Hot-rodding the Toyota MGR

[Cobb]

Maybe I missed it in the 11 pages so far, but have you guys got one working or at least running before you figure out how to oil it, etc?

[e*clipse]

Originally Posted by Cobb

Maybe I missed it in the 11 pages so far, but have you guys got one working or at least running before you figure out how to oil it, etc?

I'll just say, that's been done - by someone else. At this point, I know it's possible, so I'm not sweating that.

Believe it or not, oiling it is a critical issue if you need to mount if backwards to get it fit.

Right now I'm working on the resolver adapter board for the motor controller. Paul is really close to getting the FOC 3 phase motor controller working. I've got one of Paul's circuit boards sitting in front of me waiting to be populated.

IMHO, it's coming together fast enough.

E*clipse

[Cobb]

Great to hear. I was trying to figure out that part. I know the insight guys were ready to go, but it was the problem of sourcing a 650 volt battery or step up converter or controller that held them back.

So the backwards upside down mounting is for the bug?

[freebeard]

Negatory. It's for e*lipse's Eclipse. Because he apparently doesn't want to extend the wheelbase forward.

Mine is still perched in the back of my Baja Bug. It fits, but the front mount is undesigned. The back mount it trivial, it will be a flat plate with four holes. I think the differential centerline is moved back less than an inch.

I'm currently working on getting lights and compressed air into the workspace. No way I'm going to crack that thing open, now that I've heard about getting ferrous cruft all over the rare earth magnets.

Edit: Normally this would go to the Aerodynamics subforum, but it is on topic here.

What could Toyota do with the Highlander/RH400H parts bin? Put the V-6 and MGR1 and 2 in the back and put MGR3 in the front. Neat.


http://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/2004...ssandro_volta/

[Cyruscosmo]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Negatory. It's for e*lipse's Eclipse. Because he apparently doesn't want to extend the wheelbase forward.

Mine is still perched in the back of my Baja Bug. It fits, but the front mount is undesigned. The back mount it trivial, it will be a flat plate with four holes. I think the differential centerline is moved back less than an inch.

I'm currently working on getting lights and compressed air into the workspace. No way I'm going to crack that thing open, now that I've heard about getting ferrous cruft all over the rare earth magnets.

Edit: Normally this would go to the Aerodynamics subforum, but it is on topic here.

What could Toyota do with the Highlander/RH400H parts bin? Put the V-6 and MGR1 and 2 in the back and put MGR3 in the front. Neat.


2004 Toyota Alessandro Volta (ItalDesign) - Studios

Hey Freebeard

Can I get a few pictures of how that gear box sits in your rig? A friend of mine is also into Bugs and is considering an electric conversion. He is not too crazy about the huge DC motors and is going AC anyway soooo...

Cyruscosmo

[Cyruscosmo]

Hey all

Anyone have a line on an open source BMS? I have 90 60ah LiFePo that I will be trying out in this my first conversion. I would like to build them myself so at least I can fix them myself later.

Also how about a step up converter? I know these units use 650 volts and I am a little fuzzy on whether or not you guys are shooting for that voltage or what is the plan?

Is there an open source step up converter?

Cyruscosmo

[e*clipse]

Cool car, Freebeard!

I really like the fact that people are starting to look at hybrids/electrics as "cool" and "fun" and maybe even "performance." That will definitely help selling others in the future.

- E*clipse

[e*clipse]

Originally Posted by Cyruscosmo

Hey all

Anyone have a line on an open source BMS? I have 90 60ah LiFePo that I will be trying out in this my first conversion. I would like to build them myself so at least I can fix them myself later.

Also how about a step up converter? I know these units use 650 volts and I am a little fuzzy on whether or not you guys are shooting for that voltage or what is the plan?

Is there an open source step up converter?

Cyruscosmo

I totally agree with the "fix it myself" philosophy on this. It's one of my main motivators (that and improving the performance) to doing this.

I think the openrevolt wiki has some projects, including a BMS and a charger. I don't know their state of developement.

When I was in grad school, I built a BMS/Charger as my final project. I used Maxim IC's for the data collection; each board gathered data for 4 cells. The system used an 18 series PIC for the central management. For a charger, the BMS controlled a boost converter. The main problem with the system is the communication isolation would draw current (extremely small, but continuous) and discharge the batteries over a long period of time.

I've since found a really nice IC made by Linear Technology. The IC gathers data from 12 cells, and has a great way of isolating the communication. I purchased a demo board along with some IC's for a base of a rev2 of my BMS. The demo board connects to a USB port on a standard PC. When talking with one of their engineers, he mentioned that someone doing a EV project just bought a bunch of demo boards for his project.

At the time, I though "that's an expensive solution." But really it's not, when considering all the design time, etc. The main advantage is that you design the system, control software, etc. In addition, you get full documentation with the demo boards, so fixing something in the future is possible.

The main thing I'd like to do is make some boards that would directly bolt to the Nissan Leaf cells I'm using, so I can get rid of a bunch of wires. Maybe I can just re-arrange their demo circuit. . . Hmmm....

E*clipse

[Cyruscosmo]

Hey E*clips

Unfortunately I do not have the tools or knowledge to design and build Electronic circuits. I know my way around the various components and can trouble shoot and repair "as long as I have the specs and schematic so I know where to poke the probe" but actually building one from scratch, well I would have better luck trying to extinguish the sun with a squirt gun...

Are you building yours open source? If so would it work for the LiFePo batteries?

I don't think Paul has gotten that far yet. The wiki for the BMS and charger does not appear to have any progress past a features list.

I like the idea of placing one small board on each battery and daisy chaining them together. Fewer wires, points of failure and less hassle all around. Plus if one board does not respond it is easy to change out.

The BMS that came with the car and batteries I got hold of was covered in a cloud of angle hair spaghetti sized wire that ran from each batteries board to a display box on the dash with 180 status LEDs.

Every BMS was also grounded to the vehicle chassis. Nothing was run in wire looms or any method to keep them off the bare battery terminals.

The wiring was a mess and the grounds from each (BMS?) board to the chassis kinda freaked me out so I pulled the whole thing.

The car had other issues as well. The Curtis controller went away in a cloud of magic smoke and the goof pushed in the clutch when the car tried to move on it's own. Think nine inch netgain grenade... Anyway he gave up and sold the whole thing cheep and went and bought a Leef.

So I ended up with 90 60AH LiFePo cells in questionable condition and a working Manzanita micro charger.

Cyruscosmo

[freebeard]

I posted two at Permalink #55



Here it is. Plus a block of wood to level it. The axle flanges are resting on the frame; it needs to rotate up an inch or two to level it front to back. The transmission mount holes and the rear attachment points would be in plane then. The (horizontal) forward mounting holes are counterbored from the top, possibly for a rubber bushing, and are clear up and forward under the package shelf, about 9" directly above the forward transmission mount. Hanging it directly from the sheet metal seems like a bad (although obvious) idea. I was hoping to run a tube between the upper shock mounts but there is sheet metal in the way.

Another possiblity is that I'd like to use a 4-point roll bar to mount a battery box where the rear seat was and the two forward mounts fall in that general area—so maybe sandwich the sheet metal between the roll cage above and a mount below, with a leg down to the trans mount.

Is you friend also in the Seattle area? e*clipse asserts 'norcal oosae' and I reside 'northwest of normal'. Which is about halfway inbetween.