I was writing on the EVTech list and showing some pictures, and Otmar (the maker of the Zilla, and hence, my ears were WIDE open) had this to say:
Quote:
That looks good!
The ZIlla is also a high side drive. I did it to have a low cost shunt on the return line from the motor at B-.
Depending on what you plan for cooling, you may want to check out your heatsink/thermal resistance calcs before running it at power. My early module controllers had a heatsink about as thick as yours but full of fins and they were unreliable due to too little cooling.
I've seen that cap listed before, it sure looks interesting!
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So, I can either leave it as is, but you guys would absolutely have to get a finned heatsink. It won't burn itself up. The temperature probe is right at the hot spot between 2 IGBTs. It might take a little while to get too hot, but I don't know). Alternatively, I can mill a wide channel right under the IGBTs, and bolt a piece of sheet metal to the base (with a sealant of sorts), and you run it water cooled. Water in one side, and out the other. Just a wide single channel. I can use the IGBT bolt holes already there to clamp the sheet metal sealer down.
I had just assumed that I couldn't fit it on my mill, but it can do that no problem..
The plate is 3/8" thick, which doesn't leave a huge amount of room for a nozzle hole. Maybe I could mill it down half way, like 3/16" deep.
A couple questions: 1. Is there a problem with doing a single wide channel like that? I'm OK with 90% good enough in exchange for ease of fabrication.
2. Do they make water input nozzle things with a square or rectangle shape part that mates to the aluminum plate? It would be easier to just mill the channel all the way to the edge (but narrowed) and epoxy in the nozzle. I suppose it would work if it was round too. Just fill in the space with JB weld or something.
So, in summary, Do you guys want to just try the controllers by mounting it to your own finned heatsink? Or do you want me to try water cooling?