Tonight I updated to 2.16, ran the FOC motor detection tools, and configured everything again. I did a few things differently; I tried @jacobbloy’s suggestion to move motor min -20 and batt min to -10. I also edited the min pulsewidth for PPM to .9, where it had been set at 1.0 previously. As expected, these changes makes the brakes much softer, it takes more time to come to a complete stop. I have to push the trigger pretty close to the max braking position to trigger a reboot, and I can only do that when I’m moving very slowly or not at all. This seems much better, since it is unlikely that I’ll ever use that much braking force on a normal ride.
The obvious downside is that now the braking is much softer than before and I don’t have as much control over speed when I’m on the move.
It still seems like something isn’t right. What I really want is for the brake to never trigger a reboot in any circumstance. Maybe I should upgrade to a newer VESC that has the upgrade caps? Is it possible that this is as good as it gets using FOC with a 4.7 VESC?
Two questions: Even though it doesn’t matter in FOC, why are you limiting max ERPM to 40K? Also, how long are your cables connecting the VESC with the battery in total? This might have an impact especially on FOC.
4.7 should not be an issue with FOC (I’m also driving them in several of my boards), unless you go up to 12s where you will need the C18 mod.
You’ve got to get this sorted - I drove soft brakes for a few weeks, you get used to it, but having to compensate with total awareness and reduction to speed takes fun and confidence out of a ride.
My motor min is at -55 and bat min -38 - I’ve got decent brakes and by mechanically reducing trigger movement have not had a drop out since.
Suggest:-
Putting settings back to previous and trying the wedge of foam technique. If this works you can remove it whilst trouble shooting and replace it for riding.
Can you borrow a later edition VESC and see if that solves the issue?
@elkick I limit ERPM when I’m testing settings to keep myself from hitting speeds beyond what I can “run out;” 40K ERPM limits my speed to about 15 MPH, which is fast enough for testing. When I’m done with testing I still keep the max speed at 18-19MPH, even though my build could go faster.
The cable length between VEC and battery is minimal; although I have a battery arming switch with a button-activated resistor in between the battery and the VESC. Does anyone know what the symptoms are of an excessively long battery cable in FOC?
Thx @dogeatgod I’m sure that if I limit the swing of the trigger mechanically I will indeed see that reboots don’t occur as often. I was aiming for a solution that allows full trigger swing (and thus better braking precison). I’ll keeping trying different settings with the motor and batt mins to see if I can dial it
in.
I don’t know anyone with a VESC in my area to borrow from, good suggestion though!
Could you share a pic of your foam wedge in your badwolf enclosure?
Had it happen twice yesterday. The second time I tried to leave the trigger where it cut off and stepped off the board. It immediately shot in reverse, almost like the pause on an electric R/C vehicle stopping and going into reverse.
@FLATLINEcustoms That sounds like you’ve got the Control Mode (on the App Config>PPM tab) set to “Current” instead of “Current no rev w brake” or just “Current no rev.” Try setting it to “Current no rev w brake.”
I am heading up to the north Georgia mountains in a couple of weeks. If I just turn off regen will it solve the braking issues? Not that I want to, but kind of want a strong reliable brake when I head up there.
When braking the motor acts as a generator and that energy has to go somewhere, so not sure that regen is something you can actually switch off through the VESC, without melting something somewhere else.
I don’t use reverse – I’m finding enough problems with just stop and go as it is. If reverse is not critical then give, as suggested, ‘current no reverse with brake’ a go and try to recreate the brake failure.
@treenutter@FLATLINEcustoms - Just out of interest what is your max and min pulse width with the GT2B? In App Config/PPM turn on display and read full trigger and full brake.
@treenutter – I’ve had a couple of other unresolved issues recently and been tossed off a couple of times, once with @RogerD!
I didn’t know that forum existed. I got tossed off my board, so there will be a few days before I can further test the release of the brakes without reverse enabled.
Thanks @elkick that’s good to know! I hope my soldering skills are up to par! I think I recall that you use VESC HW 4.7 on some of your builds, did you apply this update to your VESC?
