FORMULA STUDENT UK EV ENERGY METER SPECIFICATIONS

REVISION HISTORY
VERSION DATE CHANGES AUTHOR
1.0 24/06/2021 Initial release AS

INTRODUCTION
At the competition event all EV teams that pass scrutineering will be issued with an Energy Meter for
installation into their vehicle. These are calibrated by the manufacturer in advance of every Formula
Student event. This document explains how to install the energy meter and how to connect the
sensors to an EV HV setup.

The purpose of the energy meter is so measure and log TS voltage and current during dynamic events.
After each dynamic event run the EV scrutineers will read the data and verify that neither 600V has
been exceeded or 80kW has been consumed by the tractive system. A filter is applied to the voltage
reading prior to analysis to smooth very short-term spikes or noise.

Teams must under no circumstances remove a data stick or attempt to analyse the data or otherwise
piggyback or reverse engineer the Energy Meter system. Any tampering with the logging equipment
will result in an investigation that could lead to deletion of times or disqualification.

This document is always superseded by the official FS Rules and FS UK Supplementary Rules if there
are inconsistencies in the supplied information.

POST-RUN ANALYSIS
After each run of Acceleration and Sprint, and on completion of Endurance in parc-ferme, the EV
Scrutineering team will require access to the datalogger memory stick. The teams will be asked to
switch off TS, and then LV, and the data stick will be read by the event scrutineer on a dedicated
analysis laptop.

As per the FS rules section D9.4, if a voltage or power violation has occurred, the scrutineering team
will alert the event captain and the team’s fastest run will be disqualified regardless of which run
registered the violation. Any subsequent violations will remove their next fastest times, and so on.

As per D9.4.3 violations and associated data may be made public. However teams will not be
permitted to view the results of a run analysis until after the final event results have been classified.
The intention is for the team to use their own systems and sensors to rectify the any thresholds or
parameters and should not gain an insight or knowledge of performance from the official monitoring
system.

© 2021 IMechE 1 Formula Student

2021 EV Energy Meter Specification
ENERGY METER EQUIPMENT
DATALOGGER
There are two versions of the energy meter kits. In both setups the datalogger and memory stick is
identical and the sensor sets are equivalent and accurate to sufficiently detect violations in the
dynamics log traces. The data logger is a modified GEMS DA3 unit for Formula Student use.

The datalogger unit measures 60x63x33mm with no cables attached, a clearance of 60mm is required
to insert and remove the data stick.

The datalogger must be installed securely in a location that is easily accessible by the scrutineers and
where a memory stick can be removed and inserted without having to move any vehicle panels or
enclosures. See rule EV 4.6.2. If a datalogger is damaged or a datastick is unseated due to the location
or mounting method of the equipment, this is deemed as a violation as data was unable to be read by
the scrutineers and the teams are penalised as described above, losing their fastest time for each
violation.

The datalogger must be provided with a reliable and clean LV connection at 12V DC. In previous
competitions variable LV supply voltage has shown to cause instability of the logger and subsequently
incomplete run logs. In this situation, where the logger is known and observed to be in working order
under normal conditions, the teams will be found in violation and subject to that event’s fastest run
disqualification, as per rule D9.2.5.

It is acceptable to mount the logger using cable ties, or if necessary, using suitably affixed hook and
loop fixing.

© 2021 IMechE 2 Formula Student

2021 EV Energy Meter Specification
© 2021 IMechE 3 Formula Student
2021 EV Energy Meter Specification
ANCILLARY KIT
The Energy Meter kits will be provided with a set of each of the ancillary connectors for terminating
the sensor cables where necessary. This includes:

• A Binder subminiature connector part number 09-9747-70-03 (solder termination) for the 12V
LV DC power supply
• A Molex mini-fit junior female connector housing part number 39-01-2020 for the HV sense
wires
• 2x Molex mini-fit female pins part number 39-00-0038 for terminating the HV sense wires
(crimp termination).

HV SENSOR
The HV sensor has two terminated connections as follows:

• A Binder connector that must be connected to the datalogger. On v1 kits this is colour coded
Red. On v2 kits the connector is keyed uniquely.
• A Molex minifit junior male crimp housing for the interface to the vehicle TS system, refer to
rule EV4.6.5.

HV Sensor in V1 Kits

Construction Painted metallic enclosure, potted components

Dimensions 70x50x20mm
HV sensor input resistance 57k Ohm
Data cable length 2 metres

© 2021 IMechE 4 Formula Student

2021 EV Energy Meter Specification
 HV Sensor in V2 Kits

Construction ABS Plastic enclosure

Dimensions 50x35x20mm
HV sensor input resistance 1.5M Ohm
Data cable length 2 metres

The team is responsible for locating the sensor body and running the sense line safely and securely.
The team must be able to run the logger-side data cable back to the datalogger mounting position,
outside of any HV enclosures.

The v1 HV sensor has a lower than ideal input resistance. This relatively low input resistance means
that a small voltage drop occurs across the sensor, and this may have an effect on the vehicle’s TS pre-
charge behaviour. The input resistance is measured in an unconnected sensor at 57K Ohms. Teams
must be aware of this characteristic when implementing pre-charge sensing, as behaviour may change
by a proportionate scale once the HV sensor is attached. The v2 sensor has an ideal input resistance
of approx. 1.5M Ohm and as such has negligible effect on the TS pre-charge sensing. V2 Kits will be
supplied in preference however this is on a first come first served basis and teams will not have the
opportunity to choose or to protest results based on the parameters of the supplied equipment.

© 2021 IMechE 5 Formula Student

2021 EV Energy Meter Specification
CURRENT SENSOR
The v1 and v2 kits include an LEM automotive HV current sensor. v2 kits have a different model as the
original sensor is no longer in production.

Current sensor in V1 kits: LEM DHAB S/15

© 2021 IMechE 6 Formula Student

2021 EV Energy Meter Specification
 Current sensor in V2 Kits – LEM HTFS 400

CURRENT SENSOR MOUNTING

The current sensor must be oriented so that the primary forward current is in the following directions:

• V1 LEM DHAB S/15: Enters the sensor loop from the flush side and exits along the protruding
channel.
• V2 LEM HTFS – Entering the sensor loop form the potted component side and exiting the flush
silkscreened face.

It is recommended that the teams have a short removable section of HV cable on which to mount the
current sensor. The sensor cores are not split and the internal diameter of the sensor is 21mm.

The sensors must be mounted on an UN-SHIELDED section of HV cable as the sensors will not detect
the current Hall effect if the cables are shielded and grounded.

If a sensor is mounted on a shielded cable, resulting in the inability to calculate power consumption
then the team will be found in violation as per rule D9.4.4

Teams may request that data logs are verified in a static test before competing in dynamic events, but
this is not guaranteed as EV scrutineers may not be available at the time.

© 2021 IMechE 7 Formula Student

2021 EV Energy Meter Specification