# Leaf wiring and control



## skooler (Mar 26, 2011)

We've done a few vehicles now using the second gen leaf kit.

Just plug it all in on the bench/floor.. get it working and then remove as much as you can.

The minimum we have found that works is:

Complete motor stack without AC (harness unmodified) including the park lock actuator.
Main ECU (VCM)
BCM
IPDM
J1772 inlet
Chademo inlet
Water pump
Coolant temperature sensor
Brake pedal switches (not the brake pot)
Accelerator HEPA
Start button and encoder
Two key sensors (both dash area, one above hvac and one in centre console)
Telematics module
Key security module (the bit welded to the dash crossmember)
Two original relay boxes from the engine bay harness
Repackaged HV battery with standard BMS
Heavily modified dash harness (with interior fusebox)
Body harness stripped down to just HV battery comms connector
The key
Prndl (gear selector)
Prndl light
Binnacle lower part



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## CanadaLT28 (Oct 15, 2011)

Not sure what BCM (battery control?) or IPDM (Instrument panel?) is. From your list, I'm not sure if you can get the regen working properly. I don't suspect traction control is possible (as a version of a limited slip diff).


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

CanadaLT28 said:


> I don't suspect traction control is possible (as a version of a limited slip diff).


Power reduction for traction control requires wheel speeds to determine when power needs to be reduced, but only motor control to take action. An electronic version of a limited-slip differential - which means applying unequal torque to the two drive wheels - certainly requires both individual wheel speeds plus control of the brakes... which would not be possible with the listed parts.


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## CanadaLT28 (Oct 15, 2011)

brian_ said:


> Power reduction for traction control requires wheel speeds to determine when power needs to be reduced, but only motor control to take action. An electronic version of a limited-slip differential - which means applying unequal torque to the two drive wheels - certainly requires both individual wheel speeds plus control of the brakes... which would not be possible with the listed parts.


I haven't looked through the entire box of parts to see if there is any wheel sensors there or any other related parts. If the entire brake pedal parts are there, I would hope the brake pot could be used to sense the need for regen.


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

CanadaLT28 said:


> I haven't looked through the entire box of parts to see if there is any wheel sensors there or any other related parts.


Although logically wheel speeds could be picked up at the diff outputs, I would be surprised if anyone did that - if no other reasons than that it would be good to maintain correct wheel speed info in case of halfshaft failure, and that wheel speed is thought of as brake control information rather than drivetrain information. Unless you got the hubs and front suspension, I wouldn't expect to find wheel speed sensors... but that's just a guess.

You would need to transplant them into your VW hubs (or the inboard end of the halfshafts) anyway... and even then without ABS there's no way to get any form of traction control. I have no idea if any of the Leaf components that you retain would create an error condition without the wheel speeds, but it sounds like they wouldn't, given skooler's experience.


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## D a n n y^ (Aug 4, 2015)

skooler said:


> Key security module (the bit welded to the dash crossmember)
> Two original relay boxes from the engine bay harness
> Repackaged HV battery with standard BMS
> Heavily modified dash harness (with interior fusebox)
> ...



Do you have an documentation or instruction that you have followed for modifying these harnesses? I just bench tested my torn down Leaf, and wouldn't mind minimizing some of the harnesses.

I'm very curious to see if I can use the DC/DC+Charger+Junction box separate from the inverter and motor to power another motor/controller set up.






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## skooler (Mar 26, 2011)

Are you using gen1? (Sounds like it from your description) if so, not a clue!

We simply marked everything on the harness that needed to be connected and then removed everything else.

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## CanadaLT28 (Oct 15, 2011)

skooler said:


> Are you using gen1? (Sounds like it from your description) if so, not a clue!
> 
> We simply marked everything on the harness that needed to be connected and then removed everything else.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


It's from a 2014. I believe that is gen 2(?)

Assuming the speed sensors are hall sensors or some other relatively simple system, I could adapt them to the existing rear wheels because my truck is horrible at low speed in snow or ice so having something that approximates LDS would be nice. 
(I wish it could be front drive for more braking ability)


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## D a n n y^ (Aug 4, 2015)

skooler said:


> Are you using gen1? (Sounds like it from your description) if so, not a clue!
> 
> We simply marked everything on the harness that needed to be connected and then removed everything else.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk




I see, I am just reluctant to cut into the harness out of fear of getting lost [emoji23]

Canada- I just took all the wiring out of my Gen2 and I don't recall any type,of speed sensors going to the hubs. I'll look again today. I have not checked the rear yet, but I know there's some wiring I left behind back there.


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## dedlast (Aug 17, 2013)

D a n n y^ said:


> Canada- I just took all the wiring out of my Gen2 and I don't recall any type,of speed sensors going to the hubs. I'll look again today. I have not checked the rear yet, but I know there's some wiring I left behind back there.


There are two sensors in the rear, one in each hub. The harness crosses between the battery and the body then passes through the body on the driver side floor. I had to go back and harvest that piece after the fact on my carcass (2015). 

What I would like to know is how many magnetic "lobes" are on the hubs for the speed sensors. I could/should reinstall one of the sensors and spin the wheel with a scope attached but it would a bit of a challenge since the driveway is a pretty steep. I have the mechanical parking brake set and rear wheels blocked to keep it from rolling away.

Bill


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## D a n n y^ (Aug 4, 2015)

dedlast said:


> There are two sensors in the rear, one in each hub. The harness crosses between the battery and the body then passes through the body on the driver side floor. I had to go back and harvest that piece after the fact on my carcass (2015).
> 
> What I would like to know is how many magnetic "lobes" are on the hubs for the speed sensors. I could/should reinstall one of the sensors and spin the wheel with a scope attached but it would a bit of a challenge since the driveway is a pretty steep. I have the mechanical parking brake set and rear wheels blocked to keep it from rolling away.
> 
> Bill


Bill,

Once I get my mess cleaned up I can give this a whirl and let you know my findings. I've got both cars sitting in the garage on level ground so this shouldn't be a challenge for me. Right now I am battling with the Samurai, trying to get the Power Steering mocked up and possibly even transfer over the Brake Master Cylinder. This all is quite a challenge, due to the Clutch Pedal Assembly.

Canada,

I climbed under the car this morning and found the speed sensors that Bill mentioned. Do you have these? I can send you pictures if you need help identifying them.


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## dedlast (Aug 17, 2013)

Danny, if you look at my thread, you can get an (incomplete) look at how I did that with mine.

http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showpost.php?p=702634&postcount=6

I think I went into a little more detail on my "blog" (that i really need to go update). I haven't even been over to look at that for awhile and I don't remember what wrote back then. Okay, I just took a quick peek and there is a little more detail over there. https://dedlast.wordpress.com/

Hope that helps in some way.

Bill


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## CanadaLT28 (Oct 15, 2011)

D a n n y^ said:


> Bill,
> 
> Once I get my mess cleaned up I can give this a whirl and let you know my findings. I've got both cars sitting in the garage on level ground so this shouldn't be a challenge for me. Right now I am battling with the Samurai, trying to get the Power Steering mocked up and possibly even transfer over the Brake Master Cylinder. This all is quite a challenge, due to the Clutch Pedal Assembly.
> 
> ...


 The guy says the wheel sensors are were included. Now to figure out how to use them, if possible


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## D a n n y^ (Aug 4, 2015)

CanadaLT28 said:


> The guy says the wheel sensors are were included. Now to figure out how to use them, if possible


They should look like this:



And they plug into this connector, which is connected to the harness that goes into this box: 



Hope that helps you find them.


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## CanadaLT28 (Oct 15, 2011)

That's great. All I really want from this part of the system is the for the BLSD to work and the speed sensor for speedo, but I'm not sure of that can be done without everything working. We shall see.


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## CanadaLT28 (Oct 15, 2011)

skooler said:


> We've done a few vehicles now using the second gen leaf kit.
> 
> Just plug it all in on the bench/floor.. get it working and then remove as much as you can.
> 
> ...


Skooler, why do you say the brake pedal switches work but not the brake pot?


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## D a n n y^ (Aug 4, 2015)

CanadaLT28 said:


> Skooler, why do you say the brake pedal switches work but not the brake pot?




From what I could see during my bench test, the pedal switches were needed to initiate the power button, allowing everything to boot up.( even the break lights operate off these) The pot seemed to be linked to just the actual break system and regen. I think what Skooler is suggesting, is that the pot is not vital to the operation of the 3 main computer systems


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## skooler (Mar 26, 2011)

Correct. The brake pot is only needed if you are retaining the intelligent braking unit.

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## CanadaLT28 (Oct 15, 2011)

skooler said:


> Correct. The brake pot is only needed if you are retaining the intelligent braking unit.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


And for the intelligent braking unit to operate, I assume that the ABS is needed (which I don't have, as it is an older truck), and that the ABS is necessary for BLSD operation, which is the only reason I would have ABS on my brakes anyway.


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