Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller

[duncan]

Hi Kenny
I can't find a J5 or J12 on my board?

I have removed the controller from the car
looks like I have blown up the second from the end MOSFET
The low resistance may be from the soot

so - take it all apart - clean it -

Replace the dead MOSFET - What else do I need to do?

[kennybobby]

Originally Posted by duncan

Hi Kenny
I can't find a J5 or J12 on my board?

I have removed the controller from the car
looks like I have blown up the second from the end MOSFET
The low resistance may be from the soot

so - take it all apart - clean it -

Replace the dead MOSFET - What else do I need to do?

And which schematic did you use to build it?

Remove the damaged part and make the continuity/resistance measurements again to verify that was the culprit and that no other fets are shorted to the heatsink.
Then clean it all up and repair/replace the damage, then before you put power to it make the continuity/resistance measurements again with a DVM to make sure it is wired correctly according to whichever schematic/revision you have. You have to think like an electron and look for any other circuit path that might have been overloaded or damaged when the mosfet blew. You also need to think about why did the mosfet blow--what is the root cause of this failure, the mosfet was just the consequence not the cause. Good luck to you hope it turns out to be a simple solution.

[duncan]

Hi Guys

Replaced the MOSFET that had blown - and its neighbor that had a crack in it - possibly something to do with the pop

I think I found an issue in that the resister controlling the MOSFET that blew may not have been properly soldered in

It was more difficult than I expected to work on the board - when I took the resisters off the solder filled the holes - much more difficult than assembling a new board

Ended up with Mega-ohms resistance from the High voltage bits to the heat sink - took the car for a brief drive (sat in the passengers seat while the wife drove)
Still no bodywork!
fairly leaps up our hill with 170 amps!
Great fun!

[MPaulHolmes]

Yahoo!!! Isn't that so much more fun and adventurous than just having everything work perfectly from the start?

We're in arizona now, and I'm getting a ton of wood from the local Ace Hardware next tuesday for the workshop. That drive was awful. 60 miles thorough a blizzard in a moving truck, putting chains on that monstrosity. Almost tipping it over turning in to a gas station. haha

[Sompom]

Hi all,
I'm working on building a SEPEX controller based on the Open ReVolt. With a little thinking, I'm controlling a tiny motor on the bench (hooray!). What I need to do now is build two new MOSFET control boards, I would like to just copy them from the schematic but I have talked to Paul and, unfortunately, he says the source files are missing...
Does anyone have the schematic source files they can give me? I'm using the 2C board, but I'm sure I could figure it out from a different revision.
Thanks!

[sawickm]

Originally Posted by Sompom

What I need to do now is build two new MOSFET control boards, I would like to just copy them from the schematic but I have talked to Paul and, unfortunately, he says the source files are missing...
Does anyone have the schematic source files they can give me? I'm using the 2C board, but I'm sure I could figure it out from a different revision.
Thanks!

If you are looking for the MOSFET Power PCB fab data you can find it here: ReVolt/Power PCB

The schematic for the controller and power PCB are combined here:RevC Schematic

-Mark

[rayjay]

Paul
You say your in Arizona now

I live in chandler, where are you?

Ray

[MPaulHolmes]

Maricopa.... Well, 7 miles outside of Maricopa. No garbage service, but no rules either! haha.

[rayjay]

Your not that far away, good. Hope to come down and visit with you when the dust settles.
Welcome to the valley of the sun.

Ray

[Sompom]

Originally Posted by sawickm

If you are looking for the MOSFET Power PCB fab data you can find it here:<Can't post links>

The schematic for the controller and power PCB are combined here: <Can't post links>

-Mark

Thanks for the reply!
Paul dug around and found the Protel/Altium Designer source files... The problem is, I have no way to open nor edit these files. I have access to the Eagle circuit designer tools, does anyone know how these files can be converted to Eagle (or anything else)?
Thanks!
-Sompom