Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller

[drbobwoolery]

well, it's here, if you get to needing it.

Those considering the highest power versions with liquid cooling might well consider hanging the whole power section from the bolted on top of a can of transformer oil. Look up at a power pole. like that.

I'll claim the reading triathalon, in the NON- ev-er category. My madnesses run to IC/stirling hybrids, nonstandard Chiropractic X-ray, with transport by Geo Metro.
bob

[MPaulHolmes]

speaking of higher power versions:

freewheel diodes:
Digi-Key - APT100S20BGMI-ND (Manufacturer - APT100S20BG)

Mosfets:
http://ixdev.ixys.com/DataSheet/DS10...230N20T%29.pdf

There are also higher voltage mosfets in that same family with only slightly higher rdsOn, so a 200-250v mosfet based controller isn't that unthinkable. There are lots of diodes with really high voltage ratings.

[MPaulHolmes]

unfortunately, yes. 6 or 7 ounce copper isn't exactly available at your local corner drug store. Wherewolf (andy) on here found some 6 ounce copper. You had to buy it in bulk. Minimum of like $600 or $700 for a big sheet that they would cut down for you.

Also, for a 1000 amp controller, the LEM is more expensive. Still, not THAT expensive.

[NiHaoMike]

What about use copper sheet over the board to increase the current capacity?

[MPaulHolmes]

That could probably be made to work.

[Wherewolf]

It worked out to about $30 per board if we order a sheet of 6oz....and have it cut to size. That was based on 6x9 inch board - different sizes would be different prices depending on the final amount of cuts. But it would be 36x48 so someone with a large CNC could mill the entire thing and then cut it. We had kicked the idea around a long time back. It's about a 2 week or so lead time - shipping cost would depend on if we had it cut by the board house, or shipped it whole....let me know if anyone wants to pursue this line of thinking....

Wherewolf

edit: Oh yeah...instead of wrenching on electric conversion today, I got tired of lugging my welder and plasma torch around...so I decided to build a cart for them...and then; as usual; things got a little out of hand....
24 volt powered welderchair anyone?
Betcha never seen one of these.....

(24VDC drive - the welder and plasma torch still need 220VAC, just in case anyone was wondering....)

[sawickm]

Another idea for buss bars is the buss plate ?

Searching out other controllers on the internet I found a controller called the Soliton1 made by EVnetics.

They designed their high-end Soliton1 Motor Controller to compete with the Zilla Controller.

Their high performance controller the has a lot of innovative features including; A multilayer buss bar design using contoured 0.090” copper buss plates with Mylar separators (see attached picture). The controller is designed for IGBT modules, but I think that getting creative you could mount a re-designed Revolt power PCB with discrete MOSFETs & Diodes to a copper multilayer buss bar design using copper standoffs ???.

Another interesting feature is a single (1) film capacitor CDE 947C. No– electrolytic capacitors are used in the controller

[squiggles]

Some of the FETs Paul found at ixys are in module form, maybe the idea of the buss plates and high power FET modules is not so bad.
Getting heaps of amps through those tiny IC legs does bother me a little!

[Kortenbach]

Hi All,

I noticed that the hall-effect current-sensor is quite expensive and not very easy to get. I was wondering if it would be possible to make one from scratch using a ferrite ring and an analog hall-sensor. This could save some money.
It should be possible to cut a slot into a ferrite ring with a grinder and a diamond-blade. Put the hall-sensor in the slot and you have a current-sensor. I can't think of a way to callibrate it though...

[apowers]

Digi-Key has the mosfets in stock now.