Powerdrives Burning out Roboteqs

Hi

Having heard a few stories about Perm motors Technobot Power Drive motors buring out Roboteqs due to them causing huge voltage spikes when sudden reverse is used.

I was reading through the vantec website purely by chance and found this:
In this situation the batteries act as a voltage clamp protecting the controller. The battery chemistry must be healthy for this to occur. Dont add a series diode in line in the battery line because it will block the clamping action and the controller will fail. Some users place a large 100,000 ufd computer electolytic capacitor across the power going into the controller, a good idea, to further smooth the input voltage and clamping action.

Could this work with the roboteqs and possibly stop the problem?

Any ideas?

Regards
Ian

no.

No, as in: it wont stop the problem.

Roboteq and Technobots are still working to find a robust solution to this problem, a problem which we now understand. The voltage spike aspect has been resolved but the curent spike is being worked on. To give you some idea, we estimate a current spike in excess of 2200A being generated by the Power Drive motor in regen. Two solutions exist, either cope with this current or reduce the current. Once we have a proven solution, the Roboteq will take some beating in the world of DC speed controllers.

Paul

See, ask a question and you shall get a good and honest answer from the man himself.

Mike.

The Roboteq already takes some beating in the world of DC speed controllers!

Every pice of technoligy has its quirks. Theres no perfect speed controller, there probably never will be. At least not yet, mine is still on the drawingboard :)

Tanto can run the power drives :P

just a suggestion, could a 1 farad power cap from something like a monster car stereo install be used to absorb the backwash of current. These regularly see over 2000A in top installs.

not looked into this, just askin

No,

well it could. But that wouldnt really fix the problem.