1) Refill the batteries every 2000 miles
2) Check condition of brushes and commutator every 2000 miles
3) If you are planning to go on a motorway you need to remove the traction motor and fully open up the air inlets on both sides using a hammer!
4) Fit a small DC fan directly above the charger module within the ECU, see earlier picture
5) If you run out of charge (yellow light on) find a place to stop and call for a tow (or you will blow a cell)
6) If you are using motorways try to keep the speed at 60 Max (higher speeds cause the commutator to arc severely)
7) Use Evan Tuer's device to reset the water light when it comes on (or you wont be able to put in 100% charge) this is a serious problem because the individual cells will get out of balance and burn out.
Good Luck
Tuesday, 2 February 2016
Thursday, 19 February 2015
Big Problems With Berlingo Electrique at 71086 miles
In the last year I have replaced the traction motor again. This was necessary because the motor shorted out between commutator and chassis. Shorting is caused by carbon dust from the brushes being blown through the armature. High speed causes this dust to build up into a conductive layer inside the armature (you cant see it without a boroscope). In winter moisture from the air adds to the problem increasing its conductivity, eventually there is enough current to cause an arc. The arc destroys the enamel insulation and a fire starts inside the armature.
Liquid copper then shoots out and makes contact with the field winding which is NOT protected. The field winding supply is not isolated from the armature supply so damaging current can flow between the two circuits, this destroys both the motor and speed controller....
This is a post mortem video.
This view is of the flashover region.
The DVM shows low resistance to chassis.
Carbon dust coming from armature interior.
Liquid copper then shoots out and makes contact with the field winding which is NOT protected. The field winding supply is not isolated from the armature supply so damaging current can flow between the two circuits, this destroys both the motor and speed controller....
This is a post mortem video.This view is of the flashover region.The DVM shows low resistance to chassis.Carbon dust coming from armature interior.Friday, 13 September 2013
Brush Check at 58000 miles
Swap two brushes for copper graphite composition Commutator arcing has stopped 65MPH does not cause arcing Pure graphite brush wore out
Sunday, 19 May 2013
Brush Wear at 55000 miles
I didn't have any luck getting higher force brush springs so yesterday I decided to double up the springs to achieve the same effect.
To make room for the extra brush spring I ground away some of the brush holder,
I hope there is enough metal left to hold the springs,
I also solved a serious wobble in the steering which had been plaguing me since February this year,
The last time I removed the traction motor I used a large hammer to drive out the armature from the bearing,
This was a big mistake because the hammer blows shifted the armature shaft towards the gearbox.
When the motor was reassembled I failed to notice the change in position, this forced the half shaft out 6mm causing it to hit the travel end stop.
To make room for the extra brush spring I ground away some of the brush holder,
I hope there is enough metal left to hold the springs,
I also solved a serious wobble in the steering which had been plaguing me since February this year,
The last time I removed the traction motor I used a large hammer to drive out the armature from the bearing,
This was a big mistake because the hammer blows shifted the armature shaft towards the gearbox.
When the motor was reassembled I failed to notice the change in position, this forced the half shaft out 6mm causing it to hit the travel end stop.
Friday, 22 March 2013
Berlingo E500 SA18 Motor Cooling
January 2013 54000 miles total an unlucky year?
Two further disasters to report i'm afraid.
In January coming off the M4 the motor suddenly made a nasty rasping sound.
There was snow on the ground. I had just enough momentum to coast off the M4 onto the slip road verge.
I removed the motor inspection cover and noticed bits of graphite brush crumbled up on the cover.
I called the AA for a tow home.
The Motor was removed and connected to 12V car battery. It turned in 90 degree jumps.
The armature was removed and replaced with a spare.
Again the 12V battery was connected. The motor turned smoothly...
I could see no sign of damage to the original armature which had lasted 30000 miles, but on closer examination there were tiny beads of copper and a small hole in the banding near the commutator.
Two of the armature wingdings have welded together near the commutator causing this peculiar fault..
The repaired motor only lasted a week when I thought I could smell burning. I dismissed this at first as some bonfire smoke I had just driven through, but when I stopped the smoke cloud came out the front of the van! The field winding had burnt out!
This also badly damaged the field speed controller.
I removed the motor again and put the original Berlingo motor field back. Now the van has the original motor and speed controller back.
Possible causes of SA18 burnout
1) Cold wet weather. water getting into motor???
2) Motor over-heating or temperature fluctuating when going from motorway driving to rest - expansion and contraction damaging winding insulation enamel - I've noticed its flaking off the armature flat wire.
Motor Cooling
A breakthrough! Traction motor cooling is provided by a weedy little 12V centrifugal blower running at 3A about 500 RPM there is insufficient cooling air from this to cool the motor at high power (driving on a motorway) The traction motor will rapidly overheat and burn out.
I tried putting 12V directly on the fan motor but at first smoke came out! It will draw 40A at 12V until the mess of old oil and carbon has burnt away. However after a few minutes running at 12V the motor speed picks up to 3000 RPM and the smoke stops. The current drawn drops to 10A. This is how the motor is now connected there have been no further overheating problems, the traction motor is already damaged but hopefully this will extend its life a bit...I will let you know.
Two further disasters to report i'm afraid.
In January coming off the M4 the motor suddenly made a nasty rasping sound.
There was snow on the ground. I had just enough momentum to coast off the M4 onto the slip road verge.
I removed the motor inspection cover and noticed bits of graphite brush crumbled up on the cover.
I called the AA for a tow home.
The Motor was removed and connected to 12V car battery. It turned in 90 degree jumps.
The armature was removed and replaced with a spare.
Again the 12V battery was connected. The motor turned smoothly...
I could see no sign of damage to the original armature which had lasted 30000 miles, but on closer examination there were tiny beads of copper and a small hole in the banding near the commutator.
Two of the armature wingdings have welded together near the commutator causing this peculiar fault..
The repaired motor only lasted a week when I thought I could smell burning. I dismissed this at first as some bonfire smoke I had just driven through, but when I stopped the smoke cloud came out the front of the van! The field winding had burnt out!
This also badly damaged the field speed controller.
I removed the motor again and put the original Berlingo motor field back. Now the van has the original motor and speed controller back.
Possible causes of SA18 burnout
1) Cold wet weather. water getting into motor???
2) Motor over-heating or temperature fluctuating when going from motorway driving to rest - expansion and contraction damaging winding insulation enamel - I've noticed its flaking off the armature flat wire.
Motor Cooling
A breakthrough! Traction motor cooling is provided by a weedy little 12V centrifugal blower running at 3A about 500 RPM there is insufficient cooling air from this to cool the motor at high power (driving on a motorway) The traction motor will rapidly overheat and burn out.
I tried putting 12V directly on the fan motor but at first smoke came out! It will draw 40A at 12V until the mess of old oil and carbon has burnt away. However after a few minutes running at 12V the motor speed picks up to 3000 RPM and the smoke stops. The current drawn drops to 10A. This is how the motor is now connected there have been no further overheating problems, the traction motor is already damaged but hopefully this will extend its life a bit...I will let you know.
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Berlingo Electrique Endurance 48000 Miles
May 2012 The van has now reached 48000 miles with little further trouble.
This picture shows emery paper being held under lower brush while motor was running at max speed. The motor brushes burnt out again but this time I decided to leave the motor in the van and use emery paper and a wooden stick pressed onto the commutator running at full speed for about 1 hour. The front wheels were removed for this work.
The half shafts need supporting during this time otherwise the gaiters will wear out due to friction caused by the shaft angle if they are allowed to drop.
So the commutator cleaning worked and at the same time I changed one of the 4 brushes to graphite roughly cut on a band saw.
After 2 weeks I looked at the commutator and brushes again to my dismay the commutator had started to burn out again and the 3 carbon brushes had worn right down.
The 4th graphite brush had NO WEAR at all. I decided to replace all carbon brushes with GRAPHITE.
This time I cleaned up the commutator with 120 grit emery paper on a wooden stick which I rammed in between the brush holders. This cleaned up the commutator burns in about 60 seconds! (about 10kg force)
The new graphite brushes were made a loose fit in the holders.
There have been no motor problems since doing this.
Conclusion the carbon brushes were polishing the commutator and causing arcing which wore away the brush and oxidised the commutator. The soft graphite is a much better thermal and electrical conductor.
Other things of note: Battery charging: ignore battery water level light (do not reset it EVER) top up water in all 5 packs every 2500 miles immediately after end of charge. Catch overflow electrolyte. You can see the general health of each battery pack from the colour of the overflow Dark yellow = sick straw coloured = normal. Also check SG of the overflow normally its about 1.1
I had a problem with the charger overheating if the van was recharged immediately after a long drive in hot weather. This was fixed by fitting a 70mm DC fan above the charger module inside the cover, this rapidly recirculates air around the inside of the casing and prevents hot spots without allowing dirty air in.
The half shafts need supporting during this time otherwise the gaiters will wear out due to friction caused by the shaft angle if they are allowed to drop.
So the commutator cleaning worked and at the same time I changed one of the 4 brushes to graphite roughly cut on a band saw.
After 2 weeks I looked at the commutator and brushes again to my dismay the commutator had started to burn out again and the 3 carbon brushes had worn right down.
The 4th graphite brush had NO WEAR at all. I decided to replace all carbon brushes with GRAPHITE.
This time I cleaned up the commutator with 120 grit emery paper on a wooden stick which I rammed in between the brush holders. This cleaned up the commutator burns in about 60 seconds! (about 10kg force)
The new graphite brushes were made a loose fit in the holders.
There have been no motor problems since doing this.
Conclusion the carbon brushes were polishing the commutator and causing arcing which wore away the brush and oxidised the commutator. The soft graphite is a much better thermal and electrical conductor.
Other things of note: Battery charging: ignore battery water level light (do not reset it EVER) top up water in all 5 packs every 2500 miles immediately after end of charge. Catch overflow electrolyte. You can see the general health of each battery pack from the colour of the overflow Dark yellow = sick straw coloured = normal. Also check SG of the overflow normally its about 1.1
I had a problem with the charger overheating if the van was recharged immediately after a long drive in hot weather. This was fixed by fitting a 70mm DC fan above the charger module inside the cover, this rapidly recirculates air around the inside of the casing and prevents hot spots without allowing dirty air in.
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