This page you are viewing is part of the SEVA Wiki Archive, Please visit the new Official Website!
NOTICE: Visit the Maillist page for help joining the new google groups email list, the old maillist is no more.
SEVA meetings are held every second Tuesday.


Motor controller

From SeattleEVA
Revision as of 19:37, 21 October 2006 by 71.142.72.99 (talk)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

See WikiPedia:Motor controller

Consider the used / surplus market where I can get a complete GE EV-1 fully functional with pot box and contactors for $100 or less. Or an EV-100 or even EV-200. All used, all cheap, all still very functional. Why would I buy a Curtis?

Two main reasons: we're all typically wanting more range from our Evs, and a modern high-frequency controller like (even) the Curtis will give you nearly 2x the range from the same battery pack; and, we're all typically wanting more life from our batteries, and the low-frequency EV-1 type controllers will kill your pack faster than the higher frequency alternatives.

The only EV-1 worth considering for an on-road EV is the 84-144V model; how common are these on the used market?

As far as controller rebuilding and modifications, why not buy some GE EV-1's as I have done and try to boost the voltage / current. It may be possible to take it up to 144 V (maybe) and current (double up the SCR) and some other stuff.

144V is certainly possible, since the EV-1 used in the Jet Industries Electrica 007 cars is rated for 84-144V. I've been told that reliability may suffer if pushed right to 144V, but certainly they hold up fine at 120V.

The current thing has been done also. Its been years since I've seen a post from Dale Glubrecht on the list, but as I recall he described having but together a monster EV-1 using the high current panel from a lower voltage model and the control card from a higher voltage model. The comment that sticks in my mind is that he didn't hear a growling noise from his motor; he could hear his *batteries* complain from the high current pulses they were being subjected to!

When you get to more than 600 batt amps, you are really killing the pack.

John Wayland will chime in anytime to set you straight on this ;^>

Floodeds don't like the high current, but AGMs such as Optimas, Orbitals, and Hawkers don't mind it at all.

The key here is that with controllers such as the Zilla, DCP, etc. vs the Curtis, you can adjust the maximum battery amps to a limit appropriate for your batteries, *without* restricting the low speed motor current. With a Curtis, if you turn down the current to protect the batteries, then the motor current is similarly reduced and acceleration suffers.