Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Topics concerning the Tesla front and rear drive unit drop-in board
jrbe
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by jrbe »

Does the ncp1060 handle the reverse power flow making the diode unnecessary?

Will your 12v source power supply make enough current by itself for all the drivers?

There's oem design redundancy that might never ever be used to what's sensibly required to that didn't work. And unless you do these designs often it can be really hard to know where the idea falls in this range until you test it.

Is it worth breaking out this part of the design to it's own little PC board to test?

Sometimes removing unnecessary / blocking components from a circuit is more of a mindbender than it should be.

No need to reply, just some ideas to maybe help thinking through the logic / struggle.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

Thanks for the ideas.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

This one is even better. Let's just delete all these pesky parts :D Am I really the only person on the friggin planet looking at this stuff?
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by davefiddes »

That's the Font Drive Unit inverter variant is it not? I thought you had one of these. Somebody somewhere said they don't require the extra drive circuitry because it's an induction motor. I am but a humble Mechanical/Software Engineer so don't really understand the implications.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

I "had" one. Sent back to owner prior to house move messed up my plans :)
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by davefiddes »

Ah, forgot the history on that one. I spotted a slightly crispy FDU from a fire damaged car near me...sadly they're looking for silly money otherwise it would be an an ideal dev unit. There don't seem to be a lot of drive units from newer cars about at the moment. Mostly seem to be the older ones like we already have.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

yeah interesting. I'll keep an eye out but wont let it stop progress. I'll setup the board to do the dual psus and can always leave some parts unpopulated.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

Found this on the US 'bay. If you look at the secondary side current regs there is no an option of a 0 ohm resistor to bypass the whole thing and just feed the secondaries from the transformers into the high side drivers.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/395809630591

Also seems the sods have deleted the JTAG connector!

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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

In fact that reminds me of a Trek line " Shunt the deuterium from the main cryo pump straight to the auxilliary tank"
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by davefiddes »

They have had fun. Looks like they've removed the HVIL current sense resistors. Couple of current sense resistor whose purpose I can't remember have gone too (maybe to do with the resolver exciter I think). CAN termination is gone on both busses I think. Who only know what the forest of footprints on the LHS is up to.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

I think the missing bits on the "logic" side are for detonating the also missing pyro on the center bus bar.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

My brain hurts....
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by dimonlipko »

Damien, you are crazy!))) Very powerful project! I want to be one of the first tester. My Tesla motor wait in garage)

Remind me why it is impossible to only replace the native chip to STM32 with adapter board?
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

I am a bit crazy:) It is indeed possible to fit an STM32 board but the level of skill required to solder it safely in place is very high and so I decided it was not practical for most people. I decided at the begining that whatever solution I developed had to be universal and repeatable and of course open. Here is a video from last year where I tested out a modboard :
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

Nearly home....Just B and C phase High side power supplies to track.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by dimonlipko »

Am I correct understand that the software is the same for solution with new board and for OEM board with change MCU?

Is it possible to make more motor power than in Tesla?

Is this board work with model 3 front drive unit?
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

dimonlipko wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2025 9:14 pm Am I correct understand that the software is the same for solution with new board and for OEM board with change MCU?

Is it possible to make more motor power than in Tesla?

Is this board work with model 3 front drive unit?
Yep same stm32-foc openinverter firmware.

Don't know about power until I test. Certainly possible in theory.

Should work in any drive unit that the board will fit.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

She done:) Passes critical drc. Of course it wont work but will look cool and get clicks.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

Board layout and schematic for those playing along at home.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by AMP3R »

Jack Bauer wrote: Thu Jan 09, 2025 3:21 pm She done:) Passes critical drc. Of course it wont work but will look cool and get clicks.
I bet the price will be around 500 usd?
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

No idea on price yet but yeah hopefully something like that. Will depend a lot on the non JLC parts
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by uhi22 »

Impressive work. Just few cents from my side:
- unconnected pins are not marked as "intentionally unconnected" with the "x" mark. Not sure whether this leads to checker warnings.
- https://www.mouser.de/datasheet/2/389/t ... 852101.pdf says absolute maximum Vs is 15V. I propose to use an amplifier that at least withstands 20V.
- xtal of the STM32 does not have a series resistor. Not sure where I found this, but some designs use a serial resistor.
- C29 to 32 are elcaps (using plus symbol) in the schematic. Is this intended? Maybe use ceramic caps for these?
- input voltage limitation of the controller is missing. E.g. BRAKE has a divider 4k7/1k5 to BRAKE_IN which feeds PE4.
PE4 is a 5-V-tolerant pin ("FT", according to table 5 of the data sheet). The FT pins do not tolerate any current injection (according to chapter 5.3.13). Data sheet: https://www.st.com/content/ccc/resource ... 191185.pdf Would it make sense to add TVS or diode to 3v3 to avoid unintended current injection?
- C39, 40 have polarized symbols, which is surprising for 22pF.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

Thanks for the feedback :)
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

Working on the BOM today. A real joy. Given the cost of the assembled boards a supporter is going to 3d print a test fit version for me. Included a step file in case anyone else wants to play.
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Re: Tesla Model 3 Rear Drive Unit Hacking

Post by Jack Bauer »

Ok folks, need some component id help in the gate driver section:

Going to take a guess that VN17 diode is a 600V 1A fast recovery. Going with : MURA160T3G as is an onsemi part.
An STTH112A is used on the STGAP eval board.

Diode 2H2 on the same eval board is a STPS3L40-Y 3A 40V schottky. Will try a SS34.
No Info on G1 so trying a B5819WS.

Finally a pair of Sot-23 P and N mosfets marked WVS and WSB respectively. No info on these.

Any help much appreciated.
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