RXV Danaher->Curtis Conversion, Brake Lights Always On

[coleasterling]

Originally Posted by cgtech

The controller drives these circuit from the battery pack voltage, it powers lower voltage circuits by chopping down the average voltage to one that is compatible with the circuit it's driving (motor brake circuit, main solenoid circuit, encoder circuit, pedal sensor circuits). It uses a idea called "pulse width modulation", PWM. Here is PWM in a nutshell. The voltage turns on and off quickly, but it is only on for a percentage of that duration. Let's use 25% as an example (to make 12v from a 48v battery pack). Power switches on and off thousands of times per second, but overall it was only on 25% of the time. Like this,

_|=|___|=|___|=|___|=|___|=|___|=|___|=|___|=|___| =|___|=|___|=|___|=|___|=|___|=|___|=|_

It's actually a little smarter than that too, it will keep the external driver circuits at a stable voltage even when battery pack voltage varies (if you tell it 25% of 48v nominal voltage, it will supply 12v even when pack is full, empty, under max load, or at rest). It has other tricks too, like power a solenoid at full voltage to change it's on-off state, then decreasing voltage to keep it in it's powered state, but at reduced voltage to reduce coil heating (used on both, brake driver circuit, and main solenoid circuit).

Thanks for the info! I'm very familiar with PWM, actually.


Anyone have some ideas on the "Main Driver OC" error?

[BobBoyce]

Originally Posted by coleasterling

Thanks for the info! I'm very familiar with PWM, actually.


Anyone have some ideas on the "Main Driver OC" error?

That means the controller is detecting an open circuit condition on the main solenoid coil... in other words, it's detecting a bad solenoid. If there is no + applied to the solenoid coil, it will do the same thing.

[coleasterling]

Interesting. I was thinking overcurrent based on the following thread and response from yourself about EM Brake Driver OC errors. The contactor is brand new and verified to be working.

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...driver-oc.html

Not sure where to go troubleshooting from here. I'm also still concerned that the throttle pot not showing changes in diagnostics means there could be in I/0 issue with the controller itself.

[biphase]

I have seen the throtttle pot issue before and it does not necessarily indicate a bad controller. The throttle % response will read correctly on the programmer when all other fault conditions are cleared.

[coleasterling]

That's what I was hoping to hear on the TPS, thank you.

Still haven't found any wiring issues. This one is confusing!

[BobBoyce]

Originally Posted by coleasterling

Interesting. I was thinking overcurrent based on the following thread and response from yourself about EM Brake Driver OC errors. The contactor is brand new and verified to be working.

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...driver-oc.html

Not sure where to go troubleshooting from here. I'm also still concerned that the throttle pot not showing changes in diagnostics means there could be in I/0 issue with the controller itself.

You're right, the EM Brake OC error is an overcurrent error. That usually takes out the FET if allowed to continue, ie not replacing a brake that has too low of an impedance in the coil. Main Coil Open is the open circuit error. If the solenoid is shorted or miswired to the point that it takes out the Main Coil FET, it'll flow too much current and trigger that error.

Which controller model number did you end up with? 1206AC-5201 I think you mentioned. Error code triggers are slightly different from the -5201 to the later Curtis controllers due to allowed bonding.

And errors can halt the reading of the encoders.

[coleasterling]

Originally Posted by BobBoyce

You're right, the EM Brake OC error is an overcurrent error. That usually takes out the FET if allowed to continue, ie not replacing a brake that has too low of an impedance in the coil. Main Coil Open is the open circuit error. If the solenoid is shorted or miswired to the point that it takes out the Main Coil FET, it'll flow too much current and trigger that error.

Which controller model number did you end up with? 1206AC-5201 I think you mentioned. Error code triggers are slightly different from the -5201 to the later Curtis controllers due to allowed bonding.

And errors can halt the reading of the encoders.

Yes sir, it is a 5201. The error I'm seeing on the "Main" is "Main Driver OC", not sure if that's the same as Main Coil Open or not. I haven't found a reference to error codes as listed, yet.

I've done a few electric vehicles from scratch and not had near as many issues as this guy is giving me, haha. Thank you everyone for the help!