Club Car 1998 DS Maintenance And Service Manual Supplement Download Page 16

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ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND TESTING

Electrical Circuits

Page 11-4 1998/1999 PowerDrive Plus Maintenance and Service Supplement

• Zero Speed Detect:

This prevents the vehicle from rolling away uncontrolled should the driver park on a

slope and leave the vehicle without locking the park brake. The vehicle will roll at about 1 mph. If the zero
speed detect function remains engaged for two seconds or more, a warning buzzer will sound to alert the

driver that motor braking has been activated.

• Pedal Down Motor Braking:

This feature helps to control vehicle downhill speed. When vehicle speed exceeds

approximately 15 mph motor braking is activated, which holds top speed to approximately 13-15 mph. Motor brak-
ing is automatically disengaged when vehicle speed slows below approximately 13 mph.

• Pedal Up Motor Braking:

When vehicle speed is above 12 mph, releasing the accelerator pedal will activate

motor braking, which slows the vehicle to approximately 9 mph. Once vehicle speed slows to below approxi-
mately 9 mph with the accelerator pedal still released, motor braking will be deactivated and the vehicle will
coast freely.

• Motor/Generator:

During motor braking, the motor acts as a generator which creates electrical current. The

PowerDrive Plus electrical system has two current generating functions:

Regenerative Braking

and

Dynamic

Braking

• Regenerative Braking

: When motor braking is activated, the vehicle motor acts as a generator, slowing the

vehicle as it creates energy that is used to charge the batteries.

• Dynamic Braking:

If the batteries are at or near full charge and do not require an additional charge, the energy cre-

ated as the motor slows the vehicle is disposed of through the energy displacement module.

• Tow/Run Switch:

When the Tow/Run switch is in the RUN position, the vehicle will function normally. When the

switch is in the TOW position, power to the OBC and controller is shut off, disabling the vehicle operating circuit and
zero speed detect, allowing the vehicle to be towed.

• Motor Protection Circuit:

If the vehicle is held in position on an incline by partially depressing the accelerator

pedal instead of the brake, motor overheating could result. The motor protection circuit reduces the possibility of
motor damage during this circumstance.

• High Pedal Detect:

This function prevents unexpected vehicle movement if the key switch is turned ON after the

accelerator is depressed. The vehicle will not move until the accelerator is depressed again.

• Onboard Computer (OBC):

The OBC, 1) monitors battery condition, 2) monitors the rate of discharge while the

vehicle is in use, 3) determines the amount of charge required based on the amount of use and shuts the charger
off when this number is reached, 4) determines when to activate regenerative motor braking, 5) stores operating
data which can be read by the Communication Display Module (CDM) and 6) locks out vehicle movement while
the charger is plugged in.

ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS

Read DANGER and WARNING on page 11-1.

The PowerDrive Plus vehicle has three distinct circuits: 1) the Control Circuit

(Figure 11-5, Page 11-8)

, 2) the Power

Circuit

(Figure 11-7, Page 11-9)

, and 3) the Charge Circuit

(Figure 11-8, Page 11-10)

THE CONTROL CIRCUIT

The Control Circuit consists of three individual circuits, 1) Onboard Computer Circuit

(Figure 11-4, Page 11-6)