Open Source CA alternative on German pedelecforum available

[powersupply]

This is so cool what you are doing!
So it is possible to query the registers even if the SmartBMS is in hardware mode?

 

[crossbreak]

Yep, that is possible as you see in the video. Seems like this product was discontinued

http://www.bmsbattery.com/smart/330-lifepo4lithium-ion-smart-bms-for-513-cells-in-series.html

:x :x :x

 

[cybug]

:x I've got 2 SmartBMS 12S in my cart but can't checkout :x

I'll need to modify a 10S I have here to 12S.

Anyone knows the value of the cap that need to replace the 0 ohms res ?

Edit : seems to be 1uF

Edit 2 : Here's the answer of BMS Battery regarding availability of the SmartBMS if the future :
"Hi sir,

Thanks for your inquiry , this bms is no longer available again .

Regards"

:x

 

[DIY_turbo]

I have found this supplier of Smart BMS. Could any of their BMS fit the bill?

 

[crossbreak]

I have found this supplier of Smart BMS. Could any of their BMS fit the bill?

?? which supplier?

 

[cybug]

I received a new message from BMS Battery today, the SmartBMS should be available again in about 2 weeks. Wait and see ...

 

[crossbreak]

Yep it is just out of stock same reply form Ecity power, they will produce further

 

[jumpjack]

Can the ForumsController be purchased somewhere already mounted and ready to use? I'm not so skilled in soldering but very skilled in programming and quite experienced in Arduino, so it would be amazing to have such a nice piece of hardware to play with! But I also would need it to be able to support up to 64V: any tip about how to change its maximum allowed voltage? (it should be just a matter of changing a resistor and "recalibrating" the SW).

 

[gwhy!1]

You dont need to be able solder much to put something like this together, you can make it modular ( so it will be nothing like this CA so you will have to write your own code from scratch) but its no big deal. All you need to do is interwire the off the shelf bought bits. I have made a couple and the cost works out around £20 for the parts and about 1 hour to assemble ( arduino,screen,psu, some wire/plugs , box , handfull of resistors/capacitors, strip board and a current sensor ( this is the most expensive part, I use a 200A and it cost £11.00 ) depending on the amount of current you want to be able to read.

 

[crossbreak]

doing this in an hour is impossible I would say, as long as you do not have a ready made PCB... it still is a big deal. As well as programming, if you want all of the stuff the CA has like a fancy LCD menu, presets etc. Just write a mail to the forumscontroller guy from the German forum (jenkie)

 

[gwhy!1]

doing this in an hour is impossible I would say, as long as you do not have a ready made PCB... it still is a big deal. As well as programming, if you want all of the stuff the CA has like a fancy LCD menu, presets etc. Just write a mail to the forumscontroller guy from the German forum (jenkie)

If copying this as the circuit diagram, yes It will take much longer than a hour without a pcb but to put the basics together on strip board it honestly will only take about a hour. My first one took just over a hour, I have got it down to about 20mins now ( but I have put together 4 or 5 of them ), a complete novice it may take a fair bit longer, but it is straight forward if you are doing it as a modular design.

 

[crossbreak]

nice to hear what features does your unit have? which LCD do you use? plz tells us more, i'm keen

 

[gwhy!1]

nice to hear what features does your unit have? which LCD do you use? plz tells us more, i'm keen

I use these lcd's http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5pcs-84X48-Nokia-5110-LCD-Module-blue-backlight-with-adapter-PCB-for-Arduino-/121117939411?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c333116d3

basic functions are .. battery voltage / battery min, LVC cutoff/reduce power,current /current max, rpm/max rpm, speed/max speed , max watts, throttle lockout ( fail safe on throttle errors ).

but the main function of my device is continually variable ( smooth, realtime setpoint ) current limiting.

It has a menu system controlled by 2 buttons for setting: throttle, clutch, current, contrast: max, min and freeplay

I have more space on the arduino for more functions .. it also has 6 spare I/O pins I will prob add 2 temp channels when I get around to it, havent found the need to keep track of ah's but may add this at some point.

 

[crossbreak]

but the main function of my device is continually variable ( smooth, realtime setpoint ) current limiting.

very similar to mine the basic function is the lag free current mode throttle.
the lcd is quite nice, i use a larger 20x4 lcd... mostly to be able to view all cell voltages/gaps on one screen.. which would be possible with the nokia as well. i use 4 buttons. faster to browse through the long menu.

maybe we could share some code, anyway most of it is done already by others, a lot of code can simply be copy/paste
Thermistor code http://playground.arduino.cc/ComponentLib/Thermistor

 

[SolarRay]

This "Forumscontroller" is fully compatible with the "Greentime controllers"?

 

[SolarRay]

OK, ask the question another way.
if I use "Forumscontroller" with "Greentime controllers" then work function:
-current mode throttle control,
-battery and phase current limiter?

 

[gwhy!1]

OK, ask the question another way.
if I use "Forumscontroller" with "Greentime controllers" then work function:
-current mode throttle control,
-battery and phase current limiter?

it can do battery current limit ( not phase current limiting )

but I'm not 100% sure about current mode throttle, I have not looked at the code this in depth, but if it don't then it should not be to difficult to modify the code to do this.

 

[crossbreak]

CA and forumscontroller can't do any phase current limiting...What is best for you depends on what you want.

1.) If just generally want to limit torque/ limit phase amps to go easy on your motor+controller or get better efficiency while accelerating, then you'd get a infineon controller and just program it to your needs

2.) if you want to be able to set your phase current limit while driving, you wont come around:

a) real torque throttle controller like Bafang, Kelly, Sabvoton or Lebowskis (my favorite )

b) a pseudo torque throttle mapper like the one I developed (read earlier post)

c) Do a shunt mod with auxiliary pot, as far as I know, no one ever tried that yet.

 

[SolarRay]

crossbreak, thanks for info.

CA and forumscontroller can't do any phase current limiting..

They can not directly constrain the phase current, but may limit the battery current, and if they can do so quickly enough can be said that practically the device of this type can limit the phase current.
---
Little oftopit:
So, I will only fit kelly, because:
phase current limitation necessarily,
sabvoton too heavy,
bafang not powerful,
Lebowskis still can not be bought,
infineon + CA noticeably more expensive than kelly,
infineon + Forumscontroller, is not quite ready and will likely get a little more expensive kelly.
I think right?

 

[crossbreak]

They can not directly constrain the phase current

this is misleading. They just can't

 

[gwhy!1]

Do the kelly's really only limit phase current ?. I have never had one to look at..

They can not directly constrain the phase current, but may limit the battery current, and if they can do so quickly enough can be said that practically the device of this type can limit the phase current.

my view is.. yes it does... but it do not work like 100% like phase current limiting.

The infineons, do limit phase current to a pre-set value, but don't measure the phase current directly

 

[crossbreak]

Do the kelly's really only limit phase current ?. I

not at all. All brushless controllers do that except most RC ESCs, and even some of these (Castle Edge..) do

The difference is, that with a Kelly (and others) you can simply limit phase current with your throttle. There is not just one fixed setting. You can vary it all of the time. Of course there is still a maximum setting which corresponds with your maximum throttle position.

With an infineon controller you can just limit the max rpm which I wrote the whole thread about.

Hope this clears things up a bit.

@ solarray': ´Kelly seems to be the way to go for your needs