I want to thank and acknowledge the companies and people that have contributed to the MIMA / Insight modifications that you see on this site. Please visit their websites to get full information on their products and services.
The first MIMA
Yves and Mike
Yves Morrisette From Montreal was the first person to run the IMA motor manually with a simple PWM circuit. The proof of concept. Without his first sucessful trial MIMA may not have gone beyond the crazy idea stage. He has MIMA # 002,and has a spot on the MIMA users page. I also want to thank all the people on Insight Central that contributed ideas and feedback throughout the development of MIMA.
My cousin Scott worked with me to layout the MIMA series of boards. He is a master of the craft, and is available for subcontract work. scott.perzanoski@charter.net
Early in the MIMA development when I was assembling parts for the first production run, I was contacted by John who wanted to work out a trade. A MIMA kit for his help in fabricating the MIMA mounting brackets. It was a fair trade, and we proceeded. John did a beautiful job with 50 of the brackets which he was able to water jet cut at the place that he worked.
After contacting all of the battery companies to try and get some batteries for my grid/solar boost charging system, without success, I bought some batteries. John contacted me, and offered to help out by sponsoring my battery purchase, and sent me a check to cover the whole cost of $800. I am deeply indebted to John for his support.
The Vicor company has generously supplied me with over 20 of their dc/dc modules, which has allowed me to build the prototype of a boost battery system to allow more agressive electric priority operation, and subsequent increases in MPG.The modules are very well designed, easy to use, and extremely flexible allowing me to duplicate the hybrid charge/ regen functions electronics with off the shelf products. The modules were used for both the boost charge where the 48V booster batteries power 11 of the dc/dc converters, in parallel, while the outputs are put in series in a constant current configuration. This configuration yields 177V @ 16A or 2800 Watts of replenishing charge to the NIMH stock pack while driving to allow the electric priority mode heavy use of the assist to be extended. The other half ot the system uses the Vicor BatMod current source modules with 100-200VDC input to generate an isolated 25A charging/ regeneration to the 48V boost battery. The charger can be solar/grid connected to charge the 48V batteries when parked. A simple flip of a switch, and the Insights 144V battery/regeneration system can recharge the 48V pack while driving to complete the auxiliary booster system.
The boost batteries needed to be supported by auxiliary air springs. The Air lift company sponsored the project with the donation of two of their air springs.Only need 20psi to support 400 lbs.
The 5th wheel modification needed a motor controller. The Curtis company donated one of theirs, as well as the control assembly. Nice compact reliable unit.
The 5th wheel needed a rugged low maintenance drive system. Gates donated the two sprockets and the drive belt to make this happen. Super quiet, no lubrication, so much better than chain.
I want to thank NESEA for sponsoring my entry into the Tour De Sol, and also for the generous cash award. It was a great experience for me. I have never met a more dedicated group of people with a more noble cause, keep up the good work.
We cannot forget the sponsor that has allowed this website to exist, John has been a sponsor of the project with free hosting and use of his ground breaking website authoring system Invisible Gold, that allows you to put up a first class website and maintain it yourself, even if you have limited web skills. Great product, great guy.
