Add Tiltback/Beep for battery temp using VESC BMS in Float Package

It would be beneficial if we could get a tiltback & beep/buzzer option for safe battery operation temperature in float package.

As it currently stands the only option is to prioritize rider safety and allow the board to turn into a fireball instead of potentially dumping the rider.
If you attempt to use ‘Motor Cfg → BMS → BMS Limit Mode → Overtemp’ the only option at the moment is to limit motor power. Which obviously isn’t a safe option.

With a battery temp tiltback option we could still prioritize the safety of the rider and potentially prevent battery damage or fire.

I have spoken with @mariocontino and I believe he is adding thermistors for all future ennoid xlite wired battery builds by default, but he can confirm or deny this.

Essentially this means that we already have all the hardware options in place, but now just need the software option to set a desired max low/high temperature for battery temperature tiltback. The acceptable ambient operating temperature for cells can vary a bit from cell to cell, but I think a sensible default could be put in place for the values with a separate toggle or check box defaulted to off for this function.

Tagging @surfdado and @NicoAleman for their input/considerations. If this is not feasible, then feel free to say so and we can mark this as closed or open a different feature request that makes more reasonable sense.

I look forward to any ideas or feedback around this as I already feel like a VESC OneWheel is safer than a FM onewheel when using higher voltage packs due to the increased headroom on duty cycle, but I feel one area that is lacking is battery monitoring during riding.

Pics of my thermistor temps reading from xlite in VESC tool:

Thanks.

Yeah, every battery I’ve sent out since end of January wired for the XLite, has had the thermistors added/populated.

I plan to add them to any pack I make wired for a BMS that uses them, whether it’s a smart BMS or not.

Far as I know, the XLITE is the only smart BMS so far. Possible future models I’ve heard of are still hardware based.

But either way, yeah, I add them.

For what it’s worth, it’s noting that the temp data the XLite sends is from either the averages or the max. And the XLite itself is always the hottest during charging. While I haven’t seen it go above 50C usually (it can when balancing a pack with one low group and it bleeds all the other groups at once), so it may be really hot after charging in some cases.

It can also just get hot from being on, as it does when it’s woken up by CAN on a board it’s connected to. So if it’s in and reading/feeding data, the temp data is going to be a bit problematic if and until Kevin at ENNOID adjusts that in the firmware or adds the option in the Tool to choose what temp data the VESC gets.

But if the VESC firmware or the package can get individual temp data, then that would solve that. And it could read the actual battery temp info from T3 and T4, not T2 which is the onboard sensor and is always way higher.

BUT, that’s a BMS design and settings conversation.

It would still be good to have temp tiltback where available.

1 Like

Thanks for that. Agreed. If we are able to pull the temps individually that would definitely be ideal and allow for associating the tiltback to ambient operating temps or otherwise.

I’m sure this could use a little more thought, but I feel like it’s a good basic start/request. Not sure if any other options could be added to make it safer such as only triggering the battery temp tiltback under a certain speed or something else to make it even safer, but I’ll leave that up to greater minds than mine.

Hello everyone

XLITE is already sending all individual temperature datas to the VESC. The only thing left to do is to get those datas from the VESC an use them in the float package. I don’t think accessing the data is particularly hard, but using them properly with the VESC is likely the real challenge. I’d like to help on the float package, but my time is limited and I don’t yet have a VESC onewheel to test it unfortunately.

Note that the latest XLITE firmware version on ENNOID’s website now allow to select either 1 or 2 temp sensors. I also fixed a long time bug recently related to temp sensors handling.

3 Likes

Awesome. thanks for the updates to xlite. Having that isolated can bus and dedicated bluetooth are really nice on the v3. As well as the firmware/software updates and bug fixes. Much appreciated. Hope you are able to get a VESC OneWheel at some point in the near future.

This seems like a great idea, fairly easy to add. But I’m not gonna spend 300$ on a BMS I’ve heard tons of complaints about just so i can code it up. I think dado has a compatible BMS, not sure about any of the other contributors.

1 Like

In all fairness, I’ve installed 3x v3 xlites now and they are still all working well and honestly is the only good smart bms option at the moment. I too heard the complaints, but I’m pretty sure ennoid has addressed most of the issues reported on the early versions.

I ride fairly hard and do drops, log/curb nudges, and all kind of silly stuff all the time.

The first time setting one up is a bit overwhelming, but honestly it’s not too bad.

I have 2 personal boards with xlite v3 and 1 with zbms. I love them both.

1 Like

But also I understand not wanting to drop $250+ on something for development when you may already have another working solution and it’s not a necessity for you.

I have every intention of adding the desired behavior, just need to find the time and courage to wire up the BMS - the worst part is that I have to take my favorite board out of commission to do this…

3 Likes