VEC500 config

[Gutkowski]

Hi, I've got a VEC500 and a 10kW motor from GM. I currently have it working on the bench and successfully managing the controller via the software.

I'm having problems configuring a potentiometer to control the motor. I've set the input to potentiometer and the range to linear.

I've tried a number of configurations and have probed the voltages at the signal wire. With a simple 10k pot on the 3 wires, the motor starts consistently at 2.3V and hits over-voltage protection at 4.6V. At 1.8V or below, the motor spins backwards (why?).

The odd behaviour is that when turning back DOWN from 4.5V with the motor spinning, it sometimes will not turn off until 2.0V. At 2.0V with no other input and stopped, it suddenly starts spinning backwards

I have built a simple resistor network with my original 10k pot in series with a 10k trimmer either side. This allows me to bias the range the centre pot can output. (eg with 8k below and 2k above, the centre pot provides an output of 2.0-4.5V).

I've tried everything and I can't consistently control the motor so that it will always stop and never spin backwards with the centre pot at zero.

To summarise:

- With the pots set so that the zero position is 2.0V, the motor occasionally spins backwards.
- With the pots set so that the zero position is between 2.0 and 2.3V, It occasionally doesn't stop when turned back to zero.

Why is the pot signal able to make the motor spin backwards? What setting can I use to prevent this?

Also, in the cruise control settings, what's the difference between:

Cruise mode throttle minimum voltage (V)

and

Cruise mode throttle minimum voltage (V)

?

Ideally I'd like to be able to control speed rather than torque - can anyone offer advice as to how to set up the "cruise" settings to allow this?

Thanks in advance
 
Jeb

[Bikemad]

Hi Jeb andto the forum.

Have you got your "Enable EBS Auto-Mode" enabled? If so, I'm wondering whether it might be that the motor is simply spinning backwards as there is nothing counteracting the EBS force coming from the motor.

If you release the throttle quickly does the regen cut in immediately before the motor runs backwards?
I suspect it might behave differently when the vehicle is in motion and the wheels turn the motor against the Automatic EBS force.

Also, in the cruise control settings, what's the difference between:

Cruise mode throttle minimum voltage (V)

and

Cruise mode throttle minimum voltage (V)

?

I'm not sure what you are referring to here, have you mistyped the same setting twice or does it actually show up twice in your settings:



I seem to recall that the VEC500 controllers only control the motor torque rather than actual motor speed, so I don't think it will be possible to make it work differently. 

Alan
 

[Gutkowski]

Hi Alan, thanks for moving my earlier post to the correct thread. I am however unable to reply on it still?

Regeneration has been disabled yet I am still able to make the motor reverse by inputting less than 2V.

Yes, the version of software I have which I downloaded a couple of days ago has "Cruise mode throttle minimum voltage" twice. I sure hope it has the cruise (or speed-hold) function because it's kind of essential for what I'm trying to do. The loom came with the cruise plug attached and labelled anyway,,,

[Superlorenzo]

Dear Bikemad,
I need to get information about a VEC-500 inverter applied to an HPM-10 motor. I found a topic which describes my topic (motor rotating backward with low throttle voltage), so I'd like to participate to the discussion, would you please "unlock" me?

My topic of interest:
http://goldenmotor.com/SMF/index.php?topic=5796.0

Many thanks and kind regards

[Superlorenzo]

Hi all,I have the same reverse problem if the motor is with no resistance torque.did you solve the problem?

[Gutkowski]

Not solved, no. I added a 1k fixed resistance either side of my trimmers and managed to get close to consistency, but I still have no explanation as to why I am able to cause the motor to reverse with the potentiometer. Also as I've just posted on another thread, the reverse switch does nothing. I'd love to get some feedback from GM.

[Supchrgamx]

sound like its in joystick mode

[Gutkowski]

sound like its in joystick mode

This would be a helpful comment if "Joystick mode" was a setting in the software and/or you suggested a way of turning it off. It also does not explain the unpredictable zero position.

[Gutkowski]

The problem turned out to be the difference between potentiometer and hall sensor type.

Hall sensor should be used even if you're using a potentiometer unless you want the ability to control forward and reverse at the same time, eg with an outboard motor or radio controlled car style.

Cruise control, yes the software still shows Cruise mode throttle mimum voltage twice (I checked again today). The manual also still states that cruise is a vunction of this controller (haven't made it work yet).

Overall I don't think much care has been taken over the controller software front end. This is superb hardware let down by lazy software and poor documentation. It would take so little work to see this stuff done properly.

[Bikemad]

Hi Jeb and thanks for letting us know what was causing the problem, hopefully Superlorenzo will now know how to cure the same problem. 

Unfortunately, I still don't know why the cruise function is not working, perhaps it is also torque controlled and requires a steady load on the motor before it can be engaged?

Do you have it installed in a vehicle, or are you still bench testing the motor?

Alan