Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller - Page 419 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

lespaul109 · 01-06-2011, 06:01 PM

just sent, let me know when you receive

jimphelps · 01-07-2011, 02:36 PM

Hi:

I have watched this thread for a couple of years, but am now trying to start working on it. Recently Paul said he was thinking of changing the power section over from mosfets to IGBTs (I don't really have an in depth level of experience with either).

I have to save the money for this which may take quite some time.

Paul do you know when you might switch the transistors at some point??

MPaulHolmes · 01-08-2011, 04:10 AM

Hi Jim! I suppose it will happen eventually. It's mechanically very simple. Here's the dilemma that I see. There are a lot of different types out there, with different turn on and turn off times and different dimensions. I think that driver board that MrBigh has would drive just about anything out there really well though, and the control board how it is seems to work OK for some IGBTs. I think there are a couple people that have a plan to do that probably before I would ever get around to it.

jimphelps · 01-08-2011, 07:26 AM

ok, thanks, I'll keep watching the thread, but have to save the money up for now.

lespaul109 · 01-09-2011, 01:53 AM

I just finished programming a atmega chip and put it on the control board. Then I connected 12v and started RTD explorer with data cable connected. At this point I don't have the current sensor, throttle, or temp probe connected. Should I be getting some acknowledgment from RTD that it is communicating? The yellow LED turns on for about 1.5 sec and off for 1.5 sec.

Jake

MPaulHolmes · 01-09-2011, 02:06 AM

It sounds like the fuse bits need to be changed. The default frequency of the chip is 1 MHz I think. But it should be 16 MHz. Make sure it's extended high low of F8 DC F7. The blinking light should be about 10 times per second, but since the chip is running 16 times slower, it blinks at about every 1.6 seconds.

lespaul109 · 01-09-2011, 11:00 AM

I guess I am at a loss. Are you saying that my programming the chip was not successful? All I have done is load the HEX file with pony programmer. Can you explain what to do after this point, in layman's terms. I really have no idea what " F8 DC F7 is extended high low" represents.

jake

twotires · 01-09-2011, 12:03 PM

Hi all, I'm Michael. This is my first post in the Ecomodder forum. I took delivery of a cougar controller board back around Dec. 18 or so and I'm now one part away from finishing up the soldering. The last part has me scratching my head a little. In the schematic and bill of material, part number D1 appears to be the reverse polarity protection diode (I think .... ?) - it's specified as a STTH2R02QRL - ultrafast rectifier diode, 200V, 2A. I ordered an equal since that particular part wasn't available at Digikey or Mouser, and alas, the equal (rated for 3A instead of 2A) is a larger part and won't fit the board.

I have in my toolbox an FR104 fast rectifier diode and an FR107 fast rectifier diode. I'm looking for some advice from an electronics guru out there who might help me decide if one of these, or either of these would work as a substitute for D1. Either of these will fit the board.

Here is the datasheet for them:

aych-tee-tee-pee-slash-slash-dubya-dubya-dubya.taiwansemi.com/db/pictures/modules/PDT/PDT060207001/FR101.pdf

(sorry to make you [copy] and [paste], but my post count of zero disqualifies me from posting links!)

Thank you in advance for your time reading this and your advice.
I'm super excited to have found this project since I was fretting greatly about a solution for a controller for my project car. I'm restoring a 1965 Volkswagen Beetle and converting it to plug-in electric at the same time. Check out my blog at: aych-tee-tee-pee-slash-slash 65veedub.blogspot.com (no dubya-dubya-dubya on this one)

(still trying to get this post to work - automatically detecting my links and disallowing it - trying phoenetic spelling of the beginning of the links ..... [crosses fingers] )

Thanks,
Michael

jackbauer · 01-09-2011, 12:05 PM

Jake , on pony prog ensure ckdiv8 is not ticked.

ga2500ev · 01-09-2011, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lespaul109

I guess I am at a loss. Are you saying that my programming the chip was not successful? All I have done is load the HEX file with pony programmer. Can you explain what to do after this point, in layman's terms. I really have no idea what " F8 DC F7 is extended high low" represents.

jake

I will take a stab at it.

Today's microcontrollers have a programming area that configures them for operation. They are usually called "config fuses" or "config bits". They define options such as what speed to run, what voltage to cut off when power drops (called brown out), whether or not to turn on the watchdog timer, and the like. A blank chip comes with default values set, and if the programmer doesn't change them, then the misconfiguration can cause the chip not to operate properly.

Apparently PonyProg does not get the config fuse values from the hex file. So you have to set them manually. Here is a page that I found that describes the process:

Programming AVR fuse bits – oscillator settings - Scientific, embedded, biomedical, electronics contents.

The key fuse for you, which Paul was describing, is to change the chips frequency from 1 Mhz to 16 Mhz.

Hope this helps,

ga2500ev