Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller

[adamj12b]

Originally Posted by electricstorm

@ Adam,

RTD Explorer uses an RS-232 serial port to program the Couger controller. My computer does not have the RS-232 port. Can you use an RS-232 to USB adaptor of some sort? If so, do you know what type or version (I have seen the C-233-M and TU-S9 chipset versions) I should use? If not, how old of a laptop should I look for (also, should it be Windows XP, Vista, not sure if windows 7 models have an RS-232 port or not)?

Thanks,

Jim

Jim,

I use this adapter and never had a problem.

Digi-Key - 768-1023-ND (Manufacturer - EVAL232R)

-Adam

[duncan]

Hi guys

First test - powered it up - no smoke!
the green and yellow LED's both lit up - continuous - I hope that's correct!

I assume (hope) the microprocessor that came with the kit has the basic software so I can now finish assembling my car and hook up the controller

- I will test it with a 12v battery before using the main system

I assume that it will now try and give me motor current

Throttle pot
Zero ohms = zero amps
5,000 ohms = 500 amps

[sawickm]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

I think it was a design problem for the optocoupler to be on the control board, and the output to travel to the driver board. It is a signal with a tiny tiny current, and is more susceptible to noise. Even if it works perfectly well for flores, I've already made some changes and just need to get the new boards made.

Driver board that's 4 homemade isolated supplies. This is based on Fran's recommendations. Each isolated supply drives 3 mosfets. There's also an RC snubber for each mosfet on the driver board. It uses ceramic 2W resistors for snubbers since their inductance is so low.

Hi Paul,

How are the updates for the new revision of the 1000 amp controller coming?

Hope to see those new changes soon, and your new driver PCB too.

-Mark

[MPaulHolmes]

Hi Duncan! 5000 Ohms will attempt to demand 500 motor amps by ramping the pwm duty up until 500 motor amps happens. If you can't get 500 motor amps due to high rpm or whatever, the pwm duty will just sit at 100%, doing its darndest! haha.

Hi Mark! The boards are finished on the computer, but Sabrina is due in December. We're having a boy, and we have officially outgrown our single room, so we're trying to move, so at the moment there is absolutely no extra money to send them in. If we don't get moved by december, it will be 4 people in one bed. hahaha. As it is, Josiah hogs all the space. We're used to it though, since that's what we did in Kenya too. I'd be happy to email you what I have. I never did figure out how to post stuff to the wiki.

[sawickm]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

Hi Mark! The boards are finished on the computer, but Sabrina is due in December. We're having a boy, and we have officially outgrown our single room, so we're trying to move, so at the moment there is absolutely no extra money to send them in. If we don't get moved by december, it will be 4 people in one bed. hahaha. As it is, Josiah hogs all the space. We're used to it though, since that's what we did in Kenya too. I'd be happy to email you what I have. I never did figure out how to post stuff to the wiki.

Hi Paul,

Congrats on the new addition to your family!!!

If you want to email me those files I'll post them here on The ReVolt wiki. PM me if you don't have my email address.

Maybe we could get a group buy going for the revised 1000 amp controller, and give you a board?

-Mark

[MPaulHolmes]

The new approach is fundamentally different, so I would want to try a prototype first before a group purchase.

[flores]

Paul, what would the prototype boards cost if we make them in a small amount?

[sawickm]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

The new approach is fundamentally different, so I would want to try a prototype first before a group purchase.

Hey Paul,

I read a reply from ElectricZX2; http://ecomodder.com/forum/253491-post5029.html He said your 1000 Amp Beta Units were working great!

I assumed that the second revision to the 1000 Amp Controller was a minor one?

Wasn't the major change was to the driver PCB?

I'm still interested in wiki posting what you have, let me know.

-Mark

[MPaulHolmes]

Well, yes it is working, but after one blew up, I did some major sole searching (I went fishing for sole. haha) and completely and fundamentally changed everything. I think the new version is much better suited to higher current. The isolation pad material no longer goes on the backs of the mosfets and diodes. That was a major bottleneck. Also, for the diodes, current never goes through only one leg. There's also an RC snubber network right at each mosfet, and each mosfet has its own voltage clamp circuit. Also, each 3 mosfets have their own isolated supply. Controller A is to Controller B as Chicken is to Chicken McNugget.

I want to make a single prototype that I payed for that blows up or not. It stresses me out for others to pay for my mistakes. Before, I could just partially reimburse someone or make them a different controller, but now it's crunch time. Baby in December, and we can't live here! haha.

Flores: I don't know the cheapest route. The PCBCart way of doing it would be several hundred for all three boards' setup fees and to get just 1-3 of them made. The stupid 4 ounce board generally can't be made cheap anywhere I think since no one uses 4 ounce.

[flores]

It's also not fair that anyone benefits from your work for free.. While you pay the mistakes.. Stresses me out ;-)

I'll sponsor a part.. Who's in?