Following both successful bench and field trials (thanks to Dantomkia Mike), a new version of the Roboteq is now available - AX2550HR.

The development has also led to improvements on the standard version. A new version of the software will be available next week (waiting for me to upload) which will amongst a number of continual developments now feature regen current monitoring. What this means is that the controller will send a minimum of 25% of the regen current back to the batteries until it falls below a fixed threshold. Once it falls below this threshold, the controller will bring the motor to a halt. Effectively this means the deceleration ramps may be paused during periods of high regen current. This is very unlikley to be even noticed with motors such as the Bosch 750W, its there for LEMs and Perm Power Drives etc.

There is also a small hardware mod of 4 diodes to cope with spikes during regen. All motors generate these spikes and the standard Roboteq can cope with these for motors except the disc type LEMs etc. There is a risk that a faulty motor could also generate these spikes. These diodes are fitted to all units shipping from 1 Jan 2005 but can be retro-fitted to previous controllers.

Even with these changes, the disc motors (especially the Power Drive) still generate enormous regen currents so a new version is available that has twice the number of output FETs which means is can cope with twice the regen current as well as running cooler. Existing standard controllers can also be upgraded to the HR version.

It would be unrealistic to say that the Roboteq is now unbreakable, but surely it must be close.

See http://www.technobots.co.uk/en-gb/dept_332.html>here