# Electric Brakes



## Snakub (Sep 8, 2008)

Anyone ever thought of converting their car to electric brakes? Is there technology out there available to the consumer to do it cheaply?


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## WarpedOne (Jun 26, 2009)

Electric brakes? What's that?


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## Salty9 (Jul 13, 2009)

They have had electric over hydraulic brakes for trailers for a long time. Has anyone investigated that system for EV use?


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## Roy Von Rogers (Mar 21, 2009)

Snakub said:


> Anyone ever thought of converting their car to electric brakes? Is there technology out there available to the consumer to do it cheaply?


 
Why in the world would you even think of doing that.

What advantage would it provide.


Roy


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## ken will (Dec 19, 2009)

If you need power brakes, It would be more efficient than using a electric motor to turn a compressor for the original ICE power assist brakes.


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

Be specific in differentiating between electric brakes (which don't work at all if you have a a power failure) and electric assist brakes (which replace vacuum with an electric boost system).

You definitely do NOT want the first one!


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## JRoque (Mar 9, 2010)

Hi. I believe the Nissan Leaf has an electric assist for the hydraulic brakes that uses a bank of super caps to keep it running in case of main pack failure. That's a great idea. The EV1 had electric brakes on the back wheels, if I remember correctly, but hydraulics in front.

I would agree that "fly-by-wire" electric braking is not as safe as hydraulics that at least will brake some with total assist failure.

JR


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## Coley (Jul 26, 2007)

Hmmm.....Electric trailer brakes only work going forward........you might want to stop while going in reverse.........good luck with that.


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## Roy Von Rogers (Mar 21, 2009)

Coley said:


> Hmmm.....Electric trailer brakes only work going forward........you might want to stop while going in reverse.........good luck with that.


 
They can work in either direction, if setup to do so. But still a bad idea for hydraulic replacement.

Roy


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## ken will (Dec 19, 2009)

Most early cars used steel rods to connect to the brakes.
When some of the manufacturers started using Hydraulic brakes many people would not buy them, because if the line punctured,... no brakes.
Now we accept hydraulic as safe, but electric is not safe?


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## JRoque (Mar 9, 2010)

Hi. Many hydraulic brakes these days have pressure valves that will cut off an end to keep the pressure to the remaining of the system. I believe this is now old tech but I was impressed how simply they solved a broken line issue: they added a ball bearing that the brake pressure would push to the side with a leak, sealing it.

The trick with the electric only brakes is that if there's no power, there is no brakes. If you lose the hydraulic assist you can still push hard on the pedal and make the car stop.

JR


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## rwaudio (May 22, 2008)

JRoque said:


> The trick with the electric only brakes is that if there's no power, there is no brakes. If you lose the hydraulic assist you can still push hard on the pedal and make the car stop.
> 
> JR


Normal brakes are vacuum assist not hydraulic assist, if you loose vacuum then you press really hard to stop, if you loose hydraulic fluid you try the emergency brake.


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## yarross (Jan 7, 2009)

This may be useful:
http://www.cameronsoftware.com/ev/EV_PowerBrakes.html
http://rb-kwin.bosch.com/pool/usa/pdfs/HydroMax_Hydraulic_Brake_Booster_Manual.pdf
http://www.abspowerbrake.com/electrichppage.html


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