controller for brushed aotema motor, educate me please

[Rassy]

The switch on my controllers was actually a goofy little key switch and I didn't like the key or location. So I just cut it off, spliced longer wires to the leads and put a remote toggle switch where I wanted it. I.e., you can use any key, toggle, or whatever switch you want if you don't care about it fitting back in the controller housing. It is a low current and low voltage switch that just activates the controller, so any Radio Shack switch will be adequate.

It's actually good to have your switch where it is easy to use for safety purposes. You should turn the controller off before you even get off the bike so that if you accidently grab or push on the throttle the bike won't "jump". Plus if someone else pushes on the throttle it won't "jump". Also, if your throttle gets a short, from getting wet or any other reason it will usually go wide open throttle. If you can reach the controller switch you can shut the motor off.

 

[Tricia]

Dogman, neat idea, bypassing the switch. I hadn't thought of that. I think I'll have time tomorrow night to give it a try. I can't wait to have it working again.

 

[Tricia]

The switch on my controllers was actually a goofy little key switch and I didn't like the key or location. So I just cut it off, spliced longer wires to the leads and put a remote toggle switch where I wanted it. I.e., you can use any key, toggle, or whatever switch you want if you don't care about it fitting back in the controller housing. It is a low current and low voltage switch that just activates the controller, so any Radio Shack switch will be adequate.

It's actually good to have your switch where it is easy to use for safety purposes. You should turn the controller off before you even get off the bike so that if you accidently grab or push on the throttle the bike won't "jump". Plus if someone else pushes on the throttle it won't "jump". Also, if your throttle gets a short, from getting wet or any other reason it will usually go wide open throttle. If you can reach the controller switch you can shut the motor off.

I like this idea. I watched a couple videos on splicing wires. Do you recommend using a non-insulated connector, crimp, and then heat shrink tubing?

 

[Rassy]

There are many ways to splice two wires together, from simply stripping a little insulation, twisting the copper together, and taping up with electrical tape to using crimp connectors and/or soldering and protecting with shrink tubing.

Since I'm not very good with solder my current favorite technique is to use the insulated crimp on butt connectors, except I add a little liquid silver solder to the wire before I stick it into the connector.

The problem with the switch wires in that controller is they are very small and the space within the controller is limited so I think I just twisted the wires together and used regular solder and shrink wrap. When you look in the controller you will find the switch wires terminate at a little plug, so you can unplug the wires and remove them from the controller while you work on them.

Practice on some extra wire and you should be able to do the job, but it would be nice if you had someone available to help you.

 

[dnmun]

i can mail you one of these i bot on ebay.

 

[Tricia]

I cut back and twisted the switch wires together as a temporary fix as dogman suggested, using the battery plug as my on and off, but still no power, so I am exploring further.

Dnmum, the fuse you spoke about, is it a typical looking fuse? I don't see anything that resembles a fuse at all? Do some controllers not have them?
Thanks for the offer for the rocker switch, but I best see what else is wrong. Very kind of you.

 

[Tricia]

Dnmum, I should have reread your post about the fuse before asking my previous post question and I would've had my answer.

So, I have already opened the controller up, took the rusted switch apart, had no luck getting power when temporarily connecting them. All the other connections look great. Am I at a dead end, or is there anything else to do?

 

[dnmun]

so you have taken the cover off the controller, twisted the wires together where the switch was, and it is connected to the battery?

you should be able to measure the voltage at each point from the battery to the controller. and inside the controller there will be 12V and 5V current supplies to run the electronics.

take pictures and of the switch too. but we gotta get power inside the controller to see why the throttle doesn't work.

use the 200V range on the voltmeter and just press the black probe into the solder on the negative side and the the red probe on the switch wires on the positive side. it doesn't hurt if you get electrocuted, it is only 36V. so you are pretty safe to work on it with it powered up, just don't short out metal objects on the wires.

 

[Tricia]

so you have taken the cover off the controller, twisted the wires together where the switch was, and it is connected to the battery?

I reconnected the battery AFTER I twisted the throttle wires together (grin,) but yes, that is correct.
I hope to post pics tomorrow. Just have a little tech camera - computer glitch to work out.

 

[Tricia]

In the meantime....
I'm curious to know, who likes a thumb throttle, half twist throttle, full twist throttle best and why?

 

[Tricia]

take pictures ....

I finally got my computer-camera connection working, so here are the pics of the controller. If it's not the trike, it's the camera, lol.
wide diameter red and black go to the battery
wide diameter green and blue go to the motor
Small diameter group of red, white, black, purple go to throttle
Small diameter black and white are for a brake function I do not have.
White square connection with two tiny black wires go to switch. Switch is in rusted pieces. These two I twisted together as a temporary "on" and then plugged in battery but got no throttle response.
A couple of the pics are similar, but I moved the wires to get additional viewing.
Thanks for any help and insight you can give.

 

[dnmun]

read the number on that 16 pin IC.

the red wire and the black wire are the battery voltage so measure the battery voltage right there on the pcb where they are soldered.

that black wire is soldered to the current sensing shunt which looks like three bare silver wires. that is your ground for the voltage measurements inside.

measure the voltage on that 2nd pin from the left on top of that IC. it is actually pin #15 since the count starts down below there at the corner where the dot is and goes counterclockwise around the perimeter. measure the voltage over on the capacitor next to that in the corner. you can just put the red lead of the voltmeter on the + wire in that capacitor and the black probe on the shunt/black wire. i did not see the voltage regulator yet but i will look at the pictures, but we need to find the 12V and 5V current supply rails inside there to see if it has power to work. this should all be around 45V for your battery and around 12V for the other volts, all DC scale.

 

[dnmun]

the voltage regulator is down below, you can see the top of it through that hole in the corner so the 12V should be on that capacitor above it.

the three legs coming up there just above are the three terminals of the voltage regulator. one will be the Vcc from the battery, one will be ground and the other leg will be 12V. should be.

 

[Tricia]

dnmum, thank you very much for this information! As long as I am using the volt meter testing in these areas you mentioned, is there any risk of getting shocked? Just want to be forewarned of any possibilities, any thing I need to be especially careful about. Even at 36volts I don't want to get shocked.
I had no problem when testing the three batteries, but this is hardly my field of expertise. Thank you for your help.

 

[Rassy]

You will not get a shock from your 36V system. But, if you cause a short you can get a nasty burn as well as destroying stuff. When doing tests like those suggested by dnmun it is common practice to put a very small fuse (1 amp?) between the battery and the controller. Then if you do short something the fuse might protect you from a burn or other damage.

Good luck with your testing.

 

[dnmun]

yes, don't short anything, it makes a mess. you should wear glasses too in case you do blow something up the metal particles can fly away from the exploding parts and puncture your eyes.

outside of that, no problem.

put the black probe on the black wire where the shunts are. and just use the tip of the red probe to see where there is voltage present. it will all be less than your battery so use the lowest range possible, should be 200V DC.

 

[Tricia]

Rassy and dnmun, thank you for your advice. My September vacation has ended, and packing the family and going back up north took me away from the computer, hence my absence.
The trike stays south so I will not have access to it for awhile, but I will see about getting the fuse to put between the battery and controller before I do the testing you suggested. I hate to blow things up and will definitely wear safety goggles!

Thanks again,
Tricia

 

[Anonymous]

Dnmum,
I have the same controller and the only voltages I am getting is 0.9v accross both caps or anywhere else. I do get a 0.5v reading from center pin of transistors but 0.0v on IC . I measure 36v at batt but as soon as controller is pluged in voltage goes to 0.9v as well. I assume controller is shot :? But gives me a chance to upgrade :wink:

I want to inquire about hooking up my 24v currie brushed controller to the hub motor just to test it? It should work just slower RPM right.

Looking to replace controller with Infineon 36V or 48V controller. Any other budget suggestions?

Thanks for your help in testing this controller.

 

[dnmun]

you will need a brushed motor controller. the infineon is for brushless motors. ecrazyman has brushed motor controllers too.

i cannot help with the problem you mentioned, i am not that familiar with them. the currie controller may not be able to handle the 36V battery if it is a 24V controller.