Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - Paul and Sabrina's Cheap 3 Phase Inverter (AC Controller) with Field Oriented Control

thingstodo · 03-18-2015, 03:58 AM

I drove over to visit Paul, Sabrina and their boys this afternoon.

After a few minutes to collect some things, like a battery, some gator clips, a usb-to-serial converter, and a serial cable ...

Paul loaded the program into the ACController board without issue. The board was functioning properly ... but it was waiting for the throttle to be in the correct range (0.5V - 4.5V) before interacting with the serial port. My throttle cable was not connected (I thought that was step 2 - I guess it was required in step 1!) So what I was doing with my serial cable did not really affect anything.

Paul commented out a couple of lines, then got the relays to click on in sequence with his laptop, PICkit 3, USB-to-serial converter, and serial cable.

After that, we swapped in my laptop first - it will run the controller in debug with a RUN command from the debug dropdown even though it complains about wanting to rebuild the hex file.

Next we put in my PICkit 3. Yep, still works.

I had forgotten my USB-to-serial interface at home .. so I now know that the controller talks at 38400, with the firmware loaded right now, if I get a USB-to-serial loaded correctly and build a serial cable. Only 2 variables left! The serial cable that I brought with me sort of fell apart when we tried to install it on the controller board. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I had trouble? The board did not respond well with that serial cable installed ... so it IS an issue.

I'm looking forward to getting the controller board back home, connected up and talking with my laptop.

I could not get MPLab 8.83 to build a new hex file (it complains about a missing license) so I tried MPLab X, which ALSO complains about a missing license. SIGH!!!

So I'll check into the MPLab forum and see if I can get a license for one or the other, perhaps both, MPLabs? And get a build done without errors. A NEW build (separate from the one that is running now).

We found out that you can no longer download MPLab C30 from the Microchip web site. So Paul is considering biting the bullet and upgrading to MPLab X, figuring out what needs to be revised (if anything) ... stay tuned!

Paul also let me have some of his new IGBT driver boards .. enough that I should be able to ham-fistedly solder at least ONE of them to work ..

A short arduino program (mine) is intended to run my beta test for the IGBT driver, that will drive a 24V old-guy scooter rear axle built into a 5-year-old sized electric version of Mader ( ala CARS fame). My recycled Curtis controller (the original idea for Mader) is not responding to repeated attempts at revival. Of course, this assumes that I can solder the IGBT driver board ...

A 5-year-old grandson not-so-patiently expecting the project to be completed before summer ... is likely enough incentive to make it happen.

I also got a short tour of Paul's workshop (sort of like a mad scientist's lair). For some reason, I didn't take any pictures

Paul, Sabrina and the boys were looking forward to Pizza for supper (I think I stayed too long and delayed their supper

) I guess they were not too upset, since they invited me to tag along to the local pizza shop a few miles away. Excellent Pizza!

That's all I can remember!

03-18-2015, 03:58 AM	#1768 (permalink)
thingstodo Master EcoModder Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Saskatoon, canada Posts: 1,488 Ford Prefect - '18 Ford F150 XLT XTR Tess - '22 Tesla Y LR Thanks: 746 Thanked 565 Times in 447 Posts	Visit with Paul I drove over to visit Paul, Sabrina and their boys this afternoon. After a few minutes to collect some things, like a battery, some gator clips, a usb-to-serial converter, and a serial cable ... Paul loaded the program into the ACController board without issue. The board was functioning properly ... but it was waiting for the throttle to be in the correct range (0.5V - 4.5V) before interacting with the serial port. My throttle cable was not connected (I thought that was step 2 - I guess it was required in step 1!) So what I was doing with my serial cable did not really affect anything. Paul commented out a couple of lines, then got the relays to click on in sequence with his laptop, PICkit 3, USB-to-serial converter, and serial cable. After that, we swapped in my laptop first - it will run the controller in debug with a RUN command from the debug dropdown even though it complains about wanting to rebuild the hex file. Next we put in my PICkit 3. Yep, still works. I had forgotten my USB-to-serial interface at home .. so I now know that the controller talks at 38400, with the firmware loaded right now, if I get a USB-to-serial loaded correctly and build a serial cable. Only 2 variables left! The serial cable that I brought with me sort of fell apart when we tried to install it on the controller board. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I had trouble? The board did not respond well with that serial cable installed ... so it IS an issue. I'm looking forward to getting the controller board back home, connected up and talking with my laptop. I could not get MPLab 8.83 to build a new hex file (it complains about a missing license) so I tried MPLab X, which ALSO complains about a missing license. SIGH!!! So I'll check into the MPLab forum and see if I can get a license for one or the other, perhaps both, MPLabs? And get a build done without errors. A NEW build (separate from the one that is running now). We found out that you can no longer download MPLab C30 from the Microchip web site. So Paul is considering biting the bullet and upgrading to MPLab X, figuring out what needs to be revised (if anything) ... stay tuned! Paul also let me have some of his new IGBT driver boards .. enough that I should be able to ham-fistedly solder at least ONE of them to work .. A short arduino program (mine) is intended to run my beta test for the IGBT driver, that will drive a 24V old-guy scooter rear axle built into a 5-year-old sized electric version of Mader ( ala CARS fame). My recycled Curtis controller (the original idea for Mader) is not responding to repeated attempts at revival. Of course, this assumes that I can solder the IGBT driver board ... A 5-year-old grandson not-so-patiently expecting the project to be completed before summer ... is likely enough incentive to make it happen. I also got a short tour of Paul's workshop (sort of like a mad scientist's lair). For some reason, I didn't take any pictures Paul, Sabrina and the boys were looking forward to Pizza for supper (I think I stayed too long and delayed their supper ) I guess they were not too upset, since they invited me to tag along to the local pizza shop a few miles away. Excellent Pizza! That's all I can remember!