I research and shop for EV parts since three years now and I always understood than Kelly controller are cheep and with them you have the reliability and the performance for your money.
I always saw people, like on evalbum, has poor performance with their KDHA and KDHB controller.
So now, they have a new type of controller in the Kelly familly. The KDHD/E seem improve and better than the old model. Kelly seem realy proud to anounce in his home page than some TTXGP racer use that type of controller (some team like Mavizen and Crystalyte).
I'm realy interested by the KDHD 156v 800A or 1000A controller for use in a small car. The prices are realy attractive.
Well, some of you have more detail about the quality and the performance of those contollers? What do you think about those controllers?
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I have never bought or used a Kelly controller. But I have seen and heard about them for a number of years. I appreciate the exposure for the TTXGP that the Kelly web site has. But having been in the paddock with those teams using the Kellys, I can tell you it was not all roses. Electric Race Bikes had a failure at Mosport which I attempted to repair with them. They had a replacement Kelly delivered overnight and made the race with it. However by the next race had switched to a Zilla.
Here is a recent post mentioning problems with a Kelly.
Major, your "giant pot" made me laugh, but it also reminded me of my first controllor I built for my Fiero. For those of you who can get several GOOD contactors cheap, it actually works pretty well. You have 3-4 "banks" of resistors (I used 1/8" nichrome wire about 2 ft long) and you set up your throttle with a cam to turn on micro switches that activate the contactors. The secret to making it work is to have a series/parallel switch so you can start out at half voltage until the motor gets up to speed then switch to full voltage only if you need to accelerate quickly. I set up the contactors so that when I first stepped on the throttle, all the juice had to pass through all the resistors. A little farther and the second contactor would kick in bypassing the first resistor bank and so on until I had direct current from the batteries to the motor. You have to set up your micro switches so the next contactor makes contact before the previous one shuts off. This system worked fine but you really had to be on your toes. I melted the posts off of several batteries while in full voltage mode with too low of motor rpm. I have a 1000 amp meter and it would peg if you jumped on it too soon. I eventually bought a 800 amp Kelly controller and have had nothing but trouble with it and am thinking of switching back to my old setup. At least it never left me stranded, even when I melted a post off I could always limp home on half of the battery pack.
Overall, from what I see, it is like 50/50. Some users like them, some hate them. These are just my bystander observations. I have no monetary interest in any controller company.
If I'm not mistaken, I believe Jack Rickard of EVTV fame used a Kelly controller in one of his conversions. I suspect that like the Logisystem controller you have to be able to handle the heat load a little better than what was designed, i.e. a better (larger) heat sink or active cooling. I think Jack mounted his to a chunk of aluminum that extended into the airstream beneath the car.
Kelly Controllers in the beginning for EV conversions were weak and under powered and not up to the task. However they listened and did a wonderful job of revising their controller line. Every single one of them. I am quite sure that the newest line would be even better than the last. I own one of the first early sepex controllers and one of the later models. Quite a bit of difference but my early model is still going strong. You must with any controller like these put on a nice fined heat sink to remove heat. Without it you will toast your controller. I was amazed at how many folks did not put on a proper sink and had troubles from the start. I am still amazed at how many don't put them on still even after years of saying you need them. They do not come from the factory with a proper sink. Each application is different and requires different designs but a good solid sink will save your butt in just about all the cases. Also don't go beyond the limits and don't run them at the limits either. Run your controller within the limits and not at the edge. Wow, a 156 volt 800 amp controller. I must go have a look.
I have to say that even though I did have some problems with my Kelly controller over the last two years I went through two 12600b models. They have excellent customer service, that goes a long way with me. The 12600b units were still underpowered for my car. The last time it blew was in the beginning of September. It was still barely under warranty and I could have got the same unit, but I decided to upgrade to the new 12800D unit. The new controller has a lot more power then the old unit. It seems the throttle is a little too sensitive and I get a little surging , but I like the power output of the new unit. They have even sent me a new firmware to try and fix the problem but it is still there, not real bad, I can just notice it. As for longevity?????? time will tell. I did add a 120mm fan to help keep it cooler. Make sure you give lots of air with the heat sink.
Your Kelly has a nice heat sink but you need to turn the whole thing over and mount the controller with stand off's and then mount a nice fan on top of the fins like I did with my older GolfTech Controller. When I did that I had no further troubles. My sink was just like yours. As yours sits now your controller can't dissipate the heat fast enough and gets hot. Your controller will balk and you push it knowing youre setup is proper but its not and poof goes a controller. That happens when you run things on the edge. Ouch.
....your controller can't dissipate the heat fast enough and gets hot. Your controller will balk and you push it knowing youre setup is proper but its not and poof goes a controller. That happens when you run things on the edge. Ouch.
They do but if you continue to ride the edge then poof goes another controller. Controllers can be pushed to the edge and if done enough times it will not survive. I am sure Kelly is on the lower end of controllers but still doing quite well and improving. All my controllers will and have cut back when they got to hot because of an improper heat sink except my Synkromotive controller. That one never over heated, ever. It will cut back and even shut down if it overheats.
Pete
I know of no controller that has no thermal safety cutbacks but you still need a killer heat sink. Most just put the controller on a metal sheet and expect it to work. OUCH.
Well my original controller was first hooked up with no heat sink and it heated up and cut back. Then I installed a very large thick solid block of aluminum and it still heated up and cut back but it took a bit longer. Then I got my finned heat sink and fan and it never over heated again. But folks will continue to use the controller even during cutbacks and continue to drive it until it does cut back. Each time getting nearer the brink of failure. It is not that the controllers are not doing the job but that the owner is ignoring the issue and continues to drive until it overheats. This is one of the greatest failure points of most basic models of controllers including the most common of all the curtis. Folks think that it is fine to just slap it onto a metal plate like you might do in an underpowered golf cart that sees very little high current and will live just fine but in the car it will over heat and cut back. If it continues the life of the controller is shortened and the owner is not heeding the need to fix the issue. If it smokes I have no pity on the owner. If the controller was used will within the parameters of the controller with proper heat sinking and it smokes then I have pity. Otherwise not. Many will say they were setup correctly but were not. A flat plate is not going to cut the mustard. Get the sink on and go have fun for many years to come. If not be prepared to buy another controller or two.
My golftech was a very nice controller. The current owner must be a super happy camper as it will not over heat with the sink I installed on it including the fan. They got a damn good deal. It will last a long time. Fully water tight too. I'd run it under water, that is how water tight it is. That is how it should be. To bad they don't make them any longer. It was an old skool company.
So it's not the controllers fault but the owners fault most of the time. No all but most.
Pete
I'd say even the most basic controller is quite effective if it cuts back on overheat. It's the owner that is not effective.
Seems to me that doing the thermal analysis and providing the means for the controller to shed heat should be the responsibility of the controller manufacturer, not the customer.
Seems to me that doing the thermal analysis and providing the means for the controller to shed heat should be the responsibility of the controller manufacturer, not the customer.
I can't disagree with this and thought the same from the very beginning but as you know most of the controllers on the market require the customer to custom fit a heat sink to to the controller to suit the application. The reason most never provided a proper heat sink is that the manufacturer had no control of the application and also wanted to keep the costs down. Very few provide that level of control. Lets see, TWO maybe THREE!
All have thermal cutbacks but that is minimal protection. Shut down is better but I think many have that too at the extreme.
So with that if you have one of those controllers that require a customer installed heat sink then you REALLY REALLY need a good one and drive it within the parameters and not at the utter edge like many want to do.
You have some opinions now. Obviously Pete is in the 50 which likes Kelly. And according to Pete, all you need to do is put a massive heat sink and fans on the Kellys.
I don't want to badmouth Kelly, but I will mention that the failure at Mosport was not related to MOSFET overheating. And if you search this site for _Kelly problems or failures_ or search similar sites or the web in general you will find some interesting stuff. Also, when I nosed around about it, Kelly does seem to offer customer support, but not refunds.
As a motor controller consumer, research it and make the best decision you can
Yes and you will also find just as many failures of the controllers others are using like the curtis which by the way you need to mount on a real good heat sink with a fan too. Unlike others who continually run their controllers on the edge I run them within the specs and not on the edge. Hence no failures to date of any of the three controllers I have owned. Two of which I still own the other was sold and is being used successfully. So, yes I like Kelly Controllers and Yes the newest controllers are just fine. They successfully made a decent line of controllers. Good cost and good performance. Yes even in race situations and they are continuing to build better controllers that can withstand the rigors of the race world. So what if a few controllers smoke. Many good companies have had that happen and they continue to sell good controllers. Most of the failures were from a few years ago anyway and most of the newer ones work just fine and the customer service just absolutely perfect. They will replace or fix a defective controller and will not stiff you. If you don't operate it within parameters you are the one at fault and not the manufacturer. Be sure you get what you NEED for the application you intend to put it into. If you need a race model you should really contact them first and let them know what you need. Will Curtis do that for you? Hardly. Do you really have much choice from Curtis? Well that is to be seen. They do have some AC controllers which is nice. Some good golf cart controllers too. But what about taking your ride to the track? Kelly likes the track. They even offered me one that I can use at the track.
I like the newest offerings. My Kelly is a 72 volt 600 amp SepEx controller that has been software modified to run the military starter generators. I am still waiting to take it out on the street. I have a killer heat sink too.
Pete
Yea! Don't badmouth them because they do stand behind their product. If you kill it and then can make the new ones withstand that then they are moving in the right direction. Curtis is where it was years ago. Still good but not really moving forward. Just supplying the needed parts is about it. Zilla is still once again up in the air. Soliton is a top notch controller that was badmouthed but has proven it's worth. Logitech is a dead horse. Others are just not available yet and one has no real following yet but made by a killer motor company. Synkromotive is good as far as all the beta units so we shall see how much better the production models are. I am just as much a fan of all the good controllers as I am of Synkro and Kelly. I'd love to have a Zilla and a Soliton1 too. But since I went another direction with no hardships I am a happy camper.
No known Synkromotive controller failures yet. That is a good sign knowing many are out there after two years of on the road testing and driving daily.
Yes and you will also find just as many failures of the controllers others are using like the curtis which by the way you need to mount on a real good heat sink with a fan too. Unlike others who continually run their controllers on the edge I run them within the specs and not on the edge. Hence no failures to date of any of the three controllers I have owned. Two of which I still own the other was sold and is being used successfully. So, yes I like Kelly Controllers and Yes the newest controllers are just fine. They successfully made a decent line of controllers. Good cost and good performance. Yes even in race situations and they are continuing to build better controllers that can withstand the rigors of the race world. So what if a few controllers smoke. Many good companies have had that happen and they continue to sell good controllers. Most of the failures were from a few years ago anyway and most of the newer ones work just fine and the customer service just absolutely perfect. They will replace or fix a defective controller and will not stiff you. If you don't operate it within parameters you are the one at fault and not the manufacturer. Be sure you get what you NEED for the application you intend to put it into. If you need a race model you should really contact them first and let them know what you need. Will Curtis do that for you? Hardly. Do you really have much choice from Curtis? Well that is to be seen. They do have some AC controllers which is nice. Some good golf cart controllers too. But what about taking your ride to the track? Kelly likes the track. They even offered me one that I can use at the track.
I like the newest offerings. My Kelly is a 72 volt 600 amp SepEx controller that has been software modified to run the military starter generators. I am still waiting to take it out on the street. I have a killer heat sink too.
Pete
Yea! Don't badmouth them because they do stand behind their product. If you kill it and then can make the new ones withstand that then they are moving in the right direction. Curtis is where it was years ago. Still good but not really moving forward. Just supplying the needed parts is about it. Zilla is still once again up in the air. Soliton is a top notch controller that was badmouthed but has proven it's worth. Logitech is a dead horse. Others are just not available yet and one has no real following yet but made by a killer motor company. Synkromotive is good as far as all the beta units so we shall see how much better the production models are. I am just as much a fan of all the good controllers as I am of Synkro and Kelly. I'd love to have a Zilla and a Soliton1 too. But since I went another direction with no hardships I am a happy camper.
No known Synkromotive controller failures yet. That is a good sign knowing many are out there after two years of on the road testing and driving daily.
You didn't need to post your reply twice Anyway, I did say I saw where Kelly had good customer support, so I wasn't badmouthing them about that. Seems like you're pretty sensitive about the subject.
Double post was a glitch and I deleted the double posting. I know you just posting what you see but I get sensitive when old stuff gets reposted only because I think it's a decent product with excellent customer service.
I think that and mass speculation is what gets my goat the most. Other than that I do just fine with most things.
I know you just posting what you see but I get sensitive when old stuff gets reposted only because I think it's a decent product with excellent customer service.
Yeah but I'd bet my bottom dollar that the information there is hardly new. I know how negative stuff perpetuates on the web. Easy and very common. So called sources are usually slanted but I can't disagree that they had trouble years ago. I don't fault if a product fails. After all it is a machine. Some just fail. The web perpetuates that one to make it sound like it is a terrible company. As for one company their actions killed it as well as the crappy product. Some are still alive but most are not.
Yes I agree to leave this thread alone.
I am still in a good mood. My adaptor plate is going back for some rebalancing. Hope to have my Bus back in time for mounting my Kostov motor.
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