Setting Navitas for optimal performance up fairly steep hills

[slobdiddy]

Final Navitas post. Sorry, I have made a few posts asking basic questions as I considered and then fitted the 5KW 600A motor/controller combo to my 2010 4-seater Club Car Precedent.

I'm trying to set the cart up for maximum torque up steep hills, as where I live the hills are steep and the cart needs to be able to make it (occasionally carrying up to 4 people) holding a reasonable speed.

My cart has standard 18" wheels - no point in going bigger if I want max performance on steep hills. I have NOT fitted the OTF programmer as I don't see the benefits because changes can be made via the app anyway and driving is smooth with speed and acceleration set to 100% - perhaps I am missing something?

All I have done so far is change the maximum speed to 28 mph (6500 rpm) and set the OTF acceleration at 100%. Honestly, I was hoping for the cart to be a little more gutsy uphill, but this may be because my battery is old (replacement Trojan batt is on the way but given shortages outside the US I could only get my hands on the T-875s which are the lowest spec of the three Trojan options.

Screenshots of all settings are in the attached link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/twzajwq3u...oKo3NcXSa?dl=0

Not really sure what the "Off Throttle Break Strength" does or why the OTF speed and acceleration settings would ever be less than 100% - any insight, please?

This forum has been superb as I have gone through this upgrade process - thanks to all.

[ojo]

I don't know everything, but you could try to increase the "Battery Discharge Rate", it's set to 200 from the manufacturer and maybe a bottleneck on hills. I've set mine to 250, but i'm driving on flat roads only. Read the manual about the app functions or watch the Video "App Functions Explained". The "Off Throttle Break Strength" means, how strong the motor breaks by itself when you lift your foot from the accelerator pedal. I saw another point in your screenshots "Torque Limiter", which i don't have on mine?

[slobdiddy]

Thanks Ojo - yep if there’s a torque limiter I guess I should disable it unless this is harmful to the unit.

[ojo]

Yes, check out what this setting means... forgot to mention, your batteries were showing 50% SOC, pretty dead at this stage, you can't expect any good performance with that low voltage.

[slobdiddy]

I guess what I cant find online is a practical guide to tuning/Customising the Navitas system using the app. Of course, there are explanations of what each field is. For example - what are the recommended parameters for battery discharge rate or other things that can be adjusted.

[Monstermaker]

Have you installed larger gauge battery cables? You need them.
Set the max battery discharge rate to more like 400

[slobdiddy]

Originally Posted by Monstermaker

Have you installed larger gauge battery cables? You need them.
Set the max battery discharge rate to more like 400

Yep I installed decent battery cables a few years ago.

Thanks for the tip on battery discharge rate. Will change to 400 once I have my new batteries in. What batteries do you use? I couldn't source the Trojan Ranger 160s here in Hong Kong and could only get the 875s. Should get these in next couple of days.

[slobdiddy]

Originally Posted by Monstermaker

Have you installed larger gauge battery cables? You need them.
Set the max battery discharge rate to more like 400

Hi there - is 400 ok with standard Trojans or do i need lithium batteries?

[slobdiddy]

Just to round off this thread, I asked Navitas tech support and they advised me to set the discharge rate to 250 with the Trojan T875 Batteries. No disrespect to anyone using higher settings - just reporting what Navitas said.

[slobdiddy]

I’m running a 2010 Club Car Precedent. Batteries: T-875s (new). Charger: Laester Summit 2.

OK so I have been running my new Navitas for around 3 weeks. To be honest the performance is no better than my previous set up which was a PQ DC motor and a 350A controller. I was expecting more from the Navitas 600A set up.

At the same time I notice there’s about a 1 second lag between me putting my foot on the gas and the cart starting to move (in both F and R). It’s a little annoying given my cart was very quick on initial acceleration previously. I’m not using the OTF instrument but have speed and acceleration set to 100.

So I have been looking at all settings, including the throttle voltage settings. On the input threshold settings I have throttle min 1.5V and throttle max 3.91V - I assume this is the standard setting for a 2010 Precedent.

At the same time I have monitored my throttle input which seems to max out at around 2.35V.

There answer seems to be that I should adjust the throttle min and throttle max settings. However, I thought I would stop off on the forum for any wisdom before I start play I start playing with the settings.

Grateful for any thoughts.