Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller

[adamj12b]

Originally Posted by Flatmann100

Adam, I looked at the data sheets for the ATMEG168-16PU so, it looks Ok. In the morning I'll have a chance to look at it some more.

The 168 is a direct replacement to the atmega8 chip. It has more memory because the 8 ran out.

The opto is U9 and the transistor is Q1. If you have the board so your can read the writing, and the power connector on the left, U9's notch should be pointing downwards. The silver metal back of the transistor should be closest to the power wires.

Heres a picture.




The transistor is next to the white and yellow wires. The output on my controller is the brown wire, pin # 3. This is +12V when activated and shares a ground with pin # 2, the 12v battery negative that powers teh logic board.

See if any of this helps!!

-Adam

[Flatmann100]

Adam, U9 and Q1 are correct on my board. Here's the pic.

[Flatmann100]

Adam, I'll have to check different areas of the control board to determine where I'm loosing the signal. One thing is: when I made my final power connections to my controller I followed the schematic 1-5 although I felt the order was the other way 5-1 around. The wires you see in the picture were according to the schematic and I did put +12v into the board. Can "U9" handle that kind of abuse? Work is looming on the horizon so I may have to come back tomorrow for more fun.

Thanks for your help.

Mike

[jackbauer]

One thing i've been thinking about is a brake signal input to the controller. Perhaps just a 0v , 5v on an unused icsp pin. Similar setup to the "safety code" that paul wrote but if it sees the brake signal applied it automatically commands zero pwm. If after zero pwn is achieved it sees power flowing to the motor it open the main contactor. thoughts?

[dave koller]

Originally Posted by jackbauer

One thing i've been thinking about is a brake signal input to the controller. Perhaps just a 0v , 5v on an unused icsp pin. Similar setup to the "safety code" that paul wrote but if it sees the brake signal applied it automatically commands zero pwm. If after zero pwn is achieved it sees power flowing to the motor it open the main contactor. thoughts?

I want to do that in my version2 - If I don't build the controller or go to AC I still will have it at least "Looking at the PWM (on whatever) " and that would be a start Jack.. It is so much easier to do things in software

[adamj12b]

Originally Posted by jackbauer

One thing i've been thinking about is a brake signal input to the controller. Perhaps just a 0v , 5v on an unused icsp pin. Similar setup to the "safety code" that paul wrote but if it sees the brake signal applied it automatically commands zero pwm. If after zero pwn is achieved it sees power flowing to the motor it open the main contactor. thoughts?

This is something that I was planing for the expansion board. The problem is if the code is added for the isp port, it will make it more difficult to add the expansion board.

-Adam

[dave koller]

Originally Posted by adamj12b

This is something that I was planing for the expansion board.
-Adam

Smart thinking Adam..

[MPaulHolmes]

Hi Flatman! I done figured it out! oh ya. You have to change the precharge wait time to greater than 0. The default is 0. Try maybe 30 or 60 or something. That would be 3 to 6 seconds of delay before the controller would close the contactor.

with the serial hooked up, type "config"
That will show all the current variable settings.

Now type:
pc-time 40
save

That will set the precharge time to 4 seconds. Then it will save it to eeprom. Now turn off the controller and on again, and the main contactor will close after 4 seconds.

[dave koller]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

Hi Flatman! I done figured it out! oh ya.

Paul Today, 03:26 AM

LOL you don't sleep either - I was coding too...

[jackbauer]

Hey Paul , I don't suppose you had a chance to mail me that new control board? I got a bunch of free dspic samples last week so i'm keen to give it a try. My main interest is in making an all in one controller for the compound motor. If you need some money its no probs.