Some help needs from cleverer VE owners than me !!

[f1racr]

Hi there,

First posting here so please bear with me..........

I am currently building a kitcar and wish to use special controller (Folcik Engineering & Design, LLC.) which will allow me to run the aircon/heater system from a VE Commodore using a small touchscreen instead of the factory radio or controls...........

Now, the issue that I have is that I have no idea if the ECU that controls the aircon / heater will function properly if it doesn't have the engine ECU and all of the other smarts that a full factory VE Commodore has in it.......

Does that make sense ??? I hope so. I'm afraid that the control unit (I assume there is a separate one) for the aircon/heater won't function unless it sees all the right signals from the rest of the system and was hoping that there was someone here who might have the proper knowledge to help us in our quest to get this system working outside of the VE Commodore........

 

[Zerone_V]

I guess the answer to this one depends on how much of the VE HVAC stuff you want to control outside of the VE.

If you are talking about not using a headunit (Series I or II), and just sending SW Can Commands to the HCM/HCE module, which will then just control the blend motors,the blower motor, and temp / sunload sensors, (I.E. an airbox with the electric bits hanging off it), then it sounds like an interesting project.

The HCM/HCE module doesn't require any VIN programming, so it shouldn't cry too much about missing VIN broadcast CAN messages (I.E. missing the BCM), however it may have issues with missing other CAN messages such as coolant temp, and the variable AC compressor control signals.
So you would probably need something here to generate the messages so as the HCM/HCE module can do its thing.

(Unfortunately, VEs are Canbussed up the wahoo, so things get near impossible to keep working as you start dropping modules such as the ECM and the BCM).
Did you specifically need to use VE gear ?
The reason why I am asking is that with earlier models, the HVAC stuff is much more standalone. (I.E. the Climate control module connects directly to coolant sensors and the AC compressor, instead of passing messages to the ECM via Canbus.

I hope this helps ?

 

[hakhawk]

lol, clever ve owners.... lol

 

[yZoH]

lol, clever ve owners.... lol

cleverer* ve owners... Read!

 

[VS_Pete]

^^^^^^
don`t know what you mean lol?

 

[f1racr]

Thanks heaps for the post Zerone_V, sorry I thought it has subscribed me to the thread when I created it but it didn't so I didn't realise there was replies !!!

The reason we're looking to use the VE Aircon and heater setup is because my understanding was that the Folcik touchscreen was made to work with the VE untis and it's the Folcik touchscreen that is the driving force behind what we're doing as I want to have a clean finish on the interior of the car and everything else is touchscreen apart from heater controls so if I can get the VE unit to work separately with the Folcik touchscreen that would be perfect.

It's interesting that you mention about the interaction between the HCM/HCE and the BCM and ECM as that was the only thing that I was worried about.......... unfortunately I'm going to have to buy a bent car and part it all out to get what I need and I don't really want to go to all that effort and then find it doesn't work

I guess I need to find someone who's a whizz with the Holden / GM CANBUS protocol so that I can understand what the HCM/HCE actually uses for data and then I'll be able to figure out what it might complain about..........

Maybe it's worth me going back to Folcik ?? I mean they clearly know about the protocols required otherwise their touchscreen wouldn't work as well as it does.... Maybe they can simulate or pass data like a fake water temp or something to the heater just to get it working properly......

Function wise I'd like it to do everything the factory unit would do as we will need a working heater with fan control and also would need aircon to work as the kit we're building doesn't have working windows so will need to rely on the heater/aircon more than normal to keep things under control inside the cockpit !

Thanks again for the reply, it's been very helpful.

 

[MYVESSV8]

try www.ultimatewiringconversions.com.au, may be able to assist, they do alot of this sort of stuff, speak to justin