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

[ScottyWarpNine]

Sorry for all the questions! I tried uploading the hex file using a pickit3 and the MPlab IPE but I keep getting an error it says:

Target device was not found (could not detect target voltage VDD). You must connect to a target device to use PICkit 3.

Edit: just found the setting to supply power to the circuit through the pickit3. Now it won't program. it is giving me this message:

Programming...

The following memory area(s) will be programmed:
program memory: start address = 0x0, end address = 0x7fff
program memory
Address: 0 Expected Value: 40100 Received Value: 0
configuration memory
EEData memory
User Id Memory
Failed to program device
2017-08-29 21:34:43 -0400 - Programming failed

The device will erase but will not program or do the blank check.

[thingstodo]

Originally Posted by ScottyWarpNine

Programming...

The following memory area(s) will be programmed:
program memory: start address = 0x0, end address = 0x7fff
program memory
Address: 0 Expected Value: 40100 Received Value: 0
configuration memory
EEData memory
User Id Memory
Failed to program device
2017-08-29 21:34:43 -0400 - Programming failed

The device will erase but will not program or do the blank check.

What does your setup look like? I think there may be a cable that is too long.

I use the pickit 3 ribbon cable plugged directly into Paul's board. I don't remember if I need to use a male-male header ... I'll have to look tonight.

Prop the pickit 3 on a piece of insulating material, like perfboard or a ceiling tile. Then the USB cable goes to the laptop.

I have had similar problems when using a ribbon cable extender from Paul's board to the Pickit 3.

At that point, selecting the correct dsPIC is about the only config required. But I have never had a verify complete successfully .. which is a bit strange .. the erase and program work.

[mitsui]

Hello guys,
I have the dip version of the board and software with manual pi-testing. Even though i configured my throttle values and keep the pot at deadzone, there is a small amount of current going through my motor which moves the shaft back and forth slowly. My data stream shows Idref, throttle, mechanical speed values are all 0 but Id value keeps changing between +-3A. Motor spins with vibration if I throttle it.Has anyone had a similar problem before? DC bus voltage is output of 3-phase rectifier btw, could it be a leakage problem?

[ChazFisher]

I finished this epic thread last night, and I've gotta say - Thank You! Thank you to Paul, for your hard work, and willingness to share it with us. To E*clipse, for adding a slew of interesting and relevant technical ideas. To thingstodo, for a comprehensive test program. And to all the other posters who chipped in with ideas, thoughts, and advice.

Bit of background - I spent almost 30 years working at a defense company, in a group that designed and built both control systems and power converters. I had the privilege of working on several large inverter and converter programs. Most of the time I was the program "lead," which I always interpreted as serving the team by working to get the right resources at the right time, and by running interference with management so the really smart guys could get their work done. This project was one of the best examples of a tight technical team working together I've seen.

Next step for me is to go find schematics and source code. I have some questions about some of the design choices that were made, that weren't directly answered in this thread (believe it or not!). But I want to understand the design a little better first - the answers may reveal themselves.

Looking forward to building one of these myself, very soon!

[freebeard]

Would that there were some scripted language that would visit each of the 317 pages, capture only the body date and author for each post into a tab-delimited text file.

I'd turn Mac OS Summarize Text loose on that. Rather than, you know, reading the whole 317 pages again.

[teoman]

If you increase the posts per page to max, it is only 80 pages

[MPaulHolmes]

mitsui:

What current sensors are you using? For high powered applications, +/-3amp is pretty normal for the swing. Even at zero throttle, the controller is actively commanding 0 torque (Iq = 0). When it's in a car (or gocart) you don't notice it. Since it's torque command and not speed command, it's not intended for applications where it's unloaded. The only reason why I can think it is running rough is wrong PI values or some issue with a position sensor.

Thank you for the kind words Chaz!

arber, I've only tested the leaf motor with the stock resolver. I can't say what is happening there.

[ScottyWarpNine]

Man, I still can't figure out why my board won't program. I keep getting an error when it tries to connect saying that while the programmer is trying to supply 5v, it is measuring VDD as 4.5v and fails to connect. Sometimes I can "trick" it into connecting by changing the supply voltage to 4.5v, but then when I try to program the hex it says "programming failed because the device address was different than expected.

I tried replacing my PICkit3 and replacing the dsPIC30F4011. Neither made any difference, I still get the same errors.

Has anybody run into anything remotely similar to my predicament?

I'm primarily an AVR guy, so I'm not super experienced with PIC devices. Here is the procedure of my attempts:

1. Connect PICkit3 to computer via USB
2. Open microchip IPE
3. Make sure dsPIC30F4011 and pICkit3 is selected
4. Open advanced settings and select "power circuits from programmer" in power tab
5. Make sure 5v is selected for VDD voltage
6. Connect PICkit3 to motor driver board programming headers. I am not using extension cable, I am plugging the PICkit3 directly into the board.
7. Back on main screen press connect (this is where it gives me the VDD error)
8. If it were to connect, this is the point where I would select the .hex file and press program.

Am I doing something wrong?

[MPaulHolmes]

I don't think the pickit can power the board's 5v. I always have to provide the 24v power to the board.

[ScottyWarpNine]

Thanks Paul,

That seems to have solved the connect problem. Still won't program though. I get this error message:

The following memory area(s) will be programmed:
program memory: start address = 0x0, end address = 0x63ff
configuration memory
program memory
Address: 0 Expected Value: 40100 Received Value: 0
Failed to program device
2017-11-16 12:50:27 -0500 - Programming failed
Pass Count: 0

I'm pretty confident in my solder joints, especially as I soldered a new PIC on and get the same result.