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Old 08-01-2020, 11:19 PM   #21
Left Coast Kiteboarding
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Default Re: Chevy Volt / Navitas AC - New Build

I got (almost) everything wired up over the last few days. Motor is in and running.

I got the 404 Amp meter in. It's pretty sweet. I can monitor pack voltage, amp draw, and total amp hours used. Once I put the charger on the amp hours go back up. I still need to get it calibrated to the pack but that'll happen in the next few days as I have to draw the pack down to my min. voltage to set the zero point. I'll probably set zero at 38v. That gives me a little room. Once I set the zero I'll be able to measure the ACTUAL useable aH I have. Theoretical is about 100aH but it'll be nice to see the real value. I also need to wire in the BMS safety cut outs from the 404. I have relays coming in the next couple of days to allow me to have a high voltage cut out for the charge circuit, and one other function. Since I can limit total amps at the controller I think I'll use it to set a low pack voltage cut out at min. safe pack value.

As far as the Navitas goes....HOLY CRAP!! This thing goes like a bat out of hell. It has so much power that it'll wrap up the back spring pretty bad. That's gonna have to be dealt with. So far I'm still running on the default 200a setting. I'm a little scared of what will break if I take it up to 600a. I'll creep up on that slowly as I build more confidence in the rest of the cart.

Interestingly enough, the light kit I installed has been changed since the last one i bought. The brake lights now activate even if the lights are off. An obvious win for street legal use. My last light set only had the brake lights work when all the lights were on. That setup probably makes more sense for hunters etc. who want all lights off for stealth, but for a daily driver the new setup is a nice safety upgrade.

Once I have the amp meter calibrated I'll do some road tests to calculate wats/mile. Will be nice to estimate total range and compare with others. We took a sunset cruise to the beach tonight, about a 2 mile loop and I used about 9aH...but I was mashing the pedal. I suspect I could make the same loop for 1/2 of that if I stayed out of the pedal. Time will tell.

For anyone wanting to do this conversion on a series Club Car, definitely reach out to Golf Carts Customized. They have a complete wiring harness to convert the DS to basically a Precedent electrical system. Harness was only about $100 and well worth every penny over trying to do it myself. It came with plugs and terminals wired in, wrapped in nice loom. Very well made and fit like a glove. Made the install much easier. I have no doubt the harness saved me a couple of days work. Also their support was great. They answered the phone day or night and were very helpful. Can't recommend them enough!
Overall, I could not be happier so far.

I'll get some additional photos of the complete install but here's one part way through.
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Old 08-02-2020, 09:17 AM   #22
fstop
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Default Re: Chevy Volt / Navitas AC - New Build

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Originally Posted by Left Coast Kiteboarding View Post

As far as the Navitas goes....HOLY CRAP!! This thing goes like a bat out of hell. It has so much power that it'll wrap up the back spring pretty bad. That's gonna have to be dealt with. So far I'm still running on the default 200a setting. I'm a little scared of what will break if I take it up to 600a. I'll creep up on that slowly as I build more confidence in the rest of the cart.
What size tires are you running? I can't remember...

If you are running 22-23", I don't think you'll see much change in acceleration setting the current limit in the app from 200 up to 600. There is limiting going on in the controller that isn't adjustable with the dealer app.

On flat ground, with one person in the cart, my max current draw (momentary) is around 225a, and that is with the max current set at 250 or anything higher. Setting to 600a still maxes out at 225a actual draw for a second or so before it starts ramping back down as the cart gets going.

I think where it might make a difference is if you test with 4 people, going up hill, towing a trailer etc... Then it may probably draw more if you mash it and have it set to 600a.

But I think there is a max accel / speed point they are trying to not go above for liability reasons (and maybe also to save rear-end gears etc...). It's a fuzzy logic sort of thing I think - they won't really tell you exactly what's going on with it (Or they were pretty vague with me anyway - I've asked...)

So I guess what I'm saying is it might be possible to make a stretch limo cart with 4 people accelerate about the same as a 4 passenger cart with 2 people in it - the lighter cart's acceleration rate will likely be limited by the FW before it hits the current limit that is set in the app, but the heavy cart's acceleration rate may not hit the FW acceleration limiter, but hit the current limit set in the app, but the net effect to the driver might be close to the same acceleration out of either cart scenario. I'm not sure about this - but I think I'm in the ball park anyway.
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Old 08-04-2020, 04:16 PM   #23
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Default Re: Chevy Volt / Navitas AC - New Build

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What size tires are you running? I can't remember...

If you are running 22-23", I don't think you'll see much change in acceleration setting the current limit in the app from 200 up to 600. There is limiting going on in the controller that isn't adjustable with the dealer app.

On flat ground, with one person in the cart, my max current draw (momentary) is around 225a, and that is with the max current set at 250 or anything higher. Setting to 600a still maxes out at 225a actual draw for a second or so before it starts ramping back down as the cart gets going.

I think where it might make a difference is if you test with 4 people, going up hill, towing a trailer etc... Then it may probably draw more if you mash it and have it set to 600a.

But I think there is a max accel / speed point they are trying to not go above for liability reasons (and maybe also to save rear-end gears etc...). It's a fuzzy logic sort of thing I think - they won't really tell you exactly what's going on with it (Or they were pretty vague with me anyway - I've asked...)

So I guess what I'm saying is it might be possible to make a stretch limo cart with 4 people accelerate about the same as a 4 passenger cart with 2 people in it - the lighter cart's acceleration rate will likely be limited by the FW before it hits the current limit that is set in the app, but the heavy cart's acceleration rate may not hit the FW acceleration limiter, but hit the current limit set in the app, but the net effect to the driver might be close to the same acceleration out of either cart scenario. I'm not sure about this - but I think I'm in the ball park anyway.
I have seen similar numbers on the amp meter. Seems too hit mid 200s initially. Navitas dit tell me that the acceleration number in the app can be set much higher. The rep said he's heard of 20k. He also told me that he knows of at least one guy who stripped out the gears in his rear end at that setting. Best I can figure is that setting the amps higher and then cranking up the acceleration number will produce the most results. As a daily driver I have no need to get that crazy. I'm really happy with performance as is.
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Old 08-06-2020, 06:13 AM   #24
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Default Re: Chevy Volt / Navitas AC - New Build

Subbed for future reference, thanks
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Old 08-19-2020, 07:05 PM   #25
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Default Re: Chevy Volt / Navitas AC - New Build

Quick follow up....

Still more work to do but overall buggy is running great. I have gone at least 20 mi. on a charge so far and used about 45Ah of power. Should have almost 100Ah available. While speed and acceleration do drop of a little, its not bad. Very drivable on city streets with traffic etc.

I have the ECPC404 Ah meter up and running. Comes on with the key and tracks all battery usage. I put in a relay to cut power to the 12v converter when key off. Right now I have to have the key on during charge to allow the meter to see the charge. Eventually I'll put in a micro switch at the charger connection to automatically power up the 12v system when I plug it in.

Still happy with performance and drivability. When asked it'll lift the front wheels off the ground with 2 adults in it when fully charged. :-)

More later.
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Old 08-20-2020, 11:44 AM   #26
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Default Re: Chevy Volt / Navitas AC - New Build

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Originally Posted by Left Coast Kiteboarding View Post
I have seen similar numbers on the amp meter. Seems too hit mid 200s initially. Navitas dit tell me that the acceleration number in the app can be set much higher. The rep said he's heard of 20k. He also told me that he knows of at least one guy who stripped out the gears in his rear end at that setting. Best I can figure is that setting the amps higher and then cranking up the acceleration number will produce the most results. As a daily driver I have no need to get that crazy. I'm really happy with performance as is.
There is another limiting factor that the app (dealer App) doesn't have control over however, which is what I was getting at.

I can set my amp. max draw to 400, 500, 600 - whatever - and set the acceleration number (4096 default) to 20K, but amp draw won't go past 250 on flat ground acceleration (one person in the cart).

I'll say that the acceleration number can tend to introduce some (fairly mild) jerkiness and driveability issues if you jack it up too much. Fairly subtle and well done I think, but that has been my experience. It isn't completely uniform either, in my experience - meaning it will seem fine, but here and there in different decel / accel situations it won't be as smooth and fluid as you'd like, or as it is at lower / default. After 6 months of tuning I will say I like to keep that number somewhere around the default 4096 with a max occasional of 8K. Seems pretty consistent if you don't go higher than that. I also don't notice much difference in acceleration going with numbers higher than 8K - and that isn't much different from 4,096 IMO.

I'd be curious if you are noticing big acceleration differences between 4096 and, say 10K?
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Old 08-20-2020, 01:20 PM   #27
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Default Re: Chevy Volt / Navitas AC - New Build

im going to through a comment in here so that I don't lose this thread. might look into this for my ds. did you have to do a new mocr also?
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Old 08-21-2020, 10:21 AM   #28
Left Coast Kiteboarding
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Default Re: Chevy Volt / Navitas AC - New Build

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im going to through a comment in here so that I don't lose this thread. might look into this for my ds. did you have to do a new mocr also?
Fortunately my DS hd the mcor upgrade already done. The kit isn't too expensive if you need it. Under $100.
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Old 08-21-2020, 10:24 AM   #29
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Default Re: Chevy Volt / Navitas AC - New Build

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Originally Posted by fstop View Post
There is another limiting factor that the app (dealer App) doesn't have control over however, which is what I was getting at.

I can set my amp. max draw to 400, 500, 600 - whatever - and set the acceleration number (4096 default) to 20K, but amp draw won't go past 250 on flat ground acceleration (one person in the cart).

I'll say that the acceleration number can tend to introduce some (fairly mild) jerkiness and driveability issues if you jack it up too much. Fairly subtle and well done I think, but that has been my experience. It isn't completely uniform either, in my experience - meaning it will seem fine, but here and there in different decel / accel situations it won't be as smooth and fluid as you'd like, or as it is at lower / default. After 6 months of tuning I will say I like to keep that number somewhere around the default 4096 with a max occasional of 8K. Seems pretty consistent if you don't go higher than that. I also don't notice much difference in acceleration going with numbers higher than 8K - and that isn't much different from 4,096 IMO.

I'd be curious if you are noticing big acceleration differences between 4096 and, say 10K?
I haven't messed with that setting much yet. I need to either get my 4 link done or get stiffer springs. Right now when I mash the pedal the rear single leafs wrap up a lot. The motor moves several inches forward and back. Even so, I can lift the front wheels off the ground while set at 200a and 4096. Soon as I get the rear axle in check I'll start goosing more.
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Old 08-21-2020, 10:36 AM   #30
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Default Re: Chevy Volt / Navitas AC - New Build

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Originally Posted by Left Coast Kiteboarding View Post
I haven't messed with that setting much yet. I need to either get my 4 link done or get stiffer springs. Right now when I mash the pedal the rear single leafs wrap up a lot. The motor moves several inches forward and back. Even so, I can lift the front wheels off the ground while set at 200a and 4096. Soon as I get the rear axle in check I'll start goosing more.
Do you have the 22" tires on there now? (I know you said it would have 22", but wasn't clear on if that is what you are testing it with currently?).
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