I've been trying to be nice to the controller! Really!
Other than a few burn-outs, a couple rides up some big hills, and 65 mph joy-riding, I have been treating the controller like a lady.
I even installed the 12V fan!
Heres the controller in the car right after I towed it home.
You can see the capacitors, but not the mosfets.
Once I got the controller apart, the view was much more clear.
I hope it's clear enough in the photo. The poor little mosfets look like they stepped on a landmine.
What did I do in damage? $50 in parts and countless hours in labor?
PS: I double-checked the wiring diagrams for the Curtis controllers, and they turn on the main contactor and power to the controller at the same time.