I overvolted my 24 Volt Controller to 36 Volts. This was to overvolte my G1 Electric skateboard. Link had previously done this successfully, even to 48 Volts. When I did this, I heard a few popping sounds, kind of like popcorn. There was not any smoke or anything, nor any smell, but now there is no voltage getting to the motor. I confirmed that the batteries and motor are fine. so it must be the controller. Is there any way to repair this, and make it more friendly to 36 Volts ? I am not an electrical kind of guy, but I can solder, and follow diagrams. I guess I will end up buying a 36 volt controller. Below are some pics of the controller and insides. Can I replace any of the components ? Thanks for any troubleshooting help.
First: Don't get another controller unless you know it's EXACTLY like this one. The controllers for this skateboard are made special with a very slow throttle ramp so that it doesn't instantaneously take off and lay you on your back when you push the button.
Fixing shouldn't be too much of an issue. If it was audible odds are something big blew, which means likely the FETs or the caps. The caps can be had for a few bucks each. Same for the FETs, but you'll have to figure out a suitable replacement.
I could be wrong about it being the caps or FETs, though. Hard to tell with those tiny pics. :/ Anything on there look visibly oxidized/burned/slightly melted?
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Thanks, I did think about replacing the FETS and CAP, but I really dont know what values I would use. Just larger FETS ? Or should I be doing some calculations. At worse case, the controller parts would blow again.
It's weird, but there was no smoke or smell. Also nothing visibly burned or melted. I will try and take a better pic. I know there was power, as the lights on the skateboard, came on, and flickered a few times, then I heard the popping, about 3 or 4 pops, and then everything went dark.
It's not the fuse, as there is still 37 volts coming out of the power connector.
Also, I tired to find the exact same conroller, but it's hard to find. They have a similar one, but http://www.yi-yun.com model lb27, but I dont think it has the slow throttle ramp.
I ended up ordering a 36 volt controller with a hall effect thumb throttle, so I can slowly ramp up the voltage. Throttle was $10 and controller was $20, so not too bad.
I may still try fixing the 24 volt controller too, but I am thisrting for more power with 36 volts.
Here are some better pics.
The Capacitors are 30 uF 50volts, and 470uF 50 volts.
The FETS, I asume are the square black components with metal holes at the top ? How do I read their ratings ? I can see T402 U, B1545, AKA Not sure what that means ? Also one of the FETs you cant read the writing, as it looks like it was scraped off. There was a metal bar (ground ?) screwed in and touchgin the metal tops of the FETs. Both FETs do not appear to be exactly the same, there are small nothches in the metal of one of them.
Thanks
Weird. I can't see anything visibly damaged. The FETs would have pockmarks/burns on them and the caps would be kinda bulgy.
IIRC, the FETs are 50V 30A or something like that. The board only pulls like 15A, but there's some headroom for the current multiplication effect.
Also, they don't look the same because they aren't both FETs. One is a schottky diode array. The TO-220 is a common package.
That metal bar just keeps the FET and schottky tight against the wall of the controller because it's also a heatsink.
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How does the throttle work?
I recently fried a variable resistor and it sounded like the popping you described.
Mr. Mik
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There is always a way if there is no other way!
Well, there is no throttle for the skateboard.
Just a big button which is a switch.
There's a wire shunt on the skateboard where the throttle controller would go.
I can't verify if that works, as the there's no power coming out of the controller.
I guess I could try seeing if power is getting to the components.
No components are visibly melted or blown.
The skateboard does have quite a few LEDs,
so maybe those popped ?
However, the fact remains that the controller is not outputting any voltage.
It won't be the LEDs. They don't make any sound when they blow. Just turns red and dies. Plus, enough power getting to them in the first place would mean the controller failed.
The lack of voltage coming out of the thing makes me suspect a fried open FET. Dunno if replacing it would fix it, though. Do the lights still come on?
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No, the LED lights dont come on anymore.
As another project, I'll try and orders some FETs from DigiKEy,
and replace, to see if I can fix the 24 volt controller.
I think I'm moving on to a 36 volt controller for now.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Guys,
Quick update.
The 24 volt controller was not blown.
I discovered the problem was the fuse.
It looked like the fuse was fine, the wire was intact, but the endcap was disconnected from the wire.
It was the fuse making the popping sounds.
The way I discovered is I actually listened to where the popping sounds were coming from,
as they happened again with a new 36 volt controller I bought,
and it was coming from the fuse.
I replaced the fuse and the skateboard works.
I have now modified the skateboard to run on 36 volt controller though,
with a thumb throttle. Also the big button is now a throttle kill switch.
36 Volts is faster and a lot more fun.
I will post some pics tomorrow in the Boards sections when I have time.
It's amazing the different things that can go wrong. I had a bad spark plug on my pickup truck, though they were new. The problem was very intermittent, and since they were new, none of 3 different mechanics could find the problem, and some even denied there was a problem. Eventually it cost me $1500 to replace a spark plug. By the end of it, I had bought an entire new ignition system.
Be the pack leader.
36 volt sla schwinn beach cruiser
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24 volt sla + nicad EV Global