Rear suspension all done..
Attachment 184800 Attachment 184799
Printable View
Rear suspension all done..
Attachment 184800 Attachment 184799
Looks great, you certainly won’t have any traction problems like us front mounted engine guys have.
Thanks! I was kind of hoping I do have traction problems!! hahaQuote:
Originally Posted by JimLev
Love the pictures, if I didn't already have some inspiration I definitely do now. I hope to maintain your level quality detail. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Dan! I'm looking forward to following your build.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Cooper
Trunk panels are done along with my charge port and main cut-off switch. I added the switch because I'd heard several places would require the HV system be disabled to be allowed on site for insurance reasons - the body shop I'm using, most indoor venues, etc. That and it's just a good idea to have one. The switch on the front of the main battery box is more of a service switch. I have to pull all the BMS leads before I can use the battery box switch so it's definitely not practical as a disconnect.
Attachment 184989 Attachment 184990
I'm still waiting on the firewall from the power coater. They had a delay getting the material in. It should be back early next week, then I can get going on the wiring. I'm planning to do the full 12V system before I start putting the HV stuff back in - mainly for routing reasons.
I'm going to tackle the floor panels the rest of this weekend. Final install with adhesive and my first permanent rivets so far.
Have fun with that gooey stuff. WEAR NITRIL GLOVES and put on some clothes you can throw out if need be!
Yep, definitely. Luckily I'm only using the top panels and no foam. So it'll be easier than it would otherwise be.
Floor is glued and riveted down and sound deadener is in. Glad I bought a power rivet gun! Huge time and hand saver.
Attachment 185166 Attachment 185167
It's a roller again. Spent some time this morning getting it back on the lift and cleaning up the garage a bit. Mostly just procrastinating what's next for the weeks to come - wiring.
Attachment 185380 Attachment 185379
I'll be making some changes to the way I wired things initially - different routing, moving some things around, adding an extra fuse block, etc. I never had the lights and blinkers on the 12V system working in the initial build, so that's the first task. I also found out that the BMS setup I had won't support the CANBUS shunt resistor I bought to report state of charge to the AEM dash display. Little bit of miscommunication with EV West but they're making it right. I sent my BMS controller unit back to them for a swap to the newer Master Control Unit from Thunderstruck. I have to add another BMS satellite module too but It'll be worth the thrash in the long run.
Wow - I actually have all the lights working! I was ready to be tracing down something that I had screwed up with all the surgery I did to the harness removing everything I didn't need. That's a nice surprise. I'll take it.
The headlights that come with the kit are really cool.
Making progress on the wiring. The added extra fuse block makes things much cleaner than what I did for mockup with just tapping into other circuits for all the EV specific stuff. Everything has a dedicated circuit now this way.
Attachment 185540
I don't really like the old style headlight switch that the kit comes with so I'm going to add in a smaller option. I won't have the dash dimming function with this but I don't have anything dimmable on the dash anyway. The AEM display has a built in dim option triggered just by a 12V signal so that will still work. This will be mounted under the dash out of sight but easily reachable. The high beam switch will be right next to it.
Attachment 185541
Also added in a remote adjuster for brake bias. I'll be doing a lot of tuning on the brakes between front/rear bias and regen braking so this is something that'll be really useful.
Attachment 185544
Looking good Brad!
Brad,
I like the headlight switch you bought much better than what I got with my American Autowire harness kit. What is it and where did you buy it?
Thanks,
Keith HR #894
Just Amazon..Quote:
Originally Posted by progmgr1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...0?ie=UTF8&th=1
It's not really a headlight switch so you'll need a dual input diode to prevent back feed in order to have running lights in one position and both in the other. The switch is off in the center position and closed left and right.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Also, the wires that come on the switch connector are thin - maybe 22 gauge. The switch is rated at 5A, 250V but no numbers for other voltages. The LED lights should be at or under 5A. I wired it up and everything works, but I'm going to ditch the connector that comes with the switch and solder 18 gauge wire to the switch terminals just for added measure - a little more strength if noting else. This switch won't work on non-LED lights obviously.
It's looking great, I am really impressed with your attention to detail.
Some good progress this weekend. The 12V system is all functional and I have the three battery packs in. Done for the day now, so I'll work on the HV wiring later.
Attachment 185678 Attachment 185677
I hit a wall with the new BMS controller wiring and setup. I'll need to call Thunderstruck and EV West this week to get it sorted out. It's different enough from the old one that I'll need some help with understanding it all.
Ahhh. Progress, progress, progress!
I was able to talk with Thunderstruck today and I now understand the new BMS wiring. I still have some unknows with firmware versions and software settings but at least I can finish wiring now and deal with the other stuff later when it's all powered up.
The body will hopefully be ready in a month or so. I think for now at least I'm running slightly ahead of them with getting the rest of the car ready to go.
The new BMS system is alive and reporting out correctly! That's a load off my mind. I got the new firmware I was waiting for as well so I'll work on getting that updated tomorrow. Once that's back up and programmed for the CAN shunt resistor I can move on to verifying charging functionality (which is different than before also due to the new BMS). Then on to powering the motor controller back up.
I have to travel next week so I'll be taking a break from the car progress. I can use the break actually...
Had another 'ah crap' moment with the version 2 BMS system. My non-CAN charger is limiting me on getting things operating as a coherent system. The new BMS can't control the charge enable right now because it's not seeing a charger on the CAN network. It'll start and then timeout because it doesn't detect a charger. Thunderstruck said they will provide an override for that in an upcoming firmware but I just don't like that and would prefer to have everything on the CAN network - now that I understand it better.
I figured I was facing a new charger purchase but then I remembered mine has an unused connector on it. I checked with Elcon and yep, it's the CAN connection and it can be enabled with a re-program at only $45. Once again super lucky to have them close to me so I can just take it over there. I didn't know any better when I bought it but thankfully EV West sold me the right charger up front.
Had to run out to the body shop today to give them some small parts I made. Elcon is on the way there too and luckily they were able to reprogram my charger today so it saved a separate trip back out there next week. Now I have CAN bus enabled on it which makes things much cleaner with the new BMS system. I got it all wired up and I'll mess with programming the BMS this weekend.
Body is coming along pretty well. This is almost the final primer coat - just a few more small areas to correct they said. They got the vents cut into the side panels.
Attachment 186252 Attachment 186251 Attachment 186250
Charger is working!! It's communicating with the BMS correctly and state of charge is calculating which means the CAN shunt resistor is reporting in too. Big relief!! Now I can power the motor controller back up. That should work still because I didn't change anything from the first build. Assuming the universe decides not to punish me in some new strange way, that would mean the whole car is functional.
I wired up the seat heaters yesterday and now I'm down to Just wiring the dash display. I'm more than ready to be done with wiring. I still need the CAN channel file from EV West though for the display, but that's just playing with software.
G;day Brad,
You are a one-man powerhouse of design and build my friend!
My hope is to see this beast in action one day.
Cheers,
Nigel
Thank you sir... I'm looking forward to getting it on the road for sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nigel Allen
I powered the motor controller and DC to DC converter back up today and everything is working. Brake lights are driven by the controller so this is the first time I've checked them - all good. It uses the Tesla brake switch which connects to the controller. That way brake lights are triggered when regen braking is active. The car is drivable again technically but I need to align the wheels before I go kart it again. I haven't done a full charge on the batteries yet either so that's on my list. Has to be while I'm watching it though. No way I'm plugging it in unattended yet.
Attachment 186522
Took a break from wiring and did some small things like hood and trunk release levers, and seats and armrest too.
Kick A** build, looks awesome, great job.Quote:
Originally Posted by BradC
I know your body shop guys are fitting the hood / side panels but without the battery pack, and I don't recall in your build thread if you ever did a mock up with the side panels and hood on with the battery pack installed. Could be an optical illusion in the pic, but the front of the battery pack seems like it's going to be very close to the top of the hood. Was that ever checked out with the side panels and hood on?
Jim
Thanks Jim..Quote:
Originally Posted by 33fromSD
Yes, the front pack clears the hood with a fair amount of space actually. I could do a small frunk if I wanted to. I originally had all the batteries up front in my first mock up with an extra layer of packs (4" tall) on the top. That was a close fit and too much weight up front so that's when I decided to split it up and move eight packs under the floor.
This is the only pic I have of that I guess. A friend of mine about my same size was sitting in the car helping check seat height, but I had the hood on and you can sort of see the clearance.
Attachment 186539
Awesome, sorry to be back-seat observer, just hoping that was looked at.Quote:
Originally Posted by BradC
Enjoying your build immensely.
Jim
Not at all! I'm certainly not immune to overlooking something so I appreciate the feedback. Although that would have been a pretty big one worthy of much public shaming.Quote:
Originally Posted by 33fromSD
It ain't nothin' a trip to Home Depot couldn't solve!Quote:
Originally Posted by BradC
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/atta...3&d=1688060718
That's hilarious!! A clear forward view of the road is for suckers!
That's a Roadkill scoop. Great pic.
Took the chassis to the body shop this morning to do one last fit check on the body. I made some changes to the upper coilover mounting locations to give me more ride height adjustability. The ride height seemed mostly ok with the fenders mocked in place but I had no more up adjustment - plus I didn't have the full weight on the chassis so it was a risk. I'd rather start high and adjust lower so I don't run the chance of scraping the freshly painted fenders. The changes moved the coilovers outward a little so I needed to make sure they weren't going to hit the inner fender well. No issues - plenty of clearance.
Attachment 186631 Attachment 186629
I think we're on track to paint the week after next. It's getting real!!
Time to do the first pass alignment. I'm sure this will be tedious.
Attachment 186632
I just made the last pre-body wire connections for the AEM display panel. I went through it all again and thinned out more of the stock FFR harness that I didn't need too. Man I'm glad to be done with that. I have some wire routing and such to do once the body is on but that'll be easy. I'm having a panel made to conceal everything under the dash so it'll have a nice clean look with no wires visible. It should show up tomorrow or the day after.
Attachment 186726 Attachment 186727
Alignment is done and close enough for initial driving. I'll see how it feels with some miles on it and then re-check later. The fixtures I made worked really well. I had the caster way off (12-13 degrees) when I eyeballed everything for the first drive I did in February. Oops..
Just finished the first full charge under very close supervision monitoring everything real time with the BMS connected to a laptop. No firetrucks at the house! Everything behaved like it's supposed to and the SoC value in the BMS calibrated itself to 100%. That will get more accurate with every drain/charge cycle supposedly.
As a retired engineering program manager for a Li-ion battery company, I recognize this as a major milestone successfully completed! Congratulations on all your hard work and attention to detail paying off!
Keith HR #894
Thanks Keith!
I got the wiring cover installed. This should work perfectly to hide everything once the body is on.
The harnesses sticking through the slot all go to the dash display panel. The one to the left hanging down is for the parking brakes - the switch mounts under the lower edge of the dash.
Attachment 186954
I took the steering column to the shop to be painted in body color. They're supposed to shoot it all late next week. I'll go get the column after it's done and get it back on the car while they cut and buff the body. A bit easier to get the chassis on the trailer if I can actually steer it!
I think I'll tackle carpet next week. I need to go find some nice material since I can't use the kit that came with the car. Should be pretty easy to do since everything is flat.