# open source controller design group



## ecvs (Mar 4, 2008)

I have set up this thread to use for the group on yahoo called evcs. Group memebers please use this thread to discuss the issues at hand so we can keep the posting traffic down to a minimum on yahoo.
Now for microprocessor choice I am going to use the 18F2331. I know there has been a number of comments about using other micros, but as I posted on the yahoo group, this micro is well suited for the job. It has everything for the basic design DC brushed motor, and every other motor. Has at least 6 pwm's, ADC, quadrature interface, hall sensoring etc. Please read the post on the yahoo group for futher information regarding this choice and how you can still use your own choice.
Tom


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## ecvs (Mar 4, 2008)

We will definently be using a pic micro controller. Now the question is which one. We may even use a few. I know there are a number of pics that are set up for motor control that have pwm's, quadrature interfacing for brushless motors, and A/D converter. We will need a number of A/D converters to monitor everything we can IE. temps of motor and IGBT's
Current, Voltage limits, motor speed, etc. We may need to use more than one. I'm going to start seaching though the micropic website to see what is available. Anyone happen to know if there is a pic that has lots of A/D converters on it?
Tom


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## Wirecutter (Jul 26, 2007)

Hmm. I think I need to understand how to navigate the Yahoo groups a little better. I've joined evcs as 'neurotikart', and I *thought* I'd posted, but I don't see my post.

If/when it does show up, I think I see here that it's out of place. I have Microchip development hardware running, but I'm running a 3 phase AC motor. My hardware uses the dsPIC30F series processors. Current running code is from Microchip AN908, "Using the dsPIC30F for Vector Control of an ACIM".

Is it too late to make a case for a 3-phase AC controller? 

-Mark


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## Bugzuki (Jan 15, 2008)

Wirecutter said:


> Hmm. I think I need to understand how to navigate the Yahoo groups a little better. I've joined evcs as 'neurotikart', and I *thought* I'd posted, but I don't see my post.
> 
> If/when it does show up, I think I see here that it's out of place. I have Microchip development hardware running, but I'm running a 3 phase AC motor. My hardware uses the dsPIC30F series processors. Current running code is from Microchip AN908, "Using the dsPIC30F for Vector Control of an ACIM".
> 
> ...


Do you have a copy of the test code for the Microchip system for running the ACIM? I have a dsPIC30F6014 proto board I am using and am building my own controller. I would like to have a copy of the dsPIC30F6010 test code so that I can see what they did. If I understand correctly though Microchip made their system to run off of a wall plug and not a battery, and it is very low power.

Don't worry about not understanding Yahoo it is very cumbersome, you'll get the hang of it sometime.


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## ecvs (Mar 4, 2008)

Wirecutter said:


> Hmm. I think I need to understand how to navigate the Yahoo groups a little better. I've joined evcs as 'neurotikart', and I *thought* I'd posted, but I don't see my post.
> 
> If/when it does show up, I think I see here that it's out of place. I have Microchip development hardware running, but I'm running a 3 phase AC motor. My hardware uses the dsPIC30F series processors. Current running code is from Microchip AN908, "Using the dsPIC30F for Vector Control of an ACIM".
> 
> ...


Hi Mark, 
I did see your message on the evcs and posted it. I think it may not have shown up right away because I put everyone who joins on moderated until I see that they are not spammers. I was told to do this by the moderator central group. 
Anyways back to the subject. The pic I have my eye on does support the 3 phase induction motor and has hall effect inputs, quadrature interfacing which I'm pretty sure is vector control . But I am open to any pic because I haven't bought anything yet. In fact after having spoken with a guru on motor control in my town today, I may want to research the pics to see if there might be one that supports all you have mentioned and has a lot of A/D converters. The A/D converters are needed to monitor many things. So lets look over the entire pic family and choose the best. The only thing that I will be for sure using in my design (unless someone shows me something simpler)is the IGBT driver system from powerrex. The VLA502-01. Price is 57 dollars for this item approx. And it pretty much solves a lot of dicey issues with the power side of things. Check out the schematic I have on the evcs for this. Its really easy to use and it supports many IGBT's up to 1200Volts. You choose the IGBT that best suits your current needed up to 800 amps. And it could handle other manufacturers IGBT's as long as you don't go over the drive current limit of 14 Amps. I want to put 2 or 3 IGBT's in parallel to allow for higher currents. 
Tom


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## Mesuge (Mar 6, 2008)

Wirecutter said:


> Is it too late to make a case for a 3-phase AC controller?
> 
> -Mark



DIY/kit 3-phase AC controller tweaked for EV low-mid power range conversions is the holly grail, Nobel prize nomination secured, best of luck to your efforts.. 

Arthur Matteson, have made homebrew 55HP AC drive but somehow didn't finish it up into replicable product, he used to be very kind for answering emails/questions - might be still of some help:

















details about the drive:
http://home.comcast.net/~awmatt/evconv.html
http://home.comcast.net/~awmatt/threeph.html
..
.

his test car:
http://www.evalbum.com/532

-
As an illustration, Otmar's (Zilla) AC controller won't be ready for years, and that's not diy/kit and obviously will be targeting the more powerfull segment (.x MW output).

It drives me crazy that some controller companies like Sevcon Millipak (PM 4Q almost like AC) are charging extra ~ $300 just for user software, while Alltrax (DC) is incl. in the product's price but their sepex/regen line is unfortunately limited to 48V only.. Similarly for other AC brands..

On the other hand, the price of industrial AC/VFD drives has droped like a rock, 
so perhaps up to 30kW (continous) it makes not much a sense to go that diy route, and to go more 
power is not that easy from scratch and as a hobbyist I suppose..


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## Bugzuki (Jan 15, 2008)

Wow that thing is a mad mess. I can not even tell what he was trying to do.


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## Mesuge (Mar 6, 2008)

Don't be so harsh on Arthur, he did provide some limited documentation..

--

Anyway lets rather turn our attention to this opensource 100kW 3phase AC drive:
http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showpost.php?p=28478&postcount=111


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## Wirecutter (Jul 26, 2007)

Bugzuki said:


> Do you have a copy of the test code for the Microchip system for running the ACIM? I have a dsPIC30F6014 proto board I am using and am building my own controller. I would like to have a copy of the dsPIC30F6010 test code so that I can see what they did. If I understand correctly though Microchip made their system to run off of a wall plug and not a battery, and it is very low power.


 Do you mean the original code from the MC1 board? Yes. I think I can locate source and binaries. When I got my setup, the first thing I did before jamming app note code into the board was verify that I could restore it to original condition.

I'm quite familiar with the proliferation (!) of wall warts. Using a wall wart greatly simplifies safety agency (UL, CE, TUV, ad nauseum) approval for a product. The MC1 board itself runs off of a switcher "brick" in my case, rather than a wall wart per se, but it's the same concept. The HVPM module is connected directly to the wall - I'm using 120v, but it's really made to take 220v. The driver box is rated for motors up to 3/4 HP.

-Mark


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## Wirecutter (Jul 26, 2007)

Mesuge said:


> Anyway lets rather turn our attention to this opensource 100kW 3phase AC drive:
> http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showpost.php?p=28478&postcount=111


Thanks, Mesuge and others, for posting links to the efforts of others. I felt certain that I wasn't the first to go down this road, but like someone mentioned, "the internet is strangely quiet on the topic".

(There really is an art to picking the right search terms, sometimes.)

It appears that the problem has been solved. I'm not looking for a Nobel prize, I just want a 3PIM driver that I don't need to mortgage the house for. Thanks again.

-Mark


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## ecvs (Mar 4, 2008)

Good News.

We will soon have our own area in here dedicated to homemade EV controllers, for communicating. A link will hopefully be set up from here to the evcs yahoo group where you will find all the files for various controllers and designs. I have this on good authority from our Administrator rbgrn.
Tom


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## aeroscott (Jan 5, 2008)

that's great Tom , as we learn I hope to help the newbies .John Stubbe


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## ecvs (Mar 4, 2008)

Calling all people who are designing their own homemade controller! 
Our open source controller design group on yahoo called evcs would like to get your information loaded onto the yahoo group as a seperate file for each design with your name.
The yahoo group will only be used for storing designs and limited announcements on that message post system. We are going to have our own area on here to discuss issues here shortly. So if you have a design and would like to share it, please join the group and we can get your stuff loaded up in the files section.
Tom (ecvs on here) the yahoo group is evcs. I changed up the acronym.


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## ecvs (Mar 4, 2008)

More files have been added to the evcs yahoo group.
Tom


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## [email protected] (Nov 7, 2008)

Hi, 

I just joined up, and am trying to catch up on what you have been doing. I am very interested in helping with some of the work, though some of it may be a little over my head. I am an electronics technician, and am just starting my first EV conversion. Since the demise of the Zilla controller, I have been looking for other options, and there dosen't really seem to be anything good out there.

Nathan Parrow
www.okrobotics.com
405-245-5245


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## Wirecutter (Jul 26, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> Since the demise of the Zilla controller, I have been looking for other options


Demise of the Zilla? What have I missed?

-Mark


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## [email protected] (Nov 7, 2008)

Cafe Electric is going out of business. They are no longer accepting orders. They have offered the product line up for licensing, but have not announced that anyone is going to pick it up.


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