Quote:
Originally Posted by jackbauer
Had a thought (I know I know!). One of the big concerns with a dc controller is a short circuit failure in the power section leading to a runaway motor or vehicle.
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Another option is to have the main contactor open and close with the accelerator pedal. Press the pedal, cantactor closes, release and contactor opens. The advantage is that the user's first instinct is to release the accelerator if something bad happens which would cause the disconnection of the battery pack.
Disadvantages are numerous. The contactor gets a lot of cycles, can be very noisy, and if not timed correctly, the controller can start providing power before the contactor closes. when this happens, the caps drain to zero volts and then get whammed with pack voltage when the contactor closes. bad for caps, contactor contacts, and would probably cause jerky starts. But, all of these disadvantages can be accommodated.
The controller can still be have 'master' contactor control and disallow the contactor to close before a specific time allows.
Just something to consider...