Beginner Question Thread! 2023 Edition

Isn’t HM10 not supported anymore?

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Not supported by who/what? Depending on where the support stopped I should still be able to use it but just in a more round about way

By Vesc. I believe support dropped starting with firmware 4.x to now and future. You need a NRF based module to use with vescs.

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If you are trying to make your own module, the NRF51822 is $3.60 shipped. Have to flash firmware on it and be able to solder some pretty small wires, but it works fine to change settings. I’ve made a few

Programming instructions here:

If you plan on using it with a remote, I’d use NRF52840 instead

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Ahh then that is the easy side to fix. If it can still send data out to my phone then I should be able to still use it.

Also isn’t all the VESC firmware publicly available? Shouldn’t be too hard to just force it to do what I want. Even more so if I can find the source code from the old firmware to speed things up a bit.

But rewriting the VESC code is free :thinking: it is also in C which is one of my preferred languages. I have no idea what data I want it to send out yet, and I don’t have a bluetooth remote so no issues there.

The BLE modules are really useful for programming the VESC on the fly and viewing battery life and other real time data.

The old compiled firmware can be found here

And all the source codes going back to the first versions are on Vedder’s github if you go back in history. No releases so you have to just go by date.

It would be really cool if you could figure out how to enable the HM10 again. It was disabled because it wasn’t fast enough, but it would be nice if it could still be used for limited stuff.

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Just a warning, I can’t make any promises that I will actually get it done in a reasonable amount of time or at all. I’m prone to starting a bunch of different projects but only finishing a few of them.

I also probably wouldn’t be adding back the full use of it. I know I can easily just force it back into sending the data I want through the HM10 but whether or not the app will still accept that data is another issue completely. Although it looks like people always had to use a different app with the HM10 modules?

I would also end up removing features that have been added ever since compatibility with the HM10 was removed so if I can get it to work it would not be an ideal fix for everyone. Just an easy fix for myself/ anyone else who doesn’t care if those features are gone.

Considering the possible problems that could arise during it, it will be something I mess around with in the future and not now. I don’t really want to brick my only VESC / have it sitting around and not in my board just for testing.

After some more research, I’m just now realizing that past me was dumb and I’ll probably never get around to this project idea. It’ll still be something I have as an idea but I don’t even think it’ll make it to being an actual project. I’ll leave the rest of what I wrote before realizing it though for entertainment purposes lol

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Need to convert a direct drive to my first belted board. Need to be on pneumatics for winter. As a hub and DD man I want to know how I can make the quietest belt board. Is it to do with belt width, size of motors, belt covers and or amount of amps? Don’t need heaps of power, just looking for a sub 30mph 12s3p cruiser to get me through winter roads.

Agreed that it would be a big undertaking, and probably not worth it considering how many sub $25 modules are out there.

If you just want to use the HM10, you could downgrade to the old Ackmaniac firmware and use the Ackmaniac android app. Should work fine with no mods, but there have been a lot of improvements to the firmware since then.

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The fact that the compatibility wasn’t just left there is what worries me the most. It had to have been causing issues to keep it with the new feature for it to be completely removed. While I’m sure there is probably a way to keep everything working as it should be, it just would require too much time and money in an extra VESC for me to even try to fix it.

I’m fine with not using them since I only payed $1 each for them. Plus it is my fault for being impulsive and not checking to see if they were still compatible. They’ll either go in my parts bin to maybe be used in something else (they are still compatible with arduino based on Amazon listings).

It is also kind of funny how I went from:

To realizing it was a bad idea so quickly though. I was working while looking stuff up so most of the hour between the two was work and not looking into it :rofl:

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I have a 12s 10A charger, what fuse and fuse holder should i add to the board’s charge charge port?

I was thinking of using this:
https://www.amazon.com/Holder-16AWG-Cable-Selling-fuses2pcs/dp/B07RCG7RQX/ref=redir_mobile_desktop/136-9286302-9219453?encoding=UTF8&ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp&th=1

but afaik regular automotive fuses arent rated for 60v so maybe there’s a better option?

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Littelfuse/0997020.WXN?qs=qI%2BDxnNls188g1lAAM3PWQ%3D%3D

These will work.

And they fit these inline holders:

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Littelfuse/0FHM0001ZXJ-RED?qs=XOCb41Wt9oSfJvSakkdBFA%3D%3D&countrycode=CA&currencycode=CAD

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Skip the belt covers completely. They cause more issues than they can solve by trapping debris close to the belt for longer than the debris would be near the belt without it.

Also you don’t really need tires for winter. Urethane wheels can work in the winter too just with more unintended slides. You also get more road sludge thrown up at your pants as an added benefit of thane in the winter.

Someone else chime in about if there is any way to reduce noise when using a belt drive though. I still haven’t gotten my belt system running/ put together yet and don’t care about noise

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alignment

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Not sure about fuse holder though, I’d just solder the wires to it.

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belt tension

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Thanks a lot for the advice MD. I think I’ll simplify it and put a scooter hub wheel on it.

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Thanks for clarifying that AC!

Please explain.

What would be the sweet spot? Tight, loose or somewhere in between. Remember I’ve never done belts.