# Regen Bench Test



## Guest (Nov 19, 2011)

I have installed my Kaylor Adaptor Motor Setup for the VW into my 69 Ghia so we could once again test our Kelly KDC SepEx software modified controller. I have had this in the wings for a good year and finally got back to testing. We do need to test on the road but since we actually used a full 72 volt pack we were able to spin the motor up fast enough so we could test the regen function. It was successful. There were some small issues that we are going to send to Kelly for modification and we will try again. I have no idea how long Kelly will take getting me an update to put into the controller. The motor is a military starter/generator. It is a high rpm motor rated at 3000 to 8000 rpm with the ability to for short bursts go into the 12,000 rpm range. So with the full 72 volts applied we can get the little motor to spin up real fast then switch on regen. The video will show you. 

Enjoy.

Pete 

Stay Tuned. More to come.


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## DavidDymaxion (Dec 1, 2008)

That's awesome experimentation, thanks for posting and I'll look forward to future updates. I have a Kelly Sepex controller, too. I can vouch for the fact it delivered enough Amps to fry the brushes on my Kostov . That cut short my testing of the regen!

So what mods are you having Kelly do to the software?


gottdi said:


> I have installed my Kaylor Adaptor Motor Setup for the VW into my 69 Ghia so we could once again test our Kelly KDC SepEx software modified controller. I have had this in the wings for a good year and finally got back to testing. We do need to test on the road but since we actually used a full 72 volt pack we were able to spin the motor up fast enough so we could test the regen function. It was successful. There were some small issues that we are going to send to Kelly for modification and we will try again. I have no idea how long Kelly will take getting me an update to put into the controller. The motor is a military starter/generator. It is a high rpm motor rated at 3000 to 8000 rpm with the ability to for short bursts go into the 12,000 rpm range. So with the full 72 volts applied we can get the little motor to spin up real fast then switch on regen. The video will show you.
> 
> Enjoy.
> 
> ...


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## Salty9 (Jul 13, 2009)

Pete,

I noticed a string or wire appeared on the brush holder around 2 minutes into your video. Could that have something to do with increased noise or harmonic you were talking about?

Chuck


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## Guest (Nov 19, 2011)

Chuck,

No, that was just some weeds that came flying out of the motor. It had been sitting attached to my buggy all summer and winter last year out back and weeds and spiders made it a nice little home. The harmonic sounds were there from the very beginning and even the other starter/generator motor presents the same harmonic sounds. I had three of these motors before and all three are pretty loud when running under no load. They are not so bad under full load of moving a vehicle. 

Pete


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## Guest (Nov 19, 2011)

DavidDymaxion said:


> That's awesome experimentation, thanks for posting and I'll look forward to future updates. I have a Kelly Sepex controller, too. I can vouch for the fact it delivered enough Amps to fry the brushes on my Kostov . That cut short my testing of the regen!
> 
> So what mods are you having Kelly do to the software?



David, 

Thanks. More updates will come as I get them done. The amps you see on the gauge are not amps from the Regen. I did not measure that under the no load condition. Those amps were only from normal output.

I want Kelly to see if they can keep the field power from being ON with the throttle off when the field function of the controller is used. The field function is needed if you are going to do any regeneration. I had turned off the field function and the motor still works fine due to the fact that one field is common with the armature. That insures that there is some field power so the motor will run. The other is to see if they might actually get field weakening to work. It worked in my old Hardware modified Kelly controller we originally started working with on this project. 

Question for you. Is your Kostov motor a SepEx motor? If it is I would give it a try but you need to check what % your field is set at and to turn down the regen for starters. I started with only like 20% regen and moved it up to full which is like 50%. So if my motor is able to produce 400 amps it will regen 200 amps. Or would be able to do so. 

Under load I am quite sure it will act different than on the bench with no load. We shall see.


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## DavidDymaxion (Dec 1, 2008)

I realize my message gave the impression I cooked the brushes during regen. I cooked the brushes in motoring mode. I had done one test at 10% regen, and wasn't sure if I was getting regen or not. Then I fried the brushes, so no more testing until I get that fixed.

Yes, my motor is a sepex.

My Kelly "idles" the field current at the max setting, even at 0 rpm and no throttle input. This wastes a bit of energy when stopped, and makes my fields warm (they cool well once the motor is spinning, and yes I also have an electric fan but that doesn't cool nearly as well as the internal fan). I have measured that it weakens the field to about 1/2 the max value at high rpm. I'd suggest you put a volt meter on your field to learn what the Kelly is doing.

The Curtis sepex manual allows you to enter a field map, the Kelly doesn't.

One danger of ramping the field from 0 to some current is that the response might be quite slow. My sepex winding has so much inductance it is about 1/2 second behind the armature in current ramping up. I'm thinking a good compromise might be to idle at 1/2 max current, and then ramp up with the armature current to full current, and then field weaken. I might idle my motor is another thought.

Also, the field ever going to zero increases the risk for motor disaster if something goes wrong. Idling the field at 1/2 max current would be more bullet proof.


gottdi said:


> David,
> 
> Thanks. More updates will come as I get them done. The amps you see on the gauge are not amps from the Regen. I did not measure that under the no load condition. Those amps were only from normal output.
> 
> ...


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## jimherr (Dec 4, 2011)

DavidDymaxion said:


> That's awesome experimentation, thanks for posting and I'll look forward to future updates. I have a Kelly Sepex controller, too. I can vouch for the fact it delivered enough Amps to fry the brushes on my Kostov . That cut short my testing of the regen!
> 
> So what mods are you having Kelly do to the software?[/QUOTE
> ]
> ...


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2011)

Not sure what Kelly is doing for the software but what ever it is, it works. Waiting for a new update of the software. The adaptor is one that was built by Roy Kaylor and he built an EV kit for the VW that used the starter/generators and a mechanical contactor speed control. How they managed to cut the spline is beyond my scope. They actually use the end of the VW crank shaft and the softer part is what is cut to accept the spline of the motors. It utilizes the stock VW flywheel and pressure plate so you can run them in your Bug, Buggy or Ghia. I would not really use then in any more than a Buggy. I am testing once again in the Ghia to check out the Regen abilities. Got photos of your starter/generator? 

Pete


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