[klmhayes]

Hello All,

I have not been on the forum for a long time, but I am looking for some recommendations for a controller for my current EV project. I have an Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite that I build up as an electric several years ago in which I have a Curtis 1231C and an Advance DC 203-06-4001 Series Wound DC motor. I drive the car every day and it has been working very well. The overall performance is great.

Now I am building an Classic Mini Countryman for my wife to use as a daily driver. I did design and build the drivetrain with the same Advance DC motor and was originally thinking of using the same controller, since I have been happy with it. I am just now at the point of buying and installing the controller and am taking one more look to see if there is a better choice out there. One other piece of info, I am planning on using LiFePo batteries with a pack voltage of about 120V and 160-180Ah.

I have just started looking at the Evnetics Soliton Jr. It has many features that look good to me like the built in contactors, programmable inputs and outputs, tach output, flexible and programmable throttle, etc., but I have not heard much about its overall quality and performance.

Does anyone have experience with the Soliton Jr, and would you recommend it? If not, why wouldn’t you recommend it?

Does anyone else have some other controller that they would recommend?

Thanks,
Mark
“Little Go Green”

[Yabert]

Hi

Evenetic builded awesome controllers (I used Solion 1) and I strongly suggest you to buy a Soliton Jr instead of a Curtis 1231. More power capability, many nice feature, newer technologie, better value...

It's sad to said, but it's the only other good choice for 120v at this moment (I excluding Kelly controller).
Maybe other member can suggest synkromotive controller, but for me this controller don't have serious sold volume (high quality?).

[MalcolmB]

Hi Mark,
I don't have any personal experience with the Soliton Jr, but I scour the forums and Evnetics have got glowing reports for quality and ease of use. Maximum current for the Junior is 600 amps, but that should be ample for your mini. I'd love to hear more about your drivetrain or even better see some pics

Malcolm

[klmhayes]

Hi Malcolm,

Your Mini is beautiful! Is it electric now?

As I said, I'm using an AdvanceDC 203-06-4001 motor. I adapted that to a 1993 Honda Civic 5 speed manual transmission. I had to do major modifications to the front subframe to get everything to fit. Attached are some pictures of the drivetrain.

Thanks,
Mark

[MalcolmB]

Thanks! That looks like a very well built subframe. It makes a really neat package. Mine's still not on the road yet, but hopefully this summer. Rather than getting driveshafts machined locally I decided to buy a lathe and learn how to use it...

[Yabert]

Originally Posted by klmhayes

I had to do major modifications to the front subframe to get everything to fit. Attached are some pictures of the drivetrain.

Whooooo! Nice subframe. I like it.
Good work.

[Salty9]

+1 On the subframe. Elegant.

[Tesseract]

Originally Posted by klmhayes

...
Does anyone have experience with the Soliton Jr, and would you recommend it? If not, why wouldn’t you recommend it?...

There are a number of people on here using the Soliton Jr. Two recent names that come to mind are lowcrawler and Yukon Shane. Why not send them a PM and ask them how they like it?

Disclaimer - I designed the Soliton controllers so I am not even remotely unbiased. That said, modern digital controllers have pretty much rendered purely analog controllers like the Curtis 1231C totally obsolete.