Braking regeneration energy shunt system

A turf maintenance vehicle comprising:

• a rechargeable power source;
• a power bus coupled to the rechargeable power source and receiving electrical energy therefrom;
• at least one driven wheel;
• at least one electric motor coupled to the power bus and operable to drive the at least one driven wheel, the at least one electric motor creating regeneration energy during deceleration, the regeneration energy operable to at least partially recharge the rechargeable power source;
• a resistor array having a plurality of resistors, the resistor array selectively dissipating regeneration energy directed thereto into heat;
• and
• a control module monitoring at least one of a voltage of the power bus and a state of charge of the rechargeable power source, the control module selectively directing the regeneration energy created by the at least one motor into the resistor array for dissipation as heat based on at least one of the voltage of the power bus and the state of charge of the rechargeable power source,
• wherein the control module ascertains the number of resistors needed to dissipate the regeneration energy directed to the resistor array and directs the regeneration energy simultaneously to the ascertained number of resistors,
• wherein the control module ascertains a state of health of the resistors and selectively directs the regeneration energy only to one or more of the resistors that are ascertained as healthy.

A method of dissipating regeneration energy created in a turf maintenance vehicle having a power bus, a rechargeable power source, and a resistor array having a plurality of resistors, the method comprising:

• monitoring a voltage of the power bus;
• monitoring a state of charge of the rechargeable power source;
• creating regeneration energy during deceleration of the turf maintenance vehicle;
• selectively routing the regeneration energy to the rechargeable power source when the state of charge is less than a predetermined value;
• selectively routing the regeneration energy to the resistor array when the state of charge is greater than the predetermined value;
• selectively routing the regeneration energy created to the resistor array further based on the voltage of the power bus;
• dissipating the regeneration energy with at least two of the resistors in the resistor array when the regeneration energy is routed to the resistor array;
• and
• ascertaining a state of health of the resistors in the resistor array and wherein dissipating the regeneration energy includes dissipating the regeneration energy with only resistors ascertained as being healthy.