openinverter forum

Setting up a thread to document the reverse engineering of the Model 3 front drive unit. The specimen is from a European 2019 car with just over 20k km on the clock.

Initial observation is the motor exhibits no cogging whatsoever while turning via the drive shafts. The plan will be in two parts :

1)Remove inverter and run the motor with a prius inverter so we can learn how to control it with the Openinverter system.

2)Reverse engineering the Tesla inverter to allow use with an open source logic board.

I think Teslabjörn says one of the motors is still asynchronous. If there is no cogging this might be the one.

johu wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2020 4:53 pm I think Teslabjörn says one of the motors is still asynchronous. If there is no cogging this might be the one.

"The dual-motor versions of the Model 3 have an induction motor in the front and a permanent magnet synchronous reluctance motor in the back"

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2019/04/mo ... -range-10/

Elon Musk - "AC induction front & switched reluctance, partial permanent magnet rear. Silicon Carbide inverters in both. Performance drive units are lot sorted for highest sigma output & get double the burn-in."

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/998 ... 48?lang=en

Yeah I'm wondering did they just use a resolver on both to avoid different hardware.

A useful background video of the front motor

Next firmware release will always assume asynchronous motors in the sine version and synchronous in the FOC version.

so will it be possible to support resolver mode for async? asking for Elon:)

Jack Bauer wrote: ↑Sat Feb 29, 2020 12:26 pm so will it be possible to support resolver mode for async? asking for Elon:)

I join this plead since i discovered a good small application ACIM with resolver that would be shame to cut away... and others.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewt ... +generator

arber333 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 29, 2020 12:55 pm

Jack Bauer wrote: ↑Sat Feb 29, 2020 12:26 pm so will it be possible to support resolver mode for async? asking for Elon:)

I join this plead since i discovered a good small application ACIM with resolver that would be shame to cut away... and others.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewt ... +generator

X2 I also have one of these starter/generators as well.

Would anyone like to organise crowdfunding for a 3D scan of both motors?

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=184&p=7280#p7280

Front drive unit weigh in.

Its not Alien technology after all huh?

Munro: Electric Motor Comparison MY-M3

Munro: Changes inside the Model Y Front EDM and Comparison to M3

Question - could I assume the work being done on the rear will also work on the front motor or is there something obvious I'm missing?
I'm going to use the pirus control for now till I get mounts sorted

It's quite different. Front motor is induction, rear motor is permanent magnet.
The control board may be similar, but the power stage is also probably different, since the rear motor is quite a bit more powerful.

While the motors are different the inverters are practically the same. The solution for the rear du will work just as well on the front:)

Wow! Is there any difference in terms of power ability? They're still running the small-ish SiC modules in there, doesn't seem very Tesla to use more than are necessary.

Jack Bauer wrote: ↑Sat Nov 28, 2020 8:44 am While the motors are different the inverters are practically the same. The solution for the rear du will work just as well on the front:)

Elon going all out lowering price on inverter manufacturing...

Hi Good day,

The progression with the front drive unit looks good !

I am setting up a project for a dual drive model 3 conversion.
But i am running in to the problem that the frontmotor is turned 180 degrees so has to sit behind the axle.

Which in my opinion is strange as the need different mechanicals for tesla.. It would have been easier to use the similar motor position twice... I would think..
But I have seen the rear motor cannot be turned in reverse ( full power ) but what about the front motor ? Can that be used in reverse ? as a slave motor to the Rear-master motor ?
So I want to use both motor but I want the front motor to spin the other way around.... Would that be possible , bij changing around the poles in the slave front motor....

Would love to hear your feed back

kind regards Hans