I made a new poll to ask whether we should change IONI’s PCI-e 4x connector to PCI-e 8x type to favor higher currents. Please vote and/or leave comments!
4x connector vs 8x connector:
- 4x is shorter and fits easier on custom motherboards (won’t affect IONICUBE as it has 8x already)
- 8x has more pins (98 vs 64 pins) which might be necessary for maximum currents
- 4x to 8x change adds 17 mm length on card edge connector
- 8x card can’t be fitted on 4x socket but 4x socket fits on 8x socket
8x
8x
Better not to limit the max current if possible.
Yes change for the 8x
who can do more can do less !!
> 8x <
I would say 8X’s if the cost does not go up 2x’s as well.
I vote 8X. If the connector is a bottleneck then it makes sense to upgrade. It seems you’d gain way more sales due to higher current rating than you’d lose due to the increased minimum size of OEM motherboards? The impact on drive cost seems as though it would be very small.
It also seems as if Ioni itself will still set the minimum dimension in the direction the longer card edge connector would go. In other words, there’s next to no space to be saved in the enclosure, just a small extra PCB area on the drive and motherboard, and the extra cost of the slightly longer socket (unless I’m interpreting the photographs wrong?)
Any increase in max current will appeal particularly to the people building force feedback wheels, I’m guessing. I’m also hoping for as much current as possible for my own upcoming product. Ideally we’d like 40A peak, but your summed third harmonic phase to phase waveform modification is brilliant, and also very compelling for us as it effectively promises the advantage of field weakening (extra speed), without the efficiency loss. I’m hoping it will allow us to use a lower Kv motor for more torque per amp without an unacceptable loss of top speed.
I apologise for my ignorance with the next question. Would it be possible to run a 6 wire motor with three wires to each of two Ioni drives, sharing one feedback source instead of connecting the windings as Delta or Wye?
Any possibility of Sensorless or Halls Only commutation with Ioni?
Kind regards,
Jason
Thanks for comment! I also think 8x is the way to go. The only concern is the risk when changing connector without going another prototype run, but it’s likely that everything will be fine.
I have an idea which would allow sharing current between multiple drives and will test it some day. It basically requires wiring all control signals/power lines parallel and power outputs wired parallel through power inductors. Same might work on Argon drives too. This will be a topic for another blog post :)