Zeva MC1000SP User manual

Zero emission
Vehicles AustrAliA
http://www.zeva.com.au
MC1000SP
150VDC 1000A motor controller
for Series DC and PM DC motors
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page
1) Introduction 1
2) Safety Warning 1
3) Tech Support and Warranty Information 1
 4)FeaturesandSpecications   2
5) Installation 3
6) Power Wiring 4
7) Control Wiring 6
8) Operation 8
9) Customising your Settings 10
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of a ZEVA MC1000SP motor controller.
The MC1000SP represents the culmination of many years development, utilising the latest in power
semiconductorstocreateoneofthemostefcientEVmotorcontrollersavailable–over99%at
all times. Also featuring dual microprocessors for redundant safety, an advanced throttle algorithm
for the smoothest driving experience, silent operation at all times, a compact weather-resistant air-
cooledhousing,andcongurableoperatingparametersviasimpleserialconnection.
Wehopeitprovidesyouyearsofreliableservice.
SAFETY WARNING
Electric vehicle motor controllers are high powered devices which involve potentially lethal
voltages and currents. Proper precautions and electrical safety procedures should always be
observed,voltagesabove110VDCshouldbeconsidereddangerous,andvehiclesshouldnever
beworkedonwhilemaincontactor(s)areengaged.Pleasereadthismanualcarefullybeforeusing
the controller to ensure correct installation and operation. If you are unsure of anything, please
contactusbeforeproceeding.
Wehaveendeavouredtomakeasafeandreliableproductwhichperformsasdescribed,however
since ZEVA has no control over the integration of its products into a vehicle, we can assume no
responsibilityforthesafetyorfunctionalityofthecompletedvehicle.
Itisuptotheendusertodeterminethesuitabilityoftheproductsforthepurposeemployed,and
theenduserassumesallrisksassociated.Productsshouldonlybeinstalledbysuitablyqualied
andexperiencedpersons,andshouldalwaysbeusedinasafeandlawfulmanner.
TECH SUPPORT AND WARRANTY INFORMATION
TheMC1000SPmotorcontrolleriscoveredbya12monthwarrantyagainstmanufacturingfaults
or failures under normal operating conditions. The warranty does not cover misuse of the product,
including but not limited to: excessive voltage or reversed polarity on input terminals, short
circuits on output terminals, excessive voltages applied to control wiring, opening of housing and/
ormodicationofinternals,severeimpactdamage(e.gduetovehiclecrashes),submersion in
water.
Wehavetakengreat careto designasafe andreliable product,butfaults canhappen. Ifyou
believe your motor controller has a fault, please contact us via our website to discuss. If it is
determinedthatahardwarefaultisthelikelycause,wewillprovideanRMAnumberandreturn
address to proceed with repairs.
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsnotcoveredbythismanual,pleasecontactusviaourwebsite:
http://www.zeva.com.au/Contact
1

FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS
FEATURES:
Smooth,hybridthrottleresponseforfamiliardrivingfeel•
Thermalcutbackandover-tempprotection•
Congurableparametersviaserialprogrammingcable•
MulticolourstatusLEDplusoptionalremotestatusLED•
Tough,weather-resistantaluminiumhousing(approxIP44)•
Compatiblewithoptionalexternalwatercoolingblockforhighersustainedpower•
Adjustablemotoridlingfunctionforautomaticgearboxesormaintainingauxiliaries•
Supportformostthrottletypesincluding3-wire0-5V,2-wire0-5KΩ,andHEPApedals.•
Fully isolated logic and power electronics•
RobustI/Oprotectscontrolleragainstexternalwiringfaults•
Highpedallockout(protectsagainstnon-zerothrottleonstartup)•
Self diagnostics with error detection including overcurrent, low voltage on power and logic•
supplies, internal parameter corruption, and internal sensor faults.
Independenthardwareovercurrentprotectionsystem(“desat”detection)•
SPECIFICATIONS:
Batteryvoltagerange:12-144Vnominal(9-180Vabsolutemaximum)•
Max 45x LiFePO4 cells, 40x LiCo cells, 12x 12V lead acid
Currentrating:1000Apeak(1minute),300Acontinuous•
Power:150kWpeak,45kWcontinuous•
Powerdevicetype:MOSFET•
On-statevoltagedrop:0.6Vatfullpower,0.2Vatcontinuousrating•
Switchingfrequency:16KHz•
Operatingtemperature:-20˚Cto90˚C(thermalcutbackfrom60˚C)•
Logicpowersupply:12Vnominal(8-18Vrange),200mAmax,internallyfused•
Dimensions:310x130x95mmhousingonly,365x156x106mmincterminalsandbrackets•
Weight:4.5kg•
PACKAGE CONTENTS:
1x MC1000SP motor controller•
4xM8x25bolts,washers,andnuts•
1x 5-pin plug, 1x 6-pin plug•
1xUSB-Serialprogrammingcable•
1xRGBLEDforremotestatuslight•
1x User manual•
INSTALLATION
Themotorcontrollermaybeinstalledinanyorientation.Usually,installationclosetothemotor
isbestinordertokeeppowerwiringtothemotorshort.Theenclosureisweatherresistantbutnot
100%waterproof,soitisbestinstalledinalocationwithsomeprotectionfromtheelements.Ifit
maybeinthedirectpathofwater,splashguardsarerecommended.
Thecontroller’scontinuouspowercapabilitiesdependsomewhatontheamountofairowaround
thecaseforconvectioncooling.Iftheinstalllocationhasverylittleairow,thecontrollermay
benetfromaddedconvectioncoolingviafansorducting.(Orforhighestsustainedpower,the
controllermaybebase-mountedtoawatercoolingblock.)
Controller dimensions and mount locations
Themotorcontrollercomeswithbracketsformountingwithfour6mmor1/4”boltsona142
x 260mm spacing. Flat washers and spring washers under the heads of mounting bolts are
recommendedtopreventtheboltsfromlooseningovertimeduetovibration.
Alternativelythemountingbracketsmayberemoved,andthefourholesunderneaththehousing
usedtofastentoapanelfrombeneath.TheholesareM6threadona70x260mmspacing.
Caution: Since these threaded holes penetrate the housing, ensure that bolts do
not extend more than 20mm into the case or they may damage components inside!
32

POWER WIRING
REMEMBER..
The traction circuits in electric vehicles involve very high power levels, with potentially lethal
voltagesandcurrentsinvolved.Alwaysobserveproperprecautionsandsafetyprocedureswhen
workingonelectricvehicles.Alwayswearsafetyglasses,useinsulatedtoolswherepossible,and
checkfordangerousvoltageswithamultimeterbeforeundertakinganymaintenance!
Ifyouareunsure,alwaysconsultwithanexperiencedEVtechnicianbeforeproceeding.
TYPICAL WIRING DIAGRAM
Thediagrambelowshowsthebasicpowerwiring.Orangelinesrepresentpowercables,which
shouldbe50sqmmor1/0AWGinsize,orlarger.Controlwiringto/fromcontrollernotshown.
Basic power wiring diagram for MC1000SP controller
Caution: Always double check power wiring before turning the system on for the
rst time, because reversed polarities or short circuits can do a lot of damage!
When rst powering up the completed system, wiring mistakes or faulty throttle
devices could cause unexpected power to the motor, which risks injury or vehicle
runaway. It is highly recommended that the drive wheels be off the ground, and
that nobody is standing in front of or behind the vehicle at the time.
TIPS FOR BEST PERFORMANCE
Power cables around 50sqmm or 1/0AWG in size are recommended for all power wiring•
betweenbatteriesandmotorcontroller,and50-95sqmm(1/0to4/0AWG)cablebetweenthe
motorcontrollerandmotor,whereaveragecurrentsarehigher.Itisbesttousedoubleinsulated
cablewithanorangesheathforcompliancewithelectricalstandards.
Ensure all power terminals and connections in your traction circuit are clean and tight. Always•
useeitherspringwashersorNylocnutstoensureconnectionswillnotloosenfromvibration
overtime.Poorconnectionshavea higher resistance, whichcancausethemtobecomehot
whenconductinglargecurrents–inextremecases,causingdamagetocomponents.
It is essential to have a precharge device to charge up the motor controller’s internal capacitor•
bankbeforeclosingthemaincontactor.Closingthemaincontactorwithoutrstprecharging
thecontrollercausesahugecurrentspikewhichdamagescontactors,typicallyweldingtheir
contactstogether.A1KΩ10Wprechargeresistorpermanentlyacrossthemaincontactorcan
work,butisnotthesafestsolutionasdoesnottrulyisolatethecontrollerwhenthekeyisoff,
anditwillmaintainvoltageonthecontrolleratalltimes.Abettersolutionisa2-stageautomatic
prechargersuchasourZEVASmartPrecharger,oranEVMSwithbuilt-inprecharger.
Ensure you have an appropriately rated main contactor and fuse protecting your traction circuit.•
Examples of suitable contactors are the Kilovac EV200 or LEV200, Gigavac GX14,Albright
SW200, or Nanfeng ZJW400A.
Forafuse,a500AsemiconductortypewithsufcientDCvoltageratingisrecommended,such•
asthosefromBussmann,Ferraz-Shawmut,Mersen,Littelfuse,etc.Largefusestendtobevery
slowtoblow,typicallyabletocarrytwicetheirratedcurrentforabout1minute.Assuchitis
besttouseafusewitharatingslightlyabovethecontinuousratingofthemotorcontroller,rather
than one rated for the maximum motor controller current.
TheMC1000SPmotorcontrollerusesaluminiumbusbars.Aluminiumitselfisagoodconductor•
ofelectricity,butunfortunatelythe (invisible)aluminium oxidewhichforms on itssurfaceis
a poor conductor. The power terminals are supplied cleaned and with a thin layer of Noalox
contactpasteappliedtopreventre-oxidation.Thispasteshouldbeleftontheterminalswhen
areattachingpowercables.(Theforceoftighteningtheboltswillpushthegreaseoutandseal
the contact area.)
The power cables in electric vehicles carry a large amount of power, and can emit a lot of•
electromagneticinterference(EMI)dependingontheirphysicallayout.TominimiseEMI,itis
besttokeepthepositiveandnegativecablesclosetogether–boththepowercablesfrombattery
packtocontroller,andcontrollertomotor.TofurtherreduceEMI,thecablesmaybetwisted
aroundeachother.(ForfurtherdetailsonwhytwistingcablestogetherishelpfulforEMI,referto
http://www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Twisted_Pair)
54

CONTROL WIRING
PLUG IDENTIFICATION
TheMC1000SPusestwoaviation-stylescrew-lockplugsforallcontrol/lowpowerconnections,
onewith5pinsforthepowerinputandstatusLEDoutputconnections,andtheotherwith6pins
forthethrottleandserialprogrammingconnections.Thediagrambelowshowspinidentications
as viewed on the controller case.
Gnd
12V
B
G
R
5V
Gnd
ThrB
ThrA
Rx
Tx
LED
Identication of pins on control wiring plugs Pins for remote LED
Plug 1:
5V:Outputpowersupplyforthrottleand/•
or serial communications devices. Max
50mAoutput(internallyfused,w/reset)
Gnd:Groundconnectionforthrottle•
ThrottleA:Firstthrottleinput,usuallythe•
analog level, 0-5V input
Throttle B: Second throttle input, either•
enableswitchor2ndanalog,0-5Vinput
Tx/Rx:Transmitandreceivepinsforserial•
communications, 5V TTL
Plug 2:
12V:Connecttoakey-switched12Vsupply•
sothecontrollercomesonwhenthekeyis
turned on. Often wired in parallel with your
main contactor. Maximum voltage range
8-18V input
Gnd:Connecttoground/vehiclechassis•
R/G/B: Red, green and blue channels for•
statusLEDoutput.5Voutputs,2KΩoutput
impedance (max 2.5mA). Gnd terminal
of LED is grounded to chassis (or shares
ground pin on same plug).
WIRING UP THE PLUGS
The plugs are opened using a small jewellers screwdriver to remove the screw on the side of the
rearshell,whichthencomesawaywithasmallcounterclockwisetwist.
Feedwiresthroughthebackoftherearshellbeforeattachingtothepinstoensurethecasecan
gotogetheragainafterwiresareattached.Forreliableconnections,besureto“tin”(addsolderto)
boththewiresandthecontactsbeforesolderingthemtogether.
Theshellalsohasacablestressreliefclampattherearwhichcanbefasteneddowntoholdthe
cables.Ifyourcablesaretoosmallfortheclamptoengage,youcanwrapsomeinsulationtape
aroundthemtoincreasethediameterandensuretheclampisabletoholdtheminplace.
Plugs for control wiring: Disassembled (left), wiring (middle), complete (right)
Sincethelogicwiringisnecessarilyquiteclosetothetractioncircuitpowercables,toavoid•
ElectromagneticInterference(EMI)itisbesttouseshieldedcables,ortwistwires(suchas12V
andGround)together.Alsoavoidrunninglogicwiringinparallelwithpowercablesforlong
distances,asitincreasesnoiseduetocrosstalk.
Thelogicboardonlyrequires200mAcurrent,soassmallasAWG28wiremaybeusedforthe•
powersupply.However,ifnotenclosedinashieldedsheath,itisbesttouselargercablearound
18AWG+forbettermechanicalstrength/durability.
All control wiring is galvanically isolated from the power terminals. In most cases the control•
wiringwillshareacommonground(thevehiclechassis)withyourvehicle’sexisting12Vsystem,
and the traction circuit should remain electrically isolated for safety.
THROTTLE DEVICE
The MC1000SP controller supports a variety of different throttle types.
Type 1, 0-5V Hall Effect throttle:• Any throttle device which outputs a 0-5V level representing
0-100%throttlemaybeused.Non-contact Hall Effecttypesarethebestoption due to their
reliabilityandvirtuallyunlimitedlifespan.TheyshouldhavethreewirestoconnecttoGnd,5V
andThrottleA(0-5Vlevel).TheThrottleBpinshouldbeconnectedto5Vthroughtheenable
switchonthepotbox(COMandNCterminals)forredundantsafetyincaseofhallsensorfault.
Type 2, 2-wire 0-5KΩ: • Although not considered a great option due to their tendency to wear
outandbecomeunreliableovertime,legacy2-wireresistive0-5KΩpotboxes(suchastheCurtis
PB-6)canbeused.ThetwothrottlewiresconnecttoThrottleAand 5V (either polarity).The
enableswitchshouldbewiredbetween5VandThrottleB,usingtheCOMandNCterminals.
ThecontrollerwillhavetobeprogrammedviaserialinterfaceforThrottleType2.
Type 3, Hall Effect Pedal Assembly (HEPA):• HEPApedalsarebecomingtheindustrystandard
forthrottledevicesinvehiclesastheyofferhighreliabilityandsafetythroughtheuseofdual
(redundant)halleffectsensors.AvarietyofdifferentHEPApedalsareavailable,typicallyhaving
6 wires for two independent 3-wire hall effect type throttles. The MC1000SP was designed to
workwiththoseprovidingdualanalogoutputsofaround0.7V–3.5Vand1.4V–4.2V.Usethe
Gndand5VpinsonPlug2toprovidepowertobothsensors.The0.7-3.5Vsignalconnectsto
ThrottleAandthe1.4V-4.2VsignaltoThrottleB.WithaHEPAthrottle,thecontrollercandetect
a throttle fault if any four of the wires are disconnected, or if either of the throttle sensors are
faulty.BesuretocongurethecontrollerforThrottleType3.
76

OPERATION
TIPS FOR BEST PERFORMANCE
Manydriversareaccustomedtokeepingrevslowintheirpetrolvehiclesinordertomaximise
efciency,sincepetrolenginesareveryinefcientathighrevs.Well,electricdrivesystemsarethe
otherwayaround!Thesinglemosteffectivewaytomaximiseperformancefromyourmotorand
controlleristokeepyourmotorrevshigh–around3000-4000rpmwithmostSeriesDCmotors.
Foragivenpoweroutput,drivinga motorat higherspeed uses more voltagebut lesscurrent,
whichreducescopperlossesinthemotorandresistiveheatinginthecontroller.Droppingdown
agearreducesmotorampsbyabout30%,whichcanactuallyhalvetheheatgeneratedinyour
controller–andhencedoublethecontinuouspowercapability.(Caution:MostSeriesDCmotors
areratedto5000rpmmaxsobecarefulnottoexceedthisspeed!)
THERMAL PROTECTION
Ifyourcontrollerheatsinktemperaturereachesabout70˚C(150˚F),thecontrollerwillcommence
thermalcutback,smoothlyreducingpowertomitigatefurtherheating.ThestatusLEDwillash
green/redwhileinthisstate.Ifthecontrollertemperaturereaches90˚C(200˚F),thecontrollerwill
shut down completely to avoid overheating which could damage components.
The controller’s power rating depends somewhat on airow to cool the housing. If you are
experiencingthermalcutbacks,itmaybeusefultoaddfansorductstoincreaseairow.Driving
more slowly and keeping motor revs high will also help keep the motor controller cooler.  If
thermalproblemspersist, it maybe useful toadda watercooling systemorexternal heatsink,
whichcanbematedtothebaseofthecontroller(withthermalpasteinbetween).
12V LOGIC SUPPLY
The MC1000SP has an internal regulated power supply on its 12V input which allows it to operate
safelyandcorrectlyoveraninputvoltagerangeof8-18VDC.Asasafetyprecaution,thecontroller
willshutdownifitdetectsthecontrolvoltageinputdipbelow8V.
Inmostinstallationsthiswillneverhappen,butifyour12Vbatteryand/orDC/DCconverterisvery
weak,thevoltagemaydipwhenloadssuchasheadlightsareturnedon,whichcantripoutthe
motorcontroller.Thisshouldberectiedbybyttingastrongerbatteryand/orDC/DCconverter.
MOTOR IDLING FUNCTIONALITY
TheMC1000SPincludesabasicmotoridlefunctionality,basedonalowtargetspeedwithlow
torquelimit.ItdoesnotuseanRPMsensorforspeedfeedback,sothespeedmayvarydependingon
load.HoweveritisasimpleandeffectivesolutionforEVconversionswithautomatictransmissions
(whichrequirethemotortokeepturningtomaintainoilcirculationinthegearbox),orforvehicles
using OEM power steering pumps, air-conditioning compressors, alternators, etc.
The idle speed and torque are congured via serial programming.Voltage effectively controls
targetmotorspeedandcurrentcontrolsthetorqueitwillusetogetthere.Idealvalueswilldepend
onyourmotorandvehicle,butagoodstartingpointis6Vidlevoltageand100Aidlecurrent.
Caution: Electric motors can suffer damage if they remain stalled with current
owing for extended periods of time. Idle functionality is NOT recommended for
“direct drive” vehicles, and in the case of vehicles with manual transmissions, be
sure to put the clutch in when coming to a stop.
INTERNAL CAPACITOR WARNING
Motorcontrollershavealargebankofcapacitorsontheirinput,whichcanretainitschargefora
longtimeafterthecontrollerispoweredoff.Exercisecautionifundertakingvehiclemaintenance
soonafterdriving,astheremaybesignicantvoltageacrossthecontroller’sinputpowerterminals,
even if your main contactor is open. Always measure the voltage across the controller with a
multimeterbeforeperforminganymaintenance.
LED STATUS AND ERROR CODES
TheMC1000SPhasanRGBstatusLEDonitsfrontpanel,andtheoptionforaremotestatusLED
wiredtoyourvehicle’sdash.ThisLEDcanprovidevisualfeedbackonthecontroller’soperating
status.Thefollowingtablesummarisesthecodesyoumayencounter(multipledotsrepresenting
aashsequence):
LED Code Condition Comment
Controller on (Noerrors)
Thermalcutback Controllertemperatureabove60˚C.Powerreduces
slowly towards thermal shutdown threshold.
Thermal shutdown Controllertemperatureabove90˚C.Thermal
shutdown until temperature reduces.
Battery voltage low Voltageatpowerterminalsbelowminimumsetting.
Powerstagedisableduntilvoltageincreases.
Supply voltage low Supplyvoltagebelow8VDC.Latchesonforsafety.
Fix 12V supply then power cycle controller.
Throttle error Invalid voltage or level mismatch on throttle. Error
latchesonforsafetyuntilzerothrottleisdetected.
Highpedallockout Non-zerothrottledetectedatstartup.Mayindicate
foot on pedal, or a faulty throttle device.
Corrupt settings Fault in the internal memory. Will automatically
revert to default settings on next startup.*
Desaterror Hardwareovercurrentfault.Mayindicatedamageto
internal power devices or short circuit in motor.*
98

Internal sensor fault An internal sensor returned an invalid value.*
*Theserareerrorsmayindicateahardwarefaultinthecontroller–pleasecontactus!
Caution: There are no user-serviceable parts inside the controller.
Do not attempt to open the controller as this will void warranty!
CUSTOMISING YOUR SETTINGS
TheMC1000SPstoresavarietyofoperatingsettingsinmemorywhichmaybemodiedbytheuser
viatheprovidedserialprogrammingcable.Itshouldworkwithanypersonalcomputerwhichhas
aUSBportandserialcommunicationssoftware–themostcommonexamplebeingHyperterminal
forMicrosoftWindows.Themotorcontrollercanonlybeprogrammedwhenrstpoweredup.
Onceyoustarttodrive,serialprogrammingwillbeautomaticallydisableduntilthecontrolleris
next turned on.
AUSBtoserialprogrammingcableissuppliedwiththemotorcontroller.Ifyourcomputerdoesn’t
recogniseitwhenyourstplugin,youmayneedtoinstallthedrivers.Acopymaybedownloaded
from:http://www.zeva.com.au/WinSerialDriver.zip
ThefollowingdemonstrateshowtosetupHyperterminal,butshouldbeeasilytranslatedforother
serialcommunicationssoftware.Thebasicsettingsare9600bps,8-bitdata,noparity,1stopbit,
noowcontrol.(NotethattheCOMportnumbermayvary.)
Hyperterminal settings windows
Onceyourconnectionwindowisup,pressEscapeandalistofavailablesettingsshouldappear
asper the followingimage. Press the appropriate number to select a parameter, thentype the
newvalueandpressReturntosave.Theacceptableparameterrangeisshown,andthecontroller
will automatically cap the parameter to this range if an invalid value is entered. At any time,
pressingEscapewillreturn tothemainmenu. Once nished,simplyunplug the programming
cable(settingsaresavedautomatically).
Hyperterminal Connection Window
Minimumbatteryvoltage:Thissettingcanbeusefultoavoidoverworkingorover-discharging•
yourbattery,bysettingittowhatevervoltagerepresentsalowstateofcharge(atbattery).Note
thatthiscannotreplaceaproperbatterymanagementsystemforprotectingyourcells!
Maximummotorvoltage:Ifusingamotorratedtoalowervoltagethanyourbatterypack,you•
can use this setting to ensure that the motor controller will not overspeed the motor.
Maximummotorcurrent:Invehicleswithsmallermotors,youmaywishtoreducemaximum•
motorcurrentinordertoavoiddamagingyourmotorfromovercurrent.Most6”orlargerSeries
DCmotorswillbenewiththemaximum600Asetting.
Maximumbatterycurrent:Ifusingsmallorweakbatteries,youcanadjustthissettingtoavoid•
overworkingyourbatteries.(Thistypicallydoesnoteffectaccelerationwhensettingoff,butmay
reduce high speed performance.)
Throttleramprate:Thisvariesthe rateat whichthe throttleisallowedtorampup.Asetting•
of zero gives instant throttle response, with numbers 1–4 giving increasingly gentle throttle
ramps.
Throttle type:The MC1000SP supports three throttle types: (1)Three wire 0-5V analog plus•
Enable(2)Twowire0-5KΩplusenableand(3)HallEffectPedalAssembly(HEPA).Pleaserefer
totheControlWiring:ThrottleDevicesectionforfurtherdetails.
Idlevoltageandcurrent:Thesecanbeusedtoenablemotoridlingfunctionality.Becarefulto•
leavetheseaszerounlessyouaresureyouneedthem,asitcancausethemotortorunnon-stop!
RefertotheOperation:MotorIdlingsectionformoreinformation.
1110