Hello Mike, This problem also happen to me on my initial startup back in 2003. It read the code 1231 propulsion pack open. I happen to have two safety contactors that is place about 20 feet from the controller.
All three contactors have line voltage coils, meaning the coil voltage rating has a 11.5 to 250 vdc rating turning off and 160 to 250 vdc turning on design for a 180 volt battery pack. The motor control contactor control circuit does not go directly to the contactor coils as you would using a 12 volt coil. This coil signal from the Zilla first go to a double isolated glass relay cube with contacts rated for 250 vdc and 12 vdc coil. After turning on the Ignition On switch and to the Start position which turn on all three contactors, the main contactor which is closer to the motor controller came on first about a micro second before the two safety contactors. Thus at that instant of time, there was no battery voltage to the contactor which show the 1231 propulsion pack open error. Install a second 12 volt cube relay to control only the two safety contactors which is control by the Ignition On switch which turn on these two safety contactors first before the Start position turn on the main contactor. Of course this may not be your problem if you do not have any other devices between the main contactor and battery pack. It is also recommended by Otmar if you are using any large contactors with a 12 volt control signal from the controller that is greater than 4 amps @ 12 volts, is to install Zener Overvoltage Transient Suppressor Bi-direction across the coils of the contactor coils. With out his suppressor, it could take out the driver circuit. I use a NTE class 4900 to 4999 which has a range of voltages. For a 12 volt coil, use a 36 volt rated one. Roland ----- Original Message ----- From: "Iron Mountain Films" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2013 12:35 PM Subject: [EVDL] zilla intermitent start up problem I hope the brain trust on this list can help I am sending all this info to Manzinita Micro also. first the good news I am back on the road after almost a year, now with a pack of 45 CALB CA grey cells. When I can get the car to go it is awesome, which is most of the time. On my first attempt after install of the new pack, I tested without the Orion BMS hooked up, motor spins; Hook up Orion BMS aux (bms) contactor closes and motor spins; put the car down car backs up and pulls foward, I open the gate to take it for a test drive, then it wouldn't precharge and hairball shows error and contactor off LEDs (I believe this is normal) Hooking up to Mac with z term original error was newest 1111 Cleared codes and then got a 1113 EEPROM crc error and then lost communication Tried on pc laptop in hyperterminal but not working I then hooked up a bulb to ck engine light and did serial port shorting plug procedure and got a 1311 waiting for key. I then sent the Hairball to Manzinita Micro after talking to a tech. They checked it out and updated firmware and found no problem. I re-installed in the car, still no worky kept getting waiting for start error, I then checked my start signal and no start signal (hooked to starter relay on key). I bypassed that and just put in a microswitch to give me a start signal and the car worked. Very big Grin. I took multiple trips without problem. The first time it wouldn't go was after charging, the car is warm it is about 75 or 80 degrees. The weird thing is the Orion closes its contactor and the Zilla precharges Hairrball shows green led contactor on, but the car wont go. this has happened 3 or 4 times. Each time I have left the car after trying to get it to go including powering down the zilla completely, (that actually worked one time), and after it has cooled down or I come back to it, it fires right up. The codes I am pulling are 1312, waiting for start, 1133 lost communication with controller during use,either direction. (I believe this happened when while trying to trouble shoot I sent a new profile to the bms to turn off thermistors while driving no throttle applied, throttle stopped responding) 1231 propulsion pack open, no contactor drop, controller not responding; 1241 key input not on while key is asserted; 1111 no more dtc's On Previous occasions the error sequence was the same but without the 1133 code. The Zilla has been very reliable I bought it in 05. I have read that it should be in a sealed box Mine is mounted on a heat sink above the motor not in a box. Maybe sitting around for a year it has collected moisure? Mike Malmberg Iron Mountain Films, Inc -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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