GM motor/controller, constant "stalling" and stuttering

rayhaque

1 µW
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May 26, 2016
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I have a Golden Motor 5Kw 72v motor and a VEC-300 controller hooked up to my "goofy Chinese car". I have a strange issue where I will be zooming up or down a road and my motor makes a strange clench or budge noise, and then I lose acceleration. If I let off the throttle and go back to it, I can usually keep on going. Sometimes this will happen over and over again until I have to pull off the road. And then perhaps I can pull right away, or I may have to sit for a while.

This happens at any given time of the day, and in any weather (cool/hot/sun/rain). Sometimes I can get 2 miles or so into a trip before it does this. Sometimes I can't even get out of the driveway!! When it's being especially stubborn, I get to where I can't pull away again. If I tap the throttle, the car will budge forward slightly and then stop. And most of the time, I can get it going again by sticking my foot out the door and giving it a gentle push while pressing the throttle. And when it's acting stubborn like this, I can get into trouble if I am sitting on a hill. Because so long as the car is moving backwards, I can't get it to go forward into drive. I end up having to tilt my wheels, catch a curb (thud), and then I can pull away from a dead stop.

Seems to me like a hall sensor issue of some sort. But I don't see a way to get any diagnostic data from my controller. I have the PI-800 software installed, and a USB cable to program with. But ... where is the monitoring software? :) No amount of fiddling with the settings seems to resolve this, but then, I don't know what half the settings mean.

I have also reached out to Golden Motor, and the reseller in Canada who I bought the gear from. But no responses as of yet.

Does any this make sense to you experts?

Thanks in advance for any comments or advice.
 
Probably a connection issue. Check all the connectors, including crimps and solder joints, and make sure the pins aren't backing out of any connectors when plugged in.
 
Probably a connection issue

This was actually my first thought too. And my second and fourth thought! Initially I had thought that something got wet, because the problem seemed worse after a hard storm. But it seems to come and go at random, even during a week without rain. Also, to avoid bad connections, I re-ended all my wiring with weatherproof connections, then filled the 'tubes' with dialectic grease, and then sealed them up with liquid tape.

Maybe I just need to go over my wiring again with a fine tooth comb. Faulty wiring still seems the most logical. Still I wish I could get some sort of diagnostic output from this controller. It would be nice to know what component is throwing the alarm. I guess what would make the most sense is the throttle, and reverse switch.
 
Conections and wiring include those inside the controller/motor/etc., not just the ends you have access to. ;)

Can be broken inside insulation anywhere along length of wire, too.
 
amberwolf said:
Conections and wiring include those inside the controller/motor/etc., not just the ends you have access to. ;)

Can be broken inside insulation anywhere along length of wire, too.

I suppose it wouldn't be hard to rule out the external wiring. Because the motor and controller connections (to each other) account for most of the wiring. All that would be left would be the e-lock, the throttle, and the reverse. All of which could be rigged up inside the vehicle with me using switches and potentiometers. But if the problem is INSIDE the motor or controller, I'm not going in there. Right now it's still under warranty. ;)
 
Rayhaque, You may want to post more details as to where you are. Might help if someone local can come have a look, another set of eyes always sees something different.

Saying that I have been playing with GM controllers to, from VEC200 all the way to VEC700 to test them out. And long story short is they are not great, with the settings you have been changing have you run the power levels down to about 1/2 of what you actually expect from the controller? Hall sensor issue is not likely.

Does it more happen when you accelerate? I think what you will find is that the ratings of the controllers are well above what they are and whats happening is that you have having over current resets, this will also explain the take off from a stop too. Try lowering the power to see if it runs any better, only issue is it sounds like you need all the power you can get if its like the size of a gold buggy. Do you have any other decently powerful controllers to try? Anyone local with a performance e-bike to just test their controller on your car?

My main experience is with a Suzuki Hayabusa sports bike I have converted with a HPM-20kw and using dual VEC700 controllers to drive it. And even with all that potential power the bike does not like taking off on a hill and also resets the controller if I accelerate using more then 10kw per controller, Less then 1/4 of the peak power they should have. Also both controllers are flashing 6 times and not running as off 2 nights ago saying mosfet abnormal. So be careful pushing thru the errors.
 
Bluefang said:
Rayhaque, You may want to post more details as to where you are. Might help if someone local can come have a look, another set of eyes always sees something different.
I am in a small town in Ohio situated between Columbus and Cleveland (off the beaten path). I think am a long way from anyone else tinkering with this stuff. But there is an ATV place out here I have thought about running into.
with the settings you have been changing have you run the power levels down to about 1/2 of what you actually expect from the controller? Hall sensor issue is not likely.
I haven't tried that. I suppose as far as voltage goes, I am playing it pretty safe since it's a 72v motor/controller. But I have not tinkered with the amperage. I will try lowering that. Certainly can't hurt anything.
Does it more happen when you accelerate?
Funny thing is it doesn't really matter what I'm doing. Sometimes I am going down hill and not accelerating at all. Or other times I am holding a steady acceleration and it will jump around - but then level out.
Do you have any other decently powerful controllers to try?
I do have the original controller, which works just fine. But it's a no-name box that I cannot program or monitor.
taking off on a hill and also resets the controller if I accelerate using more then 10kw per controller
I had a generic controller I bought direct from China that I burned up (oops). But it was constantly complaining about throttle problems. I ended up rewiring the throttle because there was some cruddy wiring. But I am thinking that the throttle might be putting off the full 5+ when most only go up to 4.5-4.8v or so.
Also both controllers are flashing 6 times and not running as off 2 nights ago saying mosfet abnormal. So be careful pushing thru the errors.
It would be nice if I had a flashing light. Or something! There has to be some way to get diag stats out of this thing.

In the meantime - I have been talking to Gary Solo from Golden Motor CA. He is still leaning toward a wiring issue. When I get a break in the weather, I'm going to get some electrical cleaner and go over all my contacts. I also plan on running new wire between the throttle and controller, and a simple reverse switch to bypass my shifter. It would be nice if it were an easy fix like that!!
 
Well hopefully you do get it sorted with just wiring issue as been the problem. It kinda does sound like that if you are having issues even when coasting down a hill etc.

Yeah with the controllers it would be nice if they would hold a history of faults so you could actually track what was causing it to reset etc. They only show flashes for faults which force the controller not to run which is not much.
 
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