Open ReVolt - Pre build controller

[Nick Nameless]

Hi guy's,

I've just been reading up on the Open ReVolt controller and the AC version that is in the works and I came up with an idea of making them an option for everybody.

As a PhD student I came in contact with some colleagues who own a small organisation called Dwengo and they offer programming boards and support to teach students the basics of PIC programming. They have a company in China who builds the boards for them and I must say the quality is quite high.

So I started wondering wether there is an interest in pre-build controllers based on the Open ReVolt design. If so, I might be able to find a company that can build them for a reasonable price. At least for the print boards I'm sure that is possible, the casing is another thing, but that should be possible as well. In any case, it will make the controller more accessible for people who are not experts in electronics.

Let me know what you think?!

[dcb]

There is already a kit:
Paul & Sabrina's EV Stuff!

I think it is a little transparent to step in to "help" at the point where there is a buck to be made, especially as a first post. The guy has made a large investment in time and materials.

[Nick Nameless]

I must say that as a PhD student I am not allowed to earn any money apart from what the Belgian government gives me. So if you think it is all about the money, I must say you are wrong.

I proposed this to promote electric vehicles and offer a cheap controller to people who are not electronic geniuses. It is not my intention to start a company, but rather a "VZW", this is a Belgian type of organisation without the intention to make profit which often has a goal in society like greening up the world...

[dcb]

I'm just saying it is suspect, especially as a first post. There were zero details given about how you intend to support the project itself, or what role you would play, so it isn't really much of a plan is it. All the hard work has been done, even unintentional profit is profit.

You asked what I thought.

[Nick Nameless]

I do understand your concern, and I suppose I wasn't clear on how it would be worked out either. But I haven't really worked out all the details...

The reason why I post it here is because that controller was 'created' here, and I just don't want to steal somebody's idea without including him/them. The whole idea for me is to make ev conversions easy and affordable. I think it might be interesting to let the controller be build by some company who can do it cheap and good. In the hope that we end up with a controller that is cheaper then others but just as good and accessible.

If a "VZW" makes profit, the money has to stay in the organisation and can not be transferred to any account. It can however be invested in research, like the AC controller that is currently in the works... ;-)

[dcb]

Lets not be naive, there is definitely a non-altruistic interpretation here too.

The profits in a VZW come after salaries, and folks usually are not a PHD student for long.

And this forum is a good place to advertise (spam) ones services too, and those of their colleagues.

But you have a lot of homework yet to do on these projects, maybe if you get involved in something with no obvious benefit to yourself (except perhaps learning) and donate your own time and effort and assist with the researching and implementation, you will have better credibility.

But to say "Hi I'm Nick, can I handle the money for you?" just comes across pretty badly.

[Nick Nameless]

I never said anything about solving somebody's money problems. In any case let nothing stop you guys from doing it on your own. I never said I'm an essential ingredient. Actually I'd love to see Paul or anybody else come up with a pre-build affordable controller based on an open-source design. I'm just letting the idea take off on this forum, and so I'm not keeping it for myself.

About the 'spam', just check the tutorial on driving a servo, the complete code is just waiting to be copy pasted. I think they even use the same PIC as the one that was proposed for the AC controller.

I don't know if the design is licenced, but if you are suspicious a gplv2-like licence might also be a good idea, that way you know, or at least you can assume nobody takes the design and improves it without letting you guys know...

Aren't there any opinions on the idea itself?
Which are not related to wether or not I or somebody else would do it for the greater good or not...

[sawickm]

Nick,

Why buy it from you

Paul who started the DC & AC controller projects already has kits that he sells and supports. There are several other forum members who are also working independently on ReVolt controller projects. Since the ReVolt controller is an open source project you have that option too.

Why don’t you start your own PIC based ReVolt controller project with options that Paul’s controller does not have ?

-Mark

[Nick Nameless]

It is just to cut out the part where you need to build it yourself for the not so electronic engineering minded people.

I didn't say you should buy it from me. You could just as well buy it with a group of customers (to lower the costs) from some company yourself.

[Wonderboy]

We appreciate your desire to help, but as has been said, its open source - the whole thread is there for you to look at. If you are not engineering minded, and your motivation is to make it cheaper for everyone, then you'll have to step up your engineering mind and figure out your own way to take what is already done and put it into production. As dcb said, Paul already sells a pre-made kit so you don't have to assemble it, and I'm sure I'm not the only one here proud to spend every penny of what it costs for him to send out a pre-made kit. We all witnessed the conception and birth of the project and we're very proud of it and want to support him directly. Maybe its something you should PM him about and discuss it directly with him. I can see where you're coming from, and we don't mean to fervently tear your proposal up, but I hope you see where we are coming from too.