# Need a little Zilla wiring help....



## EVfun (Mar 14, 2010)

This isn't getting a response and I suspect that is because most users just follow the instructions and leave power on pin 2 (I know I did.) I don't know what problems could result from booting up with power on both 2 and 3 but I know you can't put power to pin 4 (start) to soon or it will throw an error code. This came up because people often run a second contactor on the pack negative and the controller expects pack voltage before it receives the start signal.

I would try contacting Cafe Electric. I could not find the answer to your question in the FAQ.


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## jtgreeson (Aug 14, 2009)

Thanks, EVFun, for the response. I was also not able to find any info on the FAQ's, these forums, or elsewhere. I am hesitant to contact Otmar & friends due to respect that they might be a little busy now. I am now powering pins 2 and 3 simultaneously with no obvious problems. Pin 2 from DC/DC, pin 3 from 12v bat.


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## electrabishi (Mar 11, 2008)

Jim, 
Actually its the other way around. The +14V SLI needs to come on solid a slight amount of time before Key On is asserted. It does not matter if Key On and Start Input are asserted at the same time. But the Key On must come on after the SLI voltage is applied and go off before SLI is removed.

We were running this wrong in the Pinto as well until last summer. It still worked fine, but occasionally we would lose our voltage or current settings, or it would throw a random error on occasion. Otmar told us that the processor needs to have time to retrieve prior (on start up) or to save the current settings (on shut down) between the time the +14v SLI is asserted (or de-asserted) and when the Key On is asserted (or de-asserted).

HTH 
Mike


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## jtgreeson (Aug 14, 2009)

Mike, Thanks for the post! I hope things are going well.

This week I got to do my first test drives around the block (yahoo!) So far no problems with power to pins 2 & 3 first (+14v sli & Key) and pin 4 (start) second.

To prevent the error you described I'll rewire. I'm not quite sure the best way to do that. 

My 914 ignition switch just has "run" and momentary "start". Now my DC/DC comes on with "run". I'm thinking of just an extra toggle switch in the trunk to turn DC/DC on all the time. Then "run" and "start" would power pins 3 & 4 in that order. I would use that switch to turn off the DC/DC after a day of driving or if the car was going to sit for a while. Alternately, I could easily trip my 250amp CB that splits my fwd and aft battery packs. I'm guessing there's no harm to run the DC/DC for a few days powering the Zilla and charging the battery if I forget to turn it off.

Again, thanks. That was the information I needed.


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## electrabishi (Mar 11, 2008)

Sure not a problem. Yeah I have such a small aux battery in the Pinto I can't afford to leave the hairball on all the time. It kills it in a few days. So what I did after Otmar corrected me is just used an extra toggle switch I had under the dash to put power to the hairball first before I turn the key. It actually works pretty good. Will do that the Mitsubishi here one day too. I let that thing go a week and the aux battery is dead. I think in general leaving it on all the time is a bad idea ;-)

Mike


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## Roy Von Rogers (Mar 21, 2009)

I know nothing about Zilla's, but I was just thinking about the sequence that is recommended. Use the ignition on signal to do the first signal, then use a dptd relay thats activated to latch when you use the iginition start position. And when you get done driving and turn ignition off, the relay would unlatch ready for the next time use.

Roy


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## electrabishi (Mar 11, 2008)

Roy Von Rogers said:


> I know nothing about Zilla's, but I was just thinking about the sequence that is recommended. Use the ignition on signal to do the first signal, then use a dptd relay thats activated to latch when you use the iginition start position. And when you get done driving and turn ignition off, the relay would unlatch ready for the next time use.
> 
> Roy


I think the problem would be if you turn the key off too fast the Key On and Start Input would go off too close to the +14V SLI going off as well. I don't think I had as many problems with them coming on at the same as I think it was them going off at the same time. But I couldn't be sure. I do know that aside from the intermittent ambiguous error codes (that weren't all that troublesome) I had to make sure my voltage and current settings remained intact. It would intermittently drop the Series Motor voltage to that of the Parallel Motor voltage. Which could hurt me in a drag race 

I just went with a hard wired toggle switch to the +14V SLI. It is located in a convenient location on the dash to also to act as a tertiary emergency shutdown. When that switch goes off, everything goes off from the Zilla. After that switch is turned on, the ignition switch runs the Key On and Start Input properly.

You have to be careful which ignition switch lines you use too from the original ICE harness. Certain lines on the "Run" position actually go off when the key is intermittently in the Start position. Gotta watch for that 

Mike


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## Lordwacky (Jan 28, 2009)

What about wiring a large capacitor in Parallel to the SLI input. I'm not sure how long the Zilla needs to Save its settings, but if its just a couple of seconds that could work. When you turn the key off the Hairball will draw from the Cap until it dies.

just a thought


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## jtgreeson (Aug 14, 2009)

Thanks for the ideas, Roy, Mike, & Mr. Wacky. All good ones. I ended up just adding a "vacation" switch to run the DC/Dc all the time. I will turn it off if the car sits for over a week. "Run" on the Ignition switch now runs just a few things one being the Zilla "run" input. The Zilla now draws about 70-90 MilliAmps at rest through the DC/DC and not the sli battery. I took the car on the road for the first time yesterday. WooHoo!


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