Winter

[Threeput]

2009 RXV....Cart been sitting in sub Zero temperature 23F for a couple of weeks...went to check on it..batts looked OK..new ones March 2019....charger solid green...took it off charger...put key to N..heard the normal clicks...waited till it did it's check. put in F...pressed pedal ..nothing did not move...tried a few times nothing....put tow switch to Tow...key in N...tried moving it by hand...would not move but but pulling harder it moved OK....put switch back to Run...went thru sequence again... pressed pedal and it went no problem..took it for a run OK

My question ..if the wheel brakes were frozen on...and it went thru the start sequence would the reverse buzzer sound showing a problem
Thanks

[cgtech]

Nope, because it has no wheel brakes. I have heard of motor brakes sticking when left for long periods. Which also wouldn't cause a "beeping error".

[Threeput]

Ah,,thanks cqtech...so the only brake on the cart is the motor brake which goes on and off when you take your foot off the pedal..or use the foot brake pedal?...so I guess it acts like a clutch on a car..

[kernal]

This is how I understand the RXV braking system:

There are no wheel brakes. All normal braking is done by the motor using regen braking. Regen braking occurs whenever the gas pedal is up. The service brake pedal is present and when pressed, the controller increases regen braking to slow the cart faster. There is no mechanical linkage from the brake pedal to anything. It speaks to the controller electrically. The motor is capable of regen braking all the way to 0 rpm and can and does hold the cart stopped under any conditions (IE. on a hill) until parking brake engagement.

The parking brake, also referred to as the hill brake sometimes, is an electrically operated mechanical brake attached to the end of the motor. It’s operation is automatic requiring no input by the driver. It is fail safe to the engaged position and requires electrical signal to release it. When operating normally is is either all(100%) on or off. It is controlled by the controller as is everything else on an RXV.

The cart drives like an EV and is noticeably different than a standard DC motored golf cart. After some practice you can do a lot of single pedal driving. The service brake pedal feels like power brakes on an automobile to me and is very effective at slowing the cart beyond normal regen. Usually I just have to tap it a time or two. If you have a digital meter on the cart you can see the voltage of the battery pack increase during pedal up “coasting” and a dramatic and rapid increase if the service brake is pressed. I have seen over 60v momentarily when using the brake. When bringing the cart to a stop, the motor holds the cart for a second or two and then the parking brake engages. You can hear it. There are NO detrimental effects to using the SERVICE brake under normal conditions.

Exception: The parking brake will engage while the cart is moving if you mash the service brake far enough, like in a panic/emergency stop. I think Bob Boyce has posted that this is about 60% of brake pedal travel. In my experience you won’t do this accidentally under normal operation. I have had to do this twice in 2 years (panic stop). The rear wheels (both) lock immediately. It was not a violent experience and I was at speed. I don’t know how many times you can do this before damage to the brake occurs but it is not designed to do this a lot.

[Threeput]

WOW...great info kernal..thanks