Paul and Sabrina's Cheap 3 Phase Inverter (AC Controller) with Field Oriented Control

[MPaulHolmes]

Did you cycle the 24v power after plugging the current sensor back in the first time? At the moment I don't clear the fault. I just make it do nothing until the 24v power goes off (and back on again).

[thingstodo]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

Did you cycle the 24v power after plugging the current sensor back in the first time? At the moment I don't clear the fault. I just make it do nothing until the 24v power goes off (and back on again).

Well, I REMEMBER cycling the power. I try not to touch any wiring with the power still on. I thought I had remembered that the faults don't clear from an earlier discussion. The 'switch' - that is really a breaker - is cycled on camera. If you watched the video and I missed that step, well ... that's why I take video!

My memory is not nearly as good as it used to be.

The connector on phase U was sitting in place, touching but not 'pushed on'. After the power cycle (when I got the second fault that was still the same) I did not find any connectors out of place that I could identify. That's why I brought up the connector thing.

Further to my comment on the connectors - they are all keyed and they all have the retaining clips. I'm not sure what else can be done there except to have the gaskets and such from the weather-tight connectors .. which will be done when I get an enclosure built .. eventually.

I have had problems with throttle connections on a golf cart/carryall. I had taken everything apart and each thing checks out .. but the resistance is a bit high. Put it all back together and it does not work all of the time. Then it just starts working again. Then it stops again. I'm told that it may be corrosion on the connector pins and female ends.

Does anyone with actual vehicle repair experience (IE not me) have suggestions on some method of making good contact on connectors while having them easily separated for maintenance/trouble shooting? I have heard good things and bad about conductive grease - good, works well, easy to apply and remove .. bad - if you put too much it flows and shorts out pins, attracts dirt, messy

Whatever solution we come up with, I'd like to do that at the same time that I am wiring up the controller, so that this problem is eliminated as much as possible

[MPaulHolmes]

Maybe if the 3 shielded connectors for the current sensors had gold coating on the crimp pins? I think I just have normal tin crimp pins on those. When you cycled the 24v power after plugging in the current sensor all the way, it said a new message that there was a current sensor fault, so then you cycled the 24v power again, and it then went away?

[thingstodo]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

Maybe if the 3 shielded connectors for the current sensors had gold coating on the crimp pins? I think I just have normal tin crimp pins on those. When you cycled the 24v power after plugging in the current sensor all the way, it said a new message that there was a current sensor fault, so then you cycled the 24v power again, and it then went away?

That is what I remember. I think that's what the video shows, except that I touched each of the connectors again between the 'new message' and when the controller powered up without faults.

If gold plating helps ... what does it cost?

[MPaulHolmes]

I think they might be $0.25 each instead of like $0.08 each or something like that. I've never bought them before, but I have seen them. Hey! this is interesting:
http://www.te.com/documentation/whit...f/aurulrep.pdf

Hmm.. It says they should not be mated to tin contacts. I'll have to see what the LEM contacts are.

[ale0502]

Hi thingstodo, i dont know exact your problem but my experience tells me that the corrosion is formed when two dissimilar metals touch, so the solution for me was to always use connectors that are the same metal, and if they are different you must solder it.

[thingstodo]

Originally Posted by ale0502

Hi thingstodo, i dont know exact your problem but my experience tells me that the corrosion is formed when two dissimilar metals touch, so the solution for me was to always use connectors that are the same metal, and if they are different you must solder it.

Hi ale (is that right?)

The problem had to do with either connectors not-quite-mated, or perhaps a signal out of range due to contact issues .. perhaps not enough pressure, or corrosion, or ???

It was a male connector on the board and a female connector on a pigtail to the current sensor. I think both ends are tinned. Soldering is not an option, since you need to be able to assemble/replace parts. BTW- I use crimp connectors whenever possible. I mess up soldering ... and have had solder wick up into the stranded wire and make for a less flexible connection past the strain relief. I have had failures in cables as far as 6 inches from where the solder was done (let's not discuss HOW MUCH solder I used!). After bending back and forth many times (vibration) the wire just breaks off inside the insulation, where you can't see it. This is *VERY* tough to find.

[ale0502]

The male and female connectors are 100% compatible? I mean, are well matched? Because otherwise able differences of connectors, brands, versions, etc. can not make enough contact.
If you have crimp type connectors, you are right in not solder it, IPC international standards explain that connectors are for crimp and dont must solder because the reasons you mention.

[MPaulHolmes]

You know, I finally got a proper crimping tool for those crimp pins. It was several months ago, but I don't remember when. It's possible I soldered the crimp pins on the current sensor cables that you have if it was before I got that crimp tool. You could unplug one and see if you could look inside the housing to see if it was soldered. I can mail you new cables if that's the case.

[thingstodo]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

You could unplug one and see if you could look inside the housing to see if it was soldered.

I will check this weekend