openinverter forum

TheSilverBuick wrote: ↑Fri Aug 12, 2022 6:38 pm How's the supply chain hardware situation on ZombieVerters? I've been sitting on the fence ordering one for a couple month's knowing some critical components were(are?) back ordered and up to the purchaser to source and assemble. Based on my skill set, I'd prefer ordering one with as complete a board as possible.

(I was going to ask on the patreon video, but figured this may be a question other's have as well =) )

I've just ordered and received zombieverter in the last week. I would think its from the same run of boards as shown in videos. some chips are supplied and not populated, I expected this. I am presuming they are the same as shown in the video.
Im in same boat as you, i will be finding someone with better soldering skills for this bit, Im not going to wreck the thing.

The situation as of this point is indeed as per the latest video. Most parts are placed by JLCPCB. I am still hand soldering in the main mcu but it looks like their pricing for the STM32F107 is dropping fast so with luck this will be pre placed soon. The main two problem devices are the MCP25625 (used for CAN3) and the NCV8461 (used for GS450h gear shifting). I do have some very limited and very expensive options for these parts so I don't offer them in the kits as it would necessitate a steep price increase. I'd like to think the situation on these parts will improve but its still finger in the air stuff. That said I am considering providing an option on the webshop for a fully built and bench tested board (minus the through hole header and enclosure so its still technically classed as a kit) but it would be at least twice the price of the basic kit option.

Jack Bauer wrote: ↑Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:44 am Testing of the integrated Chademo dc fast charge continues with now 3 brands of station working perfectly.

Awesome!
Any chance there will be a video or wiki on how to interface VCU with the CHAdeMO?

Thanks for the update. I plan on using it on a GS450H (looking forward to the new boring video!) so the chip for shifting is important to me. I'd have to go review my notes on CAN3.

Thanks again!

Yep I will do a Chademo video fairly soon. Right now I'm battling the IS300h inverter data to get it running then will be doing a video on hooking it and the GS450h inverter to the vcu.

Coming soon to a VCU near you
viewtopic.php?p=44202#p44202

Following quite a few requests (and an easing up of parts supply) I am now offering a built and bench tested version of the VCU kit :
https://www.evbmw.com/index.php/evbmw-w ... -vcu-built

File: ZombieVerter_V1_BOM_Rel.ods

Just a heads up to let people know that R14 (a 1K 0805 resistor) isn’t listed in the BOM file. I think it should appear in cell B25.

Fixed. Thank you:)

in the process of wiring the 450h shift solenoids to the vcu. Before I go all Leroy Jenkins and reinvent the wheel in terms of a shifting control routine, has anyone else implemented this and would like to share?

Jack Bauer wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 1:39 pm in the process of wiring the 450h shift solenoids to the vcu. Before I go all Leroy Jenkins and reinvent the wheel in terms of a shifting control routine, has anyone else implemented this and would like to share?

From what I can see, the most recent detailed discussion was here viewtopic.php?p=40086&hilit=gear+change#p40086 but no final test conclusion

For the brake input signal (pin 49), what would be the expected voltage range to activate? My brake switch is a hall effect type and currently puts out a 7V-8V signal and not registering so wondering how far off I am.

For the inverter power LS switch (pin 32), what rating can this handle? Wondering if I can tie a couple of Auto 12V relays to this pin to bring on a number of circuits when the inverter is powered?

nkiernan wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09, 2022 6:55 am For the brake input signal (pin 49), what would be the expected voltage range to activate? My brake switch is a hall effect type and currently puts out a 7V-8V signal and not registering so wondering how far off I am.

Input signal for pin 49 is 12v. You Might be able to find a 12v relay that could be triggered by your 8v signal.

nkiernan wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09, 2022 6:55 am For the inverter power LS switch (pin 32), what rating can this handle? Wondering if I can tie a couple of Auto 12V relays to this pin to bring on a number of circuits when the inverter is powered?

The best info I’ve found is from Damien’s VCU V1 cable side pinout document on GitHub but it doesn’t exactly answer your question. Pin 32 activates the oil pump relay, as well as the inverter, so if your conversion doesn’t use an oil pump you should be OK for at least one 12v relay.

That’s my understanding having spent the last couple of days going through the documentation as best I can. Hope it helps.

The break input in my schematic has a 4K7 in series (R15) and a 1K5 pulldown (R11) and a 1uf cap (C8).

So if it doesn't work i think that you should measure at R11.

Did you try applying 12volts to check?

All digital inputs to the VCU are 12v activated. All low side switches use the NCV8402 which is rated to 2Amps. It will shutdown on over current or overtemp to protect itself. This is described in the 3 video series on the VCU from last year and could do with being added to the wiki.

Thank you for the replies, I will take a look at adding to the wiki

Brilliant thanks

Today I tackled two big missing Gs450h items : MG temp sensors and gear shifts. Decided to take the simple approach of a best fit line for the temps rather than a lookup. Fitted a thermocouple to the top of the gearbox case and took an inital value. Then ran the motors and oil pump and applied gentle heat:) until 50C on case of gearbox. Heat off and overshot to 51C. Then log temps on way down. Of course its not accurate etc etc but some indication of stator temps is better than none. As the winter rolls in and temps drop I'll add more data points and improve the trend line.

Shifting with a torque cut is working well on the bench rig but I do have a lot of other projects calling me right now so will probably break away from this part for a while until I have a car available for some real tests. I've attached the spreadsheet for the temps. All done with 150k bias resistors in R43 and R35. All future vcu boards will have these parts modified. Interestingly it looks like the sensors in the GS300h are the same or very similar.

Hello Damien,

Congrats for the awesome progress - I really would like to have a GS450h here to (try to) follow your steps =)

Sorry for repeating an already asked question, but as I saw you were now offering a full built option for the ZombieVerter VCU, I was wondering if the situation for the "normal" (i.e. non-built) Kit, regarding the potentially missing parts (MCP25625, NCV8461, potentially others...), had improved since August 13th ?

I'd like to buy a complete unit (with all the components) - and don't care if some parts are not soldered (I'd solder those), and of course I'll add the enclosure and solder the connectors. (Also I don't need the ESP8266 Wifi module so keep it for somebody who will need one.)

Thanks for the precisions !

Well folks here it is. The big release. Probably forgot a few things that I ended up fixing but here you go :
https://github.com/damienmaguire/Stm32- ... s/tag/1.01
-Fix non working CAN channels.
-Fix inverter menu defaulting to OI at boot.
-Fix inverter menu not refreshing on new selection
-Fix GS450h oil pump pwm output not working
-Calibrate GS450h MG1 and MG2 temp sensors.
-Correctly display GS450h selected gear based on valve body feedback switches
-Add GS300H inverter/transmission. Bench tested only. Some functions to be added.
-Car test of GS450h functions.
-E65 dash and CAN functions tested.
-CAN3 / Chademo tested.

In addition this code is now running in my E46 touring running the LIM and Leaf Gen1 system. It has been tested in the superyacht E65 with gs450h system by paa. I have bench tested the GS300h and vw instrument cluster. Its as tested as I can reasonably make it with what I have available right now. I would be grateful for some feedback from users with as much detail as possible on the support thread. This thread I want to keep for development please.

Can the ZombieVerter VCU handle charging and using a non-Leaf battery pack to power a Nissan Leaf Gen 2 system?

Of course. Any battery you like as long as the voltage is appropriate.

Jack Bauer wrote: ↑Sat Aug 28, 2021 3:32 pm

Hi Damien,

Does this process work the same way for the Gen 3 Stack?

It appears that the inverter and PMU have separate CAN Pairs in the Gen 3 stack Are they tied together and then connected the the CAN on the ZombieVerter?

]Hello. Tell me the pinout of the connector g9266-47010 please. I need to understand what color and where what wires.