# Logisystems still turning my motor?



## Tesseract (Sep 27, 2008)

voltmatic automaton said:


> I look down the side of the motor and there the second shaft on the motor is turning!
> ...
> Is this normal? Is this some kind of cooling thing in the Logisystem controller, caps discharging?
> ....


We've seen this behavior with Logisystems before. Scary stuff is all I'll say. Apparently the analog PWM circuit drifts with temperature (or something) which affects the zero point for the throttle input.


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## voltmatic automaton (Nov 2, 2008)

Perhaps someone from Logisystems can put forward some info. If the heat is to blame then cooling will need to be at a maximum, I may need to look into a more aggresive solution.

But if the motor is turning without my touching the throttle it may also explain why my gears were grinding from time to time while I was driving. I use a direct drive system and sometimes the gears would slide smoothly from one to the next, other times not (and I realise the transmission would still be turning but I was giving plenty of time between shifts).

I wonder if Logisystems own throttle box is designed to work around this issue?

Anyone? Jim?

Thanks again.


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

Odd.

A high pedal disconnect would solve it but it shouldn't need to be that way I guess.


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## dimitri (May 16, 2008)

You didn't mention what type of throttle assembly you have. Try to measure its resistance when pedal is up, if its more than zero then you need to get a better throttle or perhaps adjust it somehow so it goes to zero every time, maybe you need stronger return spring if it doesn't return to zero on its own. Try to pull the lever with your hand, does it go further back with pedal released? Its not controller's fault if throttle input doesn't go back to zero, granted that your choice of controller doesn't allow calibration.

I know its a kludge, but if you have a microswitch on high pedal, you could use it to short the throttle leads, forcing zero resistance while switch is activated.


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## voltmatic automaton (Nov 2, 2008)

the throttle is a pb6 for a curtis. i'll try what you suggest, after all the field test is supposed to work out the bugs.

thanx


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## Guest (Nov 10, 2009)

Most controllers don't allow for calibration of the throttle pot. 

Pete


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## Tesseract (Sep 27, 2008)

gottdi said:


> Most controllers don't allow for calibration of the throttle pot.


Hmmm.... I just did a quick mental tally of all the controllers I can think of and I'd say most do have a throttle calibration routine of some sort built in. It's only the purely analog dinosaurs - Logisystems and Curtis (DC only) - that don't.

Besides us, the Alltrax, Kelly, Zilla, Synkromotive, heck, even MPHolmes open source controller ("Cougar"?) all have a calibration routine built in.


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## kittydog42 (Sep 18, 2007)

Try shorting out the throttle input to make zero ohms, but be careful. I would connect a switch parallel to the throttle pot while the circuit breaker is off. If that doesn't stop the motor, then I would say that you are on borrowed time before the controller blows up. 

They are still blowing up. I recently (within the last three months) sent a controller back twice for the same thing. I got a refund after the second incident. I was using their custom pot box with it.


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## neanderthal (Jul 24, 2008)

My logisystems controller used to do the exact same thing. Using the microswitch on the potbox to turn the KSI on the controller on and off through a relay fixed it completely. And no the logisystems special potbox does not have provisions for fixing that. It did drive much smoother after getting their potbox and the new n house mod they did though...


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## voltmatic automaton (Nov 2, 2008)

Okay so with the controller still doing the turning thing I have to be a little more curious. Can someone from Logisystems post something to let me know whats going on.
Heres whats happening so far.

The controller works fine as long as its cool, from a standing start cold it will work fine no turning.
But if i keep a constant load as in freeway type driving on it the thing starts to keep the motor turning between gears, very nasty when you are trying to shift in the middle of traffic.
The only way to change gears without completely mashing the transmission is to turn the vehicle off while its rolling and engage the correct gear.
DANGEROUS.

While i did hook up the potbox from logisystems it does the same thing when the controller gets hot. i did not hook up the additional switch on the pot, my reasoning being that i shouldn't have to cut power when there is obviously a thermal problem here.

I would point out that the controller has the stock fans from the company and is situated with plenty of open space around it.

can anyone suggest a cooling setup that may alleviate this issue?
i guess i could cut a vent in the hood... but the question that would arise is should i have to?

thanks for any information folks.

roy


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## voltmatic automaton (Nov 2, 2008)

oh additionally, i have plenty of older computer fans and case fans lying around.
if i used a couple which airflow pattern would disapate more heat, blowing onto the controller or pulling air off the controller?

suggestions?


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## ngrimm (Oct 19, 2007)

I would try the fans and see which way works best. Does the pot pull the voltage up when you press the pedal or does it pull it down? If it pulls it up you could wire one terminal from another pot to the throttle input and the other terminal of the pot to ground and trim it the way you want it at least as a test.


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