Showing off my $100 golf cart using Flipsky75200 VESC and ME1401

AJR

1 µW
Joined
Oct 29, 2024
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Location
Canada
Hey Endless-Sphere forum!

Wanted to show off my project using a cheaper Chinese based VESC (Flipsky 75200 Pro V2.0) I figure someone out there like me might search Google and come up empty handed. I know I was struggling to find information!

Controller FW: 6.05

I bought a $100 project Golf Cart that someone had started extending and planned to do a snowmobile engine swap, well after giving up I picked it up, with no wiring or anything really. Which gave me a clean slate to try something new!

Build log video:

I am using the Motenergy ME1401 bolt on 19 Spline engine. Found it on a great deal on Ebay for about 225 USD. Using a Flipsky VESC based controller I was able to get it running. I was able to hit a top speed of 68km/hr (42.25mph) which was way too fast.

Some things I found I had issues with that others also had issues with online:
  • Cogging and poor low speed performance: The ME Motors have a bit of a problem at low speeds. Despite having the Sin/Cos sensor working with a voltage divider and getting values/position. The controller would just not work on encoder mode. It would freeze up an crash. Luckily using Sensorless open loop mode, setting to high inertial load preset, and pulling back on the ramp up, lock up, and erpm min current slider until it felt right did the trick. Able to crawl no problem and low speed. (I did accidently reverse into a garage door in the process 🙃)
  • This version does come with phase shunts and the like, seems to take some abuse, and was running fine even at spiked to 400A but of course each at their own risk.
  • Using ADC0 and ADC1 for the motor sensor meant I needed another way to control the speed. Instead I used the SERVO connector to drive an ESP32 at the front. I used a cheap Chinese hall effect throttle with voltage divider and just used the map function to adjust the PWM signal to the PPM/PWM input. As a bonus I was able to set it up with a simple switch/pull up that would trigger the board to send the signal in the opposite direction. So reverse was fairly easy!
The surprise with this build was my transaxle was a 6:1 speed transaxle not a 12.66:1 or higher as I expected so this ended up going WAY faster then expected. I may even consider gearing it down but honestly this has had no issues in the rolling hills and fields.

Lots left to do on this project, solar panel roof, reupholster seats, utility box, fix the battery area, an infotainment screen/dashboard.

Absolute blast though to say I've been obsessed would be an understatement. This was a great experiment to learn about as one day I'd like to do a leaf -> Classic truck conversion.
 

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