On 3 Feb 2013, at 22:08, Danpatgal wrote: > Update: I got the two MOSFETs and two 150 ohm resistors soldered in place. > Bench tested on a light bulb, and it worked. I sealed it all back up, put > it back in the car, and took it for a little test ride. I got about 2 > minutes into my ride, and the controller just stopped working. At first I > thought it was the BMS preventing acceleration, so I bypassed it ... but > still no go. I sat for a moment about a mile from home not really wanting > to ditch the car in front of the neighbor's house and walk home. So, I > looked for any obvious shorts or connection problems (nothing was smoking). > I cycled the circuit breaker and key ... and then the controller worked > again - and I was moving! > > My elation was short-lived, 10 or 20 seconds maybe, as I got that sinking no > acceleration feeling again, but at least I was on my way back home, though I > had a little hill to ascend. I wasn't sure I'd be able to ride in zombie > mode again, so I began pushing the car up the slight hill, slowly/humbly > (hoping nobody saw me). I tried to go again after a few minutes, and > indeed, the controller lived for 20 seconds - then dead. I eventually made > it home after a few iterations of this, befuddled, I went to sleep. > > This morning I looked at the connections again, making sure there was no > short or loose wires on the controller. I then went on another test ride. > Again, after about 2 minutes it stopped without warning. > > Does this behavior sound familiar to anyone? I'm don't relish pulling the > controller again and trying to find a cause for this (I don't even have an > idea where to start). I could perhaps have it repaired (as a few posters > have offered on my thread here), but for only slightly less than the cost > for a new one, I'm not sure that makes a lot of sense (correct me if I'm > wrong about what one of you would charge for a repair). > > Thanks as usual for any hints or advice ... > > > > ----- > Dan Gallagher > http://www.evalbum.com/3854 > > >
Hi Dan, (I wrote what follows and then thought you might try something before your try my first - fairly drastic - idea below. Perhaps it is not the Curtis at all but something about the way you have re-installed it that is causing the problem? What about trying a much heavier load than the light bulb in place of the motor with the Curtis still installed in the car? I don't know but I would guess if a light bulb works as a load that a resistive-type heater might do too...? That way you can poke about with a mutimeter or whatever whilst the Curtis is working and not driving along. Failing that,....) I have no pearls of wisdom for you as the cursit is out of my experience but it seems a shame to give up now that you have got so far. Perhaps you should pull it out again and rig up a much heavier test drain than the light bulb so you can have a look at the circuit whilst it is working - with the lid off? The 'coat hanger in a tub of water' may be the easiest method but, again, I have not tried it. I expect there is some advice available on this on YouTube as well as listees who have used this test method before and regularly. I'd try to aim for a 50 - 100A drain as a compromise between getting reasonably quickly to the point where the problem occurs and not too serious a failure if it all goes wrong. Just be really careful not only of the exposed high voltages but also to protect yourself (especially hands, eyes and face) from the potentially serious results if a mosfet explodes whilst you are 2 feet away, staring at it! Given your results thus far, I suspect whatever the remaining issue is, it will be a relatively minor one and will be easy and cheap to fix once you know what it is. Good luck! Regards, Martin Winlow Herts, UK http://www.evalbum.com/2092 www.winlow.co.uk -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://lists.evdl.org/private.cgi/ev-evdl.org/attachments/20130204/90bf5a32/attachment.htm> _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
