Zero Drivetrain Conversion, Sevcon Gen 4 Size 4, ZF75-5, Throttle Inputs

[alecmac9]

Picked up a brand new "paired" Zero Controller and Motor with no wiring harness. Put a wiring diagram together and have gathered all components (except throttle) to hopefully get it moving. Goal is to swap into a bike. Currently in coms with a local (Santa Cruz/Bay Area) about using their sevcon software and IXXAT Connector.

>Can anyone tell from the serial of the controller/motor what year/model bike this setup came from?
-Motor: 30-08255-04 , IPM X 20485 . ZF75-5
-Sevcon: Part: 634A84210 Type: Gen4 80V 400A, Serial: 1701301085, Label Maker Tag (Zero serial): MY17 S 13.0 1701301085
-Sevcon internal PCB is labeled as 2011 Rev B

>Looking to determine input voltage, phase current, and if the inputs are setup for the Potentiometer throttle (Magura 3 wire) or the hall effect throttle (Bitron 8 wire). info on a diy throttle or a nice quality off the shelf throttle would be ideal

>Its a "ZF" which means its 2013+, 2015 is when they switched to a Hal-based throttle. if its from 2017 it means the sevcon is actually a 4.5 which should have upgraded mosfets to handle higher current
Ref: Unofficial Zero Manual

>Suggestions for battery size, charger, proper contactor w/o economizer, gear reduction, any successful modifications to the current Zero program? Added reverse? Different modes? Would like to keep it mostly stock for now for simplicity and so I can focus on the actual mechanial conversion into the frame for now.

-Alec

 

[amberwolf]

>Can anyone tell from the serial of the controller/motor what year/model bike this setup came from?
<snip>
-Sevcon: Part: 634A84210 Type: Gen4 80V 400A, Serial: 1701301085, Label Maker Tag (Zero serial): MY17 S

If they were logical, then I'd guess MY17 is model year 2017, and the model was the S version. (if there is such a model, for that year; I don't know ). 2017 makes sense also because the Sevcon serial starts with that....

>Suggestions for battery size, charger,

Battery size depends entirely on your intended usage. You'd need to size it for sufficient capacity to give you more than the range you need under the riding conditions you have, at the power level used for those conditions. It must also be built to supply more than the worst case max current that the controller will ever draw from it under your worst case riding conditions.

How much more, for either of those, depends on how long you want to keep using the pack, and what it's made from. As the pack ages, it will degrade, being both less capable of supplying current and having less capacity. Some cell brands/models/types will be better for longer, and some have relatively short lifespans.

When considering range, also consider potential adverse conditions (wind, detours, etc) that might require more than your normal needs.

 

[headhoncho]

With DVT you can flash it to use either a potentiometer throttle or the bitron 5v source throttle. Zero likely went to the hall throttle because with a potentiometer throttle on the sevcons they only have wire off detection and cannot detect when the traces become worn out from use. With the hall throttle the controller looks at 2 throttle signals simultaneously and if there is something amiss, it sets a flag and shuts down the motor.

The -5 motors I think can only do like 400A wheras the -7 is a thicker motor and can handle higher phase current.

The gen 4 80V controllers will run from I think 39.1V to 116V.

You can program the DC current limit into these controllers to be quite low and maybe use an old surron battery if you just want to get started