TAKING CONTROL OF THE

I had purchased a PIC chip to control the Zivan NG3 charger awhile back that Custom Circuits had developed and Mark Weisheimer had complied and loaded the program during the winter but the chip would not turn on the charger. The charger would blink but nothing happened. The Zivan NG3 charger really is a good piece of equipment if it could be set properly but to get it to shut off at 137.6 volts, I had to set to voltage to start tapering at about 124 volts and it would taper the voltage down to just under 3 volts before shutting off. I guess for charging at home this is ok but if I am going to be charging at work or when I am at a public charter, the early taper adds hours to getting close to a full charge. With the pack taking 65 amp hours and the charger putting out 18 amps per hour, I should be able to charge in 3-1/2 hours or so but the time increases proportionally as the current reduces.

To combat this, I set the NG3 charger so it does not start to taper until 136 volts, where it steps down to 14.5 amps. I will then use a JLD5740 from Light Objects, to shut off the charger. So last night and this morning, I started mounting the JLD5740 and ABB 220 volt contactor with a 12 volt relay. By early afternoon, the components were all mounted. All that is left is to wire it all up and test it on a charge.

CONTACTOR AND METER MOUNTING

JLD 5740

CONTACTOR BOX WITH COVER ON

INSTRUCTIONS FOR JLD 5740

The J1772 connector along with a 20 amp 220 plug have been installed in the Fiero, so it is just a matter of hooking up the wires and putting the Zivan NG3 charger back in the car and I will be ready to test it out at a public charger. I also have a TCCH 3000 charger, so if I can find someone who can get the programming on the PIC chip to work with the NG3 charger, I can use it while the NG3 is sent out bo be programmed.

Many of my posts speak of my son Shane and his fiance Vanessa but last week they broke up and called off the wedding,,,,So Sad! Anyway, better now than after they have been married a couple of years.

Until next time,

Randy

READY FOR WINTER

With the four day Thanksgiving Weekend, I was finally able to drive the Fiero a few miles and found that first and second gears are engaging where third and fourth should be, so will need to readjust the shifter again. I had first second and fourth engaging pretty good with just third gear out of sync but want to get all four gears to be usable. Eventually I will get it but still fear the transaxle will need to be pulled out and rebuilt.

After I returned from the drive, the garage was cleared out and the Fiero is now parked inside, to continue work on the gauges and interior.

FIERO BACK IN THE GARAGE

My wife's old laptop, that is going to be used, to control the SKYRC iMAX B6 Balance Charger, would not allow me to download files and kept giving me messages that the security settings would not allow this file to be downloaded. After spending Saturday and Sunday on the internet looking for a solution, Internet Explorer 9 and then 8 were deleted and the internet settings were modified to make sure the download files was enabled. Finally, I was able to download files using Chrome. I am going to hook the laptop to the iMax B6 Charger next week and continue bottom balancing the Better Place module.

LAPTOP WORKING AND READY TO GO

As I have drained the batteries down a little, I am also going to test the new Pic Chip that Mark Weisheimer programmed for me. Hopefully it will give me the ability to adjust the voltage to 137.5 volts so the charger can be installed in the car again. Everything is hooked up to be able to charge on a J1772 charger but has not been tested yet.

ZIVAN NG3 CHARGER

PIC CHIP INSTALLED

The temperature was in the 60s today but the weather in Ohio is supposed to to turn cold again next week, so today was a good day to get the Fiero back in the Garage, so work can continue. Hopefully by spring, the two additional modules will be installed, all of the gauges working,  and I can focus on giving the car a new paint job. Maybe this year I will actually be able to get it to EVCCON.

Until next week,

Randy