Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller

[MPaulHolmes]

Watt: That blue thing is your mom! oooohh burn! Wait... That doesn't even make any sense. No, it's a LEM current sensor:

Digi-Key - 398-1065-ND (LEM USA Inc - HASS 300-S)

It lets you know how much current is going through at any given time. It's nice for things like controlling throttle based on current. It's also how I know when an overcurrent event has happened, so that the hardware shuts off the mosfet driver until the software re-enables it.

Denmark: The controller will get drug testing. hehe. No! Just kidding, Denmark! It will be tested in Romania. High temperature testing (40 degC, whatever that is), and I'm not sure what else. Wait! It's also a test of the concept of the kit! Can it be assembled with the help of my crappy directions?

[blackpanther-st]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

Also, I'm not using the relay to turn on the main contactor, because I have no control of the pre-charge resistor, so I don't want to close the contactor until I know everything has been pre-charged. We can add that feature later. No big deal.

Paul I am surprised that you don't have it programed to sense when the voltages between the pac and your caps has equalized, and trigger the main contactor only after that has occurred?

[MPaulHolmes]

That would be good, but it would eat up an A/D converter channel, so I just didn't. Next version! hehe. Or this version, if someone wants to add voltage measurement to the control board.

[watt-a-mezz]

Originally Posted by charlie_fd

So ... the European kit arrived a few days back in Copenhagen and it has travelled since (2300km south). Can't wait to start the assembly and testing!

Wanted to ask what kind of ev do you have? I wish I could find a Trabant to convert. Have seen some on youtube, neat little cars. Are there any where you are? I have a 1988 Nissan pickup, just about done with it. Have a good one. Watt

[bennelson]

Hey Paul,

Thanks for throwing a couple of mounting holes on the new version of the controller.

One of the few things I would modify from the original Cougar controller was that it didn't have any good mounting points. I had to sort of hang that one upside down suspended across some goofy supports.


Anyways, here's my next attempt to support the project.
I have been working on some variations on a theme of my visual interpretation of what "Open Revolt" means to me.

To me, it's our own personal way of taking to the streets (literally) to retake Zeus' thunderbolt the way Prometheus stole fire. It means being able to stand up for ourselves and take our transportation destiny into our own hands. As Prince Adam would say...."I have the power!"

Please see the attached file and give your suggestions and comments.

-Ben

[MPaulHolmes]

I vote for Ben's! Very creative, Ben! I think that's awesome! Thank you! I don't know which one's best. I personally like 1, 2, and 5 the best I think. Awesome!

Sorry Oprah and burnt skin!

Hey Ben, I had a dream that I found a beautiful piece of florescent green lexan, and some black lights. In the dream the lexan was like 6ftx10ft, and the controller was super big. hehe. I couldn't find any on ebay. . It would be an easy modification that you could make if you can find some, though. I think it would be really cool to have that "fast and the furious" glow...

Was prince Adam, He-Man? I loved that show!

[nubie]

I like 6 and 11 personally, best readability, large font, no background elements to hinder legibility. (11 would be even better if the words weren't on the lightning bolt.)

[Tango Charlie]

Wow, those are really tight, Ben. ALL of them are really good. Having said that, I really like #5.
#3 would be perfect, if the "v" was not a lightning bolt (it looks like the wrist is being slashed), and if the wording was moved just a smidge away from the inner circle. Or if the inner circle was faded out like in #2.

[thaelin]

Open source, the difference between trust and anti-trust.

Howdy mates. Even tho I don't run an EV car, I am making an all electric bike to use back and forth to work. My last attempt was failure but was a great learning experience. That said your controller is so scalable that it can be used for most any application using a brushed motor. It can be reduced in size depending on the usage load. I have decided on a 4.5 hp 36v robot motor. That should give me all the pep I want and can run it slow for my purpose.
Many thanks to all here that are making this happen.

thaelin

[MPaulHolmes]

Thanks! But just make sure you have a 12v auxiliary battery, or use the last battery in the series. 3 mosfet/diode pairs would be good for 150 amps, which would probably be enough for the 4.5 hp motor. You might want to go with 4 or 5 of each if you are going to run it at the full 4.5 hp all the time.