BMW I3 Project

[lumax]

Hello everyone!

I'm new here, just discover this forum and fall in love... Open source inverter board and community WOW!!!
I have searched the forum, but did not found an answer to the following question;

Anybody have successfully converted a BMW I3 motor and inverter with a V3.0 brain board or inverter kit?

So far it look to be compatible with the BWM motor resolver, but I might be wrong... and I'm not sure if it's a good idea to keep the power electronic control board and try to interface the brain with it, or simply get rid of the board and start from scratch (keeping the power electronic) with the full V3.0 inverter kit?

Any comment would be appreciated, Thanks1

[arber333]

See here. There is an option for BMW I3 motor with resolver. Any recently liberated inverter should do. Prius, Volt, Leaf inverters etc...
I am not sure about I3 inverter. It seems there is some additional work required. I didnt see any repo about it...
Truly Damien, what happened with I3 inverter board? Are there any pinouts for driver board?

[lumax]

Thanks @arber333

I have watched all Damien's video about I3 motor, but no much update since 2018...

[Kevin Sharpe]

Thanks @arber333

I have watched all Damien's video about I3 motor, but no much update since 2018...

Given Damien's work load I wouldn't count on much happening with the i3 this year. If you're in a hurry I'd suggest you choose a motor that's actively being worked on today. If that's not an option maybe hire a hardware engineer and get them to pick up the project or jump in yourself

[arber333]

Well i am pretty confident Volt/Ampera inverter could run this motor really well with Huebner controler. Resolver interface works as it should for every automotive motor. That is 600A power stage on one side and potential AC compressor control underneath.
I am pretty sure you can get Volt inverter for a good price. Where are you at?
I can get you a board, i still have some blanks left.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=697

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2012-2015-CHEV ... SwDy1eHfHx

[lumax]

I have not 1, not 2, but 3 BMW motor/inverter and battery pack... that's why I'm looking to build with that specific hardware

Arber333
I'm in Quebec Canada

[Kevin Sharpe]

I have not 1, not 2, but 3 BMW motor/inverter and battery pack... that's why I'm looking to build with that specific hardware

How much hardware and software experience do you have?

[kiwifiat]

I have not 1, not 2, but 3 BMW motor/inverter and battery pack... that's why I'm looking to build with that specific hardware

Arber333
I'm in Quebec Canada

Lucky man! Jack Bauer has demonstrated the i3 inverter/motor combo running on a Lebowski controller so there can be no doubt that the OpenInverter will run it. The question is did Damien keep any notes on the gate drive connections for the inverter?

[lumax]

How much hardware and software experience do you have?

Basically i'm an electro-mechanical technician, with a lots of background in industrial automation and control, I'm now self-employed for the past 6 years working on renewable energy "Design, installation and service of solar system, wind turbine and hydro" http://www.maxenergie.ca. I have my electronic lab "to repair and build electronic stuff", I do play with arduino, ESP, robots as a hobby, I have dismantled hundred's of VFD, off-grid battery based inverter and grid tied inverter... So it should not be a problem...

The question is did Damien keep any notes on the gate drive connections for the inverter?

Even if Damien have no notes, I could simply get rid of the power board and use only the power component of the BMW inverter

While I'm typing this... here is a picture of my desktop

Thanks for your feedback, it's much appreciated !

[kiwifiat]

Even if Damien have no notes, I could simply get rid of the power board and use only the power component of the BMW inverter

While I'm typing this... here is a picture of my desktop


Thanks for your feedback, it's much appreciated !

Yes, that is a good plan provided you leave the OEM gate drivers in place and it seems you have the skills.

[TassieTiger]

Well, you have 2 test units to blow up and one to get right!

[lumax]

Yes, that is a good plan provided you leave the OEM gate drivers in place and it seems you have the skills.

I still don't know what kind of IGBT they stuff in this inverter, but maybe I can also get rid of the OEM gate driver and use the one from openinverter V3 kit

Time will tell!

[lumax]

Well, you have 2 test units to blow up and one to get right!

I will try to keep the magic smoke at a minimum level

[Kevin Sharpe]

How much hardware and software experience do you have?

Basically i'm an electro-mechanical technician, with a lots of background in industrial automation and control

OK great. If you feel you can proceed with little direct help then i'd say go for it. Maybe start by spinning the motor with a cheap prius inverter just to get a feel of the open inverter system

[lumax]

I will go ahead in this project and I will keep you in touch of the development !

[Kevin Sharpe]

I will go ahead in this project and I will keep you in touch of the development !

Very cool... please share your results as open source

[lumax]

Today we have removed all the guts from the car and dismantled the controller, what a surprise... A single bloc 3 phases IGBT... here is some pictures of the progress

[lumax]

IGBT specs, they have 3 NTC thermistor built-in!!!

[lumax]

Should I start an other tread? or move it to project?

[Kevin Sharpe]

Should I start an other tread? or move it to project?

If you tell me the name of the project you want I'll move the posts across

[lumax]

Let's call it "BMW I3 Project"

Thanks!

[Kevin Sharpe]

Let's call it "BMW I3 Project"

Thanks!

NP

[lumax]

I have mapped most of the required signal from the original BMW inverter, here is a quick reference if somebody need it

The RESOLVER signals

Resolver

Yellow and green pair (16 ohms) = EXCITATION
Red and white pair (26 ohms) = SINE or COSINE
blue and brown pair (26 ohms) = COSINE or SINE


The motor Winding signals
(Look like to be 10K NTC... more testing needed)

Bleu and gray pair = 10K NTC thermistor
Red and gray pair = 10K NTC thermistor


The complete signal cable pinout (resolver and winding thermistor)

Signal cable

TOP VIEW, LEFT TO RIGHT (AS PICTURED)
1= N/C
2= N/C
3= Winding thermistor #1
4= Winding thermistor #1
5= Winding thermistor #2
6= Winding thermistor #2
7= Resolver Cosine or Sine
8= Resolver Cosine or Sine
9= Resolver Excitation
10= Resolver Excitation
11= Resolver Sine or Cosine
12= Resolver Sine or Cosine


IGBT module

IGBT

LEFT TO RIGHT (AS PICTURED)

1= E+ (output+)
2= G+
3= C+ (input+)
4= T1 (5K NTC thermistor)
5= T2 (5K NTC thermistor)
6= C- (output-)
7= G-
8= E- (input-)

IGBT SPECS SHEET

Infineon-FS800R07A2E3-DS-v03_02-EN-1226878.pdf

IGBT specs sheet

(705.12 KiB) Downloaded 231 times

Now waiting for the open inverter complete kit to come

[Jack Bauer]

Went through my notes on the i3 inverter. Attached what I could find.
Here is my old thread over on diyelectric :
https://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/s ... p?t=190418&

[lumax]

Thanks for your time Damien, and for sharing your notes, it's much appreciated!

I will not use the original BMW IGBT driver board, I have ordered the full kit V3, with driver, current sensors, insulated voltage divider... So it should be quite strait forward...

By the way, BMW did not use precharge resistor for the inverter... at least I did not found it yet in any power module, they must have a great trust in their capacitor