homemade 100 hp motor controller for an electric car

10/3/14, 9:47 PMHomemade 100 HP Motor Controller for an Electric Car

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This instructable explains how to build your own 100 HP (peak) motor controllerfor use in an electric car or motorcycle conversion. It can take any voltage up to144v, and the peak current is 500 amps. The cost of the components is a fewhundred dollars, which means you can save over $1000 by putting one togetheryourself. At 144v, you can expect a top speed of around 75 MPH in a car. Check out http://ecomodder.com/forum/open-revolt-open-source-dc-motor-controller.html (http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/paul-sabrinas-

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cheap-diy-144v-motor-controller-6404.html)if you want to read about the whole story!

Experience in soldering is important. If you want to really keep costs down, amill is helpful, but that work can be outsourced to a local metal shop.

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Step 1: Get/Make a power board and control board.

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Build your own ElectricCar! (/id/Build-your-own-Electric-Car/)by bennelson(/member/bennelson/)Electric Vehicle - A simplelightweight EV platform(/id/Electric-Vehicle-A-simple-lightweight-EV-platform-/)ApocalypsEV-1 forTransportationIndependence(/id/ApocalypsEV-1-for-Transportation-Light Electric Vehicle: One-Passenger @ 15mph, 210#Curb Weight (/id/Light-Electric-Vehicle-One-Passenger-14mph-21/)The New and ImprovedBrushless Electric ScooterPower System Guide(/id/The-New-and-Improved-Brushless-



You are going to need a control board and etched power board. The powerboard needs to be at least 3 ounce copper. Ebay is a good place to look for

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heavy cheap copper clad PCB. For example:http://cgi.ebay.com/25-shts-Copper-Clad-Laminate-FR-4-060-9-x-12-3oz-/310244821519?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483c084a0f(http://cgi.ebay.com/25-shts-Copper-Clad-Laminate-FR-4-060-9-x-12-3oz-/310244821519?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483c084a0f)

You could print the picture from this link and somehow transfer it onto a piece ofheavy blank PCB, and etch it with a dremel if you have a ver y steady hand. The dimensions are 8"x6". This link also has the G-code that you can useto etch with a CNC mill or you could give the G-code to a machine shop.http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Open_ReVolt/Fab_Files(http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Open_ReVolt/Fab_Files)

Picture 2 and 3 below is an example of an early power board I made with aDremel.

You can get a control board from me or you can make the control board in yourfavorite PCB layout software using the schematic here::http://home.cogeco.ca/~tkooistra/Cougar_Controller_Rev2C_Schematic.pdf(http://home.cogeco.ca/~tkooistra/Cougar_Controller_Rev2C_Schematic.pdf)And here are some pictures of the PCB layers:http://home.cogeco.ca/~tkooistra/bottom_layer_rev2C.pdf(http://home.cogeco.ca/~tkooistra/bottom_layer_rev2C.pdf)http://home.cogeco.ca/~tkooistra/top_layer_rev2C.pdf(http://home.cogeco.ca/~tkooistra/top_layer_rev2C.pdf)http://home.cogeco.ca/~tkooistra/component_layer_rev2C.pdf(http://home.cogeco.ca/~tkooistra/component_layer_rev2C.pdf)

A predone control board is Picture 1.

Pictures 7 and 8 are the power board top and bottom. The 8 solder spots arejust where vias were added.

Once you have the 2 boards, you can go to step 2.

Step 2: Drill your metals and isolation strips



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Materials:1/4" x 3/4" x 12" C110 copper bar.Two 3/16" x 3/4" x 10" C110 copper bars.3/4" x 1.5" x 8" aluminum bar.3/8" x 8" x 11" aluminum plate.3/16" x 3/4" x 8" steel bar.Two 1/16" x 3/4" x 8" unclad FR4 used in making PCB.1/16" x 6" x 8" unclad FR4 board.

5/16" drill bit (or 3/8" drill bit if you need slop)1/8" drill bit.3/16" drill bit. (Must allow a #6 screw to fit through)Drill. Drill Press.

Do all the drilling! It may help to take the big aluminum bar to a machine shop,since it's not easy drilling through 1.5" of aluminum accurately. See all thepictures below for notes on hole locations and drill bit sizes.

Here's a video on how the power section pieces all get bolted together, withoutthe electronics attached, just so you can see how it all fits:Safari Power SaverClick to Start Flash Plug-in

Step 3: Order the electronic components

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Order these components for the control board:http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Open_ReVolt/Control_board(http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Open_ReVolt/Control_board)

And order these components for the power section. If you have already boughtand drilled the metals on step 2, then don't reorder them. They are listed hereas well.http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Open_ReVolt/Power_board(http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Open_ReVolt/Power_board)

Step 4: Solder the control board

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Materials:45 or 60 watt soldering iron.0.032" diameter (or so) rosin core solder

This step takes about 3 or 4 hours. It's very unforgiving. If you have neversoldered before, you should get help with this. The ground plane doesn't have"thermals", so it takes some heat to melt the solder to it. Check out this help filefor soldering the control board. See pages 2 through 19:http://www.paulandsabrinasevstuff.com/EVstuff%20info/Kit%20Assembly%20Directions%20Updated%20March%204,%202010.pdf(http://www.paulandsabrinasevstuff.com/EVstuff%20info/Kit%20Assembly%20Directions%20Updated%20March%204,%202010.pdf)

Watch for solder bridges (when big globs of solder bridge isolation gaps). Also,you may want to socket the ATMega168. You can program the ATMega168 in-system. So, you can solder it in, and then program it if you want to. Or you canget one preprogrammed.

This video walks you through soldering the control board from start to finish:

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Safari Power SaverClick to Start Flash Plug-in

Step 5: Program the ATMega168 Microcontroller

Once the ATMega168 arrives with all the other stuff, you need to program it withthe motor controller code. Either make your own code, or use/modify the codebelow.

You can make a very cheap ATMega168 programmer, or buy an AVRISP MK2:http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Cat=2621880&k=avrisp

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(http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Cat=2621880&k=avrisp)

And download the free AVR Studio development environment:http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/tools_card.asp?tool_id=2725(http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/tools_card.asp?tool_id=2725)

The hex file of the code is available here. Use "coug-unified-16k.hex":http://www.adambrunette.com/firmware/cougar-v1.11b/hexfiles-m168/(http://www.adambrunette.com/firmware/cougar-v1.11b/hexfiles-m168/)

Here's the code:http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Open_ReVolt/Software(http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Open_ReVolt/Software)

The fuse bits are Extended High Low = F8 DC F7. But if you are usingPonyprog, the fuse bits are 08 DC F7.

If you don't want to bother to program it yourself, then you can buy apreprogrammed one.

Step 6: Assemble the Power Section

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There are quite a few parts to this process. The short version is, you need tobolt together all of metal parts, and solder the 10 MOSFETs, 10 freewheeldiodes, 16 large electrolytic capacitors, and 3 snubber capacitors to the powerboard. Please see pictures below and the assembly help file, pages 20 through43 for all the gory details. You will need a 200 or 250w soldering gun:http://www.paulandsabrinasevstuff.com/EVstuff%20info/Kit%20Assembly%20Directions%20Updated%20March%204,%202010.pdf(http://www.paulandsabrinasevstuff.com/EVstuff%20info/Kit%20Assembly%20Directions%20Updated%20March%204,%202010.pdf)

Step 7: Mount the control section to the power section

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See this video for directions on how to mount the control board to the powersection. It also shows how to solder the gate resistors and the ground wires,and how to mount an enclosure:

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Homemade 100 HP Motor Controller for an Electric Car by MPaulHolmes(/member/MPaulHolmes/)

Collection I Made it!

Download (/id/Homemade-100-HP-Motor-Controller-for-an-Electric-C/?download=pdf)

8 Steps

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You can also check out pages 44-46 of the help file here:http://www.paulandsabrinasevstuff.com/EVstuff%20info/Kit%20Assembly%20Directions%20Updated%20March%204,%202010.pdf(http://www.paulandsabrinasevstuff.com/EVstuff%20info/Kit%20Assembly%20Directions%20Updated%20March%204,%202010.pdf)

Get Ready!!! There's only one more step!

Step 8: Drive Away!!!

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This is me driving with my car at 72v. Notice that this one had all 3 copper busbars coming out the same way. That doesn't affect the functionality of thecontroller.


And here's a video of Joe in Phoenix using that same controller at 144v:Safari Power SaverClick to Start Flash Plug-in

And here's Ben Nelson, the guy on here that made the plug-in hybrid, doing agravel burnout with his. He's always had a flair for the dramatic:



We have a be nice comment policy. Please be positive and constructive. I Made it! Add Images Make Comment

(/member/afbcom/)

3 years ago Reply (CEMJ3DSGJ65MLTI)


Now go out and build one! Doing it yourself can save you over $1000.

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afbcom (/member/afbcom/)

Hey,

Just a thought, you could eliminate a lot of voltage spike issues by mounting thecontroller as close to the motor as possible. Any time the length of the wirebetween the motor controller exceeds the diameter of the wire, the collapsecurrent becomes significant. Since Vpeak = di/dt, and you have a peak current of~500 amps, if your switching time is




3 years ago Reply (C92P10RGJ6EV9AU)

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3 years ago Reply (C8TZVTDGJ6E8QQX)


3 years ago Reply (C7GRT4YGJ6F694V)

I've done some voltage spike tests, and at 500amp, the spikes areabout 20 or 25v, so it's not too bad. I'm using 200v components, so at144v, I'm still a fair distance away from danger. The nice thing is,under heavy current, the battery pack voltage sags, so the net result isthat the voltage spikes are about 20 or 25v above like 135v in theworst case.

Tom Hargrave (/member/Tom+Hargrave/) MPaulHolmes

To clarify - 500KV spikes are realbut only open loop, where theinput impedance is very high.You are are clamping the spikesto 25V with your protectioncircuit.

afbcom (/member/afbcom/) MPaulHolmes

Cool!

Not that I doubt you, but where areyou measuring the spikes. The onesthat I am referring to is the reverseagainst the driving fets from themotor and supply cables to it. Ifyou're getting results around 25 voltsthen you have done a damm goodengineering job and kudos to you sir.

--alex

ps awesome response time

MPaulHolmes (/member/MPaulHolmes/) (author) afbcom

Hi afbcom! I measured thevoltage spikes from drain tosource of the mosfets. Everytime the mosfet turns off, thevoltage from drain to sourcegoes from nearly zero to full packvoltage, and it wants to keepgoing past pack voltage. I alsouse some polypropylene metalfilm capacitors to help snub thespikes. My friend in Phoenix hasa video of the spikes on hisoscilloscope. I'll find it. When Itested it in my car, I just used apeak voltage detector (like a crabtrap. but instead of crabs, it trapselectrons. haha):



(/member/jerkey/)

3 years ago Reply (CHRKT1QGJHVGRCB)


jerkey (/member/jerkey/) MPaulHolmes

I can't see exactly where you'reconnecting your measurementprobe, but it is necessary toconnect both the probe and theground as closely as possibleto the place you're actuallymeasuring, becauseinductance is playing a hugepart in what you're dealing with,and even an inch of wire canhave an effect. The voltagespikes are a danger inside theMOSFETs so thats where theprobe should be.

Another issue is that thevoltage spikes are a result offiring into a reactive load, whichis more like a motor preventedfrom spinning. A freewheelingmotor (which I heard) will notcause inductive kickback asmuch as if you lock the parkingbrake and do it, you should trythat.

A wise teacher of mine whomakes giant stepper-motorcontrollers (and Aerco pre-amps) says that the key toprotecting your fets is acombination of small and largediodes (they have differentproperties) and resistor-capacitor snubbers and mostimportantly, MOV (Metal OxideVaristors) which are your first



(/member/acelondon/)

3 years ago Reply (CQNNJ5GGMX1Q0IO)


3 years ago Reply (C9IEWTOGJHVL8JE)

(/member/afbcom/)

3 years ago Reply (C0SHO2DGJ6E8SF8)

line of defense.

But i definitely know that thespikes are worst when themotor is stalled.

acelondon (/member/acelondon/) jerkey

In the EV community, we usefreewheeling diodes to take care ofall the inductive kickback from themotor. Ususally rated at LEAST thesame as the switching device. MyIGBT controller(inspired by Paul'sMOSFET controller) will be built for1200 amps, with 1200 amps offreewheeling diodes, AND be run at750 amps. Should last a while XD

It's my senior project for college.Great excuse to rip around campuswith a less than legal electric car!

MPaulHolmes (/member/MPaulHolmes/) (author) jerkey

I didn't make that video. It wasactually my beta tester. I've donetesting with a locked rotor, andthe spikes were around 25v, atleast with my peak detector,which was a diode and capacitor.electrons could get in and notback out. That was the crab trapI was referring to above. Alocked rotor has almost noresistance, so the current ishuge, and the voltage spike isdi/dt*L_stray, so a larger changein current definitely gives a largervoltage spike. The nice thing is,there may be optimal ways ofdoing things, but his controllerhas run for over a year and a halfin sometimes 110 degreeweather and it's still goingstrong, and that was notwithstanding my crappyassembly process, since it wasthe first or 2nd one I put together.

afbcom (/member/afbcom/) MPaulHolmes

This just goes to that what you readin a textbook doesn't necessarilyapply to the real world! Nice scope.There are commercial products thataren't as well designed as yours...friggin cool!



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killersquirel11 (/member/killersquirel11/) MPaulHolmes

You could also include a TVSdiode to protect against thespikes if they are too large

MPaulHolmes (/member/MPaulHolmes/) (author) killersquirel11

Hi Killersquirel11! Great mindsthink alike! haha. I'm using theP6KE20A-T transient voltagesuppressor. Nothing goes over20v from gate to source, andgate to source is rated for up to30v, so it's kept safe.

Ziggythewiz (/member/Ziggythewiz/) afbcom

"Any time the length of the wirebetween the motor controllerexceeds the diameter of the wire"

I'm pretty sure every wire I've everused was longer than it's diameter.

megapix (/member/megapix/) afbcom

Just a little correction on the math for the voltage spike. The voltage is V =L * di/dt where L is the inductance of the wire. For a couple of feet of wirethis could be around 1uH (microHenry = 10e-6). So for a 1mSec switchingtime you would have 0.5V, and for a 1uSec switching time you would havea 500V spike. So it is worth being careful about, but not as severe as yourcalculation.

afbcom (/member/afbcom/) megapix

thankyou for the correction. Now that I think about it, 500kvolt is a bit largesounding eh?

mihnea1970 (/member/mihnea1970/)

Hi, I can not download the schematics for the control board. Please help.

nelsonwong90s (/member/nelsonwong90s/) mihnea1970

Hi,

The schematics are availablehere:

http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Open_ReVolt/PCB_Schematics#Open_ReVolt_-_Cougar_500_Amp_DC_motor_controller_.28Rev2C.29(http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Open_ReVolt/PCB_Schematics#Open_ReVolt_-_Cougar_500_Amp_DC_motor_controller_.28Rev2C.29)



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(/member/Nav/)

2 years ago Reply (COB70YYGXL61V2J)

Hope this helps you. :)

kairala (/member/kairala/)

hi, i am from india, want to build electric car as well as a bike. for electric bike - requires a 36v controller circuit diagram with componentsspecified. for electric car- i was not able to download circuit diagram of 144v-500ampscontroller version. so i hereby request to help me for the above project. email id- [email protected]

kairala (/member/kairala/)

hi, i am from india. want to build electric car as well as a bike. for electric bike i require 36v controller circuit diagram with componentsspecification. for electric car i was not able to download the circuit diagram of 144v-500ampversion. so i request to help me for the above. thanking you.

anriocarver (/member/anriocarver/)

What is the price for one 144Volt 500Amp already built. Ready to use. My email address is [email protected] I leave in Mauritius.

jimmerforpoy (/member/jimmerforpoy/)

Does this work for all ev conversions under 144 volts?

MPaulHolmes (/member/MPaulHolmes/) (author) jimmerforpoy

Yes.

jongscx (/member/jongscx/) MPaulHolmes

As a follow-up, Is it possible to"scale down" the design if I'mnever getting near the144V/500A powerrequirements? Do I just usefewer mosfets and caps?

Nav (/member/Nav/)

Okay so I am a novice in all things electric car, but I'm wondering if throwing 4 ofthese controllers into a car with 4 forklift motors somehow connected to the axlewould result in a 400HP car? I'm sure it doesn't work like that but could someoneplease explain the pros/cons of this to me? Thanks and awesome instructable!




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MPaulHolmes (/member/MPaulHolmes/) (author) Nav

Yes you could.

DieCastoms (/member/DieCastoms/)

Ok, so.. I have what used to be a small-sized 3-wheeled 24-volt "MobilityScooter". I am building a large RC vehicle out of it.

I need a motor controller for 24 volts that will run the thing either from a wiredthrottle or eventually a servo output from an RC receiver OR an actual servomechanically coupled to a pot that is wired to the controller (This should giveperfectly isolated power from the vehicle's 24 volt system and the RC's 6 voltsystem, yes?)

I WANT to have the option to run it via RC or to be able to plug in a wiredcontroller because the vehicle will be large enough to sit on when complete.

Can someone please suggest a source for such a controller? I DO NOT havethe original controller from the Mobility Scooter, or I would gladly just use it. Iknow I could buy another controller for the chair or a similar model, but Iwould like to see what else gets suggested, first.

Thank You!

DieCastoms.

abdellah309 (/member/abdellah309/)

good job Paul, can you post the schemetic of Mosfet stage.I'm working on electic car project in Algeria.Many thanks,

epuneet (/member/epuneet/)

Is this circuit work for lower power ratings i.e. for 20 Hp motor

bertzie (/member/bertzie/)

What kind of modifications would need to be done to make it take 170v 2000amp?

IT BITz (/member/IT+BITz/)

COOL

Donotmatthews (/member/Donotmatthews/)

I have a 36v forklift motor, I was wondering if this would suffice for a electric car?

MPaulHolmes (/member/MPaulHolmes/) (author) Donotmatthews

Probably! If it weighs at least60 pounds, and has a 1 hourrating on the name plate of atleast 100 amps it should work



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3 years ago Reply (C3FEYCRGKS0W3Z3)

fine. The voltage rating isalmost meaningless.

steveastrouk (/member/steveastrouk/)

How many quadrants is this thing ?

Steve

MPaulHolmes (/member/MPaulHolmes/) (author) steveastrouk

I don't know what that means. AllI know is that it's for a DC motor.There's a single PWM. Reversehappens by putting the car inreverse, and you go forward byputting the car in 1st, 2nd, ...

steveastrouk (/member/steveastrouk/) MPaulHolmes

Hi, A quadrant is the measure ofmotoring and generating, inforward and reverse.

1st quadrant. is motoringforward, 2nd quadrant ismotoring backwards, 3rd isgenerating backwards, and 4this generating forwards.

You can implement 1st and 2ndquadrant with a relay, you can'tdo 3 and 4th without a fullbridge.

So essentially, can you doregenerative braking ?

Steve


It's intended to just run serieswound DC, which I think usuallyhas problems with regenerativebraking, since the brushes areusually advanced, so I didn'tmake it to do regenerativebraking.


By "advanced", do you meanthe brushes are angled onto thecomm. ?




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(/member/ivanbakas/)

3 years ago Reply (CRUUD1AGJC3WNK4)

Steve


No, there are different sorts ofbrush timing. neutral meanforward and reverse can be donebasically the same, and I thinkregen is easier then. When youphysically move the brushesmore one way or the otheraround the rotor, it helps toreduce arcing and lets you run ata higher voltage, but then youcan't run the motor very well inboth directions, and you can't doregen.


Thanks for that briefing. Tractionmotors are not my usual area ofexpertise - I usually work withprecision servo motors, with verylow inertias, gold commutatorsetc !

bumsugger (/member/bumsugger/)

What an absolutely stunning project.............I'm blow away by the ingenuity ofit all despite not being into all the "save the planet c*ap" thats floating aroundat the moment.My one reservation is that,with these electric vehicles all beingso bloody silent,just what wattage of horn do you need,'specially if'n youve amotorcycle,lighter and faster than a car,and how do you know that you're notgoing to "flatten" the battery with all the horn tooting?

ivanbakas (/member/ivanbakas/) bumsugger

There are off the shelf very lowpower consumption "noisemakers" that can make anelectric vehicle sound likeanything you want. Tesla uses iton their cars.Lets not let small things likethat derail a movement to theright direction

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