Mazda MX-6 build thread (EV conversion)

[thingstodo]

I used a piece of OSB in plate of an aluminum plate, to figure out just how big I could make the backplate. The backplate fits into an enclosure, which is intended to be at least splash proof if not exactly waterproof, the encloses the controller. Since I need somewhere to mount other high voltage stuff - contactors, pre-charger resistor, shunt, breaker - I made the panel bigger.

The water cooling on the controller requires clear space under the controller to connect the fittings. Another design requirement.

So I put some room for low voltage stuff - 12V - on the right of the controler. I decided to use a 12V dedicated battery for the controller, with a small charger, to completely isolate the controller from the rest of the 12V system. Plus the throttle signal needs to come in, and the serial interface ... I'd like to do blue-tooth for data collection and CANbus for interface to other systems.

3 iterations for Nov 12

First iteration
https://youtu.be/4AQHu7Roop0

Second of 3 videos for the day - some changes made and more are required. I didn't cut the backplate down like I was supposed to.
https://youtu.be/lS7_MLkzq80

Third video for today. This looks workable. I STILL manged to forget to trim the backplate!
https://youtu.be/cquXAOqHHnA

[thingstodo]

Working on painting and sealing the battery base

The primer was uneventful and I forgot to take pictures. It would have been easier.

Turns out taking pictures of black rubber paint, in bad light, with no flash ... does not work so well.

https://youtu.be/8hJ7VJN2uNU

The rubber paint seems to have filled in most of the gaps

[thingstodo]

Rev 2 on painting and sealing the battery base - after coats 3 and 4

https://youtu.be/pt9gxrwKPbQ

[thingstodo]

A bit of a review, since I have not done one for a while.

The battery pack is 128V and is where the back seat used to be. Cabling from the pack goes to the trunk, the spare tire well. There is a maintenance switch there as well as a couple of fuses and terminals. From those terminals we go to the cables that run under the car to the front engine bay. They connect to the controller enclosure there.

So - here is how things are arranged in the spare tire well.

https://youtu.be/axdubDC3Wtc

The quality of the videos is going down. I think I'm getting tired of this project!

[freebeard]

I think I'm getting tired of this project!

I admire your perseverance. I still have a Lexus drivetrain and a Baja bug stashed in a barn, but have no path forward unless I fall in with a different crowd. I could step down from a pure EV to a mild hybrid; but I still have the same problem, just less not enough money.