ZombieVerter VCU Support

[Uppertown]

Hello again, well I managed to install Ubuntu but couldn't even get away from the command prompt Doh! The gitpod seemed to work for me after a bit of mucking around I seem to have complied and downloaded a bin from Johu's git. so I installed the gitpod extension and tried on Damien's - once I'd eventually worked out how to get a terminal I tried "make get-deps" but it only got so far before coming back with the error "arm-none-eabi-gcc: Command not found"

I think I've installed the arm-non-eabi-gcc toolkit on my machine but perhaps not or does it need to be included with the git? Sorry for all the silly questions and thanks for your patience.

[johu]

you need to add .gitpod.yml to the repository. I might do so later.

[johu]

File added to master branch

[Uppertown]

Thank you Johu, can I just copy and paste these to the GD-zombie branch or is it a bit more complicated than that?

[Uppertown]

File added to master branch

Had a bit of a play this evening and I seem to be able to create a Bin in Master via Gitpod, I tried to recreate the files in GD-zombie but without success and I'm wary of playing around too much in case I wreck something, so could I ask if you could please do the same for the GD-zombie branch?

[PaulHeystee]

Hi,
I am about to assemble the zombieverter board and I have trouble finding out which chip goes where.

I have:
3 x 3122C HAJA
1 x TJA 1055 /3/c NXP 5120006B TnG2122
1 x V7356 PUGB
1 x 2004AE SN 141 8PT
1 x MCP25625 E/ML 212296E
2 x 600

but no idea where they go / to which IC number they correspond

I hope someone can help me out here

mvg
Paul

[PaulHeystee]

I found that IC10 = MCP25625 and IC20 = TJA 1055
IC22 and IC21 are clear, they are the two very small ICs with 600 on them

The 3 x 3122C could be IC27, 28 and 29

Not sure where the other ICs go

[PaulHeystee]

I manage to find out the IC14 and IC19

IC14 looks like it is the 2004AE SN 141 8PT
IC19 looks like V7356 PUGB

I hope this is correct

[Uppertown]

I've not got my board at the moment so can't check but I found these on my phone if they are of any use ;

[Kelju]

I've had my ZombieVerter sitting on the shelf for a couple of weeks, but now I got around to start working on it.

I see in Damien's assembly tutorial video that the bottom pads of the connector are clear of solder mask. However, the board I got has the mask extending over the pads. The top side is totally fine with pads clear of mask, but unfortunately there is no way to solder the connector on from the top side.

I am guessing there are other boards out there from the same batch. If so, let me know how you managed to solder that main connector on.

[Kelju]

IC14 looks like it is the 2004AE SN 141 8PT

I have this same issue.
IC14 should be TJA1020, but what I have has got the same markings as stated above.
I cannot find anywhere the information whether this really is the correct part. Maybe some kind of second source?
Google picture search suggests that a legit TJA1020 actually has TJA1020 written on top of the chip.

In the mean time, I guess it's time to tackle the IC10 "reflow" soldering process.

Edit: Okay. I actually noticed that the Wiki page lists a second source for IC14 which is the MCP2004. I am going to assume that this is the part, so everything fine.
I also managed to solder the IC10, so everything fine in that department also!

[deeamon]

https://openinverter.org/wiki/ZombieVerter_VCU

IC14 = TJA1020 OR MCP2004

[PaulHeystee]

Thanks, I think I solved the issue of where the ICs go.
Now I am looking for the .bin file. Does anyone know where to find the most current version?

[deeamon]

https://github.com/damienmaguire/Stm32-vcu

[Jack Bauer]

Please please add this info to the wiki. Hint : The bins are in this thread so try the search function.

[PaulHeystee]

Thanks for the link to the github but I don't see any .bin files. Maybe I am to stupid for this, I don't know. I just want to convert my car to electric but I have no clue about compiling code. Can some please give me a simple direct link to the current .bin file?
I love the project and the hardware is really cool. it is just that I am not good at coding and related stuff.

[Jack Bauer]

This is now my last time linking to this. If people can't be bothered to spend 5 minutes updating the wiki ...
viewtopic.php?p=33379#p33379

[Jack Bauer]

FYI : I am getting very close to a release on Github which will eliminate all of this but it takes time as I need to test it in 3 cars, on the bench Leaf rig and multiple CCS chargers and at the minute it seems to be just me doing the testing.

[PaulHeystee]

Thanks, yes, I totally understand I know it all takes a great amount of effort from your side to get this all working and I appreciate it very much.
I will see if I can find a programmer who can help me in the mean time, otherwise I will just wait patiently.

kind regards
Paul

[PaulHeystee]

I found the link!!! it is all my stupidity not to have seen it before, sorry about that

[PaulHeystee]

ok, here we go... I installed the ICs and connected the board up to 12 volts power. However nothing happens, no LEDs flashing or anything.
How can I tell if it is working? I measured the voltage coming in to D5 and IC11, but after that no measurable voltages coming out of IC11.
Anybody had the same issue or is just my board or ways how I connected it up?
What is the maximum voltage for input?

[deeamon]

Check voltage on L3. Should be 5V there, if not, check resistance to ground on L3. Did You correctly soldered D1 and D5?

[PaulHeystee]

Hi Deeamon,
No voltage on pin 2 of the XL1509 IC11, nor on L3.
The diodes where pre-assembled when I received the board.
What is the best way to check polarity of the diodes?

[collin80]

FYI : I am getting very close to a release on Github which will eliminate all of this but it takes time as I need to test it in 3 cars, on the bench Leaf rig and multiple CCS chargers and at the minute it seems to be just me doing the testing.

Random words of encouragement from someone who builds a competing open source VCU: yeah, it can be lonely sometimes. But, you're doing a good job. I think people don't realize how much work it can be to design and test multiple boards then turn around and provide tech support to all the users too. I at least have the benefit of a commercial enterprise behind me and there's other people who can answer some of the questions.

One thing I wonder - I always try to provide standalone binary updaters that people can run via just double clicking a batch/script file. Can this be done with the STM32? If so, you might consider that route too as sometimes it cuts down on the difficulties of having to connect to a webpage and find the place to go, get it to upload properly, etc, etc. Being able to do firmware updates over USB tends to be simple and easy for most people.

Another interesting aspect would be setting up a CI/CD build like I did for SavvyCAN. I'm not asking you to do it. I hope someone else reading this might consider giving it a go to contribute. It should be possible to do a CI build with GitHub actions (use Ubuntu, setup the environment for an STM32 build then build the source) to automatically generate the .bin files needed so they're always available and if someone asks you just say "Look at the github releases!" which is basically what I do.

Anyway, I'm just offering suggestions for how it might be possible to make life easier.

Tech support can be really draining and certainly takes away from time to do actual R&D. So, note to all reading this who can help - you probably can't imagine how nice it is when other people take some of the tech support burden off of the one poor sap who is trying to build the hardware and software. Many hands make light work.

[collin80]

Hi Deeamon,
No voltage on pin 2 of the XL1509 IC11, nor on L3.
The diodes where pre-assembled when I received the board.
What is the best way to check polarity of the diodes?

... with the diode function of a multimeter. Diodes only pass current one way. If you don't have diode function but can test voltage what you'd do is put your negative probe on ground and then touch the positive to either side of the diode. If one side has +V and the other does not then the diode is blocking voltage from getting through and might be installed backward. If neither side reads voltage then power just isn't getting there. If both sides have power then it might be installed properly and voltage is probably getting through.