Final Electronics Configuration

I just finished correcting the configuration of the electronic components for our scale model.

I am very glad that it worked out! The motor accelerates when we turn the potentiometer and comes back to a stop when the “pot-meter” returns to “position zero”.

emoped-20090526-Electonics Test 01 from Henrique Monnerat on Vimeo.

Link to video

I am quite curious to what will happen when we start using big motors which we will actually be using in the future. Can we develop an open source controller for electric motors? Are there are people developing something like that??

It is probably wiser to use one of the existing controllers like the Alltrax Controllers but I would be quite curious to understand what makes up a robust motor controller.

Next Steps: Design the Laser Cut scale frame to contain all components (battery, pot-meter, motor and Board)

Quick update: Soldering was ok! Kees helped me with the wiring, we found out that the throttle Potentiometer (C) has to be placed between A and B. Back to soldering!

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Last weekend I started building the Velleman K8004 DC to pulse Width Modulator which will act as the speed controller board for the throttle and the electric motor for the first test model. It’s my first soldered circuit board! I am very happy with =) It was easy an fun to do it, kind of “meditational” also. My soldering skills dated back to 1995 when I was building R/C Cars with my Grand father…so before starting the soldering I watched this really helpful film from the Make guys, a video tutorial on soldering, so good!

Finished circuit board with external potentiometer for the throttle

My goal is to use Arduino for controlling of the motor, to stay open source, but I still don’t know much about it so I decided to start with the Velleman board instead. I don’t know if it functions yet, but I just wanted to post the pictures of the process here, more updates soon.

Just got all I need to start building the DC to Pulse Board and to measure things for the Laser-cut part I will design to hold all the components together.

Just bought yesterday what we need for the first tests on the electronics. 1. Cut pliers 2. Battery connectors 3. 9V Battery 4. DC to Pulse Width Modulator 5. Soldering Iron Set 6. 0,70mm Solder 7. Potentiometer and 8. 2 meters of wire. Total damage: 68,50 Euros.

After watching the 24 Hours of Electricross video, I am so looking foward to starting the second phase of this project. I decided that it can be a really exercise to build test model with the main electronics components and get a better understanding of the electric terms that make up an electric vehicle dictionary.

In a conversation with Kees, a fellow engineer at Flex, I got some support on relevant information about building a small test model on the electric components. Yesterday he surprised me with these motors! saying I could use one of them for the test!

Thanks Kees, really nice incentive.

Common problem solving theory tell us to brake down the main problem into smaller tasks. The e.Moped project is no easy problem. There are many parts that need to function together in order for us to rip the streets looking good on this machine. Last Saturday I made the quick drawing above in order to represent the different components (systems) that we need to resolve together. they are until now:

• Suspension
• Battery
• Controller
• Motor
• Interface (hardware and software)
  
• Wheels
• Charger
• Brakes
• Lights
• Frame

Am I missing something here?

Breaking down the project into different systems, we can organize our thoughts, and focus on the areas which need more work than the others. In my opinion,  the systems which will be the core of our development will be the FRAME and THE INTERFACE, all other systems can be found in the market place some way or another, with little or no modification.

Want to help out Letsevo?

Do you have any experience in any one of these systems? don’t hesitate to stand up and shout out loud! I am sure there loads of good minds out there. Leave a comment, send an email, the work is just beginning.