General Tesla FAQ

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Why is my motor turning slowly when I press the throttle?

The symptom of the motor turning slowly is almost certainly caused by a missing or inverted encoder signal. The encoder output consists of two channels : A and B. The signal from these is used by the microcontroller to determine the speed and direction of rotation of the motor. If for example the A and B signals are swapped then the inverter will be trying to drive the motor in one direction and the encoder signal will tell it the motor is running backwards hence this behaviour. If either or both signals are missing then the microcontroller has no speed or direction information and the same symptoms result.


Does the SDU board output a tachometer pulse?


Do I need to program the board purchased from EVBMW.com/shop?

Built and tested boards will arrive to you ready to be mounted in the inverter. There is no need for initial programming. Firmware updates may be accomplished over the web interface and may be downloaded here


How do I make changes to the parameters on the board?

Once 12v power is applied to the board or drive unit the wifi interface becomes available. Simply connect with any wifi enabled device (laptop,phone,tablet etc) to the wifi access point called inverter. The passphrase is inverter123. Once connected point any web browser to 192.168.4.1 to bring up the interface. Note some devices may complain about not being connected to the internet but just ignore.


What voltage should I use while testing my newly installed board?

It is recommended to perform initial tests at a low DC bus voltage in order to confirm correct operation of the drive unit and logic board. The voltage should be between around 40v and 100v dc. Some parameters need to be set to enable operation at these voltages.

UDCSW set to 0. UDCMIN set to 0.

You will need to perform a manual precharge or set UDCSW to about 10v less than your test voltage and use drive unit contactor control. Don't forget to reset these parameters to their original values when finished testing. If you're testing on your bench top, you probably have very little or no oil in your transaxle. Keep your rpm very low.


Describe precharge behavior?

Upon application of 12v power, energise precharge contactor.

If after 5 seconds the measured voltage at the drive unit (UDC) does not exceed the UDCSW parameter we shutoff the precharge contactor as it is assumed the precharge has failed in some way.

If during those 5 seconds UDC exceeds UDCSW we leave the precharge contactor energised and wait for a start signal. Once start signal is received we close the main and open the precharge contactor.


Does speedkp still need to be set to "other than 0"?


Where do I find parameter files for the SDU board?

https://github.com/damienmaguire/Tesla-Front-Drive-Unit/blob/master/params_SDU.json


What current sensors are used on the SDU?

Melexis MLX91209 The 7.3mV/mT version


Do the current sensors need to be programmed before install?

No. They are drop in replacements and do not require programming. Orientation is important. The 45 degree notch on the case of the sensor is oriented closest to the hole for the high voltage wire.


Where do I find a pinout or wire diagram for the SDU contoller plug?

https://github.com/damienmaguire/Tesla-Front-Drive-Unit/blob/master/FDU_Main_conn_pinout_V1.ods


How do I reset my board to "factory" default parameters?

Do other people share their SDU parameter settings?

Yes, please check out this post. https://openinverter.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=195 Once you have your car running smoothly, consider posting your settings to share with others.


What's the lowest voltage that a Tesla SDU can operate under?

What's the maximum voltage I can put into a Tesla SDU?

What is the brand and part number for the logic level connector on the Tesla SDU?


What do the acronyms in the web interface to the SDU stand for?

Go here for more info on settings, their meaning and impact of changes https://openinverter.org/wiki/Parameters


Do I need to set parameters for the throttle before my first test?

Does the brake switch need to be wired in before my first test?

What is the purpose of connector 9 on the SDU board (conn9) pin High Voltage Interlock (HVIL)?