DIY Open Source Tesla Controller
 

So I just wanted to introduce this project on Ecomodder. I have been working for the past few months with several donated Tesla Model S parts. Front and rear drive units and a 10kw gen 2 charger so far. I am developing fully open source control boards for these and other OEM hardware. All files are on my github : https://github.com/damienmaguire

I have just finished bench tests of a logic board to run the Large rear drive unit. Latest video :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swmaLyUEmO4

Enjoy:)

Unless you have the actual operating "code" I would equate DIYing that system about as risky as DIY'ing your own pacemaker...get lucky and you're OK, don't and you aren't.

Especially, if it (controller) decides to act-up/quite at speed...without YOUR control or consent.

A lovely bit of engineering. Opens up a whole world for using scrapped/accident damaged Teslas.

Don't worry!

Nobody's tough as Jack!

I would disagree. Jack already has built his own AC controller and has firmware to drive it. That is debugged and running in at least one vehicle.

A pacemaker needs to run - literally - 24/7 for the rest of your life. If the car controller has a fault - it can display a fault code and stop. Much like the original Tesla controller would throw a fault and either stop the car or coast it to a stop. Either way, you are only inconvenienced ... not dead.

Just my opinion ...

Back to the topic though ... in this case, Jack appears to have removed the brains of the Tesla unit and replaced them with his own board, re-configured to fit into the same space as the original Tesla board. It drives the Tesla power electronics, using the same connectors that the old brain did, and monitors the fault signals from the Tesla secondary driver boards.

This is the second way to get a Tesla drivetrain on the road ... when it is not in a Tesla vehicle.

The other way that I have seen so far is using EVTV's GEVCU board and it's accompanying software to send the Tesla brain the CANbus signals that it wants to see, using the timing that the Tesla brain appears to want to see. Jack Rickard and his crew have a lot of hours and effort into the many revisions and iteration that method has required.

If I had the cash, and the access to crashed Tesla auctions, I'd give his new board a go. Jack has been around for quite a while. He's an enthusiast. And if .. sometime .. he does get tired of the project ... you have all you need to fix it if there is a problem. Source code, board design, bill of material ...

It's an AC 3 phase system. Anything fails and the motor looses significant power or coasts to stop. My series DC motor is more prone to overspeed on failure of controller.

Thanks for the support guys. Currently working on reverse engineering the front drive unit.

Hit another good milestone today. Got the inverter back on the rear drive unit and did a few runs. Not until I was editing the video did I realise I was running the motor in reverse:D

https://youtu.be/3ch3A4J3nIY

Anybody else think the Tesla gearbox looks a lot like a Ford F2/350 transfer case with the gear reduction unit pulled off? Near as I can tell looking at the bodiless one at the store in my town they are pretty much built out of existing parts, the unique bit is mostly the software and battery pack.

Cool integration without having to do all the development.. Grand business planning.!

HAhaha! Subscribed to another amazing thread just to follow the knowledge and experimentation.

I know this is probably a super long shot but does anyone have any information on the temperature sensors used in the large rear tesla drive unit? I have measured room temperature resistance and observed the resistance drops with increasing temperature but that's it. My plan is to start running coolant through the motor / inverter and plot a few points of resistance versus temperature. Any help much appreciated:)

Quick update :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvwzuQksKo8

Sorry - no direct knowledge here!

Much of industry just uses 100 ohm platinum RTDs. Based on the required temperatures (-40C -> 110C or so) it is the easiest. Do you have 2-wires or 3?

The other common sensor based on the temperature range is J type thermocouples. Those are different - they generate a small voltage difference from dissimilar metals welded together. You almost need to bring the signal into an op-amp to measure it.

Well, thank you for supporting Ecomodder. That you would post here is a good testimonial.

I will watch the back-and-forth between you and thingstodo with interest. The Tesla drivetrain replaces the Chrysler slant-6 in my motorhome design.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-fr...-w-caption.jpg

Started getting to grips with the front drive unit board today for a few hours. Current sensors are plain vanilla analog and output +/- 2mV/Amp and sit on 2.5v at zero current. Was a tour de force to get the pcb off. Had to use the hot air station to melt the solder on the current sensors. Anyway , got it without damaging the sensors and started getting the pcb outline and locations in progress.

I'm getting together quite a collection of "scrap" Tesla logic boards :)

On the subject of small motors , I got the pcb footprint sorted today. I've uploaded a dxf over on github for anyone interested. Schematic in progress.

So working on the front drive unit logic board. Right now , I have most of the functions of the 24 way interface connector from the logic to the driver board worked out but there are a few I'm not sure about. Have a look at the attached pinout and tell me what I'm missing :)

Very tight on board space with this one :)

So I completed the layout of the small front motor logic board today. Going to wait a week or so before ordering boards as it's not a question of if I have made mistakes just how many. Not sure if the logic boards are the same in the small front and rear motors as yet.


Schematics and some support files are up on the github. I won't release the pcb files until I at least make sure I'm not shorting out the 12v supply:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yZPLS5YbSg

Had some fun figuring out the large drive unit temperature sensors today:)

Design files for the small drive unit open source logic board version 1 now released on github : https://github.com/damienmaguire/Tesla-Front-Drive-Unit

PCB order going in today.

Keep up the good work
 

Enjoying the updates!

Still can't figure out where you get the energy to keep plugging away at this project. AND all your other projects.

Perfect fit :) The small drive unit pcb lines up perfectly with the mounting holes , current sensors and power stage connector.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...8&d=1508437239

Front drive units spins for the first time today with the V1 logic board. Will be doing more testing over the next few days including closed loop and high voltage runs. This board will run both front and rear small motors.

Have you purchased individual parts to dissect them?

https://jalopnik.com/mercedes-parent...tes-1820961392