Assist / Light build from France [maytech kit]

@SoEFoil private window - yes - you can see the minimal price, but they write that it includes a welcome gift

@Bzhwindtalker how is it possible that price difference?? I am in Israel, for example the 6384 motor including shipping $53.5.
Maybe they calculate some taxes for you?

Yes probably the 20% VAT being calculated. It is now mandatory for all eu sales.
Adam

Built a second battery, from cut down 14s4p ebike battery resurrected from deep discharge due to bms malfunction. I charge them at 0.5A in a secure environnement, UP to 3.5v per cell, then let them site for some days. After, I check the cell voltages.

Those battery are unfit for anything serious, when they get recharged from 0.5v per cell, one or two Banks per pack can go Bad with self discharge. But as I only need 8 out of 14 groups, I could recover 3 packs already for this efoil project.

I have some bms to install, but for some reason, they Can only read 5 cells when configured in 8s They are supposed to be 6-15cell compatible. Those bms have a led bar with on/off Button and error codes, plus bluetooth.

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Today I managed to empty both packs, but I noticed the props get some cracks due to torque or opening shock.


I have to find how to dampen it with some rubber or foam.

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This problem should be solved, read here: Swabian Efoil build - #24 by leachim

Prepared some props with damping, changed thermal pad between mosfets and heatsink, added thermal pad between board and heatsink, added fan powered from the vesc 5v
New tests this afternoon, huge wind for downwind against river current :+1:



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my advice : get rid of this VESC. Get an HV3 and you’ll be in a total different game.

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I want to evaluate vesc software and hardware for other projects so I prefer to try and optimise on the foil, undersrand the limitations of hw and sw. I also have ordered the 12 MOSFET 200A version to test. If I was only After cost and perf I would change to another solution, I have acces to very good and Compact 350A phase controller from e-motorcycles…

There is no Magic, other controller may work better because they have much higher phase current. But all motors have a saturation point where more phase amps is only heat because the magnetic field can not increase even with more amps.

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Today session was very sucessful !

I could continuousely e-foil both upwind and downwind. After a few minutes, the controller was still reaching temperature limitation, but just a few pumps was enough to let it cool :+1:

The main difference other than fan and thermal pad was programming the low voltage cut off lower, start at 3v per cell and end at 2.5v, and run the uncut props with damping foam.

Should have some videos later from 360 cam.

I am now looking ar building a specific dw board, with integrated box.

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Your poor cells. If you look at the capacity of the cells at the voltage range of 3V-2.5V you might be gaining a few % extra capacity, but doing so more damage than keeping them out of that range.

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It is not about the capacity but the voltage under load.
Because the vesc has not current compensation in the lvc, you have to consider the loaded voltage.
Here is the EVE 50E datasheet extract.

The official capacity and cycle life IS already with 2.5v cutoff.

If the limit is starting at 3.3v as I had before, only 50% of the capacity is usefull to get on foil where you need high amps for a few seconds.

Those are li-on not Lipo, below 3v under load is not a big deal if it is Peak/brust.

My mistake was thinking like an ebike-eskate cutt off, where reduced power IS not a problem. On the efoil, reduced power IS end of session as you will not get on foil.

Also, controllers I use usually compensate the voltage drop mesurement by the cell internal resistance and the battery current, vesc does not do that.

Here is my little experiance with batteries, my company :

We design, produce, homologate, sell and race those battery.

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Very cool session today unlocked better pumping

Batteries were at 3.55 per cell after the ride.
If pushing it, maybe I could get them down to 3.3 but definitely not under that.

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Looking at building my own board with battery box integrated on the first half of the board, on top.
Downwind style, 5"10*18-20" and thick to reach 85-100l.
I would takeoff with a smaller board, but I want to maximise efficicency and be safe to attempt longer downwinds. Also fun to share, but at the moment the 75lt board does not suit heavier riders

With a more efficient board, I would use less power to start and could start with lower battery.

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you seem to be lacking power, I also suggest to start lying on the board, this will generate more speed.

75kg on a 35L board and I have a lot of margin.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzCIPieq8LZ/

2 hours on the water on one and a half battery :+1:
At the end I added 5° shim with great succes, with better stance and easier takeoff.

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2 more sessions, all is working well, the Shim really helps on the stance but 3° would be better I think. Broke the prop far from the shore, maybe seaweeds. I have plenty of spare blades printed.
Added a capacitive balancer to the pack.
When the water is not smooth, and there is not a lot of wind, it is hard to get off the water on low battery, and reduces the usable range.

Next project is to make a dedicated board for longer aventures, downwinds, or river exploration. I want efficiency for takeoff, and enough volume to get back to shore confortably if something fails.

Inspired by this style :


Based on my old fanatic board, recut at the back and with a usbox integrated, battery box on the deck. I will probably add foam grip to the box, and directly step on the box to make the whole system slimmer and improve the wireless connection.
I will try to keep around 85L, max 180-200 cm long


Have some cool drone shots, edit later.



Video

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Working on a v2 box, from an ebike battery case.
The vesc is glued and has heatsink to the alu case on the whole pcb, not only fets.
I used PU sealant, that I had laying around, I would have preffered doing it with epoxy potting.

The batterie slides under, and on top there is the vesc and remote.

Oh shit moment when I tested it and got no duty cycle input on the vesc :melting_face:

The ppm line I soldered must have been damaged. Lucky for me I could Switch to uart :pray:

I had to slim down everything, due to the Space constraints. Capacitors mounted inline, removed connectors.

Also have to find a very slim way of handling the balance wires.

It’s quite messy, Hope I can clean it up for next evolutions.

It would fit between the screws of the usbox if I want.
The box IS not quite strong enouth to run it without spacers to tighten the foil. Maybe I will do something printed like @okp

Still have to figure how to do a Quick release of the front cover for battery swaps.





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Shaped the board, with battery on deck.
Tested Yesterday.
The singal from remote IS now perfect.
The board takes off very easy as expected. Weight IS 7.5kg





Pumps nice and turns nice.
The main issue for first test was my câble guide on back of the mast that exploded and was acting as a hydro brake.
No more overheat with New box

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