ZombieVerter VCU Support

[Jack Bauer]

The wiki page contains all the info on enclosures etc : https://openinverter.org/wiki/ZombieVerter_VCU

In other news I would like to advise folks waiting on VCU kits that I am pulling in parts to complete orders and there may be some delay due to this combined with my house move / renovation. When I have to source parts from non regular sources I must test them to ensure they are not fakes.

[86elcamino]

Just bought a Zombieverter for my Impreza project, but i can't find the link for the housing of the Zombieverter VCU. Probably I'm just too blind. Can someone help me out?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001213 ... hBvGO&mp=1
It's in the wiki, zombieverter , contents, hardware

[Zapatero]

I want to integrate manual torque distribution in an AWD setup. Therefore I need 2 digital inputs.

Which ones can i use for this?

Also of course forward will be pin 53 and reverse 54, but as my switch is not permanent in the position, i would need a input for Parkimg, also. So für example if i move the button to the left once it's forward, to the right once them it's reverse and if i push the button, it's parking position where the gears are locked.

So I would need 3 digital inputs
-parking
-more torque in front
-more torque in rear

Which pins could I use?

[et0]

The pwm for oil pump already worked for me , the inverter power relay doenst though. In other news that throttle mod listed above seems to work. Just playing with ramp settings now that car is moving. Streber or et0 are you able to roll my change into your pull or will I do a seperate one?

Can you explain again what problem this refers to and how you fixed it? I don't think I have that issue.
We have seen the "it can stick on full throttle in reverse" bug which I'm hoping is resolved before we try driving it...

[et0]

I want to integrate manual torque distribution in an AWD setup. Therefore I need 2 digital inputs.

Which ones can i use for this?

Also of course forward will be pin 53 and reverse 54, but as my switch is not permanent in the position, i would need a input for Parkimg, also. So für example if i move the button to the left once it's forward, to the right once them it's reverse and if i push the button, it's parking position where the gears are locked.

So I would need 3 digital inputs
-parking
-more torque in front
-more torque in rear

Which pins could I use?

Which drive are you talking about? The GS450H for example has a mechanical lever to move for park position.

I think you could write code to use pin 50 "GP 12V input" to select neutral, change the forward and reverse commands to be latching direction, and add a control from Analog 1 in. to be a potentiometer joystick to add extra torque (or just wire it in parallel to the thottle inputs).

[Zapatero]

Which drive are you talking about? The GS450H for example has a mechanical lever to move for park position.

I think you could write code to use pin 50 "GP 12V input" to select neutral, change the forward and reverse commands to be latching direction, and add a control from Analog 1 in. to be a potentiometer joystick to add extra torque (or just wire it in parallel to the thottle inputs).

There switch would be this one which doesn't remain in the positions:

The buttons to move torque to front and rear aren't analog, so more digital inputs would be helpful. Of course I could add a resistor ladder, but first i would like to try to go with digital inputs of they where available.

I'm using two outlander motors with gearboxes.

[et0]

The buttons to move torque to front and rear aren't analog, so more digital inputs would be helpful. Of course I could add a resistor ladder, but first i would like to try to go with digital inputs of they where available.

I'm using two outlander motors with gearboxes.

Well, it's out of my knowledge because I never heard of the Outlander motors being used with this project before...
But in general, there aren't many spare pins on the VCU so you would have to make do with what is there (use analogue as digital for example).

[paaa]

The pwm for oil pump already worked for me , the inverter power relay doenst though. In other news that throttle mod listed above seems to work. Just playing with ramp settings now that car is moving. Streber or et0 are you able to roll my change into your pull or will I do a seperate one?

Can you explain again what problem this refers to and how you fixed it? I don't think I have that issue.
We have seen the "it can stick on full throttle in reverse" bug which I'm hoping is resolved before we try driving it...

the inverter power relay doesn't turn on when unit goes into run mode. What did you change to fix this?

[paaa]

Which drive are you talking about? The GS450H for example has a mechanical lever to move for park position.

I think you could write code to use pin 50 "GP 12V input" to select neutral, change the forward and reverse commands to be latching direction, and add a control from Analog 1 in. to be a potentiometer joystick to add extra torque (or just wire it in parallel to the thottle inputs).

There switch would be this one which doesn't remain in the positions:
Screenshot_20220315-054934.png

The buttons to move torque to front and rear aren't analog, so more digital inputs would be helpful. Of course I could add a resistor ladder, but first i would like to try to go with digital inputs of they where available.

I'm using two outlander motors with gearboxes.

Would it not be more effective to use a dial rather than switch much like the subaru DCCD worked. Could be analog in high is torque to rear only ,middle both front and rear and low is front? Also would need some tweaking to code as you will probably need to repurpose the can normally used for vehicle integration as both inverter can live on same can network without a can bridge readdressing one.

[et0]

The pwm for oil pump already worked for me , the inverter power relay doenst though. In other news that throttle mod listed above seems to work. Just playing with ramp settings now that car is moving. Streber or et0 are you able to roll my change into your pull or will I do a seperate one?

Can you explain again what problem this refers to and how you fixed it? I don't think I have that issue.
We have seen the "it can stick on full throttle in reverse" bug which I'm hoping is resolved before we try driving it...

the inverter power relay doesn't turn on when unit goes into run mode. What did you change to fix this?

I believe this change from streber fixed it:
https://github.com/damienmaguire/Stm32- ... l/23/files

- it looks like this has already been incorporated in the main repo.

I wouldn't rule out a defective STM32, I changed our chip because some IOs didn't seem to work.

[paaa]

Can you explain again what problem this refers to and how you fixed it? I don't think I have that issue.
We have seen the "it can stick on full throttle in reverse" bug which I'm hoping is resolved before we try driving it...

the inverter power relay doesn't turn on when unit goes into run mode. What did you change to fix this?

I believe this change from streber fixed it:
https://github.com/damienmaguire/Stm32- ... l/23/files

- it looks like this has already been incorporated in the main repo.

I wouldn't rule out a defective STM32, I changed our chip because some IOs didn't seem to work.

Great, did you modify your scaling value for torque request or are you implementing strebers code?

[et0]

the inverter power relay doesn't turn on when unit goes into run mode. What did you change to fix this?

I believe this change from streber fixed it:
https://github.com/damienmaguire/Stm32- ... l/23/files

- it looks like this has already been incorporated in the main repo.

I wouldn't rule out a defective STM32, I changed our chip because some IOs didn't seem to work.

Great, did you modify your scaling value for torque request or are you implementing strebers code?

Haven't touched anything to do with torque request, throttle (in forward at least) has worked OK since the start.

[Jonr]

My zombieverter arrived yesterday and I've fitted the supplied components but don't have IC10, IC12 or IC20. Does anyone know where I can source these, particularly the IC12 - NVC8461DR2G as no one seems to have stock.

[Svizzistt]

Good day! Where can I find the web interface for ZombieVerter ? Thanks!

[EV_Builder]

192.168.0.4 from memory...
You need to connect to the wifi SSID of the VCU.

[Svizzistt]

Thank you , it's clear where you can find the firmware for esp 8266 ?

[Jack Bauer]

My zombieverter arrived yesterday and I've fitted the supplied components but don't have IC10, IC12 or IC20. Does anyone know where I can source these, particularly the IC12 - NVC8461DR2G as no one seems to have stock.

I am working on finding these parts and have several candidates on the way.

[Jack Bauer]

Winsource have stock at silly prices : https://www.win-source.net/on-semicondu ... 1dr2g.html

[Jonr]

@Jack - Thanks for noting chips are on back order, I noticed on one of your vids that the zombie board you were using also has chips (CAN) missing. So long as the board will work with the GS 450h inverter, I'm happy to wait until prices normalise. I also got an interesting price quote for NCV8461DR2G at USD130 for 10 off.

On a different topic, as an absolute Noob, I'm very excited (for an old bloke) to have installed ToolChains/GITHub/Code::Blocks on Ubuntu, cloned Jack's repo and unbelievably compiled and installed a new version that fixed my buzzing inverter relay. Joking apart, there are a lot of moving parts to this project and I now feel just a little bit less uncomfortable that I know what's going on! ...

Next step, map the throttle pedal....

Thanks Jack/Johannas/everyone for letting me join this project and of course I'll help anyway I can.

[Zapatero]

I'm so confused, why do some people have to source the a few SMD parts such as ICs? On the website it said: " all SMD parts fitted" and i assumed i only will have to fit the connector?. Was i mistaken? Thanks for clarifying this.

[Jack Bauer]

Please review the wiki page : https://openinverter.org/wiki/ZombieVerter_VCU

Thanks to the chip shortage there are quite a few SMD parts that JLC do not fit. I supply as many as I can but some are just not available at the time of dispatch. Case in point JLC would now like to charge me 130 Euros EACH for the mcu! No thanks. Despite all of this and despite my have to do a LOT more work I have not raised my prices nor do I intend to do so. I can't work magic.

[Jack Bauer]

[Zapatero]

Alright then I'll try to get them sourced. Thanks for the video.
Is there a list somewhere around, that I've overseen, which parts i will have to order? As I'm abroad at the moment I don't know if I've already received the board and if there came any information with it. So it would be very nice if i would know which parts i have to source so i can start right away. Thanks, Philip

Edit:
Okay, i thought this would mean, the chips come with the board but are not fitted when I just looked at this, but then I realized that i have to source them myself. Totally got this wrong, sorry for the question.

The current list of parts to be fitted:

CONN1
IC10 = MCP25625T
IC14 = TJA1020 OR MCP2004
IC19 = NCV7356
IC20 = TJA1055T
IC21, 22 = AD5160
IC27, 28, 29 = FAN3122

Edit 2: by reading it over and over again, i just don't know if which parts i have to source on my own. Above someone wrote that he can't source NVC8461DR2G, but it's not in the list in the wiki page. Can i please get some info on this? Thanks

[nkiernan]

Edit 2: by reading it over and over again, i just don't know if which parts i have to source on my own. Above someone wrote that he can't source NVC8461DR2G, but it's not in the list in the wiki page. Can i please get some info on this? Thanks

When my VCU arrived, there were a number of chips that needed to be fit to the board. Mostly they were the same as others had reported here in the forum. I went to the hardware section of the github folder for the project to review the PDF of the schematic which helped me identify what the chips were and where they were located and orientation (https://github.com/damienmaguire/Stm32- ... are/Zombie).

Comparing to the original BOM, some chips I had didn't match identically, but checking the chip numbers online showed that they were similar function, just replacements as originals were not available.

Brought the vcu kit and the PDF schematic to an electronics repair shop and 30 minutes and £30 later the board was ready to power up.

You will need to follow similar, see what you have received, if there are chips missing that need to be sourced later, etc. Unfortunately with the current situation, everyone could be getting slightly different deliveries states. Hope this helps

[nkiernan]

I'm very excited (for an old bloke) to have installed ToolChains/GITHub/Code::Blocks on Ubuntu, cloned Jack's repo and unbelievably compiled and installed a new version that fixed my buzzing inverter relay

I'm about to get testing the VCU properly. Reading the thread I see Windows 10 can cause issues uploading .bin files to the vcu, and Ubuntu is recommended on the Wiki. Would I need a dedicated Linux/Ubuntu laptop or would installing Ubuntu on the Windows 10 WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) be ok? Presume Windows 10 doesn't act up using this install option.

Please excuse my ignorance, I'm not that familiar with Linux, Github, .bin files, etc, so my understanding of the steps I should take next are:

- Install Ubuntu via WSL on Windows 10
- In Ubuntu terminal, install Code::blocks
- In Code::blocks via Ubuntu terminal, link to the project Github folder ie: clone the repository? (which downloads a copy ready for compiling etc)
- Once .bin is created, do I need to link to the vcu wifi from within Ubuntu so the upload uses Ubuntu and not Windows?

If general idea is right above, I'm happy to figure it out from there and can write something up for the wiki if helpful. Maybe there are other add-ons etc that need to be installed with Code::blocks? I'm not being stupid and missed some instruction on this somewhere no?