Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Topics concerning the Toyota and Lexus inverter drop in boards
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Ev8
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by Ev8 »

Unfortunately it’s a project that is completely stalled on my end and not likely to progress now, code is still available from my git hub look further back for the link, you can reverse engineer suitable hardware from the code and the other posts I’ve mentioned about input voltage dividers, essentially I have proved that the gen2 inverter can be repurposed as a powerful 1000amp peak dc motor controller, however after melting the brush supply leads in my 13” dc motor it’s all getting ripped out and going AC, super fun while the motor lasted and would probably be fine tuned to lower power levels
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by MattsAwesomeStuff »

I do know that it's still a fairly common request for a simple DC controller to replace the Zilla and its ilk.

Doesn't need much polish I don't think, but my impression is that most of the people who would use this still have an ability gap between "check my github" and "I could build this", so, even just a snapshot of your board or your old schematic or whatever would probably help a lot. Then whoever takes it the next step further can refine that a bit into something nicer.

Just my two cents.
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by Ev8 »

Fair enough Matt I will try and find the time to, draw up a basic schematic, it might have to be hand drawn though as doing stuff on design spark takes me hours
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by GE11 »

Well I would be very interested in working on it. I still do DC stuff. I would love to work on this. Sorry to hear that the Motor you have did not workout. Im glad you worked on it. It was inspiring to me...
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by MattsAwesomeStuff »

Ev8 wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 6:25 am Fair enough Matt I will try and find the time to, draw up a basic schematic, it might have to be hand drawn though as doing stuff on design spark takes me hours
I know it will be appreciated.

I don't understand how you got a working product without a... schematic. Maybe I'm using the wrong term.

You made a board from... a something. Don't you have that something?
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by Ev8 »

It’s really quite a simple board, it’s perf Board, there is a 5v power supply, a teensy 3.2, some digital inputs that are opto, isolated, some analog inputs scaled with appropriate voltage dividers and some low side outputs that are driven by logic level mosfets, I worked out the resistor values for the voltage dividers to scale the inputs based on info from the gen2 adapter board thread and on my own tests from sensors etc, to scale to an appropriate 0-3.3v value,

But no I didn’t draw a schematic it’s that simple I built it as I went from my head and a few notes, I just built it straight to perf board,
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by GE11 »

Ev8 wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 8:52 pm It’s really quite a simple board, it’s perf Board, there is a 5v power supply, a teensy 3.2, some digital inputs that are opto, isolated, some analog inputs scaled with appropriate voltage dividers and some low side outputs that are driven by logic level mosfets, I worked out the resistor values for the voltage dividers to scale the inputs based on info from the gen2 adapter board thread and on my own tests from sensors etc, to scale to an appropriate 0-3.3v value,

But no I didn’t draw a schematic it’s that simple I built it as I went from my head and a few notes, I just built it straight to perf board,
Hey a couple of questions...

The board you are showing is in a housing, but that is not the Prius inverter.. correct?

How does the Inverter interface to this board?

Do you have to make any other Mods besides putting all the IGBTs in parallel?

thanks vey interested in this..

Thanks
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by Ev8 »

The white plug in the picture plugs into the main inverter brick in the gen2 inverter
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by GE11 »

So man.. are you looking to replace all this when you go AC??

Where are you located? I might have an 11 inch motor you can Barrow if you are close to the Atlanta area..
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by MattsAwesomeStuff »

Ev8 wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 8:52 pmBut no I didn’t draw a schematic it’s that simple I built it as I went from my head and a few notes, I just built it straight to perf board,
Ahh. Gotcha. I didn't think that... was possible.

Someday if you can spare the time, I know there's a lineup for something Joe Beginner could follow.
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by Ev8 »

Thanks for the offer but I’m UK based! Strangely my brother lives close to Atlanta!

Matt I have one of those brains I guess where I can visualise and build something in my head then just go ahead and make it, a blessing and a curse as I never commit stuff to paper I find as I get older I start to forget things I’ve already worked out
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by GE11 »

Ev8 wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:25 am Thanks for the offer but I’m UK based! Strangely my brother lives close to Atlanta!

Matt I have one of those brains I guess where I can visualise and build something in my head then just go ahead and make it, a blessing and a curse as I never commit stuff to paper I find as I get older I start to forget things I’ve already worked out
Well if you really are going to AC, is it possible that you might want to sell your system??
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by Ev8 »

Possibly but it’s not exactly a polished product being made on a perf board, maybe I should commit some time to designing a real board if there is genuine need for it…. I just figured with the availability of oem ac stuff to repurpose that was the nail in dc coffin !
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by GE11 »

Ev8 wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:32 pm Possibly but it’s not exactly a polished product being made on a perf board, maybe I should commit some time to designing a real board if there is genuine need for it…. I just figured with the availability of oem ac stuff to repurpose that was the nail in dc coffin !
You have a point, but I like the DC stuff and dont ever plan of going to AC... I would not mind working on this.. I have a Zilla I could sell in order to use this open source version that I can easily modify... not sure how hard it would be to make a PWB out of it. What schematic and PCB tool would you use?
Just curious, why use Tensy 3.2 and not just the Atmeg Arduino?
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by Ev8 »

I already had teensy here as I use simpbms and also the much faster clock speed allows for more samples in the analog input filtering to allow smoother responses without creating a noticeable lag on inputs like throttle,

I have design spark here so I can at least draw up a schematic, I did start one some time ago and was trying to simultaneously design and change parts to jclpcb stock smd items but it was hard going and I ran out of steam!
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by GE11 »

deisgn spark?? I have never heard of it. Does it take a schematic and go to PCB layout??

Is it free? If so how do I get it?
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by GE11 »

So what can I do to help in this endevor?
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by GE11 »

Hello,

Have you fully switched over to AC? Or is there still hope for the DC project? Anything new?
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by Ev8 »

Hi, please bear with me I am trying to simultaneously build a project car, rebuild a vw bus, work a full time job and refurbish a property, this is something I will get to but I have no time for at least the next week or 2, I will post here when I can.
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Re: Project RX8 , Prius gen2, Lexus transaxle butcher

Post by esoneson »

I put together a Teensy based Prius Gen 2 Inverter control box based on your box design.
I modified my inverter by removing the booster bits and tied the two output buses together.
I modified the Teensy code a bit. Changed low battery value, commented out BMS stuff (I don't have one). Also took out pre-charge test (already have one), took out temperature control (also done externally).

I attached PIN 20 and 25 to 12 V and all the other inputs from the Teensy to the 32 pin connector.

I also took out your Serial1 device control. All serial prints to to Arduino Serial Port.
Added many print statements to follow the values of all the pertinent internal items.
Got it all running except NO output to the motor. Using all six output lines. All have continuity to + Motor terminal and with each other and the tied internal output bus.

Tested accelerator. Teensy sees throttle at rest with .41 v and 2.68v full throttle.
Motor does not turn.
So, before dumping a ton of debug statements captured during this test, and since I have never seen any electricity come from this unit ever, with multiple different control devices attached, it seems to me that I should do a basic "can it really do it" test on the prius unit. If I can determine the prius unit is bad, I can get another and test it also. If I have done something wrong (probably), I can fix it. And I can add more debug data if need be. I'll post my debug output if you see fit.

Here is my prius inverter:
Image

And here is my Teensy controller:
Image
I
Thanks for all your patience and advice and help so far.
Will this 1995 BMW 318 White Sedan move soon? I hope so.
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by puddleglum »

I've been quietly watching this thread with interest since it began. I don't have the expertise to help with the development but excited to see progress. There aren't many DC controllers available anymore and I still am interested in DC stuff as I have several motors already. I'm wondering if someone could answer a noob question for me. Would it be possible to use this inverter as a sepex controller by paralleling mg2 and 2 phases of mg1 to drive the armature and set the remaining phase as a percentage of armature current, or control it separately, for field current control? Any thoughts? I've got a nice sepex motor that's power limited by it's current controller.
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Re: Project RX8 , Prius gen2, Lexus transaxle butcher

Post by Ev8 »

Hard to see from your pictures exactly how your hv inverter wiring is done, you should have battery positive and negative present at the inverter brick inputs, battery neg also connects to motor neg, and motor pos connects to phase outputs,

Maybe post a copy of your modified code? And maybe a screen shot of your serial monitor in run mode, do you get a forward or Reverse status?
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Re: Prius Gen2 Inverter DC Motor Controller

Post by Ev8 »

Technically yes that should be possible not with my software but you could use that as a base and add to it for controlling the field
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Re: Project RX8 , Prius gen2, Lexus transaxle butcher

Post by Ev8 »

What does your “throttle PWR actual” read when you press the throttle if this changes from 0 then you are making pwm, does your teensy pwm 4 trigger a logic level fet that drives all of the inverter pwm pins low?

Also why remove the inverter temperature part of the code? This gives you on chip monitoring of the igbt temperature rather than just cooling water temperature.
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