Paul & Sabrina's cheap DIY 144v motor controller

[evimarn]

Hi Flores, what type of controller are you using , I have been waiting for Adam's but now I'm sort of giving up.
Good luck for your tyre ripping power I'd love it.

[mora]

You can up motor current by turning VR1 on control board. Schematics say that full counter-clockwise should give ~495A. In my experience full CCW gives something between 400-450A. I never saw my motor amps go higher than 400 using that setting. Then, fully clockwise should set motor amps hardware limit to 775A. I believe this should be closer to "burn rubber"-setting. Be careful. System is tried and proved at 500A. If you want to have that 775A (or whatever it will actually be) going into your motor for higher rpms you need to up your pack voltage (higher motor voltage).

Now somebody please correct me if this isn't true. I'm about to turn that VR1 a bit more CW when I open the controller case next time. I still have studded tires so I'm avoiding any wheelspins anyway.

EDIT: but if you are using 1000A controller my advice is useless. I thought you had 500A version there.

[flores]

Paul once build three beta 1000A controllers, and this is one of them.

The 1000A definitely gives more power than the 500A, but I expected more. Turning VR1 doesn't make a notable difference.

Can't the controller also be made more responsive by tuning the internal software parameters?

[MPaulHolmes]

Hello! VR1 just changes the trip point for the last line of defense, which is the hardware overcurrent trip point. The software is what really keeps the current at no more than 500 amps. Fully CCW means the hardware is probably limiting the current to around 450-495amp.

I think I still have the "1000amp" code. I could look for it and try to make a change and email you the .hex file, flores. It wouldn't have a bootloader though, so you'd have to have a programmer. I wonder if I set the current to less than 1000amp for testing purposes, with the vague idea that later once it was working, that we would up the current. That feels familiar. I'll take a look at the code this weekend.

At my job I've gotten a lot of practice over the last year with chassis mount IGBTs, home made desaturation detection circuits, copper sheets, and film capacitors. My house is being powered by an inverter and MPPT tracker that I designed for that company that all use film capacitors and chassis mount IGBTs. I've been planning on doing a chassis mount DC controller for quite a while, now that I know how super easy those types of IGBTs are to work with. I have 6 600v 600amp IGBTs that were new from Ebay. Does anyone want to live dangerously and try out a prototype? I'd donate the igbts. I'm just finishing a project, and need something new to work on.

[jedsmd]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

.... I've been planning on doing a chassis mount DC controller for quite a while, now that I know how super easy those types of IGBTs are to work with. I have 6 600v 600amp IGBTs that were new from Ebay. Does anyone want to live dangerously and try out a prototype? I'd donate the igbts. I'm just finishing a project, and need something new to work on.

Paul
I was just about to order the power components for your 500 amp controller, with intent to operate it at about 600 to 650 amps.

If you want to provide the design for an igbt controller power section I would be happy to build and test it out.

I have a 3200lb pickup with 48 Lifepo4 cells (about 175 volts peak, 144 working). Right now I am using a 850 amp Kelly controller which seems to be about the right amp rating for my vehicle and driving style.
Jerald

[jackbauer]

Paul! Your back Didn't I tell you years ago igbts were the way to go Your new job sounds fun.

[flores]

Paul,

That would explain why the VR1 does nothing.. I have a programmer, so I could program the atmel.. isn't the code also on the wiki for the 1000? thought i've seen it.

I would also happy to test anything out.. and blow things up.. I have the hardware.. street legal EV, Lipo's and warp 9.. bring it on !!

[flores]

This one: https://files.secureserver.net/1sHJFxDBK3ObI7

Searched for it but can't find any max amps reference that quick..

[flores]

Also.. it seems like the serialport is not working... so I cannot check any config now..

At ttl level the serial is working, hooked up a logic analyser for that, but cannot send command with that..

[duncan]

Does anyone want to live dangerously and try out a prototype? I'd donate the igbts. I'm just finishing a project, and need something new to work on.

I would love to help you with this
My skill levels for the electronics and programming are a bit low (putting it mildly) but if you think I could help I would love to be involved