Patreon Support

[RetroZero]

Guys, and Girls. I am by no means an expert in electronics. I am from the motor mechanic backround, so stupid beginner questions are from me. However, I would like to contribute to this joint venture that sits on the shoulders of Damien and Johannes. Yes, I am hoping for developpement that will help my project go forward, but more importantly, I would like to support at my level. They know what the 'popular solutions' are and which ones to prioratise, so I would let them get on with it.
They need our support - FINANCIALLY! Yes, there are campaigns for donating to hospitals, front line health workers and overseas aid with the present COVID-19, but I feel Openinverter is a cause that will help us AFTER the world 'goes back to normal'.
I am sticking my neck out here, but it is only to highlight the need to support these generous guys. I have donated $100 via Patreon to each of them.
Yes, I have put an amount. It's very risky as it could blow up in my face. It's a GIFT to a good and worthy cause.
Anyone else would like to join in? Anyone?

[Kevin Sharpe]

Anyone else would like to join in? Anyone?

Damien's Patreon Account: https://www.patreon.com/evbmw/posts

Johannes Patreon Account: https://www.patreon.com/openinverter/posts

[RetroZero]

Seems Damien and Johannes will be retiring to Lanzerote with all this funding they are getting. Blow up in my face on the way

[Jack Bauer]

Every cent I receive gets ploughed back into designs and projects.

[konstantin8818]

Every cent I receive gets ploughed back into designs and projects.

No one can judge you guys for what you do with that money. People gave them to you as appreciation of what you are doing.
In where I live people say: Don't count other's money. RetroZero is from France, and those guys just say what they think, but I believe he just jokes

[Jack Bauer]

Thanks guys I really appreciate the support.

[PacEmaker]

I've started getting paid for a couple of jobs again ... so I have jumped back onto Patreon for monthly payments to both of these gents after a corona-pause in my patronage. Hopefully most forum members will become patrons for Johannes and Damien if they aren't already. It's the least we can do, particularly if you're a dummy like me who can't contribute to software development!

[johu]

Thanks guys, much appreciated!

[Kevin Sharpe]

RetroZero is from France, and those guys just say what they think, but I believe he just jokes

RetroZero was on one of our courses and he started this thread in the hope that forum members would step up and support Damien and Johannes. I'm sure the comment he made was a lament at the lack of response to his post.

[Kevin Sharpe]

Going forward I would like to propose that hardware/software is released to patreon supporters who have signed up to an 'early access' tier. Then after six months you provide open access as you do today. Not only would this reward patreons for their support but it would also give you some financial return for your efforts

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

Going forward I would like to propose that hardware/software is released to patreon supporters who have signed up to an 'early access' tier. Then after six months you provide open access as you do today. Not only would this reward patreons for their support but it would also give you some financial return for your efforts

As someone on the detrimental side of this (likely wouldn't be a patreon), I think this is a great idea.

Especially for people that are wanting new work to be done, they won't get access to said new work that gets done, unless they throw in a few bucks. Meanwhile Damien gets to see that there is willing demand for his efforts.

Johannes is in a rougher spot, as there is not as much demand for his hardware, and where Damien can charge at least a little markup for his hardware, software is freely duplicated.

...

In the back of my head, I've spent $150 on the inverter, $50 on the control board, $70 on Digikey to populate it, some $50 on rush microcontrollers and such... $320 so far. And in the back of my head, Damien got a small but okay markup on that. But when I actually think about it, he only got a cut of the $50 I got from him, and only after covering his costs, and international shipping. I've been functionally freeloading.

I know that the higher demand (and highly demanding :p ) boards are probably the Tesla stuff, and those are for guys casually dumping 5 figures or mid 5 figures on their vehicles. The slummy grassroots side of things, those of us too cheap to buy Gen3 Prius stuff so we saved a few bucks and bought the Gen2s... there's not as much extra money floating around but there's certainly lots of people hoping for one of these projects to succeed so they can copy its success.

Anyway my point is, $5, $20, whatever, throwing some change in the pot, even if it's not enough to make a difference, is still a nice way of saying you appreciate someone's volunteer work.

$100's too rich for my blood but I'll toss $50 in the pot for both Johannes and Damien each. Thanks guys. I would literally not have started my conversion without the work of either of you.

[tmotion]

Monthly supporter of both guys. As long as I learn something every month, my conversion(s) is ongoing and these guys keep on developing cool stuff I’m happy to support!

[johu]

Thanks guys. Actually I prefer 100 people throwing in $5 each to 10 people throwing in $50 each - the first option is more stable. Of course I'm super grateful for high value donations - they just tend to vanish sooner.

I could picture an "advanced" version of the software. It would contain additional features. For example traction control for CAN based cars with ABS. Or hill hold. Vehicle-tailored CAN integration. General bug fixes and improvements would of course enter the open version as well.

To get ahold of that software you'd either pay for it normally or have donated a similar amount at Patreon.

Such an advanced software would be hardware dongled. I.e. the image can float around freely but you need to enter a serial-number dependent pin to make it operational.

[Kevin Sharpe]

To get ahold of that software you'd either pay for it normally or have donated a similar amount at Patreon.

I like this idea... it's important to reward the patrons

I think most people are happy to pay and want this development to be sustainable. I also think we're all tired of revisiting the same old financial/resource issues time after time

[Cookie6000]

As above, I have been supporting Damien monthly a while now and will continue to and would 100% say, without his and Johannes' technical support on the Leaf path I have ventured down with the Audi. I know I don't support Johannes in the same monetary way, as I looked at supporting Damiens exploits as part of the Openinverter enterprise. If my build began to absorb the work carried out by J, I would feel.compelled to donate.

I do think that the Advanced features that are either paid for up front or option activated later that Johnannes suggests is the most fair and logical from all sides. Price scale reflecting discount for existing patreon supports vs one off full cost software purchases.

Thanks again for all the effort guys, you included Kevin for expanding the ev conversion audience further through the courses.
Keep it lit.

[james@N52E01]

Likewise, the work you guys do is invaluable and Totally worthy of our support. Thank you.

[RetroZero]

Thanks for the replies and testimonials, really re-assuring to see this develope into a good sustainable way forward.

[jerrykco]

I find the work that they do to be extremely beneficial to society. On the one hand they have created a way to convert ICE cars to EV saving the planet and recycling the the cars being electrified. On the other hand there work provides a guide for others who would like to follow suit. I am not rich but I have the means to while others may not. So I am contributing to both. With gratitude and pleasure. I also plan on filling in on some of the details for doing the conversion for the novice like myself (not an EE) to make it easier for others.

There are billions of cars out there to be electrified. Lets get to it. Keep up the great work!

[Kevin Sharpe]

7 new people have stepped up to support Damien and Johannes on patreon

However, Damien's 112 patrons are a tiny fraction of the open inverter forum membership (669) and his YouTube subscribers (16,800)

If we continue to ignore the developers the future is clear

Here ends my work on LDU / SDU development.

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

However, Damien's 112 patrons are a tiny fraction of the open inverter forum membership (669) and his YouTube subscribers (16,800)

More is always better.

But, I wouldn't be sad about those numbers. 150:1 isn't bad for Youtube subs-to-Patreons.

I'm looking at a channels I support:

8.5 million subs, 329 patreons. 26,000:1
400k subs, 479 patreons. 835:1
165k subs, 465 patreons. 350:1
700k subs, 2000 patreons. 350:1
55k subs, 9 patreons. 6100:1
300k subs, 79 patreons. 3800:1

The closest don't even get within half of Damien's ratio.

[TassieTiger]

Devil's advocate here. I've been viewing topics here for many months and find it awesome that many have taken the step of EV conversion, I have had a few thoughts and decided today I should join and post:

1. Patreon ideas of 'paying for service' is a good idea, however I would be concerned that if one of the dev's has a dummy/pacifer spit, then development halts on that project. All your eggs in one basket could be an issue here.

2. Apart from the main three dev's here - Johu, Damien and Kevin [and arber, and that great Toyota 86] have any forum users completed an EV? Lack of completed projects by general forum users could turn potential people off - maybe highlight some of the exciting completed projects on the home page etc.

3. It's a shame the BEX stuff isn't ready for what Kevin anticipated could be mass conversions using the Prius time stuff as this covid lockdown timing could have been ideal for everyone stuff at home and needing projects to do!

[BMW2002]

Although I am not a patreon I have bought complete control boards from both parties.

I have even used 10 euro ask a question service to which reply I got was to go and look at GitHub in a nice way of course., I was a bit disappointed with that answer, but the answer did come up in a answered question on the forum

[Kevin Sharpe]

3. It's a shame the BEX stuff isn't ready for what Kevin anticipated could be mass conversions using the Prius time stuff as this covid lockdown timing could have been ideal for everyone stuff at home and needing projects to do!

It's worth remembering that most of the information *is* available today but it requires engineering knowledge and tenacity It's a very long way from end user friendly

Without doubt the most productive thing we do is running courses. Of the thirty people who have attended to date we currently have five vehicles progressing rapidly and people gearing up for offering commercial services. Hopefully the courses will restart at some point

[Kevin Sharpe]

I have even used 10 euro ask a question service to which reply I got was to go and look at GitHub in a nice way of course., I was a bit disappointed with that answer, but the answer did come up in a answered question on the forum

Johannes does offer a full support service for those who need more than the community offers

https://openinverter.org/shop/index.php ... duct_id=61

[bulletbug]

I suggest that to increase Patreon participation you may want to use a persistent ribbon, tag or other visual element that appears on the patrons info box to the left of each post. In the same way that public radio or other ongoing non-profit organizations give out coffee mugs and the like to donors.

A subtle distinction would likely do the trick. The button/ribbon/sticker would also act as a link to the associated patreon page. A persistent invitation to support Damien and Johannes would travel along with every post made by those donors acting as mirco-ads.

I believe that people feel good donating, they feel even better when they are recognized as a supporter of a cause.