Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller

[mrbigh]

Ok, you are talking about the old controller style, no?

[jackbauer]

It uses the rev c 500amp control board yeh. I am working on a 1ka version but that would be too powerfull for my car.

[bennelson]

There is no such thing as TOO POWERFUL (or too good looking! )

[MPaulHolmes]

Jack Bauer is too powerful. Who boils a gallon of water while testing a controller? Arrr Arrr Arrrr (Tim the toolman taylor sound) I'm not going to say he's too good looking though, because my wife might get jealous. haha.

[dneale]

Hi Jack,

Really impressive what you have done with your controller.

Do you have a link to using the computer UPS toroids as load for controller experiments?

TIA,

Dave

[jackbauer]

Dave , i dont have a link per se. Its an idea used by a guy on the diyev forum. I happen to have dismantled a large ups a few weeks back and the 3 phase filter made a perfect inductor bank. The aim is to simulate the inductance and dc resistance of a stalled series wound motor. You could make an inductor out of an old main transformer and some welding cable. its really invaluable as it lets the controller run at any power setting continuous , including wide open , with no fear of motor damage. Ok its not exact but good enough for government work

Hey Paul the good news is i'll be converting all the CTU SUVs so that will need lots of power. Word came down from division that we can't be seen to be chasing the bad guys while destroying the planet at the same time.

[Roche]

I've been lurking here for over a year now, and read the thread end to end. I've learnt a lot about the overall architecture of a controller from it. Yesterday I got called out to look at a diesel electric propulsion system on a canal boat. It was a pretty straight-forward inverter system, not particularly high powered. Anyway, thanks to the education from Paul and others, I was able to diagnose the whole thing very quickly...Finding the parts has taken a little longer.
So thanks Paul, and everyone else who has contributed. One day I might even build one...

[jackbauer]

Taking shape ........ Can't wait to run this up to 1ka. I'm gonna need a bigger bucket of water.

[jackbauer]

Got a little bit of a mystery. I purchased a range of 1W resistors and set about replacing each of the 3r3 gate resistors from the last experiments with a 15r for each igbt as per convention. Also replaced 0r33 emitter resistors with 1r. Powered up and it rang like a bell at switch on and off. Really bad. upped to 22r. still rang , 10r same or worse.

Went back to 3r3 on each gate and 15r on the input to the gate drive board. No more ringing. Slight bit on turn on. I suspect if I went back to 0r33 on the emitters that this will go away. I'll do this tomorrow and report back.

Any ideas?

[harlequin2]

I wonder if its due to metal film resistors? These are quite inductive, being effectively a coil of wire. Often hard to get, but carbon composition resistors are the go for gate drive - imperative really at higher frequencies.