# Brushed Controller from Salvage 3-Phase Inverter?



## coleasterling (Feb 29, 2012)

I'm in need of a higher voltage DC controller (120V nominal, ish) and am on a tight budget. Anyone ever done a brain like Lebowski's, but for DC drive? I've seen Paul's DC version of his big inverter and would imagine I could do something similar with an IMA inverter. Same long leads for better current sharing between the IGBT's? Thoughts?


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## MattsAwesomeStuff (Aug 10, 2017)

You can buy a Gen 2 Prius inverter for around $150 at most scrapyards.

Then, a quick little board can get you 370 amps per phase, I think upwards of 500v.

https://openinverter.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=275

If you can roll your own board:

https://github.com/damienmaguire/Prius-Gen-2-Inverter/tree/master/DC_Controller

I know he got the boards, I don't know if he ever finished testing them.

...

Currently Damien has been too busy to work on it, but, looks like it would work and, for not a lot of money. Everything pre-engineered.

The Prius Inverter also comes with a ~200v to 12v 100A DC-DC converter to run all your car electronics and systems, which in itself pays for the inverter.


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## coleasterling (Feb 29, 2012)

MattsAwesomeStuff said:


> You can buy a Gen 2 Prius inverter for around $150 at most scrapyards.
> 
> Then, a quick little board can get you 370 amps per phase, I think upwards of 500v.
> 
> ...



Great links, thank you. I actually already have a prius gen 2 inverter, too. And a CMAX inveter. They are a little bulky compared to the IMA, but I'd think the principle is the same for setting them up as DC controllers.


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## MattsAwesomeStuff (Aug 10, 2017)

Speak of the devil and who shall appear...

Damien ordered a batch of 10 Prius Gen 2 DC controller boards, and they arrived today. He'll have a testing video of it up soon.

Refresh the link I gave earlier, details there (but, no more than I just said).


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## esoneson (Sep 1, 2008)

*QUESTION*

Has anyone here successfully run a DC motor using a Prius Gen 2 inverter and Damiens DC motor controller ?


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## lj516 (Mar 11, 2020)

Yes but probably limited development since going AC and higher power/speed than DC can handle is right there.


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## esoneson (Sep 1, 2008)

You say yes.
There are a number of people in various stages of building this combination, without success.
If you would be so kind to either invite that person to join this conversation so that we too could achieve the success that (s)he has? 
Or were you innocently speculating on the matter?

We (a number of experienced diy-ev-folks) are having very similar difficulties and would like to talk to someone who has accomplished some degree of success.
I'll ask again.
Does anyone know of an individual who has achieved success running a DC motor with A Prius Gen 2 inverter with Damien's DC controller card? And is willing to take a couple of questions?


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## remy_martian (Feb 4, 2019)

You say "we"

Where are experienced "we" hanging out ? They're not here in this forum contributing, are they? 

Why aren't "they" in this thread giving the breadth of their issues on this one?

Really tough to troubleshoot when WE don't know what THEY (and you) have tried.


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## esoneson (Sep 1, 2008)

remy_martian said:


> You say "we"
> 
> Where are experienced "we" hanging out ? They're not here in this forum contributing, are they?
> 
> ...


One of many hangouts is openinvter.org. You can follow the discussion in the Hardware forum under Toyota/Lexus entitled "Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller".

There are two principle folks (founders) of this site that have contributed immense efforts to share inexpensive and reliable solutions to diy'ers all across the world. When a number of folks were having problems with one of the products available, I took it upon myself to try and find a solution so that Damien (founder) did not have to be interrupted with his many other contributions to the open ev community.
We have been looking for people in other forums that may have the same problem.
So, now you know who "we" are and what "we" have contributed, it may give you more confidence that this is a legitimate request looking for some answers.
As for me, you can see by my profile that I joined in 2008 and was involved in DC controllers for quite a while. I have built many cars from the ground up. I have been working on a 1995 BMW E36 for 8 years, slowly rebuilding it and converting it to electric. And yes, I have a DC motor mounted and recently completed a 1000 amp controller from scratch that I blew up in testing. At that time I read about Damien's solution and I now have a Prius Gen2 inverter which theoretically can produce up to about 1600 amps without "over amp" failure.

So my contribution is to find a solution so that Damien doesn't have to, that I can write up as part of the Wiki in the OpenInverter site.

Just looking for a person who have been successful in doing so.

A simple question.

I'll ask again. Has anyone been successful converting a Prius Gen 2 inverter into a DC controller using Damien's Prius Gen2 DC Controller card?


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## remy_martian (Feb 4, 2019)

Brushed or brushless?


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## esoneson (Sep 1, 2008)

Brushed dc. Mine is a 9 inch Netgain. All details are on the openinverter.org forum as stated above.
Eric


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