# We want dependable controllers



## gasless (Jul 10, 2008)

* How are people going to get into electric cars if there not dependable. Seems to me that most of the problems are in the controllers. I think most of the production motors work well and are reliable. My controller gave out after 125 miles, $60 dollar tow home. I just dont consider that dependable. Does anyone have a electric conversion that has driven 10,000 miles with out a falure? If so, I think it would be nice of you to let the rest of us know what you are using for components. And give your vender's a that a boy...Thanks* *Ed** *


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## Evan (Feb 20, 2008)

gasless - That doesn't help much. I can sympathize but this is like filing a bug report on software. Give us your configuration and controller type for starters.


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## gasless (Jul 10, 2008)

Evan, Its a Logisystems 72 to 120 volt controller. 14, 8 volt Trojans 112 volts. 
logisystems is repairing my controller , but that's not my point. I would like to here from someone who has 10,000 on there conversion. With out a problem. And I would like to know the component manufacture...Ed


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## frodus (Apr 12, 2008)

just because your controller failed, doesn't mean that there wasn't a faulty installation, bad battery issue, motor issue, etc. Sure, its a simple setup, but if you didn't install something like a prechare resistor, or a shotkey on the contactor, it could have caused problems. Do you have a schematic of the entire system as its wired?

Also, if components are not matched correctly, you'll reduce the life of something in the system.

What controller, motor, batteries (voltage and Ah rating), fuse rating, contactor rating, gauge type, etc. Whats the system voltage?


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## frodus (Apr 12, 2008)

gasless said:


> Evan, Its a Logisystems 72 to 120 volt controller. 14, 8 volt Trojans 112 volts.
> logisystems is repairing my controller , but that's not my point. I would like to here from someone who has 10,000 on there conversion. With out a problem. And I would like to know the component manufacture...Ed


 start browsing EValbum... there's tons of cars with high mileage.


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## gasless (Jul 10, 2008)

OK, I'm not getting the answer I want. I dont want to draw a diagram. Logisystems already said it was a problem with there controller. I just thought it would be nice to here from people who have reached a 10,000 mile mark. And the components they used. Can I here from some of you who have reached this mark??? Thanks Ed


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## frodus (Apr 12, 2008)

You only said you had a car, with a controller.... thats like saying you have a computer that doesn't work.... and asking how to fix it. We needed more info.... what kind of car/controller/bats/charger etc is really helpful in realizing what kind of issues you might have. Since its a higher voltage controller, I'm willing to bet he's got some nasty ringing on the gates of the FETs or he's got some cap tolerance issues (not high enough voltage). The higher voltage controllers are known to have these issues quite a bit, one reason there's not too many out there. Without knowing the application, or how its being wired, its nearly impossibly to figure out WHY it failed.

Here's some higher mileage EV's.... start looking there, lots more info there .... and alot better not to have to wait for an answer from someone who does have 10k+ miles.

http://www.evalbum.com/788
http://www.evalbum.com/913
http://www.evalbum.com/1279
http://www.evalbum.com/1381


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## madmike (Jul 11, 2008)

frodus said:


> start browsing EValbum... there's tons of cars with high mileage.


If you take his advice... and enter 10,000 miles into the EValbum search bar... you would quickly come up with this...

http://www.google.com/custom?site=e...lbum.jpg;S:http://evalbum.com/;FORID:1;&hl=en


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## gasless (Jul 10, 2008)

ok will do


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## gasless (Jul 10, 2008)

Thanks much


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## frodus (Apr 12, 2008)

If you hadn't said anything, i wouldn't have looked. There's quite a few out there 

lots of curtis and zilla controllers.


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## gasless (Jul 10, 2008)

Yea I saw that, seems curtis would be the way to go. Zillas take forever to get. Ed


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## Guest (Nov 4, 2008)

What is this shotkey on the controller you mentioned? Never heard that term before. 






frodus said:


> just because your controller failed, doesn't mean that there wasn't a faulty installation, bad battery issue, motor issue, etc. Sure, its a simple setup, but if you didn't install something like a prechare resistor, or a shotkey on the contactor, it could have caused problems. Do you have a schematic of the entire system as its wired?
> 
> Also, if components are not matched correctly, you'll reduce the life of something in the system.
> 
> What controller, motor, batteries (voltage and Ah rating), fuse rating, contactor rating, gauge type, etc. Whats the system voltage?


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## gasless (Jul 10, 2008)

I didnt make that post....Ed


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## Guest (Nov 4, 2008)

Frodus did. That is who I am asking!


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## gasless (Jul 10, 2008)

OOPS sorry


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## Guest (Nov 4, 2008)

No biggie.




gasless said:


> OOPS sorry


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## frodus (Apr 12, 2008)

its not a controller.... its a shotkey diode that goes across the contactor to elimitate back EMF when the coil is disenergized. Coils want to keep current flowing, and if there's no where for it to go, it can reach really high voltages. Almost all controller schematics show the contactor with a diode across it. But if you don't have one, and the controller is controlling the contactor, it could throw current back to the controller or a dangerously high voltage.


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## Guest (Nov 4, 2008)

Ok, Just never heard it called a shotkey diode. Yes the contactor should have one. Most come with them. Some don't. Where did you hear the term? Seems like in all my research before and after building an EV I never heard the term. 

Oh well. No biggie. : )
Thanks.





frodus said:


> its not a controller.... its a shotkey diode that goes across the contactor to elimitate back EMF when the coil is disenergized. Coils want to keep current flowing, and if there's no where for it to go, it can reach really high voltages. Almost all controller schematics show the contactor with a diode across it. But if you don't have one, and the controller is controlling the contactor, it could throw current back to the controller or a dangerously high voltage.


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## frodus (Apr 12, 2008)

I spelled it wrong (I'm an EE not an English major), its Schottky... Its a diode with a very small forward voltage drop, limits current flow and is fast acting. Used on some small DC motors, contactors and large solenoids to limit back EMF. Doesn't have to be a Schottky, not sure what most people use. My contactor has one on the economizer.

Either way, you need a diode on the contactor.


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## saab96 (Mar 19, 2008)

gasless said:


> Yea I saw that, seems curtis would be the way to go. Zillas take forever to get. Ed



Yeah, but the Curtis has the notorious fingers-on-the-chalkboard whine, and the Zilla is in the process of being discontinued.


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## jaspersk (Jun 26, 2008)

saab96 said:


> Yeah, but the Curtis has the notorious fingers-on-the-chalkboard whine, and the Zilla is in the process of being discontinued.


While you cannot buy a Zilla today, the product is not being discontinued. They are just in a holding pattern while they transition manufacturing. The current update on the production blog says that Otmar had 30 people contact him with interest. Hopefully, we'll see some good news from them in the near future.

http://www.cafeelectricpress.com/blog/?cat=5

http://www.cafeelectricpress.com/blog/?cat=2


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