A few updates;
I blew a controller when I had my daughter go up a very steep grassy hill. Thought it was my fault, and ordered a replacement. Upon inspection, found one of the MOSFETS was not secured against the heatsink, but the replacement was constructed properly.
Found that the controller doesn't brake when letting off the throttle like the stock configuration. Kids went sailing down the hill.
Thought more on the original configuration and realized the single pole double throw (SPDT) pedal switch does 2 things. It normally has an open throttle (no throttle) and a closed brake (brake is on). In a DC motor, the brake is simply shorting the positive and negative terminals. Turning the motor causes a magnetic field that resists turning the motor.
I reversed the leads to the switch so that the motor is normally closed (on), and the brake is normally open (off). The 'on' motor is still regulated by the throttle, so it doesn't go unless the pedal is pushed. The idle consumption is 26 mA, which is why I added an ignition key.
All of this is to say, I turned the original throttle pedal into a brake. The nice thing is that pressing both at the same time still causes braking, because it opens (turns off) the throttle.
The 5 year old figured out the brake instantly, so no more uncontrolled descents down the hill.
Added an ignition key to turn the whole thing off, otherwise it consumes 26 mA at idle. The kid has been perfect operating the ignition so far.
Here's the next thing to mod, provided by my brother in law. I've got all the parts and the know-how. Throttle will be on the left side, and brake on the right, just because it's an engineering nightmare to put them where they belong. Kids will figure it out. After all, bicycles and motorcycles reverse the front brake levers, and I've never endo'ed either due to confusion, though the reversal is still stupid.
