Vestil EPT-30 - Manual (Page 58)

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Curtis PMC 1207/1207A Manual A-3
APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY
Current multiplication
During acceleration and during reduced speed operation, the Curtis PMC
controller allows more current to flow into the motor than flows out of the
battery. The controller acts like a dc transformer, taking in low current and high
voltage (the full battery voltage) and putting out high current and low voltage.
The battery needs to supply only a fraction of the current that would be required
by a conventional controller (in which the battery current and motor current are
always equal). The current multiplication feature gives vehicles using Curtis
PMC controllers dramatically greater driving range per battery charge.
Deceleration rate
The deceleration rate is the time required for the controller to decrease from
100% duty factor to zero. The deceleration rate is fixed, and cannot be adjusted.
The shape of the deceleration curve is controlled by the dynamic throttle
response, which is linear.
Emergency reverse
Emergency reverse is activated when the brake is released, KSI is activated, and
the emergency reverse switch (the BB, or “belly button” switch) is pressed. After
the BB switch is released, normal controller operation is not resumed until
neutral (no direction) is selected or until the brake is cycled (brake, then brake
release). However, repeatedly pressing the BB switch will reactivate the emer-
gency reverse function each time.
Because emergency reverse immediately powers the reverse contactor, some
arcing may occur.
Fault detection
An internal microcontroller automatically maintains surveillance over the func-
tioning of the controller. When a fault is detected, the appropriate fault code is
signalled via the LED, externally visible on top of the controller. The diagnostic
codes flashed by the LED are listed in Section 5, Troubleshooting.
If the fault is critical, the controller is disabled. More typically, the fault is a
remediable condition and temporary—for example, an undervoltage fault is
cleared when the condition is removed.