Adventures in programming a Sevcon Gen4 Size4

Hi everyone,
This thread will be about my adventures programming a Gen 4 Size 4. A brief history about this project, my Kelly controller bricked, I bought a Gen 4 Size 4 off ebay,(don't know if it works). I have sourced an IXXAT CAN to USB Compact with DVT software from Volsport.co.uk and I have wired up the Ampseal 35 connector.

I now need to source a dcf file for my ME0913 then the fun can begin.


Regards,


Bernel

Hi Everyone,
I am fresh back my holiday and got stuck into my Gen4 Size 4. My CAN to USB was waiting for me complete with dvt software and the licence was sorted. My thanks go to Phil Eagleton at Volsport.co.uk and Sheryll Barker at Sevcon.
I powered up the controlker wuth the libe contactor disconnected to check the pull in voltage, it was 77V which was the battery voltage. I am using an Albright SW200 with a 12V coil.I had the change the baud rate to 125kHz to get communications going so no problems their.

I then uploaded a dcf for the ME0913, there were 88 errors. I reconnected the contactor, had to change the baud rate to 500kHz and then power cycled the controller. Only two errors, the line contactor did not close and I am not seeing any voltage.

I then uploaded a dld file for PMAC motors and reviewed the settings, they look good but still two errors.

The errors are
0: 0x5044 param dyn range error, not sure what this is referring to.
1: 0x4f41 Internal fault, this does not look good to me, and I still have no power to the line contactor terminals.

I guess I will be sending it away for repairs or bricking it if the cost is too high. Oh where is my Mobipus 72600?


I will update when I get some significant news.

Bernel.

Bernel said:

The errors are
0: 0x5044 param dyn range error, not sure what this is referring to.
1: 0x4f41 Internal fault, this does not look good to me, and I still have no power to the line contactor terminals.

I guess I will be sending it away for repairs or bricking it if the cost is too high. Oh where is my Mobipus 72600?


I will update whrn I get some significant news.

Bernel.

Click to expand...

Take a look at the "sevcon controller fault codes.xls" there are hints in there that may be helpful. Take a look at the data @ the [100A] entry in the dcf and see if it compatible with the firmware version you loaded. Did you try the dcf I sent you? Are you able to backup the dcf once it has been loaded?

Bernel said:

The errors are
0: 0x5044 param dyn range error, not sure what this is referring to.
1: 0x4f41 Internal fault, this does not look good to me, and I still have no power to the line contactor terminals.

Click to expand...

Hi Bernel,

welcome to the club of poor Sevcon tuners These two errors are most repeated errors during tunning of Sevcon controllers so do not worry. They are mostly caused by colliding the set ranges of parameters when one is dependend on another. Typical error is when you changing the battery or current limits and you missed something.

Try in Hepler: Settings - Find Range Error it sometimes shows you more information about error.

Errors all cleared, I had the baud rate set to incorrectly. I changed it to 1MHz and the faults cleared. Funny, when I first powered up the controller it was set at 1MHz!

The contactor is connected and working and I have a solid green light, now I need to sort the throttle, the analogue input values change when I operate the throttle but the motor does not turn.

I am quite pleased that in two days I have got this far, I did have help along the way of course. I am getting to know this controller so slowly but surely I will master it.

Some more bed time reading in the manuals and I hope to get some movement tomorrow. Good job I am off work this week because time is what you need to get into these controllers.

Bernel.

Yippee! I have a running motorbike, turns out I had forgotten to wire up the forward switch. Thanks to John Fiorenza for the advice on what to check. I was looking too deep into the programing!

So now I know how to wire it and connect it and some basic programing. Now to start looking deeper into some of the finer detail.

Does any one know much about the voltage cut back settings?

Bernel

I am trying to get the External LED function working. The instructions in the manual are not as clear as they could be. I have the addressing and mapping correct but can't quite get the frequency settings right. I think the voltage output is pwm and I have set it to 12V in the dvt. I have voltage at the pins but it keeps tripping the controller when I connect it to a bulb. I will try a 12V LED next.

More investigation required.

Bernel

Yes for external LED is used the same PWM hardware as for contactors. I think even if any voltage can be set, the lowest working mean value is 24 Vrms. In my 72/80V controller I have measured on the oscilloscope about 28 Vrms at 102 VDC battery voltage when I have set 12V in DVT software. Also beware of the short circuit on contactors outputs. In the controller there is no fuse and the transistor controlling the output can withstand about 20A.

My recomendation is to use at least 24V or more contactors coils and bulbs. I am using 12V contactors but it is not ideal.

Hi Pajda,
I am using a 12V coil Albright contactor, I will change mine for the recommended 24V coil that Albright make. I will also try a 24V external LED. Can you confirm the settings?

Bernel.

I am using TYCO EV200 contactors (without economizer) with 12V coil too. I set the 12V in DVT and I was surprised that the contactor was noticeably warm after a while. So I lower the voltage down to 9V which gives about 18Vrms on the osciloscope and the temperature now seems fine. So maybe it is only my issue. If your contactor does not warm up, it will be ok.

I am not sure if "external LED" function works only in operational mode? Also check if you have proper set value "# of outputs" in Input / Output window. Sometimes when I am changing parameters and it does not working without any reason helps to cycle operational/non-operational and cycle power on/off as well.

Hi All,
Here is my current status with my Gen4 Size 4 80V 350A Sevcon and ME0913

1.Throttle cuts out at 4000 rpm and and I get a wire off fault, throttle is a PB6 3 wire, 0 to 5k Ohm
2. The rpm ramps up from 3000 to 4000 with little throttle movement, I have it set to linear in DVT!
3. I can get a 24V external led to light but the current must be too high as it keeps melting the LED housing, I need to understand the PWM frequencies and voltage settings better.
4. I am going to try a 0 to 10k Ohm pot since it refers to a range of 0 to 10k Ohm in the Sevcon manual

I am beginning to understand how the DVT programming works and how certain changes affect other parameters more details to follow once I edit my notes.


I may have forgot to mention that I installed the Sevcon in my Thundercat conversion to replace a bricked Kelly, The Sevcon is smoother, quieter and delivers more current for acceleration than the Kelly did.

I am also going to work on a digital dashboard which will use the CAN BUS data and have it displayed on a 7 inch LCD, should be good when it is done.


Bye for now,


Bernel.

Hi,

I am highly interested because I also have to program almost the same motor (ME1115 with regular hall sensor instead of the stock sin/cos), I will start in about 2 weeks.
I already made a few tests on a bench a long time ago, got the motor running with no load but the amperage was much higher (maybe twice) than with a small ebike controller, maybe it is just because it had no load.

Do you still have these issues ?

No more issues, the end throttle voltage was too low. External LED is working, just need to buy some more LED bulbs and find somewhere to mount it.


I am now just tweaking settings then I will work on the drive profiles.


Bernel