There is a lot of confusion among golf cart owners regarding tow run switches in their carts. Often they do not receive the proper training from dealers to understand and use this switch properly. This confusion ranges from what it is, to what it does, how to properly use it, and when to use it. Within this discussion, we’ll try to clear up all of those questions.

Tow Run

The tow run switch, also sometimes called a tow maintenance switch, is present in many brands and models of modern golf carts. This switch is only installed into golf carts with a separately excited motor which produces regenerative braking. They are not used in traditional golf carts with a series wound motor. The tow run switches are typically found inside the battery compartment of the cart in plain sight.

Separately Excited Systems

The tow run switches are used in golf carts with separately excited motor and corresponding controller. The electronic speed controllers used in this application have a bit of logic memory within, similar to your automobile’s stereo when it saves your favorite preset stations. In a golf cart application, a separately excited controller draws a very small amount of power at all times, even when the vehicle is not in use.

To disable this feature, you must flip the tow run switch into the “TOW” position. This minimizes its power draw over time.

When would you need to “kill” the power to the controller to minimize power drain? The most common scenario is when you go on vacation or leave for your seasonal home. Any time the cart is going to be stored for significant periods of time without being attended or charged, the vehicle should first be fully charged, and then the switch should be turned to “TOW”. This will ensure that your charge lasts as long as possible during your absence without the controller draining them. Depending on the length of time you are away, the batteries may still be very dead upon your return, but this process will certainly help minimize the drain.

Roll Away Feature

There is also another use for the tow run switches used in golf carts with a sepex controllers and motors. Most carts with this type of system also have a special feature built into the programming of the controller, called the “Roll Away” feature. For example, if you park the cart to hit your next fairway shot and forget to set the parking brake, the cart will start to roll away. Once a specified rpm is reached, the cart uses the controller to cause the motor to slow the vehicle down to a very slow speed. This allows the driver to easily walk to catch up with the vehicle before it hits something.

Any time your cart dies or is in need to being towed, you MUST utilize the tow run switch and flip it to the “TOW” position. Otherwise, the cart will think it is rolling downhill and will try to activate the roll away feature described above. Basically, you’ll be trying to tow a cart which is fighting you to slow itself down. If you do not flip the switch to “TOW” prior to pulling the vehicle, you can cause serious and even catastrophic damage to the controller, the motor, or both. The most common component to sustain damage by towing the cart without flipping the switch is the controller. And, if you’ve never priced electronic speed controllers, they are expensive.

Hopefully, our discussion of golf cart tow run switches has been informative and will help many of our customers to avoid issues and problems thereof.

“Keyword”
“mobility scooter throttle potentiometer”
“throttle potentiometer circuit”
“speed potentiometer”
“can you test a potentiometer in circuit”
“yamaha golf cart potentiometer”
“club car potentiometer”