Mazda MX-6 build thread (EV conversion)

[thingstodo]

No video, but pictures of the supports I made for the electric motor opposite drive end, to support the controller enclosure, and the CV Axle

https://youtu.be/nYFWba5WJ4A

August 25 of 2016

[thingstodo]

An update video of the former back seat, now an aluminum floor with posts sticking out of it to attach battery braces to

https://youtu.be/ESHEnaRYrbg

An update in the slow and painful process

[thingstodo]

I bought a Piersburg pump, a small AC powered pump from EVTV a while ago. I finally got around to connecting it up to some water and testing it out.

The ball park requirements for taking away 150W or so of heat from the DC Controller heat sink is 6 liters per minute, and it needs a few psi of pressure to push the water through the heat sink, into the heater core of the car cabin, and back to the radiator.

Video from Sep 2 2016
https://youtu.be/nqpqE-ayZwg

This pump came with with pins that fit the pins on the pump, but was missing the female connector housing. After I got the pumps (I actually bought 2) and before I got around to checking if all the parts were there, Jack at EVTV had a battery fire in the shop and burned up his collection of connectors. He was out of the Piersburg pumps, so he had not ordered any new connectors.

I matched up the pins, crimped them onto a regular flat-4 trailer connector, and ended up using that connector instead.

The pump needs 0V and 12V, and a PWM signal from 20% to 100%, which is speed .. not flow. I'm just tying it 12V which should run the pump at full speed. There is one other pin which is one-wire CANbus. I won't be using that one.

[thingstodo]

Metal floor for battery base. Metal is cut, hammered, bent, riveted, screwed, taped.

The video is a bit hard to watch. It is a bit 'Blair Witch' - bouncing back and forth.

https://youtu.be/oirPLDe1Jnc

[thingstodo]

Putting together the chill plate on the bottom of the controller, with gasket .. goop? .. and then the bottom cover.

A short circulation test follows

I don't know the actual thickness of the aluminum between the IGBTs and the water channel. So it is difficult to speculate on the required flow rate of water to remove the heat from the controller.

I expect that this flow rate will do for any normal driving, at least.

2016 Sep 25 Mazda MX6 Day 819 video 47

https://youtu.be/CyPPG6MIdpA

Still a year behind in posting!

[freebeard]

I haven't been paying close attention to Paul Holmes' thread. I've seen a lot of clarification of niggling details; but has anyone turned wheels with his controller?

I think you used plenty of Goop.

[thingstodo]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I haven't been paying close attention to Paul Holmes' thread. I've seen a lot of clarification of niggling details; but has anyone turned wheels with his controller?

While I have tested as much as I could without a car, I haven't seen a post from anyone who has a vehicle running on Paul's AC controller.

[freebeard]

As soon as I asked the question I want back to Youtube and it was recommending
Checkout of Paul's DC Controller March 16 2016 — Michael Lulchak. I peeked at a bit, at 13min the wheels turn but up on jack stands, at the end your are talking about needing new batteries.

So, technically true?

What's the deal with the Wikispeed car?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wQZ3gpmWUk

[thingstodo]

Originally Posted by freebeard

As soon as I asked the question I want back to Youtube and it was recommending
Checkout of Paul's DC Controller March 16 2016 — Michael Lulchak. I peeked at a bit, at 13min the wheels turn but up on jack stands, at the end your are talking about needing new batteries.

I guess .. if you count a Golf cart as a vehicle?

If you watch the rest of the video, I am driving the golf cart around. On a 24V Lead acid pack.

For those that don't know, thingstodo = Michael Lulchak. I haven't figured out how to change my handle on Ecomodder ... it may be possible but I have not sent the admins a message as yet to see if they can change it.

So, technically true?

Sure, I guess. There is another guy using the IGBT DC controller as well. I will have to look through the posts, but he has been driving it for a while.

I was confused and discussing the AC Controller for some reason ...

What's the deal with the Wikispeed car?

I put it on hold to get the Mazda project rolling. It has been quite a while since I have put any time into that car project. It has a much higher threshold for pain ... I need to get a vehicle inspection for Canada. I'm told this is not easily done. So that one may end up being an off-road project if I can't get it licensed for on-road.

You can read up on the WIKISPEED car at

WIKISPEED – Changing the world for the better

The WIKISPEED car looked like a perfect candidate for an EV conversion. But the exception that is used to licensed it in the USA does not appear to exist in Canadian law. Limited production, exemptions from some of the crash tests, submittal of drawings for the seat belt anchors, etc.

[thingstodo]

I think I ended up using #0000 cable to run from the back of the car, in the spare tire well, to the front of the car, where it entered the controller cabinet.

I didn't mention the size in the video, and the cable is scrap from where I work. The numbers are rubbed off the outer jacket. Scrap cable is about 15% of the cost of new cable. I know the history on this one, and it is only 5 years old. It was removed to increase the size of the motor so I am confident it has many years of service left.

https://youtu.be/Lkt5vGDfkEM

Measure twice, cut once ... but PAY ATTENTION when measuring so the darned cable, with it's 14 inch bend radius, will get past things like rear brake fittings. It took an extra day to fabricate a patch for the first hole, drill the second hole, and get the patch riveted in.

The cable, called teck cable, is 3 conductors of #0000 with 1000V insulation plus a #2 ground in a pvc sheath with aluminum interlocking armor around it, and a final plastic jacket. Big, beefy, doesn't bend well. But it didn't really need to bend much ...