README

Status: Completed (Archive State).

This project is no longer being maintained as an active WIP. The primary reason is the availability of official VESC peripherals (such as the VESC Dash 35B or the VESC Rmcore), which cover many of the original goals (CAN connectivity, LispBM scripting) natively and, in some aspects, more effectively.

Important notes on the current state:

1. PCB Design: The latest PCB design in this repository still contains errors. The board layout needs to be cross-checked against the schematics and revised before it can be considered fully functional.
2. 12V High-Side Switching: Unlike many other solutions, including official ones like the RmCore, this design explicitly supports 12V high-side switching for vehicle lighting.
3. Hardware Fixes: The horn circuitry has already been corrected in the schematic but has not yet been implemented in the physical PCB layout.

Overview

You find the code, flashable on an ESP32 DevKitC with PlatformIO in the submodule.

Everything needed for the PCB inside pcb-schematics.

Link to Onshape Design of Headunit Mount in directory 3d design. Other project designs will also be added here.

Core concept

Replacement for original board electronics and an open platform to have a tachometer for any VESC powered E-Bike.

Headunit (Display)

Implemented and working

Currently working on Tachometer:

• Speed
• Trip Kilometer (resets every power cycle)
• Time since Startup
• Average Speed
• Battery Voltage (mapped to left bar)
• Motor Current (mapped to right bar)
• Motor Power in kW (below right bar)
• Brake Lights
• triggered when pulling any brake lever
• also triggered when using regenerative braking above a configurable motor current

Currently all values (wheel diameter, battery voltage, max current, etc.) are hard coded.

Proper way for multiple bikes will be to utilize config files.

Implemented but not working

• Average Wh per km consumption
• Horn (probably hardware issue due to bad soldering)

Planned

• Odometer (saving distance to ESP32 flash)
• Don't try to calculate values like average speed or but just get them from VESC

Ideas

• Smaller headunit but with more features: Utilizing also an ESP 32 C6 with Zigbee
• Home Assistant integration
• OTA Updates
• Blinkers but requires more Pins on ESP32 or multiplexing
  • Also requires more than current 8 wires by using a normal RJ45-connector and Ethernet-cable to bottom or serial communication and therefore another microcontroller on the SPDB.

Switching and Power Distribution Board (SPDB)

Converts high battery voltage to 12V for the headlights and other components. (DC /DC converter is not cheap, but great quality and has pleanty of headroom)

Also provides 5V for the Headunit: ESP32, Hall-Effect-Brake-Levers and Display. (ESP32 runs on 3V but the dev kit converts the incoming 5V to the usable 3V)

Connects the VESC to the rest of the system.

Turns on Brakelights and also provides power for the 12V lights.

Planned

• components with bigger footprints for easier soldering
• MOSFETs
• capacitors
• resistors

Ideas

• USB-C in port and DC/DC converter for charging big E-Bike battery (not really practical but I really want this hehe)
• USB-C out port for charging other devices or at least another 12V out to use existing products for this
• Eventually blinkers (my L1E-class-bike came without them from the manufacturer so they are not mandatory)

In combination with Headunit: Serial connection / CAN-BUS based system.