ditch. I did not try to use for a week or so to dry out. I did work intermittently then stopped. I left it in my car for a couple of days during really hot weather spell. I took it to my local repair shop and lo and behold it started working fine. Now after a couple of rounds it is now making a very dry rasping noise. I have used WD40 on all the external areas, but have not dismantled any components. Has the gearing dried up and need properly oiled ? . Any advice would be appreciated.
    Regards Donald Macdonald

    1. I would first start by listening to the wheels, to see if it is coming from the wheel clutches, these are the inner hubs on the inside of the wheels. These clutches are easy enough to replace by only two screws per wheel. If the noise is coming from the gearbox then this is a bigger problem, these gearboxes once broken really need replaced, fixing inside a golf trolley gearbox is very difficult and specialist work is needed. It is much easier to replace a gearbox.

    2. Donald, It may well be the gearbox. There have been times when the motor itself can have problems , normally the motor will struggle if anything g is wrong but not always with noises . The only sure way of telling is to remove the motor and test it once it is disengaged from the gearbox. If it runs quietly then it must be the gearbox.

  2. Donald Macdonald

    Hi, Thanks for the advice, checked out the clutches and there is no noise coming from the mechanisms when I push forward without the motor on, noise only coming on when I use the motor.

    Regards

  3. where can i buy new axle pins for a pro rider remote control golf trolley,the manufacturer no longer stocks these items.

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