KZ440 road legal cafe racer

Buildsix said:
I spent a few evenings this week setting up the Vicor DC-DC converter. This little brick is an amazing bit of tech with some really impressive specs for the size. The V110A15C400BL has a capacity of 400W so can output ~29A at 13.8V which should be enough to keep the 12V system topped up!

View attachment 353686
View attachment 353687

I've soldered the caps straight to the pin sockets and will use RTV silicone to secure everything in place. I found a similar setup used in an airframe... so if it can withstand those sorts of forces and vibrations, it should be appropriate for a lowly motorcycle :D

View attachment 353688
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$478? Seems a bit high to me
 
It was a bit more than I wanted to spend but I really wanted something that was small and light weight which could fit into the tank next to the other 12v goodies.
 
Buildsix said:
It was a bit more than I wanted to spend but I really wanted something that was small and light weight which could fit into the tank next to the other 12v goodies.
Click to expand...
Fair enough. If size is the constraining factor, not much you can do about it.
 
Buildsix said:
I've been looking through some of the prismatic battery build threads and noticed compression being discussed for these. Sounds like I may need to add some extra spacer plates between the levels and strap the pack?
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Very nice build ,spare no expense nice dc converter,
could you post pics of battery series connection?
i am building 24s pack, thanks
 
peadar said:
Very nice build ,spare no expense nice dc converter,
could you post pics of battery series connection?
i am building 24s pack, thanks
Click to expand...
Thanks Peadar. I go into a bit of detail on the battery build in episode 3 of my build videos. But here are some photos as well. Just a note that I didn’t strap them together as well as they apparently need to be so I’ll be adjusting the way it’s all held together. For the terminals I bent the larger tab around the smaller one then used sections of aluminum extrusion to clamp them together. The 3d printed end caps help keep the terminals from shorting. This is entirely untested at this stage so I’m not sure of the longevity yet.
IMG_9201.jpeg
IMG_9175.jpeg
IMG_9179.jpeg
 
I like the angle aluminum, keeping it flat,and helps with cooling.
You might need to punch holes in tabs if you are looking for big amps,
I'm going for three holes, I have a similar build going using the 8kw v4 motor
A lot of information under, pouch cell build, in the search box ,
Thanks for replying
Very nice frontend
 
Theres no going back now... the tank has been cut in half!

The space inside this thing isn't quite as much as it seemed before I chopped it, but it should be just enough to fit the PDM, an antigravity 801 battery, the DC DC converter and the charge controller. I'll throw the SOC meter on the top where the filler cap was but that'll need a bit more fabrication to raise the hole.

1717719675472.jpeg

I've tried a few different layouts but will probably need to cut and fab the inside a bit because there are a lot of contoured sections where the ignition coils and various mounts had to fit on the ICE bike. I'll try the cut and shut method to modify this lower pan to fit everything.

The concept is to weld a lip around the lower half, then thumbscrew the top of the tank to the lower half with a rubber seal between the two. I tried to find the least lumpy sections to cut along as it should make it easier to bend and weld the lip. I'm open to suggestions here as this part feels a bit like I'm flying by the seat of my pants.

I've also watched a few hours of YT videos on how to weld autobody sheet... so I can consider myself a pro now :D
1717720371025.jpeg

1717719747798.jpeg

1717720425014.jpeg
 
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So quick update. I managed to weld the lip around the bottom pan without making a mess but once I started to butt weld 1mm sheet to replace the contours using my transformer MIG, I just ended up blowing holes through it even on the lowest setting. The lip was thicker gauge steel so it just worked.

This is a good catalyst for me to finally grab a TIG welder though… then I’ll need to cut out the patch and redo it. Slightly frustrating but I want this done properly.
 
Buildsix said:
I spent a few evenings this week setting up the Vicor DC-DC converter. This little brick is an amazing bit of tech with some really impressive specs for the size. The V110A15C400BL has a capacity of 400W so can output ~29A at 13.8V which should be enough to keep the 12V system topped up!

View attachment 353686
View attachment 353687

I've soldered the caps straight to the pin sockets and will use RTV silicone to secure everything in place. I found a similar setup used in an airframe... so if it can withstand those sorts of forces and vibrations, it should be appropriate for a lowly motorcycle :D

View attachment 353688
Click to expand...
I noticed there are several of these units of varied ratings on the Bay of E. For reference... Vicor VI-2T1-EV Isolated DC/DC Converter - Through Hole | eBay

Some are much lower $ than any distributor, granted with the risk of being used and possibly non functioning.

Any chance you could share the caps (circuit choice) you used on your point wiring?
 
PK2000 said:
Interesting. Just ordered one, thanks for the tip.
Click to expand...
Glad to share, and hat tip to @Buildsix for the OG mention.

Here is another, though slightly lower voltage and ~ 13a max out, but maybe in the too affordable territory...

www.ebay.com

(Lot of 5) Vicor DC to DC Converter 200VDC 200W Input to 12VDC 200W Output | eBay

Unlock reliable power conversion with this Lot of 5 Vicor DC to DC Converters! Perfect for any project requiring efficient 200W input at 200VDC and delivering a robust 12VDC output, these units are in excellent condition and guaranteed to work. Each converter model VI-B51-02 is designed for high...
www.ebay.com
 
PK2000 said:
Interesting. Just ordered one, thanks for the tip.
Click to expand...
Let us know how the used one works. Because that that price point, for that size, I might want to grab a couple of those for future projects.
 
I found this document to be helpful too. It has the schematic for the "test board" that outlines the various bypass cap sizes. I used this as the guide to set mine up.

They also have a calculator for working out the trim resistor to finetune the output voltage: Vicor Design Calculators

Digikey and a few other places also have socket kits available for these vicor units so you don’t have to solder directly to the pins. Makes the build a little easier and more maintainable.

18379 | DigiKey Electronics

Order Vicor Corporation 18379 (1102-1569-ND) at DigiKey. Check stock and pricing, view product specifications, and order online.
www.digikey.com.au www.digikey.com.au

18389 | DigiKey Electronics

Order Vicor Corporation 18389 (1102-1572-ND) at DigiKey. Check stock and pricing, view product specifications, and order online.
www.digikey.com.au www.digikey.com.au
 

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cheapcookie said:
can you share distributors of the battery cells and bms? thanks
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The BMS makes part of a full charger and controller kit. The distributor is Thunderstruck motors: Chargers. These guys have amazing support and are always quick to respond.

The batteries were sourced from Alibaba, from a supplier called General Electronics Technology Co. LTD., operating as GeB
gebattery.en.alibaba.com

Company Overview - General Electronics Technology Co., Ltd.

General Electronics Technology Co., Ltd. Products:Polymer Lithium Battery, Electric Bicycle Battery, Portable Power Station, Hybrid Vehicle Battery, Lifepo4 Battery
gebattery.en.alibaba.com gebattery.en.alibaba.com

They were also pretty good to deal with, not too many language issues. They operate out of HK.
1717999462596.png
 
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I grabbed a TIG this weekend gone so now I’ll be practicing for the next few weeks. All I can say is thank god for YouTube!

If anyone has some good resources with baseline settings for materials and thicknesses that would be really helpful. The learning curve for this seems to be near vertical.
IMG_4688.jpeg
 
Buildsix said:
I grabbed a TIG this weekend gone so now I’ll be practicing for the next few weeks. All I can say is thank god for YouTube!

If anyone has some good resources with baseline settings for materials and thicknesses that would be really helpful. The learning curve for this seems to be near vertical.
View attachment 354399
Click to expand...
awesome thanks good luck with the tiging
 
Buildsix said:
I found this document to be helpful too. It has the schematic for the "test board" that outlines the various bypass cap sizes. I used this as the guide to set mine up.

They also have a calculator for working out the trim resistor to finetune the output voltage: Vicor Design Calculators

Digikey and a few other places also have socket kits available for these vicor units so you don’t have to solder directly to the pins. Makes the build a little easier and more maintainable.

18379 | DigiKey Electronics

Order Vicor Corporation 18379 (1102-1569-ND) at DigiKey. Check stock and pricing, view product specifications, and order online.
www.digikey.com.au www.digikey.com.au

18389 | DigiKey Electronics

Order Vicor Corporation 18389 (1102-1572-ND) at DigiKey. Check stock and pricing, view product specifications, and order online.
www.digikey.com.au www.digikey.com.au
Click to expand...
This is excellent. I was doing manual calculations and scouting parts, but this verifies and helps A LOT.

I was thinking about those socket kits too, but they end up being more than I paid for the unit. Since I don't plan on a production run for my backwoods build, I wonder if I can procure something lasting without those sockets. It looked like you managed to with your test photos(?). Does your method seem well enough to last, maybe add some electrical safe silicone on the components for stability?
 
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jkrienert said:
This is excellent. I was doing manual calculations and scouting parts, but this verifies and helps A LOT.

I was thinking about those socket kits too, but they end up being more than I paid for the unit. Since I don't plan on a production run for my backwoods build, I wonder if I can procure something lasting without those sockets. It looked like you managed to with your test photos(?). Does your method seem well enough to last, maybe add some electrical safe silicone on the components for stability?
Click to expand...
Yeah I used the sockets, but only because I wanted the option to screw up and not damage the converter as I did kinda get fleeced for it. To be honest the whole thing went together without issue so it’s really only useful from a possible future maintenance perspective. The hardest part was working out how best to solder those massive output cables without a separate board.

I actually had some RTV silicone on order to glue everything down, but didn’t have it when the photos were taken. Thats definitely the plan!
 
Assuming the ebay special works, I'll be making a PCB to mount it. The minimum number of PCB's I can order is 5. Happy to give away the extra's.
 
For a given wattage, those brick modules are the same form factor. So the PCB's will be universal.
Update. That EBAY order got cancelled by the seller.... Hmmm..
 
PK2000 said:
For a given wattage, those brick modules are the same form factor. So the PCB's will be universal.
Update. That EBAY order got cancelled by the seller.... Hmmm..
Click to expand...
Cancelled , that is no good. After you'd made purchase? Hopefully reimbursement or redeem and shipment comes through. Sorry to hear that though. Kind of worried the Bay listings are a preverbal mine field. The one I $ a few days ago still has not shipped either ...
 
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