Re: (ET) Card 4 status, might work, hm.

["Pieter Litchfield" <pieter_litch yahoo com>]

Years ago when I bought my E15, the controller card #1 had a large mouse
nest on it.  Almost all the components had corroded or missing leads on
them.  With the wiring diagram in the Owner's Use and Care manual, I was
able to completely rebuild the card, adding wires or solder bridges to
jumper around rotted traces.  It worked fine, and is still working.
However, I have an Alltrax controller sitting on the shelf, and if I get 
the
time and energy, I will install it.  The control circuits on an E-15, even
when working right, still leave a lot to be desired.  My E-15 has a heavy
bucket loader assembly on it, and when moving forward may take a while to
come to a complete stop, even using the brake.  If the operator selects
reverse while it is even creeping forward, it will blow a fuse.
Regeneration?  Having controls that taper down and ramp up would be better
in this application.  My current solution is to hit myself in the forehead
each time I forget to wait for the complete stop.

-----Original Message-----
From: elec-trak-bounces cosmos phy tufts edu
[mailto:elec-trak-bounces cosmos phy tufts edu] On Behalf Of David Roden
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 9:52 PM
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) Card 4 status, might work, hm.

On 12 Sep 2010 at 17:10, Chris Zach wrote:

> On 9/12/2010 12:58 AM, David Roden wrote:
> > Yikes.
> 
> Oh come on, that's nothing really. And it's not Apollo era technology, 
> it's Gemini era technology at best :-)

The Apollo program ran from 1963 to 1972.  So, yes, it's Apollo Era 
technology.

> 
> On a more serious note, the big advantage of the stock controller over 
> an Altrax is that it *can* be repaired. Sure an Altrax works now, but in 
> 20 years will it still be fix-able? Is it even fix-able, or is 
> everything in there potted?

I acknowledged before that you can troubleshoot the GE controller with an 
ohmmeter.  The problem I had with mine was that I had the ohmmeter out 
every

second or third time I used the tractor, and I just got tired of it.

Now I have a tractor that works, period.  As a bonus, I can literally move 
it by centimeters (millimeters in LL) when parking it in the garage.

There's no reason that a well designed PWM controller should be any less 
reliable than the GE.  But if my Alltrax (or 4QD) goes bad, I can ship it 
back to the folks who made it, and they'll fix it for me.  That hasn't 
been 
necessary; the Alltrax has been plugging along reliably for 5 years now 
with

essentially no problems at all.  (The 4QD is still on the shelf; I haven't 
gotten round to installing it in the R36.)  

As far as working on it when it does finally need it, it's just a matter 
of 
having the right knowledge and training, or finding someone who does (if 
not

the manufacturer).  

If anybody on this list should be capable or working on a PWM controller, 
I'd think it would be (among other folks) a guy who reverse-engineers and 
rebuilds US Electricar inverters.   That would be you, Christopher.

> 
> I have an Aprila Enjoy bike with motor and a really nice controller. 
> However it flaked out, the controller is potted so my chances of fixing 
> it are pretty much *zero* right now. And getting another controller is 
> not going to happen...

Why not?  From what I understand, most Ebike parts are like PC parts - 
pretty much interchangeable.  At worst, you should be able to get a new 
compatible hub motor and controller as a set.


David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA

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