Author Topic: VEC300 issues??? Maybe?  (Read 3588 times)

Offline Zero rebuild

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VEC300 issues??? Maybe?
« on: March 09, 2020, 12:26:21 AM »
Hello all,
Thanks for putting this forum together!

My son, 13, and I are working on rebuilding an older Zero DS (2010).  I really don't know much about what happened to the bike, but basically, I obtained if for next to nothing and it had no motor.  It's in great shape other than no motor.

I ordered an HPM5000B motor with VEC300 controller.  Additionally, I picked up seven used Nissan leaf G2 batteries and wired them to provide at least 48V.

Basically, we wired it up and we were able to get 55 Volts to the controller. (should be more than enough to turn the motor, correct?)  I did not wire anything but the throttle and the eLock, it turned the motor.  We had to take a break and this weekend came back tot he bike excited to complete the project.  But, I thought we better make sure the motor turned again before we went further in making final re-assembly.
We reconnected everything, I still have 55Volts from the battery, but when we short the eLock, I get one sound and the light indicator lights once, but then nothing happens...the motor does not turn nor does indicator light on the controller stay on.  I have now gone through all the wiring again, but for the life of me, I can't determine why I get no response from the controller.  I have the elock connected correctly and I show 55 volts at the battery terminals and the eLock is connected to the B+ terminal.

Several questions:
Do I need to have all the wires connected to have the controller activate?  brake, cruise, other?  The multi-pin harness that goes tot he motor IS connected.

Has anyone ever had to swap out the contactor on a Zero motorcycle?  I had to bypass it to get the system to work the first time.  It's been a challenge to get the Zero's system (the processor within the battery compartment that originally came with the bike)  I am guessing that I am not getting a signal across the contactor to close, or it's possible the contactor is simply fouled and may need to be replaced...Would love some input on what to swap it out with as well as what voltage to use to turn enable the contactor?  Or, is there a contactor on the market that does not need an enable signal to function???  Would that mean that if the contactor closed, it would not open again (all issues I just don't clearly understand at this point).

Wondering if anyone has ever done the Golden 5KW in a zero DS...Thoguth I would ask about the gearing ratio that is currently set up on the bike.  The front sprocket I currently have is 11 teeth and the rear is apparently a 52 tooth sprocket.  Wondering is this ratio will make sense or if anyone has already tried this setup.  Additionally, has anyone ever tried to use a belt system...If so, thoughts on a belt and sprockets that would make sense???  I could not find anything that looked like it would fit 5kW motor drive, yet alone the rear wheel.

Thanks again for any and all support!  It's awesome to see a 13 year old begin to understand electronics and really get involved int he build out of a bike!



Offline Bikemad

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Re: VEC300 issues??? Maybe?
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2020, 12:23:36 PM »
Hi andto the forum.

I suggest that you take a look at this thread as your problem sounds very similar to Pcgayan's.

I have the elock connected correctly and I show 55 volts at the battery terminals and the eLock is connected to the B+ terminal.

If you inadvertently bypassed the switch for the eLock (or accidentally left the eLock switch in the ON position while the battery was initially being connected), I wonder if the precharge function of the controller (assuming it has one) would effectively be disabled, causing a momentarily high current surge to the controller when the battery feed was connected.  :-\

The motor should run with just the throttle, battery, controller and motor connected. The brakes and cruise being disconnected should not prevent it from running.

The Zero's original battery would have been around twice the voltage you are currently using, but I don't know if it used battery voltage or the DC:DC converter's 12V output to energise the contactor. So it could be a 12V or 96V coil contactor. If you can get it to operate using a 12V supply it is unlikely to be a 96V coil in the contactor.  ;)

According to the GM wiring diagram the controller can be used either with or without a contactor:



Check out this thread for further information on gear ratios etc.

Alan