Cycle Analyst V3

[Kingafrica]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone can help?

I have a Lyen 18fet overclock controller and a CA3 ( I have put a resistor on the throttle side as advised my Edward Lyen as there was barely any power before) . The problem I have lies with the CA3, none of my parameters will work. For example speed limit to 15mph, max current 20A, max wattage 250w. The first time I set my parameters 37AMP and 2500w worked perfectly, 35MPH. I have set up 2 parameters, legal and off-road, none of these work. I can program all the parameters, but when I'm riding choosing the preferred preset none of my limits are recognised, as if the CA wasn't there. Even if I have one preset enabled and lower my Amps, Speed limit etc.. I cannot have my chosen parameters. On the display everything works, just none of my limits. I'm at a dead end now and really frustrated., What could it be?

 

[bowlofsalad]

My first guess is that the default is no modifications to the throttle, and that there is likely some way to choose to activate one of these parameters, you simply might not know how. Perhaps through a separate menu or selecting a parameter and a specific button hold or something. Have you tried e-mailing the manufacturer? They are extremely friendly, helpful and know their stuff.

It would be wise that in the future when creating a post to put something more descriptive in the subject line. "Unable to choose parameters on CAv3" or something. A lot of people write things like "HELP (insert single word here)" or something like that, I like to avoid those posts. Proof reading also helps lots too.

 

[teklektik]

Please follow the installation and setup instructions in this Guide. There are many options and advanced features, but there are actually very few steps to get basic operation squared away for any particular installation. If you do not skip steps or modify the procedures you should be up and running straightaway.

 

[bowlofsalad]

Please follow the installation and setup instructions in this Guide. There are many options and advanced features, but there are actually very few steps to get basic operation squared away for any particular installation. If you do not skip steps or modify the procedures you should be up and running straightaway.

Awesome, I actually did some searching and didn't find this (shame on me). Thanks for sharing, I think I'll read this over myself as well.

 

[Kingafrica]

Hi, I appreciate the response and I have read the required literature prior to my first post. It just seems odd that none of my limits are working, it did limit before I used the presets. Do you think I might have to re-flash the hardware, I'd like to avoid that as everything was fine before. Could it be an issue with the controller superseding the CA3? Very strange....

Anymore ideas?

 

[teklektik]

Hi, I appreciate the response and I have read the required literature prior to my first post. It just seems odd that none of my limits are working, it did limit before I used the presets. Do you think I might have to re-flash the hardware, I'd like to avoid that as everything was fine before. Could it be an issue with the controller superseding the CA3?

Okay - so, some basic stuff to set the stage:

• Am I correct in assuming that you have the throttle wired for V3 and not V2 legacy mode?
• You indicate that you read the manual. Did you follow the setup procedure up though ramping and surging ajustments?
• Do normal monitoring values appear correct (speed, current, voltage)?
• Are you testing with simple Passthru throttle?
• Are all other advanced features disabled (i.e. no PAS, AutoCruise, closed-loop throttle modes, temp sensing, etc)?
• Is your AuxPot disabled as well (no external limit or preset switch inputs)?
• When you configure for a single preset, do the limits work?
• Do the limit flags indicate that limiting is in effect in spite of other screen displays?

Apologies for the questions, but the V3 is relatively simple to get working in basic mode, but things get complicated when advanced features are enabled. So - it's important for the unit to be running in the most basic mode that can demonstrate the failure.

 

[Kingafrica]

Hi, everything is set up in its most basic form. The limit flags AWS come up, it's in pass through mode too. Nothing will limit. I have also noticed the the % on throttle in doesn't register...


The penny has dropped!!
I have the throttle wired to the controller, the throttle is wired for V2!!!

Thanks for your help

I'll let you know the outcome..

 

[teklektik]

The limit flags AWS come up, i
I have the throttle wired to the controller, the throttle is wired for V2!!!

Yep - the limit flags are the giveaway. Being caught in this in-between time of using the V3 with controllers wired for V2 is a bit of a bump in the road.
Glad things are back on track.

 

[Kingafrica]

Thanks for your help! It was really simple over site. It now connected direct to the CA and working perfectly. Now I can put in my presets. Easy when you know.

 

[ridethelightning]

hi guys.
im having ver ysimilar problems with setting up my cav3...
iv wired it to work as limiting device, moved green wire from tho to thd on the board in the ca, throttle plugged direct to controller. it now very definately limits speed to what i set it to, but the weird and somewhat frustrating thing is it completely disregards my amps and watts limit settings(the main thing im trying to controll) in the powerlimit settings .

any one have any ideas

 

[Kingafrica]

Hi, don't wire the throttle into the controller , that was my mistake wire direct into CA3.

 

[teklektik]

hi guys.
im having ver ysimilar problems with setting up my cav3...
iv wired it to work as limiting device, moved green wire from tho to thd on the board in the ca, throttle plugged direct to controller. it now very definately limits speed to what i set it to, but the weird and somewhat frustrating thing is it completely disregards my amps and watts limit settings(the main thing im trying to controll) in the powerlimit settings .

any one have any ideas

For most controllers, it isn't necessary to use the Thd connection since the diode is already present in the contrller - but it can't hurt in any case since you are trying to run in limiting mode. For legacy mode, your throttle connection to the controller is correct.

A few questions to get the lay of the land:

• Did you follow the steps in this Guide to do installation/setup?
  (This just saves a lot of configuration questions if the answer is yes )
• Did your controller come with the CA-DP connector or did you install it yourself?
• Are you using an external shunt? If so, how are things wired?
• Are the voltage/Amps/watts readings more or less correct?
• What are the Limit Flags when it is limiting Speed?
• What are the Limit Flags when it is failing to limit Power/Current?
• What is your ThrI->CntrlMode Setting?

 

[ridethelightning]

Ok, iv done more testing.

heres how things are:

>yes iv used the guide but my comprehension is limited. its sinking ina bit more every time i read it again though

>ca came with dp plug already wired.

>no external shunt

>Amps/volts/watts/kmh readings are plausabile

>yes. limit flags are ALL active when they should be-capital letter when the limit is in action, eg. like when youv reached 5kph but the limit is 4.9kph

>limiting power/current is a bit odd.flags active. i changed the A gain from 150 to 50 and got some better results but still the limit is not happening precisely.
eg. i limit amps to 40 and still get 66 Amps on startup for a bit before it is roped in(and very loosely it seems). im pretty sure its to do with the gain functions that i dont understand fully yet.
sory to be a dumbass, this is all so new to me. the word gain still leaves my mind reeling its not in my vocab.

so smaller number gain is faster controll of set perameter?or the otherway round?
>throttle in is set to off/dissabled

thanks for the support with this. i may eventually figure it out by myself but it might take months!

 

[teklektik]

>throttle in is set to off/dissabled

Hmm - there is no 'off/disabled' setting - there are two settings 'Off(0v)' and 'Off( WOT )'. You should be using 'Off( WOT )' as called out on p.18 of the Guide.
Since something seems to be working, I'm thinking this is the setting you have - but please check.

>yes. limit flags are ALL active when they should be-capital letter when the limit is in action, eg. like when youv reached 5kph but the limit is 4.9kph

Okay. This is Good - it means the unit is detecting the limits properly - the issue seems to be in getting the limiting action itself tuned up.

>limiting power/current is a bit odd.flags active. i changed the A gain from 150 to 50 and got some better results but still the limit is not happening precisely.
eg. i limit amps to 40 and still get 66 Amps on startup for a bit before it is roped in(and very loosely it seems). im pretty sure its to do with the gain functions that i dont understand fully yet.
...this is all so new to me. the word gain still leaves my mind reeling its not in my vocab.

so smaller number gain is faster controll of set perameter?or the otherway round?

You are using the CA in legacy limiting mode which is not going to give you many features or the smoothest operation - but that said: 'Limiting mode' (legacy V2 mode) means that the the CA watches the current or power but doesn't really do anything until you exceed a limit. It might as well not even be connected. After a limit is exceeded, it throttles back. It does this by trying to reduce (clamp) the operator throttle by slowly reducing the throttle limit from the ThrO->MaxOut voltage to some value that has the proper limiting effect. If ThrO->MaxOut is set too high, this takes a while as the ca adjusts to voltage downward from a too-high value until it actually reaches the throttle working voltages, and then further until it starts having an effect. During this time there can be a large overshoot. I suspect this is at the heart of your problem. Tweaking in the MinOut/MaxOut values so they closely bracket the throttle working range will minimize the delays in the CA's efforts to make corrections.

Please review the legacy setup on p18 for instructions. Unlike setup for 'normal' operation, legacy mode setup may require you to hook up a meter to figure out the voltages to use. If you have problems with this we can can post more instructions to embellish what is in the Guide.

As for the Gain settings: The CA limiting software mimics the operation of electronic control circuits called PID or PI controllers where the amplification of certain signals (for instance the error between desired and actual speed) is controlled by a 'gain' adjustment - just like the gain (volume) control on your stereo. The higher the gain, the more the value is amplified or multiplied and the larger the effect. If the gain is large, the effect is very rapid, but this can make things over-correct. This can lead to 'hunting' as things continually overshoot in both directions instead of settling in on the target value. If the gain is too small, the correction can take a very long time. So - once you get the ThrO->MinOut and ThrO->MaxOut settings correct, you can play with the gain settings so that the CA homes in as quickly as possible on the limit value without oscillation (surging) or jitteriness.

In any case, you will always find some degree of overshoot since in limiting mode, the CA won't wake up to do anything until you have already reached the limit. If you are accelerating hard and cross a limit, the CA can take a bit to get things back at (near) the limit value.

Frankly, I recommend that you switch to normal (instead of limiting) operation as soon a possible. The setup procedure is simpler, requires no meters, and the the resulting control is much better since instead of limiting the operator throttle, the CA provides the throttle itself - basically, it's running the show instead of reacting after the fact to what the controller has already seen from the operator. Anyhow - keep us posted....

 

[ridethelightning]

yeah that sounds about right-
my thottle out max is still set at 4.99v.

ill stuff about a bit more but really, like you said, i wanna get it in cav3 operation asap...

thanks again, ill keep reporting....