LCD Instrumentation for Cougar Controller

[Freyguy]

For those Cougar controller owners (or owners to be) interested in a simple LCD instrumentation interface for the Cougar, I’d like to give you an option.
Originally this was designed for my own EV conversion, but I made it flexible enough to support options I didn’t need but foresaw other might (metric units for instance).
My intent is to get all the information on operation, BOM, fab files, source code, etc onto the OpenRevolt Wiki page so others can use as they wish (with Paul & company’s approval of course!)

Design Overview:
The display is 2 line x 16 character backlit LCD with oversized characters, controlled by a PIC18F2480 microcontroller. It displays both readings taken with local A/D and information transmitted serially from the Cougar. Displayed info includes:
- pack voltage (isolated circuitry) 0-204V range
- battery amps (Tamura hall sensor input or Cougar’s output) 0-511A range
- motor amps (Cougar output)
- accessory battery voltage
- motor temp in C or F (via thermistor)
- controller temp in C or F (Cougar output)
- pack temp in C or F (via thermistor)
Other features:
- calculation & display of SOC based on battery amp usage (peukert is factored in). Battery amp draw is subtracted from battery capacity every second with remaining capacity written to EEPROM every minute.
- calculation & display of MTE (Miles to empty) based on %SOC per mile/km
- momentary switch to toggle between 2 profiles transmitted to controller
- “Mode” LED to indicate when controller runs with alternate profile
- “Overtemp” LED based on independent thresholds for the 3 measured temps
- Alarm output (NPN sinking)
- PWM output of SOC to interface to existing analog fuel gauge
- Canbus and RS232 interfaces (E-Can controller is integrated in the PIC)

Below are links to demonstration videos (part 1&2) of the system breadboarded running preliminary code.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I38IgceDbhA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsPNvt54Ioc

The schematic is also attached.

As of this writing, I have the final fab’ed PCB populated and mostly tested in my car.
I’ll post a few pics of the completed unit later tonight.
I may revise the board since I found minor issues (header pin hole size, part clearance) but I don’t plan on turning this into a development thread. 13 hour work days and family commitments make it hard enough just getting to my conversion (after 2 years I really need to wrap it up & get it on the road!)

[bennelson]

OOh! Very cool!

Yet one more project for me to make......

[mrbigh]

I love it, I want to be able to use it real soon.
I like the idea of different "driving profilez" parameters, maybe 3 or 4?
Is the display legible and bright at a 3' average driver's distance?
Could RTD explorer be used in parallel connection?
Count me in..............

[E Vdubya]

This is a good project. I will have analog gauges for battery volts and motor current and aux battery volts but there is definitely a need for this. Thanks for the good presentation and I can't wait to hear more.

[wakinyantanka]

Originally Posted by Freyguy

For those Cougar controller owners (or owners to be) interested in a simple LCD instrumentation interface for the Cougar, I’d like to give you an option.
Originally this was designed for my own EV conversion, but I made it flexible enough to support options I didn’t need but foresaw other might (metric units for instance).
My intent is to get all the information on operation, BOM, fab files, source code, etc onto the OpenRevolt Wiki page so others can use as they wish (with Paul & company’s approval of course!)

Design Overview:
The display is 2 line x 16 character backlit LCD with oversized characters, controlled by a PIC18F2480 microcontroller. It displays both readings taken with local A/D and information transmitted serially from the Cougar. Displayed info includes:
- pack voltage (isolated circuitry) 0-204V range
- battery amps (Tamura hall sensor input or Cougar’s output) 0-511A range
- motor amps (Cougar output)
- accessory battery voltage
- motor temp in C or F (via thermistor)
- controller temp in C or F (Cougar output)
- pack temp in C or F (via thermistor)
Other features:
- calculation & display of SOC based on battery amp usage (peukert is factored in). Battery amp draw is subtracted from battery capacity every second with remaining capacity written to EEPROM every minute.
- calculation & display of MTE (Miles to empty) based on %SOC per mile/km
- momentary switch to toggle between 2 profiles transmitted to controller
- “Mode” LED to indicate when controller runs with alternate profile
- “Overtemp” LED based on independent thresholds for the 3 measured temps
- Alarm output (NPN sinking)
- PWM output of SOC to interface to existing analog fuel gauge
- Canbus and RS232 interfaces (E-Can controller is integrated in the PIC)

Below are links to demonstration videos (part 1&2) of the system breadboarded running preliminary code.

The schematic is also attached.

As of this writing, I have the final fab’ed PCB populated and mostly tested in my car.
I’ll post a few pics of the completed unit later tonight.
I may revise the board since I found minor issues (header pin hole size, part clearance) but I don’t plan on turning this into a development thread. 13 hour work days and family commitments make it hard enough just getting to my conversion (after 2 years I really need to wrap it up & get it on the road!)

OK To cool!! Can it be modified for use with the new high amp controller?

[harlequin2]

Very nice, I want one! Looking forward to a circuit board and the s/w asap.

[dcb]

sweet! it would be terribly useful for efficiency tracking if you can squeeze in a speed signal from a vehicles existing speed sensor or an add-on. To track distance/speed and display realtime and trip watts/mile or whatever.

All the pins are used up on that cpu, but maybe you can combine mode and overtemp, or use an internal oscillator or something, wow that thing is loaded up

here is a thread with a couple examples of vehicle speed sensors.
Wanted (Alive): Aftermarket vehicle speed sensor (VSS)

[Freyguy]

Hey Thanks guys!
Mr Bigh- the display is easily readable at 3'. Reason I chose the oversized character version. It could work in parallel with RTD Explorer only if RTD is used to receive data from the Cougar. Both RTD and the LCD can't transmit unless you incorporate some kind of A/B distribution switch. More than 2 profiles gets complicated and now you need an indicator showing which one you're running with.

Wakinyantanka- As long as the status message sent from the high amp version is formatted the same it should be compatible. If the configuration parameters are different, it shouldn't matter since the user programs in the serial data he wants transmitted as his "profile".
DCB- Yes, every pin is used up. You could drop in a PIC18F2420 which is the same part without the CANbus. The two I/O lines for CAN then become standard I/O.

[Freyguy]

Here are some pictures in various stages of assembly











Last picture in the car is with electric heat running (12A batt draw)
Bezel is just 1/8" thk clear acrylic which I masked off and spraypainted black
on the backside.

[jackbauer]

Fantastic piece of work. Well done indeed. Interested to see the code and pcb.