Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller - Page 114 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

MPaulHolmes · 05-04-2009, 01:52 AM

I have NOT thought of that! So there!

It sounds interesting though! Hey, my friend sent me an updated robust version of the schematic. It's a good place to stop for version 2. Feature creep can cause too much to be bitten off all at once, but this is a MAJOR improvement over the version that blew up. It hasn't been built yet, but it will be tested soon. It's still using the ATMega8, but it will be pretty easy later to change to the ATMega16 or some PIC or whatever for whoever wants to. In version 3, when there's RPM monitoring and all sorts of crap like that, I might change it to an ATMega16 for the extra A/D channels. Right now, I'm just trying to get the software "perfected" (haha) for the professional lab testing of the new control board. hehe. It sounds like I'm lying about all the professional lab stuff. That's funny. It's just all too awesome for dang words.

Hey, I think I may have broken channel 1 of my oscilloscope while debugging the control section. I was just watching the input to the current A/D channel

ulnpiper · 05-04-2009, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

I don't really want it "protected". I want everyone to do whatever the heck they want to with it! ya! Is there some sort of way to make it so everyone can do whatever they want with it?

Then you should license your software under the GPLv3 license. This allows everyone to use it, but prevents someone from putting it in a commercial product and restricting it's use in some way.

A Quick Guide to GPLv3 - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)

I'm not sure if there's a similar way to keep the hardware design open and free.

Keep up the great work.

-gary

NiHaoMike · 05-04-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ulnpiper

Then you should license your software under the GPLv3 license. This allows everyone to use it, but prevents someone from putting it in a commercial product and restricting it's use in some way.

A Quick Guide to GPLv3 - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)

I'm not sure if there's a similar way to keep the hardware design open and free.

Keep up the great work.

-gary

License the hardware plans under the GNU Free Documentation License.

edown · 05-04-2009, 10:55 AM

Here are some PICs of my new water cooled power section ready for test..
Evan

adamj12b · 05-04-2009, 11:14 AM

WOW, That looks great. Is the pipes in the middle soldered to 2 pieces of copper bar? How are the fets connected to the buss's? Maybe you could post some close-ups of the fets.

-Adam

edown · 05-04-2009, 03:31 PM

OK, a few close ups.. Yes the M- bar is 2 bars (1"x.25") with 1/2" OD tube soldered in, with a steel manifold at the end.. FETs are soldered to .016 copper sheet.. I use a small acetylene torch to solder the FETs and diodes in.. (quickly)

MazdaMatt · 05-04-2009, 05:05 PM

Is that based on Paul's design? If not, I'm sure we'd love it if you started your own thread with all of your build details!

Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I don't really trust solder all that well for a primary mechanical connection. If you do a new revision, I would suggest that you drill holes in that copper sheet so that you can feed the leads through before soldering. Same with Paul's power section - I didn't like how the mosfets were surface mounted to the copper.

MPaulHolmes · 05-04-2009, 05:10 PM

I don't like it neither, no how! But gosh dang it, with how I'm doing stuff it will eat up too much real-estate on the other side where the capacitor paths are. How about a pile of JB weld on top of the solder joints? ya!

And edown, make a dang thread. That controller of yours is so dang awesome that I'm having a hard time containing my awesomeness meter.

MazdaMatt · 05-04-2009, 05:14 PM

Paul, you JB weld that thing and I'm off the team! Duct tape or nothing!

edown · 05-04-2009, 05:29 PM

Hey, thanks for the support! Actually, it IS Paul's design, just different caps and no PC board. I don't think I could drill through the copper, because I was able to solder things on by heating the back side of the copper, so as not to put too much heat on the leads.
By the way!!! I just tested it in the car at 48 volts (Car on blocks) and got my speedo up to 60 mph... Yehaw! And the controller didn't even get warm -without the water coolant being hooked up.
Question for Paul: I tried tripling up the FET drivers and they randomly "spazzed" out, so I did my testing with just a single driver. Have you tried parallel-ing the drivers yet?