Arduino BMS with unlimited everything

Post by **Northland** » Fri, 21 Oct 2016, 11:26

Would anyone be interested in building my design for an arduino based BMS using dynamic balancing?

https://youtu.be/Rqh2WRbo7ww

This BMS was designed and built by myself because an off the shelf BMS has the following issues:

1. Inadequate charge current
2. Inadequate discharge current
3. Insignificant balance current
4. No data output
5. Unacceptable power consumption
6. Top balancing only
7. Unable to adjust any parameters
8. Unable to calibrate
9. Unable to accept unusual numbers of cells
10. Unable to set alarms and trigger an output
11. Unable to accept a high number of cells (eg 20)
12. Expensive
13. Not widely available
14. Not serviceable
15. No display

My design has the following features:

1. Unlimited charge current
2. Unlimited discharge current
3. Unlimited balance current
4. Serial data output + Bluetooth output
5. Super low power consumption
6. Dynamic balancing
7. Able to adjust any parameters
8. Able to calibrate in real time
9. Able to accept unusual numbers of cells
10. Able to set alarms and trigger an output
11. Able to accept a high number of cells (eg 20)
12. Cheap
13. Parts easily sourced
14. Easily serviced by a novice
15. Open source
16. Large display

Post by **Richo** » Fri, 21 Oct 2016, 20:34

I'm sure it has value to you for your application.
Arduino's are for proof of concept and one off designs.
For production purposes Arduino's are not a long term solution.
They are designed for the coders to get into electronics.

Your design 11.
Most Ev's are likely to have 40+ cells.

Sorry for the negative.
Just remember "if you build it they will come"...

Post by **Northland** » Fri, 21 Oct 2016, 20:41

40 cells is not a problem, just add some port expanders

There are small bms's for small packs, and there are big bms's designed for EVs. But there is nothing in between for off grid solar etc. So in the absence of a suitable device, we have no alternative but to build from arduino / pi etc

Post by **goingbush** » Tue, 17 Oct 2017, 19:56

Yes, I am interested in your Arduino BMS . Late reply because I only just started construction of my EV.

I don't necessarily agree that Arduino are just for one off designs and proof of concept, Yes it is good to get Coders into electronics , but it does not stop there.

A mate and I build a Much better APU controller (diff lock computer) for the Iveco 4x4 using Arduino Due as the processor. I was just thinking the other day about an Arduino BMS , looks like Northland is onto a good thing. thanks for your work mate !

here is a link to my Arduino diff lock controller for your interest. http://www.goingbush.com/afam.html

Post by **goingbush** » Sat, 03 Feb 2018, 09:02

I ended up using Zeva V3 BMS, it fills the ticket with all the points listed above , and its a LOT more compact with its SMD than my Adruino & Through the hole components could ever hope to be. The Processor & Programming language pretty much the same as Arduino anyway.

Post by **cnd** » Tue, 23 Apr 2019, 07:37

Did you ever build this? Can you send your design?

I am very interested - because a BMS *really* needs a "smart" MCU so that it can use it's measurement of in-use batteries in order to detect when individual cells in a bank are failing (which will be apparent when the voltage in a bank falls more rapidly than other banks).

Right now, most BMS are "dumb", so if you have a single bad battery anywhere in your pack, the BMS will dump energy from every other bank in order to "balance" to the worst one. That's OK, but not if the BMS fails to tell you about the bank with the dead cell...

Also - it would be nice to get rid of some parts - the ESC, BMS, Remote-receiver, and possible system controller are 4 separate boards, and should really be unified into just 1 IMHO (so, for example, the BMS can easily tell you about your dead cell on your throttle or dashboard etc)

Post by **francisco.shi** » Tue, 23 Apr 2019, 10:51

How long before you need the BMS?
I am starting on mine.

Post by **peter_mcc** » Sun, 05 May 2019, 18:33

Northland - the videos & your YouTube channels seem to have gone. Did you ever get anywhere with this BMS?

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