Calling all Regen 1 experts

[glassk]

Mine clicks when coming from tow to run, not the key.

Place Tow/Run switch in RUN. Solenoid should activate for 2-3 seconds and then deactivate. When solenoid
clicks, voltage reading should be approximately 48 volts (full battery voltage). If the voltage reading is 48 volts
and the solenoid does not click, replace the solenoid.

[joesam]

Regen-1's have no tow/run switch - its a timer/key thing. They are the only CC Regen model that "featured" a time-out circuit and no switch (probably not their greatest idea, I guess).

[tfritch72]

Joesam...no upgrade planned at this point, I have been looking into it though. My understanding is there are high speed motors out there that are compatible with the factory controller. Is that not the case?

[joesam]

As far as I know, there is only one "standard production" motor that is said-to-achieve 17-18 mph with stock Regen-1 controllers made by D&D; but I'm guessing Plum Quick probably would do a rebuild of your motor that would perform similar (I don't know for sure - you'd have to call them). Your gradual Regen braking (dynamic braking) would be eliminated with either of those - but your hill brake feature would remain.

The Regen-1 replacement/compatible controller is typically not cheap - you'll have to search for a good price. It looks like the picture below. It is 300amp (vs stock 225amp) - but that just helps you climb hills if you upgrade to 4ga wires.

For my Regen-1 if/when my controller fails, I would like to get a substantial improvement (mine does about 14.5mph now). But that involves a wholesale conversion to IQ - meaning I would have to buy/add:

IQ wire harness
IQ hi-performance controller
Install Run/Tow switch
Hi-amp Solenoid
Pre-MCOR to MCOR conversion kit (for the accelerator)

Oddly enough - my stock motor would gain enough performance via the new controller, that I wouldn't necessarily replace the motor.

[tfritch72]

Another question here, I read somewhere one can simplify the cart and do away with the regen feature by simply running the white wire directly from the controller to the motor. Will this work?

[joesam]

do away with the regen feature

Its easier than that - on old Regen models like ours, you just unplug the pigtail wire at the motor and voila...Regen is gone. Much simpler than re-wiring! It'll only make you faster running down hills, though. I personally like and use mine while running up & down some steeper hills at the golf course. On really big hills like mountain golf courses after a rain...running with no Regen is a bit scary, because the rear brakes on golf carts aren't exactly high tech.

EDIT: Also, on very long steep hills, without any Regen - it is possible to over-rev your motor and blow-it-up! Not a very likely scenario, but some people have managed to accomplish it while racing each other down hills (at those RPM's its not just Regen carts - its possible to over-rev all types).

[mrgolf]

One point a lot of people might not know. The regen braking/ motor braking is using the motor to slow the cart. This works through the differential. It is very easy to loose control of the cart if one wheel has less traction than the other. Happens a lot on wet grass or blacktop. You will have the one wheel turning backward trying to slow the cart while the other free wheels. This can put you into a spin. There is nothing you can do to turn off the regen wheel that is trying to hold the cart back except push the pedal to the floor to try and out run the slipping wheel. For this reason I turn the regen off on all my carts. The brakes if properly adjusted will do a much better job. If you start to slide you can let off the pressure on the brake and keep the cart straight. Remember you can not let off the regen. I have had quit a bit of experience with both. My home course has some very steep hills with curves. I'll take foot brake only anytime.

[tfritch72]

Well I am in Iowa, not much for hills here. Prob not going to be much of a problem. Thanks

[Sergio]

Maybe with plug brake or perhaps the earlier Regen brakes that was the case, but not really with the new technology.

Not only the traction between the 2 rear tires would need to be very different (one on pavement and one on wet grass), but the only way for the "loose" wheel to turn backwards would be for the motor not be turning, which the speed sensor would detect and reduce the effect.

Unlike using a manual transmission to brake an ICE car where the resistance is more constant, the armature of the motor needs to be "forced" to turn in order to have Regenerative resistance, so basically the motor would also provide less resistance instead of freezing if the traction wheel could not turn it fast enough.

I think the early Regens used Dynamic brake below 9mph, which I can see could cause issues.

I use my Regen on my Excel all the time around my neighborhood hills and have never felt any loss of traction, but then again I would not go really fast down the hill in the rain even using my foot brake.

[mrgolf]

Truth is my exprence with loss control over regen braking is on ezgo carts the course has. That was enough to get me to do away with it on my carts.