How do I fix my Space Cell

The VESC works great with lipo! The VESC loads with a default setting of 60 amps and to be honest it is a pig with the current limit this low but it is perfect for getting the VESC started. 80 amps seems to be more of a sweet spot for good acceleration.

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What issues are you guys having with Torqueboards 12S ESC + SpaceCell? I know, about 3-5 people using them together exclusively on a daily basis for commuting to work. No issues or complaints from them.

itā€™s not a problem per-say, but just a nuisance- you canā€™t get the full performance out of the space cell with your esc.

If you had a currently limiting setting so it didnā€™t try to burst more than the space cell can handle, Iā€™d take it over the VESC any day because it is just a simple, easy to use esc.

Right now, in order to not blow a fuse I have to use the following settings (Iā€™m only 140ish pounds). When my dad tried to ride my board with these settings (heā€™s about 190ish) the fuse blew after about 3 seconds: max forward force: 80% motor timing: low acceleration: low

braking and most of the other settings (besides raising the lipo cutoff because the space cell will do that for me) are left stock.

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The SPACE Cell should be able to work with ANY ESC at all that is rated for 10S or above using all of the maxed out settings on the ESC and not blow a fuse. The idea that I can only reliably use one ESC with it, one that is not plug and play and doesnā€™t even come in a durable package, is irritating.

Any LiPo ESC is behaving correctly in asking for whatever power it can get when that trigger is pulled, so the BMS in that pack should limit the current output in a way that results in not having to replace fuses. Hopefully in future versions this can be addressed.

The Space Cell showed up to a LiPo party and is eating all the chips but not passing the blunt. Puff puff pass homie, donā€™t just stand and try to hide it.

/rant

Firstly. Current limiting is a good thing. You should value it. Without it all of your electronics can be destroyed within seconds. This Is why it is built into the vesc.

Alsoā€¦ the fuse is something that I have come to really appreciate. It saves people from an expensive mistake.

Also with Vesc You can achieve higher motors currents whilst limiting the battery currentā€¦ You could have 80A in the motor during start up whilst only drawing 30A from the batteryā€¦ the vesc is so feature rich! Itā€™s truley an awesome piece of gear so if you buy one so your space cell can work optimally its a good investment.

Anywayā€¦

Now Ask yourself on average how long does your lipo batteries last, if used without limits, before puffy the dragon pays them a visit. Some much shorter then others, especially under high Peak amp drawsā€¦ eventually under high amp draws most things fail prematurely.

From my experience using lipoā€™s (especially the cheap ones from hobbyking aka. Zippy flight max) they canā€™t handle the discharge rates of unlimited-current ESCā€™s. They swell from being over discharged.

Using a BMS with lipo is not a common practise (alien power system does offer it though- go figure), nor recommended. LIPO is notorious for getting out of balance. They also have a naturally short life spanā€¦ a BMS wonā€™t really play a role in changing that fact. Also they shouldnā€™t be charged unattendedā€¦

Let me move on,

So, If you want to run your system hot and not limit the current thatā€™s fine by meā€¦ but at least buy some very good quality lipo that are rated to handle itā€¦ the quality lipos will last through the punishmentā€¦ but now sit back and wait for the ESC or motors to failā€¦ the electronics tend not to like heat. The weakest link will fail!

Speaking from a vendors perspective I need my products to last a very long timeā€¦ So there needs to be saftey limits. Just like in you carā€¦ you can never reach max speed or rpmā€¦ there are limits. Otherwise without limits I keep needing to replace parts under warranty and eventually go broke.

It also worth noting that flier can make esc with current limiting but they donā€™tā€¦ they also have lots of failures, can you guess why?.. Before vesc I had some current limited flier made. They actually worked well. Alien should consider it. As much as I hate to say it customers need to be protected from destroying their products.

Just so you all know the S.P.A.C.E Cell v2.0 will be 10S4P with 50A constant current - this is 30% additional capacityā€¦ & It will be ONLY 20mm longer than the existing model. Of course much more expensive too.

One of the main reasons i am doing this (increasing cont current) is due to the increasing popularity of hub motors, higher current draw is required, especially on startā€¦ Otherwise 30A continuous is actually ample for most systemsā€¦

Rant over.

Will the config XML file you have on your google drive for the R-SPEC 2.0 motors give me this?

Stop making so much sense when Iā€™m angry!

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I think this only works for startup boost. I dont think it gives you 80 amps while flying down the road, I could be wrong.

I wrote an article discussing this stuff.

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I didnā€™t have an enclosure on my space cell, after taking it on and off my board a good 50 times its stopped working. I assumed an air gap on a connection due to movement in the cell but canā€™t find any. Iā€™m getting 40v up to the BMS but no voltage coming through the earth on the other side of the BMS. To me it suggests that that the BMS has failed but thatā€™s hard to believe as it stopped working overnight on my work bench, no shortage or anything unusual caused it to fail as far as I know. The voltmeter wonā€™t show anything, if I charge the unit the voltmeter flashes for a short moment then nothing. The cells seem fine, vtage readings are fine up to the BMS. Any troubleshooting suggestions?

same exact thing happened to me: It stumped me for a good couple days (this was a couple weeks ago)

Look at ALL of your connections to the battery packā€™s cells- one of mine looked like it was perfectly attached, but it was just like 1/2mm away from the contact points. Soldered that back in there and I was up and running again!

Didnā€™t stop me from taking out all the connections going to the BMS and peripherals to resolder them thoughā€¦

I wish I caught it earlier before spending 3+ hours resoldering every dang connection.

I want to get some shrink wrap to re-seal it (and hold everything together) but I donā€™t know where to find shrink wrap that big; I might just see if I can buy some from @onloop

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If Iā€™m getting 40v all the way up to the BMS doesnā€™t that suggest that all the connections are sweet?

I would also like some of that giant heat shrink wrappy stuff. My cell is taped up at the moment and iā€™d rather have it sealed up in that stuff.

Iā€™ll just get some extra and send it down your way- as long as you pay the shipping though since we live so far away :wink:

i drive a tiny truck. it might be cheaper just to drive up there and get it. lol

I think itā€™s kind of like this one: http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/321494943091?_mwBanner=1

I remember when Whitepony said he used 195mm. Someone correct me if Iā€™m wrong.

Check each of the balancing connections: thatā€™s where my connection went wrong. They all seemed fine (and I had 40v in the end) but one of them was spotty.

when checking the balancing connections (if you leave it plugged into the pcb, and just measure it by the pins going into the BMS) make sure not to short any connections by touching two pins with your volt meterā€¦ I donā€™t think thatā€™d be too good.

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@lox897 might be onto something here with that ebay shrink wrapā€¦ Maybe I could just find some on there.

haha @longhairedboy I was only joking about the shipping :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

You can still drive your tiny truck up here if you want, or I can just pay a couple 'merican dollars and shoot some your way.

Itā€™s fineā€¦ I have a user who uses the Enertion pack with a single motor and climbs hills.

When the space cell is switched off, how much volts am I supposed to see at the power leads? I guessing ZERO. But in my case, Iā€™m getting 4 voltsā€¦ Thatā€™s odd right?