The ZombieVerter VCU Project

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Jack Bauer
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Jack Bauer »

The mods required were pictured a few posts back but of course no one bothered to document them on the wiki...
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Jack Bauer »

I'm going to need a hacksaw
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by MattsAwesomeStuff »

SUMMARY - Caveat, I'm no expert, I'm just transcribing and summarizing as best I can. I don't understand the context of all of this. Don't take it as gospel. I'm just trying to contribute.

-Zombieverter VCU Assembly Video Part 1-

What is the Zombieverter?

- Control module that sits in an EV conversion, to act as an interpreter: gas pedal, brake, motor, etc talking to each other.

- Take the programming out of vehicle control, and making it menu-driven over a web-browser on wifi.

3:03 - How To Get One

2 ways current:

1 - EVBMW webshop. Buy one from Damien, show your appreciation.
2 - Make one yourself. Open Source on Github, but you'll have to design the circuit board layout yourself for now. Design files to make your own PCB yourself are only available on Patreon, it's fine to sign up, then quit your Patreon after a month if you feel it's necessary.

4:25 - Chip Shortages and Kit Soldering

- A few components are not available (circa 2021) from the usual PCB manufacturers due to chip shortages. Damien is amazing and sourced these missing parts himself, and these are included in the kit if you buy from EVBMW, but you will need to assemble them yourself:
- Top right: IC19 - NCB7356 single wire CAN transceiver chip. Needed if you intend to use single wire CAN (?).
- IC10 - MCP25625 - SPI-CAN transceiver/controller for CAN 3. Needed if you intend to use 3rd channel CAN (?).
- IC 5, 7, 6, 24, 25, 26, 1, 3 - NCV 8402 - Low driver MOSFETS. Almost certainly need these.

- Soldering is detailed but simple. Flux first. Then wipe some solder onto each bare pad. Then use tweezers to identify pin1 orientation, and solder the chip. Start soldering corners to anchor it, then go back and solder each pin. Or use hot air, warm the board up first with the air, when chip reaches soldering temp it should suck itself onto the pads. Wipe the soldering iron on the joints while board is still warm to make sure they're all connected. Move the board so that soldering is at the easiest angles for your hand. Lots of tutorials elsewhere on how to solder if you want more advice. Also, most cities will have small shops that do component level repair (eg. cellphone repair) and would probably do this for you if you were in a pinch and aren't confident.

- Shoutout to Loius Rossman and his fancypants magnifier.

24:40 - Power Up Smoke Test

- Next hook up 12v power supply. If you don't have a 12v current-limited power supply, use a 12v battery with an automotive tail light bulb in series to limit current. If you've made any mistakes, a power supply that's not current limited might disastrously ruin things.
- Positive 12v (brown in this case) goes to top right pin.
- 12v ground (green in this case) goes to the second pin down on the right.
- An LED on the upper left ("3V3 On") should turn on when you power it up.
- Should pull about 60mA from the power supply, for those with an ammeter.
- This verifies no shorts and probably no mistakes in your assembly.

27:40 - Wifi

- If you buy wifi module from Damien (EVBMW), it's pre-programmed. If you're reading a tutorial on how to solder, you should probably just do this (my opinion).
- Plug the wifi module into the right-angle pin header (so that it lays flatter).
- Solder the right-angle pin header to the board.

30:25 - Enclosure

- Enclosure box, header, pins, etc. Is available at AliXpress. About 30euros. Not supplied in the kit, because Damien is not adding any value or doing anything with it, no point in shipping it twice. Link in the description. Enclosure is solid, but paint job is often not great, but probably no one cares.
- You can buy a wiring harness that fits this enclosure for around 60euros, often from same sellers, sometimes bundled. It also is not included in the kit.
- Big header/connector fits the VCU board. They're tight. It's tight by design/limitation. Take your time and try to be careful, don't get frustrated, work slowly, you're trying to make dozens of pins line up at the same time. When you're done, check to make sure you didn't miss or fold a pin. Solder it up.
- Philosophy: Damien is trying to lower the bar to contributing to this project, and for people to use this project. Use the OpenInverter forums if you could contribute a small thing or if you'd use it.
- Grey gasket goes around the big black header. Tabs belong on top, it'll be obvious.
- VCU board goes into enclosure. Should screw together.
- Currently this kit doesn't have the gasket around the enclosure and its case.

49:00 - Final thoughts

- Links in the description, etc.
- Software is all open source, as are schematics, no paywall, only PCB design files are Patreon exclusive.
- Part 2 of this video will be programming and maybe more in depth review of features.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Jack Bauer »

E39 install in progress. I have to say the connector is really nice to work with.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Jack Bauer »

Basic OpenInverter class now working in the VCU for control via CAN. Also E39 vehicle integration going well. I'm saddened that more folks don't see the benefits of this project and contribute but I'll just fumble along.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by chuuux »

I'm looking forward to try ZombieVerter with Outlander front transaxle to, but I'm a copy-past coder, so still waiting. )
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Jack Bauer »

chuuux wrote: Mon Aug 09, 2021 9:58 am I'm looking forward to try ZombieVerter with Outlander front transaxle to, but I'm a copy-past coder, so still waiting. )
You and me both:)
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Dilbert »

chuuux wrote: Mon Aug 09, 2021 9:58 am I'm looking forward to try ZombieVerter with Outlander front transaxle to, but I'm a copy-past coder, so still waiting. )
Has anyone done a basic description for the code to run the outlander front/rear inverters? Do you have access to a front inverter?

I've developed a number of classes, including one for the outlander charger, but would like to add support for the outlander fornt/rear inverters too. So if you have information regarding these i would be interested in developing the associated classes for each.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by chuuux »

Dilbert wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 7:04 am
Has anyone done a basic description for the code to run the outlander front/rear inverters? Do you have access to a front inverter?

I've developed a number of classes, including one for the outlander charger, but would like to add support for the outlander fornt/rear inverters too. So if you have information regarding these i would be interested in developing the associated classes for each.
I have the outlander front inverter (FEMCU) and front transaxle.
I've tried to start it with my Teensy 3.6 + CAN module. Unsuccesful. I've used the same AC bridge to get ~400V DC supply as on Damien's FEMCU video.
CAN messages I've got from Damien's repo too. https://github.com/damienmaguire/Outlander-PHEV
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Dilbert »

did you replay the CAN log from the repo?

There was also another user (pemtek) which i communicated with when doing the outlander charger work who had both the inverters working on a vehicle. The CAN messaging is similar to the IMEV i believe, i know i looked at the IDs and they did see similar.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Dilbert »

here is the original thread:-

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=682&p=10031#p10031

outlander motor and inverter in a classic mini
viewtopic.php?p=25930#p25930

this is the torque command i can add to the class for the outlander inverter
viewtopic.php?p=25941#p25941
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by PetrOzz »

Friends, please answer me : can this vcu control all the components of the Nissan Leaf 1st generation ? 1. Motor 2. Inverter 3. Charging unit 4. Bms ?
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by chuuux »

Dilbert wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 10:03 am did you replay the CAN log from the repo?

There was also another user (pemtek) which i communicated with when doing the outlander charger work who had both the inverters working on a vehicle. The CAN messaging is similar to the IMEV i believe, i know i looked at the IDs and they did see similar.
Yes. I replayed the CAN log.
I found and solder the missed MCP25625 CAN chip on my beta ZombieVerter board. So, I'm ready to try start the FEMCU with ZV.

Please, tell, do you have a plan to do some PWM control for water/oil pumps according to temps inputs? Outlander front transaxle (only motors actually) has an oil cooling. So it needs external oil pump and radiator.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Alibro »

I wish I was able to help Damien but I'm useless at coding.
Quite good at getting stuff wrong tho. :?

If there is anything a non coder, lousy welder and ultra slow fabricator can do then please let me know. :)
I'm hoping to use this code in the future for my Leaf VCU.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Jack Bauer »

Much appreciated:)
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by bitterandreal »

I was wondering if the WiFi is working well inside the aluminum housing?
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Jack Bauer »

No problems here
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Jack Bauer »

Well good news is CAN 3 is up and running via the MCP25625. I modified the microchip libraries to work with libopencm3 and learned about lots of fun things like anonymous structs being a bad idea. Of course it didnt work. 3 days of investigation led to a number of software bugs in my library (who knew!) and a very weird little problem with the STM32. When I designed the board I used the hardware chip select pin(PB12) for SPI2 as the CS input to the MCP25625. I mean that makes sense right? Well PB12 doesn't like to work. At all. Kinda like a lazy teenager on a sunday morning. Ask it to get up to 3.3v and it takes all day (20us). Likewise on the return to 0v. Doesnt matter how its configured. Doesnt matter whether we use hardware CS or toggle it in software. Even a 10k resistor to 3.3v or gnd is enough to keep it from changing state. So I ran a bodge wire from PE13 to the CS and Voila! instant CAN3 action.

It's all good though. I get it now. Why do this kind of thing when its more fun to just watch me stumble around in the dark like the moron I am.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Dilbert »

That's really strange, is there limited drive capabilities on that pin or something? sounds like a very weak drive capability. I've been caught out similar with the STM32, where the RTC structure wasn't being zero'd correctly, prior to initialising the clock, hence it could re-configure an i/o pin as the clock out pin, but it was the chip select for an SD card. So the report from the field was that the SD storage was not working on some units.

I have written a class for the outlander front inverter, is there anyone out there with one who would like to try it out? The code is fairly well structured and it should be easy enough for me to modify it to drive the rear inverter or the leaf inverter etc...
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by chuuux »

Dilbert wrote: Sat Aug 14, 2021 5:45 pm I have written a class for the outlander front inverter, is there anyone out there with one who would like to try it out? The code is fairly well structured and it should be easy enough for me to modify it to drive the rear inverter or the leaf inverter etc...
I would like to try it out. But need to check somehow does the CAN work or I need to do the same rewiring as Damien did.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Dilbert »

chuuux wrote: Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:31 pm
Dilbert wrote: Sat Aug 14, 2021 5:45 pm I have written a class for the outlander front inverter, is there anyone out there with one who would like to try it out? The code is fairly well structured and it should be easy enough for me to modify it to drive the rear inverter or the leaf inverter etc...
I would like to try it out. But need to check somehow does the CAN work or I need to do the same rewiring as Damien did.
I'm just working off the build in CAN interfaces, so CAN 3 not needed for now.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by chuuux »

Dilbert wrote: Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:36 pm
chuuux wrote: Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:31 pm
Dilbert wrote: Sat Aug 14, 2021 5:45 pm I have written a class for the outlander front inverter, is there anyone out there with one who would like to try it out? The code is fairly well structured and it should be easy enough for me to modify it to drive the rear inverter or the leaf inverter etc...
I would like to try it out. But need to check somehow does the CAN work or I need to do the same rewiring as Damien did.
I'm just working off the build in CAN interfaces, so CAN 3 not needed for now.
Good. How can I get your code? Repo or PM?
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Jack Bauer »

Fixed it. libopeninverter was making the pin an input as pb12 is used as CAN2Rx in non remapped mode. Even though I was using CAN2 in remapped mode on PB5 and PB6 the library was still making PB12 an input! So no need for any hardware mods.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Bryson »

Nice find.

Just finished soldering mine up this weekend. Next up is an adapter harness to the gs450h VCU and I can join the party. Oh, and programming that virgin LIM.
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Re: The ZombieVerter VCU Project

Post by Dilbert »

chuuux wrote: Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:31 pm
Dilbert wrote: Sat Aug 14, 2021 5:45 pm I have written a class for the outlander front inverter, is there anyone out there with one who would like to try it out? The code is fairly well structured and it should be easy enough for me to modify it to drive the rear inverter or the leaf inverter etc...
I would like to try it out. But need to check somehow does the CAN work or I need to do the same rewiring as Damien did.
This is my repository, which will run on the generation 2 VCU, the one with the smaller connector.

https://github.com/dpowelltu/Stm32-vcu.git

I still have some work to do at a vehicle level, as i want to be able to be able to creep and run the regen code, which hopefully will prevent the transaxle running away (can happen when the torque command is 0) as the regen code will apply a negative torque to slow the motor down below a limit value.

I also have to fully figure out how the configuration of Vehicle / Motor / Shunt will work in practice.

I'm planning to do some work on it this week.
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