Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller

[sawickm]

Originally Posted by Sompom

I have access to the Eagle circuit designer tools, does anyone know how these files can be converted to Eagle (or anything else)?

The problem is you can not translate Altium data to Eagle data. Eagle data can be exported to Altium but that’s not what you want to do.

You can start from scratch in Eagle, or you could in import the gerber files of the Altium layers into Eagle and use them as a template to re-create your layout. ????

-Mark

[Sompom]

Originally Posted by sawickm

The problem is you can not translate Altium data to Eagle data. Eagle data can be exported to Altium but that’s not what you want to do.

You can start from scratch in Eagle, or you could in import the gerber files of the Altium layers into Eagle and use them as a template to re-create your layout. ????

-Mark

Hmm... Darn, that's what I had heard was possible. Oh well! I suppose then we'll all have a circuit file
Thanks,
-Sompom

[64jeep]

Well I'm the latest person to read the whole thread and it only took me a mere 5 months! My goal was to make it before you made it to 600 pages, so mission accomplished. Back in October I started an IGBT version using the rev 2c control board. I'm using 3 of the 400 amp 600 volt modules that some people did a group buy on a while back. It uses a water plate for cooling. I'm in the testing phase right now. Control board works great and I've tested up to 70 volts and 20 or so motor amps so far. I'll start a new thread on it at some point to post pics.

On a side note, I'd asked a while back about using 15 pf caps in place of the 20 pf ones and they do in fact work. Thanks everyone for all the great work/help and I hope to return the favor!

[harlequin2]

Originally Posted by sawickm

The problem is you can not translate Altium data to Eagle data. Eagle data can be exported to Altium but that’s not what you want to do.

You can start from scratch in Eagle, or you could in import the gerber files of the Altium layers into Eagle and use them as a template to re-create your layout. ????

-Mark

You could look here:
The Pirate Bay - The galaxy's most resilient bittorrent site

[64jeep]

Here's a teaser picture of my controller that I built with help from Joe. I'll start a new thread (hopefully soon) on it and will post a link here when it's up. Of course, no good controller comes without a name. My wife (a huge fan of MST3K) says I should call it the Gamera controller since Gamera is a giant turtle that fights creatures like Godzilla.

[jackbauer]

I see your using the c4de caps. Very nice! I'll be going that route on the upcomming build.

[FieroChris]

64jeep's design is small and tight... I like it...

any thoughts on going with the CD4E caps vs the SBE Part 700D10896-348 film cap???

SBE price is $233 for 1000uf at 600v.
CD4E (3x) $89*3 for 660uf at 600v.

there is a 500uf SBE for $172

thoughts ??

[64jeep]

Yes, those are the CD4E caps. C4DEHPQ6150A8TK to be exact. The thought was more along the lines of package and stray resistance (voltage spikes). The literature I've seen shows the arrangement I have as the most ideal for further reduction of stray resistance, with the two parallel copper plates attached to the bus bars. With three caps, it was possible to get them much closer to the IGBTs than the single cap. Of course, this has yet to be proven. To date I've tested it up to 70 volts and 20-25 battery amps and have seen in the ballpark of 15v spikes. The spikes so far have not changed with higher current (0-25 amps gives the same spike), so I don't know what will happen when I go into the hundreds of amps. I've also so far done nothing with the gate resistors to improve anything. I just started simple with a 5 ohm turn on and off resistance. For more info on the build and testing, check out my blog:

Porsche 924 Electric Conversion

[FieroChris]

so that would be 450uf of total capacitance. hmmm wonder if more would be better or not. adam sure has it looking pretty good here...

All sizes | IMG_1285 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I guess I will have to decide.

any feedback for a reliable source on Ebay for the CM400DU 12F IGBT's

dont want to buy junk.. and I probably wont know they are junk until the pedal hits the floor...


-chris

[adamj12b]

Originally Posted by FieroChris

so that would be 450uf of total capacitance. hmmm wonder if more would be better or not. adam sure has it looking pretty good here...

All sizes | IMG_1285 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I guess I will have to decide.

any feedback for a reliable source on Ebay for the CM400DU 12F IGBT's

dont want to buy junk.. and I probably wont know they are junk until the pedal hits the floor...


-chris

Again, posted in other threads, but I want to cover it in them all.
My wife has been in the hospital so I have been busy taking care of her, that's why I havnt been around to help answer questions. Shes making a good recovery and will be ok!

The capacitance is not as important as the ripple current.

For comparison here are the datasheets.

SBE 700D384 600V 1000uF http://www.sbelectronics.com/wp-cont...jan-20-web.pdf

C4DE 150uF 600V http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/212/F3303_C4DE-123885.pdf
In-case there was a type, I will use the 220uF figures.

The SBE ring cap can widthstand 500Arms up to 70C. The C4DE caps are good for 65Arms each at 65C for a total of 195Arms capability. Keeping th caps cooler increases there ripple ability to 300A max

Now, The rule of thumb that I have been using is 50% of maximum current at 50% duty cycle. This means I want to handle 500A ripple at full power of 100A output. Im trying to remember, but i believe this is right. My mind is in other places lately.

When it comes down to it though, you will have a hard time having too much capacitor. The more you have, the cooler the cap bank will run.

As for IGBT's, I talked to sawickm a few months ago and we determined that the CM600 modules will work with the driver board and the bus plates. They are just slightly offset from the CM400 modules because the power bolts are centered of the cm600's.

-Adam