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Old 10-11-2015, 11:40 AM   #1
Sergio
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Default Regen - Brake Light

This post is intended for folks that use their Regen Brake most of the time.

It rained most of the day Saturday, so I spent the day in the garage putting together an idea for turning the brake light ON during Regen.

I use my Regen brake for most of my driving, the actual brake pedal only gets pressed at the very end of the process.

A brake pedal activated switch is not a good fit for my driving, so using some spare parts I came up with this idea.

I am very pleased with the results, and for about $10 in parts is cheaper than a traditional switch/timer combination for activating the brake lights.

The basic principle is that when the cart is doing "Pedal Up" brake, the main solenoid is engaged and the MCOR micro switch is disengaged.

This works extremely well for Excel carts that use Regen to basically 0mph. The controller will not disengage the main solenoid until a few seconds after the speed sensor pulses stop, so the brake lights go OFF automatically once you stop.

I am not sure the IQ carts do the same thing, maybe someone that has and IQ cart can verify if the Solenoid remains engaged until the cart stops.

I bought one of those F1 style LED 3rd brake light from eBay, they all work pretty much the same way.

There are 3 wires:
Negative
+12v for steady light (I use it for DRL)
+12v for fast blinking brake mode.
Note: *A
Instead of cutting into the MCOR wire harness or the controller 16-pin connector harness, I tapped the "Yellow" wire at the OBC, and used the negative from the controller 4-pin IQDM connector. These relays only use 20ma for the coil, so there is very little load.
I also connected the cart existing brake lights to the relay (Yellow and white wires on the dash 9-pin connector).

Picture 1: Wiring Diagram.
Picture 2: Wire connections to existing harness.
Picture 3: Both relays taped together with wires in place.
Picture 4: Brake lights engaged, the 3rd light blinks fast (Yes, it was still raining)


These are links to the parts needed.

K1 - SPDT Relay (For the MCOR signal):
http://www.mouser.com/Search/Product...55-T9AP5D52-48
K2 - SPST Relay (For the Main Solenoid signal):
http://www.mouser.com/Search/Product...55-T9AP1D52-48
D1 & D2 - Fly-Back Diodes (One for each relay):
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...Y4ludURuChfDtC
Sample DRL/3rd Brake Light (This is the one I bought):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/F1-style-12-...-/261876492008
Attached Images
File Type: jpg regen_brake_light_1.jpg (91.3 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg regen_brake_light_2.jpg (678.4 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg regen_brake_light_3.jpg (166.0 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg regen_brake_light_4.jpg (255.6 KB, 0 views)
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Old 10-12-2015, 09:39 AM   #2
kgsc
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Default Re: Regen - Brake Light

Pure genius.. and should work in other applications. So just so I understand. These relays when cold, no power, have continuity between com and NC. When powered com and NO. So in your case, 12 volts goes through a cold K1 relay then through a hot K2 relay to light the light. Then if you hit the go pedal the K1 relay goes hot and disconnects the source.. Correct?
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Old 10-12-2015, 09:48 AM   #3
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Default Re: Regen - Brake Light

That is it, and in the case of a Regen cart, the solenoid will drop off a few seconds after the cart stops moving, so K2 goes cold and the brake lights go OFF.

That way I don't have to turn the key switch OFF and neither Relay is drawing power.

That cheap F1 3rd brake pulsating strobe is very noticeable even during the day.

Last edited by Sergio; 10-12-2015 at 10:04 AM.. Reason: Typo: thanks kgsc
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Old 10-12-2015, 09:51 AM   #4
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Default Re: Regen - Brake Light

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sergio View Post
That is it, and in the case of a Regen cart, the solenoid will drop off a few seconds after the cart stops moving, so K2 goes cold and the brake lights go OFF.

That way I don't have to turn the key switch OFF and neither solenoid is drawing power.

That cheap F1 3rd brake pulsating strobe is very noticeable even during the day.
Did you mean relay?
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Old 10-12-2015, 10:05 AM   #5
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Default Re: Regen - Brake Light

Yes I did, thanks for catching it, just edited the post
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Old 10-12-2015, 10:56 AM   #6
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Default Re: Regen - Brake Light

I am going to try this on my next EZGO build I'm working on.. Should work. I guess the key thing is if the solenoid stays engaged with your foot off the pedal.
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Old 10-12-2015, 01:43 PM   #7
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Default Re: Regen - Brake Light

I would be curious to know as I don't have much knowledge of the EZGO carts.

If that particular model does Regen, the main solenoid would need to remain closed at pedal up for the current to flow back into the batteries.

The main catch is that it takes a certain amount of motor RPMs for a typical Regen to work (the motor acting as a generator needs to generate more voltage than the battery pack).

The Club Car Precedent Excel is unique from previous designs because it can self-excite the armature by using PWM to short the armature.

That generates an intense "plug" type brake as the flux builds up very quickly, the controller then allows that build up to flow back as energy to the batteries.

Since the PWM frequency is pretty high, there is no abrupt locking of the wheels and the controller can modulate that until the cart is moving less than 1 mph.

Technically is pretty impressive as most Regen brakes don't work well (or at all) below about 9mph, it is dynamic brake from that speed down.
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Old 10-12-2015, 02:13 PM   #8
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Default Re: Regen - Brake Light

Sergio,

Is that bottom lead of your solenoid going through a length of SealTite Conduit?
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Old 10-12-2015, 02:23 PM   #9
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Default Re: Regen - Brake Light

Yes, there is a small section of 3/4" liquid tight conduit where the pack positive cable goes around the bottom of the aluminum plate assembly.

I guess a couple of years ago when I changed the cables I did not like the idea of the pack positive cable possibly rubbing down there so I sleeve it. I am sure it is overkill, but that is what I had handy in the garage at the time.
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Old 07-28-2017, 10:13 AM   #10
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Default Re: Regen - Brake Light

Working on this addition right now and that NO terminal on K1 is really bothering me. It needs to power "something"! How about this? https://www.onlinecomponents.com/hon...tml?p=45124405

Anyone else find a use for this perfectly good relay output?

BTW, thanks, Sergio. Short of some kind of low G inertia switch, or an inexpensive way to sense decreasing speed, this is an excellent solution to illuminating the lights under regen braking.
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