VESC-Project Open Source status ?

Software wize : no update of firmware on Github although major changes have been done (FW 3.34) thus leading to incompatibility with external project (as the UART protocol has been changed).

Yes, Clement, you are right, it would be kind to know when changes will be uploaded on GitHub.

Thierry

Not uploading the latest firmware to github was a mistake by me, I just happened to forget it. It should be up to date now.

I have created a few documentation paged to hopefully make everything a bit more clear.

This is about the software in general with some links:

http://vesc-project.com/node/309

this is a tutorial for how to get started with development and build the software on Ubuntu:

http://vesc-project.com/node/310

this is some information about the hardware with links and a reference schematic:

http://vesc-project.com/node/311

I have been working on a new hardware version with 18 FETs that can go up to 75V and hopefully 400A, which I put higher priority on than the reference layout. Also the new mobile VESC Tool support, the NRF51822 firmware and many other things have been taking a lot of time, so I'm behind schedule on everything. Hopefully the new documentation pages can help a bit meanwhile.

I would still vote that VESC boards in general should split the control and the power stage into two connected PCBs. Then you can combine any version of Control PCB with any kind of Driver PCB.

Control PCB is the one that has the STM, the UART input etc.

Driver PCB are the MOSFETs mainly.

If something went wrong, the driver PCB will be damaged only. And if you want to upgrade to a high power driver you can do that. Today you have to build all into one PCB.

Hi, I am logged in but not allowed to access any of the links.

Could you please fix this, benjamin?

thx,
JL2579

@JL2579

I changed the permissions on the pages, I think the links work now. Don't know why the had the wrong permissions by default.

@Clément

There are some details in the linked hardware documentation text. A short summary:

• The VESC firmware and VESC Tool are and will stay open source.
• The VESC 6 schematic is open source, and available on the hardware documentation page along with other open hardware designs.
• The VESC 6 layout and gerber files will not be released to the public, for reasons explained in the hardware page.
• A complete 3 shunt reference layout kicad project, very similar to the VESC 6, will be released as soon as I have time.

Thank you very much, the links all work fine now and the  last statements made everything very clear. What is your policy regarding contributing to the original project ? I made a seperate post regarding a boost a feature I added and a bug I spotted in the current firmware, I was wondering if and how this or other features I already have in mind could be added if you agree, so as to not have many different branches and versions of the project.

Thanks for reminding me about writing a contribution page, I will do it in the next days. I think the easiest way is to clone the project on github, make the changes and then make a pull request. Then I can give the changes a try and accept the request, or suggest some improvements. It would also be nice if you can merge your commits into one to make it easier to follow what your contribution does, because the addition and removal of the extra adc app is a bit confusing when following the changes. Here are some resources on that

http://www.siliconfidential.com/articles/15-seconds-to-cleaner-git-history/

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5189560/squash-my-last-x-commits-tog...

Thanks, I will follow that, I am completely new to github and QT and used both for the first time this week,so of course there is still something to learn ;) 

Hello Benjamin,

When you wrote that you were working on a new hardware version that can go up to 75V and 400A mine eyes started blinking....And i bet, i'm not the only one!

200 AMP is more then enough  :)

Hope to see that in a near future!

Congratulations for everything you been making, and continue doing it!!!

Best Regards

For info.

Lebowski is working on a similar project (Endless Sphere).

He will do a power board with a Piggy-back plug-In processor board.

Some ideas for Benjamin

Hi there 

i want to know can we use blheli or simonk firmware

thank you

Hello everyone, hope you are doing well.
I allow myself to ask you a question about the can protocol of vesc 4, which I did not find by searching on google in order to read the data received through the can bus.

Best regards ,
Imane

Hello everyone, hope you are doing well.
I allow myself to ask you a question about the can protocol of vesc 4.12, which I did not find by searching on google in order to read the data received through the can bus.
Best regards ,
 

Hi every one ,

I want to upload my program (modified) BLDC-master on STM32F405RG with stlink V2 via SWD . I have successfully programmed  it with ST-LINK v2 and now I cannot even connect with MCU.

I use ST-Link Utility from ST and SWD interface. 

"ST-link device lost when exiting upgrade mode " or "can't result from programming task "

Cordially

Hi, I am new to this site, and I started looking at SimpleFOC for Arduino, but they do not have regen yet, something I need. My plan is to rebuild my sailboat to use electric motor and batteries instead of the diesel engine. When I am at sail I hope to regen some watts back into the batteries. The electric motor came from an early Think (Pivco) with only 12 KW motor. 100 volts and 100 amp. The Trampa controller VESC 100/250 might be good for this. It would have been nice if it could take 110 volts, but I can reduce the batteries down to 95 volts to be on the safe side.

What I wonder about is how good the regen is. When I am sailing the propeller will turn much slower, so the voltage from the motor might be too low to be able to generate the batteries?

So my question is: Will VESC 100/250 be able to put energy back to the batteries when the propeller only turns at 500 rpm? 

I have an alternative solution if the VESC cannot to do it, and that is to use a DC-DC booster I got, but then I also need to disconnect the VESC from the battery, and connect it to the booster.

Any thoughts on this?

Regards

Svein Utne

Hi Svein,

This question of yours belongs to another topic, it is OFF here. If you do not find an appropriate one, create a new topic for it.
Regards