CAN bus

Thanks marsupi. I had a look at http://www.peak-system.com/Produktdetails.49+M5f1e2159727.0.html?&L=1&tx_commerce_pi1[catUid]=6&tx_commerce_pi1[showUid]=16

This USB CAN reader comes with a hefty price tag of 245€ (50 less for a non-galvanised version) that's a bit more I actually would like to invest. Still I would love to play about with the system.

Norman

You do not need the isolated version. You can get it if you want, but we have never used them.

BTW, that is an old version of the diagnostics, stay away from the firmware update page....if you inadvertently hit the wrong button you could hose your scoot. Dont muck around on the memory page either, especially writing to memory.

yummy yummy!
exciting times!

Hi all, still trying to find the scooterdiag software. The stashbox link does not work. Is there a definitive can bus adapter that works with XP Pro.My warranty runs out in March next year so I need as much gen as I can get beforehand.
Many thanks guys
Ray

I bought the PCAN-USB adapter from gridconnect model IPEH-002021.
http://www.gridconnect.com/usbcanin.html
and the cable
http://www.gridconnect.com/gc-can-cab-2m.html
total cost $300
it works with windows XP for the Vectrix

I got a 10% off coupon from gridconnect good until 12/31/09. Send me a private message if you want to use it.For the above set, saves you $30.00

Hi all, I'm interested in v2.1 soft if anyone has it.
Can you PM me.
thanks. Marsu

Hi everyone,
I think a lot of people in here has got a copy of the Holy Graal (better known as Scooterdiag, v2.1 if possible). Could someone be kind enough to contact me by PM ? I'll really LOVE to have it ...

Thanks by advance.

The Cucumber.

One question: I saw the vectrix dealer pugging the laptop with an USB adapter from the brand "PEAK"
Is this USB-canbus adapter the right one?

http://www.peak-system.com/Product-Details.49+M578cbdb898b.0.html?&L=1&tx_commerce_pi1[catUid]=6&tx_commerce_pi1[showUid]=16

PCAN-USB IPEH-002021 € 195,00

The opto-decoupled version guarantees galvanic isolation of up to 500 Volts between the PC and the CAN sides.

PCAN-USB opto-decoupled IPEH-002022 € 245,00
In the case of the vectrix, is it necessary the galvanic isolation? (I think yes, but not sure).

Hi R,
your link is broke: PEAK CAN-Busadapter here a working one. X-Vectrix wrote it is not necessary, but I agree to Mik (another post) it´s
much saver to use it, than the non isolated version! Once I nearly killed the dockingsation of my laptop soldering a broken conection while
the 220 to 12v adapter was still plugged in ("no brain no pain...". The soldering iron and the adapter where not galvanic isolated and so I
had a "Zap" on the board although I could touchthe soldering iron or the Board of the DS without anithyng hapening (exept the heat of the
iron of course!).

The isolated version is more expensive but in this case I think absolutely worth it.

Greetings Mike

Thanks Mike!

Hi,

My warranty is going to end soon.
That's mainly a bad thing, but it also has an advantage: I'll finally be able to mess with my bike :-)

First thing to do is connect it to a laptop, so I'll need a can bus adaptor.

is the previously mentionned PEAK (opto-decoupled) still the best way to go?
do I need anything else?

and any advice where to get it at a reasonable price?

thx turok

One or two other adapters have been mentioned on Visforvoltage - all found to be not working with the Vectrix.

So AFAIK there is nothing new.

I'd still go with the galvanically isolated version, just to be sure to be sure.

ok, thanks Mik, I know what to do.

I'll just google/ebay/etc for a good price ;-)

Turok,
Have you considered to ask escini for a trade in and an offer for a lithium vx1?
This is what I am contemplating, but I still have 10 months warranty.

Saves you the risk if a dodgy pack and brings another 2 year warranty period. And not to forget the luxury of driving a new bike wit better battery chemistry (fingers crossed).

The offer must be good enough of course...

Hey Kingcharles..

Well, I wasn't considering it, because I'm perfectly happy with the range of my Vectrix.
I only need 23 kms/ day, and my V easily does 60 kms on a charge (conservative driving of course)

I (almost) never discharge till the telltale light, and with our cool climate, I'm hoping m V doesn't die too soon :-)
7500 kms done, and absolutely no sign of deterioration of the battery (yet).
I'm happy to see that big progress is being made by some (Like Mik and The Laird), to better preserve our 'dodgy' Nimh cell configurations!

But it's worth asking, indeed, if the deal is good enough (if any deal would exist anyway!)... who knows??

On the other hand, I'm eager to get INTO my V and get to know the inside!!
I'm jalous of all the guys here who already did that :-)

greetzzz
turok

Turok,

I can totally understand that. It would be very nice to be able to play around with the V and its software.

I live a bit up north from you, near Amsterdam, (so even cooler than your place :-)) but after 11.500 KM's my bike has recently been showing problems getting me to the office. It is a 31KM trip and I charge both ends of the journey. But now I am experiencing the red battery light coming on in the last KM and almost 30 deg Celsius battery temperature with an outside temperature between 0C and 10C!

So I am not so confident that our climate is the answer.

I called Escini and they came to check with the laptop last week but could not open the glove compartment to connect it up and as they had no other tools with them could not do anything. So hopefully they can come around this week and try again. I am hoping that they can fix the battery problem in the software but from what I have read on this forum over the years I think it might be a bad cell or two :-(

Anyway, if I have to spend between 10 to 15 cent per kilometre after two years of riding to get a new bike (or battery) it would be worth it. But there is a good chance indeed that the write off is much higher than that.
Time will tell.

But now I am experiencing the red battery light coming on in the last KM and almost 30 deg Celsius battery temperature with an outside temperature between 0C and 10C!

Another damaged battery. The same question for you: what voltage do you read when the red battery light turns on? thanks.

Another damaged battery. The same question for you: what voltage do you read when the red battery light turns on? thanks.

Hard to say. I don't pull over when it happens but continue to my destination. Considering this I have seen voltages between 121 and 126 volts.
But they seem to go up a bit after a ride so it is no accurate measurement.
Also I have a rebooting dashboard problem so it can take up to 5 or 6 tries of pulling the left brake before I get a temperature/voltage reading. So by then it may have bounced back up.

Considering this I have seen voltages between 121 and 126 volts.

damaged cells cannot sustain their voltage under load. As soon as the load stops, the voltage is recovered. Checking the voltage after red light can tell you how many cells are in problems.
I Believe that real cut-off voltage with some load is 115v. If you read 126v after red light: The voltage raised 11v, and around 9-10 cells out of 102 are damaged, around 10%. The battery pack is in very bad condition. Is that method correct?

I Believe that real cut-off voltage with some load is 115v. If you read 126v after red light: The voltage raised 11v, and around 9-10 cells out of 102 are damaged, around 10%. The battery pack is in very bad condition. Is that method correct?

Hi R, I was digging in my mails between me and my importer, when I had problems with the battery too. There was only one cell damaged.
On the last trip to it´s hibernation/repairplace the battery-telltale lit up with 130V. So I´m affraid the voltage, when the telltale
comes on, tells rather the difference between the capacity of the good vs. the bad cells, than how many cells are damaged. This maybe
because the damaged cells build up preasure and temperatur which might rise the internal resistance and therefore the voltage, when the
telltale comes on.

Greetings Mike

Considering this I have seen voltages between 121 and 126 volts.

damaged cells cannot sustain their voltage under load. As soon as the load stops, the voltage is recovered. Checking the voltage after red light can tell you how many cells are in problems.
I Believe that real cut-off voltage with some load is 115v. If you read 126v after red light: The voltage raised 11v, and around 9-10 cells out of 102 are damaged, around 10%. The battery pack is in very bad condition. Is that method correct?

sort of,

discharged cells can't sustain voltage under load.

the MC limits voltage sag to 108v, while the charger determines the condition for red battery light when voltage is below 115v and power below 5200W.

I used to be able to get my un-damaged battery to red battery light at 128v at no load.

that means it is hard to distinguish between a damaged battery, and a merely discharged battery when basing the diagnosis upon no load voltage at red battery light.
The Ah count does a pretty good job however.

a cell that is depleted (or damaged, or both) will go below 0v at a light load.
when the bike has just the headlight on, the current drawn is 0.3A, thats enough to cause the bad cells to go to 0v, while the good cells don't sag.

so a low voltage while the bike is no but not moving is more of an indication of reversed cells than a higher voltage.

but it is of course not conclusive.

Matt

Hi all,

Due to some battery problems I've been having, I've decided I would attempt tinkering with the Vectrix's CAN-bus interface. While searching for a more affordable USB to CAN interface adapter, I came across this one on eBay. Does anyone have a clue if this may work? I've also included a link to the manual for it.

eBay Link
Manual

antiscabs diagnostics video is tempting me in getting a CANBUS adapter to check my V's values and especially to set the value of the battery gauge, since it's always overestimating the SOC of the battery and I'd like to correct that manually from time to time. I'd also like to check my battery's temperature readings. Since I have no experience with CANBUS adapters, can anyone recommend one from ebay or anywhere else? Is the one from the above poster's good enough?

I would also be thankful if anyone would be willing to provide me with diag softwares (1.1 and 2.1) antiscab described in the youtube video.

Thank you in advance!

Since I have no experience with CANBUS adapters, can anyone recommend one from ebay or anywhere else? Is the one from the above poster's good enough?

I would also be thankful if anyone would be willing to provide me with diag softwares (1.1 and 2.1) antiscab described in the youtube video.

I have only ever got the Peak CAN bus adapter to work, but it is expensive (US$265)

I would be very interested to hear if anyone has found a cheaper one that works.

If you PM me your email address I can email you the software and firmware.

cheers,
Matt

Thank you! PM sent!

Hi Antiscab,
Hello antiscab,
I sent an email as AndY1, you may also send me the sw and fw?
I may have a serious problem are the batteries
thank you very much
Nefasto

Hi Everybody!

I am planning to re-build my Li+ (If I can't get a new battery from the spanish importer I will try Calb's or A123).
At this point I am still diagnosing the bike with the "debug" mode (I can read pack voltage, current draw and "hi & lo" cell values).
My next step is to use the CanBus cable and adequate software.

Regarding the cable there is no doubt. I assume it's this:
http://gridconnect.com/can-usb.html
Is it right??

And the other point is the software...Where can I get Scooterdiag, V Diagnostic or similar to make my memory dumps and check the status of the bike??

BTW, is there any diagnostic sw for Mac??

Thanks!!!!

yes thats usb-can adapter you need

Thanks!!