History: the Power in Flux reference thread

With only a few more days to go, and our target goals reached in the Power in Flux: The History of Electric Motorcycles Kickstarter project, I wanted to roll up the sleeves and get to work. I've been keeping track of my several years of current events and history research here on my blog: https://evmc2.wordpress.com/category/history/
and will probably keep using that for my notes, links and references.

The scope of the support of the Kickstarter project really brought the point home to me. This is the story of a community, and the community has stepped up and backed it. So I wanted to give the community a chance to contribute. If you have information, breadcrumb trails, suggestions or ideas, here's the place to put them. If you want to contact me directly, shoot me an email at ted (at) evmc2 (dot) com. Don't be shy about pimping your own project either. Some of the biggest names in the story have contacted me to ask if they were included.

...and THANKS for all the support. This is gonna be good.

The ES thread: http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=70242
The KS project: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/952491968/power-in-flux-the-history-of-electric-motorcycles

Anybody have any photos of pre-1980 EV controllers?

I have some polaroids of a lead acid car conversion circa 1980. Lots of contactors...

Ask these guys where they got theirs:
http://www.sunrise-ev.com/controllers.htm

Ah, nice. That's a great page.

Even found one of the EV1 SCR controllers on eBay.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/GE-SCR-Fork-Lift-Control-EV-1-IC36450SC-5E9-R09-IC3645SCR1E9B0XAAF-GE-S-SCR-EV1B/380909158225?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D29979%26meid%3D8df80d90e0e043479e285e280eed98bf%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D380909158225

Here's what I have for a controller timeline:

Speed Controller Timeline

• 1902 - Baker Runabout Switch-Resistor Controller
  1954 - Georg Sichling (Seimens) files patent for US2867763A: System for controlling or regulating an electric motor by pulses of variable pulsing ratio (first instance of using transistors for “Pulse-width modulation”)
  1957 - Silicon controlled rectifier (AKA “thyristor”) commercialized by a team of power engineers led by Gordon Hall[ and commercialized by Frank W. “Bill” Gutzwiller of General Electric
  1960 - The Henney Kilowatt Contactor Controller (Renault-based EV)
  1964-65 - First patents mentioning “SCR” and “thyristor” motor speed control
  1968 - First instance of transistor-based Golf Cart Controller
  1970s - General Electric SCR ((Silicon Controlled Rectifier) controller: GE EV1
  1980 - Hans W. Becke and Carl F. Wheatley filed a patent application which they referred to as “power MOSFET”
  1985 - Non-latch-up IGBTs (insulated-gate bipolar transistor) were first commercialized by Toshiba, capable of higher voltage than “power MOSFETs”.
  1985 - Curtis Instruments files US4626750A: “Solid state d.c. motor control” using “plurality of parallel-connected power field effect transistors arranged for connection in series with the traction motor…”. This is the basis of the Curtis 1204 motor controller.
  early 1990s - DCP (precurser to Alltrax) and Zilla high-powered PWM controllers available to EV conversion and competation market.

[/list]

OK, next question. VCU (vehicle control units)

I've been chatting with the Energica guys about their fairly remarkably innovative VCU, and was wondering when Zero and Brammo started integrating VCUs into the bikes, and the extent to which it controls stuff - that is, how sophisticated are the VCUs in the Zero and Brammo, and what specific parameters does it control? Most of the references to VCUs in their literature are basically talking about the BMS, from what I can tell.

Can anybody throw me a bone?

I can't help much on that front, but having an app that sends your phone a message to tell you your bike is full is about the extent of it. Which in my opinion is already far, far too complicated

I think I've got it - see this post:
https://evmc2.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/the-vcu-vehicle-control-unit/