Picking up after where we left a week ago: After some debugging, I’ve been able to start communicating with the charger. Assuming the hardware-related problems I had to solve before successfully receiving my first CAN packet are rare, I must say that the steps required to actually get packets from the bus and on the bus are quite simple. Every car today relies on a CAN bus and has 70-150 CAN-nodes. Listening to and manipulating these values is not only interesting but can also unlock hidden features and make your car more run more efficiently. I strongly suggest anyone interested […]
New Project: Compact 3.7kW charger & configuration
After installing TW560’s latest battery pack and testing it thoroughly, one of the points I definitely want to address is reducing full-charge time. With a potential maximum of 18.9kWh having to go into the batteries, my current setup with 6.8kWh peak charging capacity means I’m charging for at least 3 1/2 hours. Adding chargers is simple, but there are some limitations to consider: Weight: my current chargers are at about 12kg each, adding more isn’t really an attractive option Price: Each charger cost me CHF 960, extra chargers will not be substantially cheaper if I insist on a hardened automotive […]
DRL project completed!
i am happy to report that the drl project for TW560 is completed. below i will share the details of how the project came together and how the bom looks like. after ordering the switchback led’s from a US-supplier and blinker covers in germany i was perfecting my DRL amtel-chip powered LED switchback solution and even created a pcb according to the prototype i wrote about in one of my last posts. after only one week – this during the festive season! – the led’s and the covers arrived and i was very happy not to have had to pay […]
DRL > a new project for TW560
18jan14-update: project finished, see result here. swiss road laws are changing. from january 1st, 2014 onwards, every vehicle on switzerland’s roads must have DRL – daylight running lights – when in motion. older vehicles without dedicated DRL can comply with this law by keeping their main lights on during daytime. a TWIKE, obviously, doesn’t have any dedicated DRL and keeping the main lights on during daytime is not an option for most TWIKE pilots, including me: using 210-260W on just a bit of lighting just seems a tad wasteful and – in tw560’s case – will shave of 6-10 kms […]
under the hood #1: adding a GPRS module to TW231
a few years ago, with the arrival of the new dreifels controller, modern micro controllers employed within offered many benefits: handling complex charging scenarios more and detailed vehicle data overall better vehicle performance …and a few optional hardware extensions to extend overall vehicle usage comfort. one of these options is a sms module, which – three years ago – i think TW560 was the first one to have officially. the module (in its current release 1 feature level) can help alleviate problems ev-drivers experience when charging: unauthorized unplugging during charge, missing power from the grid, knowing when exactly the charge […]