One More e-Bike -- One Less Car

[WonderProfessor]

The Die is Cast! I finally did it. An eZee 20" rear-wheel hub motor is on its way from Vancouver, Canada, and a 36-volt, 20-amp hour Ping lithium-iron-phosphate battery is being assembled in China and will begin the journey sometime next week. Many thanks to everyone on this forum (and VisforVoltage, too) for your helpful information and advise; because of your expertise, I am certain I will have one of the most bitchin' e-bikes in San Diego, California.

The original idea was to electrify my 1994 Easy Racers Gold Rush recumbent. This bike has over 51,000 miles (82,000 kilometers). I used it to commute two to three times per week. The commute is 40 miles (65 kilometers) round trip. As that dreaded disease, A.G.E., began to take its awful toll, the number of commutes went from two to three times per week, down to two times per week, down to one time per week, down to ... At the same time the number of commutes ridden per week was going down, the number of pounds (0.454 kilograms) gained per month was going up! A dangerous inverse relationship was setting in. I needed more exercise but I'll be damned if I was going to bring a stationary bike into our home. (Also, I always told my wife that if I ever traded in my Gold Rush for a stationary bicycle, she should shoot me. She, of course, will never forget our agreement and would have no compunction whatsoever declaring in court that it was me who gave her the permission to pull the trigger.)

However, as I investigated further, electrifying the Gold Rush seemed more and more not to be the best way to move forward. The rear wheel of the Gold Rush already has far more weight than the front wheel. Indeed, Easy Racers recommends against adding more weight to the rear of the bike. Therefore, putting a rear hub would not be the best idea. On the other hand, a front hub has its own problems. The fork does not appear to be as strong as is often recommended by veterans here on this forum, even with torque arms. Plus, as mentioned, the front wheel of the bike holds very little of the total weight of the bicycle. The added weight of a front hub motor would only compensate modestly for this inadequacy. (Someone on this forum has already complained that his Tour Easy, brother to the Gold Rush, clone with a front hub motor exhibits traction problems in wet weather and on sandy surfaces.) Mid-range motors were very tempting but the anti-stealth factor weighed heavily on my mind. There is a peace officer who patrols a crucial leg of my commute. He is not what we would call "bike-friendly." He may be even less friendly to e-bikes. Lastly, adding more weight to my "mistress" (as my wife is prone to call my bike) would make it less appealing for recreational riding.

How to proceed? Of course! How ‘bout having a separate e-bike for commuting? Craigslist offered me a slightly-used (almost brand-new, actually) Sun Bicycles EZ-1 SX. It's the grandson of the Gold Rush. It was designed by Easy Racers but built in Taiwan. The tubing is heavy gauge steel. The weight is more evenly distributed. But like its Grand-daddy, it is still a very comfortable bike. Since I gotta' have tunes and the aforementioned peace officer simply loves to ticket cyclists for having earphones in both ears, the first step was to add a bitchin' stereo akin to the Gold Rush's stereo. (Please see photos.)

The decision to purchase the eZee along with the Ping battery was not without much weeping and wailing, beating of breast, and gnashing of teeth. There were two schools of influence from the locals at our Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego (http://www.evaosd.com/) meetings. Three of the gifted local enthusiasts chastised me for going with what they consider to be such an upscale system as my first e-bike. "You are only going to want to upgrade later. Get a cheap, throw-away, brushed, direct-drive motor with some cheap lead-acid batteries for your first e-bike!" Granted, there is some merit in their argument. The other school of influence came from two highly-respected engineers (one an electrical engineer, the other a robotic/linguistic/software engineer). They argued that I should, "Get it right the first time." They noted that I wanted long range, reliability, efficiency, and long life. I am not that handy, to be sure, so eZee's and Ping's reputations for reliability and quality were a big plus. Also, I want something that I will still want to pedal, with or without using the motor. Since the eZee motor is only 8.2 pounds (3.7 kilograms), I could still easily ride the bike for short jaunts without using the motor, especially if the battery were left at home. I wound up siding with this school of thought. (The third choice was mid-range motor. As mentioned, the anti-stealth factor put the kibosh on this option.)

Watch for more exciting posts as Yours Truly fumbles about with the bits and pieces as they arrive. The deadline is August 17th when our fall 2009 semester starts. Again, many thanks for all the invaluable help, My Brethren!

Gratefully submitted,

Frank Paiano
San Diego, California, U.S.A.
http://www.wonderprofessor.com

EZ-1 SX -- Full View (Those aren't lights; they are reflectors.)

EZ-1 SX -- View of speakers

[D-Man]

Cool. How fast do you think an ezee will go on a 20" wheel with 36 volts?

[OneWayTraffic]

As fast as on a 26inch. It's wound for higher speed.

32km/h. Maybe a bit faster on a recumbent, and since the Ping is actually a bit more than 36v probably quite a lot faster.

[DahonElectric]

Congrats on choosing the eZee kit and you made the right choice. Did you get a Cycle Analyst with it?

Everyone bought the eZee kit for the stealth (smaller hub), weight and the freehub. I'm not sure if I buy the argument about riding the same bike without a battery, cause it won't be the same bike. 8.9lbs is noticeable up the hill. Do you ever wonder why few people carry the heavy Kryptonite New York lock and chain together (combined weight is similar to the eZee) and just leave the locks at work?
The build quality of the eZee is quite good as I'm a little bit disappointed with the Chinese built 9C laced rim. If you're used to good quality rims and build, you won't get used to cheap rims and poor build wheels. That's a fact, so you made the right choice..

Enjoy the ride and let us know, or me how the Ping battery works out..

Cheers,

DE.

[WonderProfessor]

Cool. How fast do you think an ezee will go on a 20" wheel with 36 volts?

As OWT pointed out, when they sell the eZee with a 20" wheel, the motor is wound differently so that the rpms are higher. If I can cruise at 20 mph (32 kph) for extended periods while pedaling, I will be a happy man. My one-way commute is 20 miles (32 kilometers). I used to be able to cruise at 15 to 16 mph (24 to 26 kph) on my Gold Rush and it would take me 1 hour and thirty or forty minutes to get to work. The Gold Rush has a full fairing and is very light by recumbent standards. It's the production model of the first bicycle to go over 65 mph (105 kph). (http://science.gcc.edu/mece/projects/2004/road_recumbent/History%20of%20Recumbent%20Bicycles.pdf)

However, times have changed. I now cruise at around 10 to 12 mph (16 to 19 mph) and it now takes me over two hours. With this new e-bike, I should be able to get plenty of exercise and get to work within an hour and 15 minutes or so. The EZ-1 has a smaller fairing which should help noticeably. My top speed with pedaling should be closer to 25 mph (40 kph) than 20 mph (32 kph). But as I said, I will be happy with 20 mph (32 kph).

The original plan was to use a 48-volt, 20-amp hour Ping battery. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of range. Plus, my rudimentary understanding of electronics always told me that the higher the voltage (and correspondingly, the less the amperage), the longer that the motor and other electrical components should last, right? Well, I was disabused of this oversimplification of the facts by three outstanding sources. Components can suffer from too much voltage or too much current. Plus, the controller for eZee has had some problems operating at 48-volts and it is not recommended to be operated at that voltage. I would have had to have gone with a different controller. Also, the 48-volt battery is heavier and harder to secure on the bike rack. Lastly, I was informed that I could easily make the two-way commute with the 36-volt, 20-amp battery without even charging the battery at work! There's only one major hill and I intend to pedal to get up to speed and pedal while I am cruising. I need and want the exercise. The 48-volt, 20-amp hour Ping battery was simple overkill for my needs.

Did you get a Cycle Analyst with it?

Yes, I did. If you purchase it with the eZee motor, it is only an extra US$110 and from the information available on this forum, it seemed to be an invaluable asset, especially its ability to protect against overtaxing the motor and battery.

Do you ever wonder why few people carry the heavy Kryptonite New York lock and chain together (combined weight is similar to the eZee) ...?

I am one of those few people you speak of. If I ever need to lock my Gold Rush (which is very, very rare), I carry that very same monster lock and chain you speak of. And I also carry a motorcycle cover. When it is locked up and covered, it resembles a covered and locked motorcycle. All you can see is the cover and a monster chain and lock peeking out from under the cover and locked to a lighting pole or traffic light or some other large metallic object. I'm sure I'll use the same system for the new e-bike (for those rare instances where I need to lock the bike).

[DahonElectric]

With electric, carrying these locks are not a problem for me now. In fact, weight is not going to be a problem with your eZee motor. The only difference I was told by ebike.ca staff who rode an eZee prior and switched to a 9C rear is the speed. 9C is faster and I concur, but eZee glides with no battery whereas the 9C has a bit of a drag. Gosh, I'm a spoiled 9C brat now.

DE.

[WonderProfessor]

The Continuing Story of a Man and His e-Bike

Shipping:
The eZee motor arrived a week to the day after the order (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to San Diego, California, U.S.A.). Canada Post sent me a tracking number that worked easily from within my e-mail system. The package was quickly, "delivered to the international destination country." After that, however, no information was forthcoming. Hillary at ebikes.ca informed me that the system would update after I had received the package. No problems. No complaints. No surprises.

The Ping battery arrived a week and two days after the order. This was a surprise! Ping sent me an e-mail after the initial order saying it would take about 7 business days for the pack to be assembled. Therefore, I figured it wouldn't even be shipped by the day it arrived and then take probably another week to be shipped. I was waiting for an e-mail confirming that the assembly was finished and the battery shipped. I might ping Mr. Ping and suggest that an e-mail to this effect along with the tracking information, if any, would be might neighborly of him.

Perceived Quality:
Both of these systems seem well built. The eZee motor is indeed an object of beauty; its controller is a Swiss Army knife of form and function. The wheel seems solid. The spokes are as true as could be. The instructions were excellent (once I finally got around to reading them). If I got the story right, Justin of ebikes.ca designed and manufactured the Cycle Analyst all on his oddy-knocky. I am assuming that he funded the research and development out of his own pocket. This an impressive feat for anyone, especially someone who is also trying to keep a bicycle shop fiscally afloat.

What the eZee motor is, the Ping battery is not. The Ping battery is raw and ugly. It oozes mean-spirited power. It is best not to be displayed or discussed in pleasant company. What I assume to be the BMS (battery management system) is simply taped to the side of the battery with the cheapest of packing tape. The charging connector is what I think is called a chassis connector, great for a situation where the battery would be placed in a stable environment behind some fixed object, horrible for a battery that will be bounced around on the back of bicycle at 20 mph (32 kph). That charging connector was replaced with horizontally-placed Anderson connectors (to differentiate from the connector to the controller.)

Initial Fumbling:
Everything with regard to the motor seemed to be going along swimmingly. I was a bit confused about the use of the LED handlebar indicators that were also included in the package. Why would I need the LED handlebar indicators if I had the Cycle Analyst? Oh, I get it. The LED handlebar indicators also contain a kill switch – cool! After installing them before I read the manual (RTFM!), I finally realized that there is only one connector to the controller. It is either the Cycle Analyst or the LED handlebar indicators, not both. After feeling a bit foolish and chuckling a bit, I thought, "Okay, so how to turn off the system? Where is the kill switch?" Aha! There is no kill switch. But wait! Because there has to be a kill switch, right? There is one now. A trip to Industrial Liquidators in San Diego (http://www.industrialliquidators.com/) produced a $2 kill switch that resembles the switch for a 1960's vintage heating blanket. I just love Industrial Liquidators!

Love of Anderson:
I kept reading on endless-sphere about the wonders of Anderson connectors. Taking a cursory look at the Anderson connectors that were supplied on the controller, at first I must say that I was not that all impressed. The feeling turned to panic and despair when I could not find anyone in San Diego who sold the initially nonplused, now accursed devices. Finally, I found them at the Ham Radio Outlet (a.k.a. the Candy Store – http://www.hamradio.com/). As the knowledgeable salesperson explained the features and advantages of the devices, my initial misgivings quickly turned to wonder, admiration, joy and – dare I say it!? – love. Yes, love! For many years, I have been using nylon connectors for my stereo system on my bike. (Some call them "mollies" because one of the companies that produce is called "Molex.") They are problematic at best. When I realized the advantages of the Anderson connectors, I immediately envisioned a complete replacement program. I even bought the fancy, schmancy $40 crimper. My first crimp was nothing short of orgasmic. The crimper made them look as though they came out of an automated precision-tooled crimping machine, right off the state-of-the-art, robotic assembly line. I'm in love.

Maiden Voyage:
After mounting the wheel and running the cables, it was evident that I didn't have enough cable. Why didn't I measure first?! Ordered the two cable extensions from ebikes.ca. In the meanwhile, I was able to ride it up and down the block holding the controller in my left hand with the battery in a rear pannier. Uh, yes, this was never considered a long-term solution. Hey, it was only one time. Call it a "Proof of Concept" ride, if you will. Plus I was just couldn't wait to take it for a spin!

Positioning the Ping:
From the start, my greatest safety concern was securing the battery. Countless thanks to the many folks here on endless-sphere who have posted regarding this important (and possibly costly if not done correctly) undertaking. I scoured the auto parts, electronics, and hardware stores for appropriate boxes with no success. Okay, how ‘bout military surplus? Bingo! There were scads of surplus ammo boxes and equipment boxes of all sizes and shapes, some with very heavy gauge steel. I finally settled on a World War II era (or maybe Korean War?) tank ammo box which was perfect in every characteristic except for one. It was sturdy but not too heavy. It was just the right length and width. But aye! it was far too tall. Luckily, my cousin is a welder par excellence (along with just about everything else mechanical). He chopped out about 4 inches from the middle of the box and voila! The perfect battery box. The box now sits securely on the rear bike rack. The battery is secured within the box.

End Game:
The cables arrived and the finishing touches were put in place. I have been riding it 3 to 5 miles (5 to 8 kilometers) each day to "break in the battery" as has been recommended here. Riding the bike is a blast! It has more than enough power for me. In fact, via the Cycle Analyst, I set the amperage limit to 15 amps. Most importantly, thanks to the freewheel of the motor and the light weight of the battery, it is still relatively easy to pedal. That was the most important feature for me since I want and need the exercise. The bike will cruise wide-open-throttle at a bit under 20 mph (32 kph) without pedaling. With pedaling, it goes a bit over 20 mph (32 kph). I start off just pedaling and then at around 8 mph (13 kph), I hit the throttle. And the best part, I seem to be using about one-third of an amp for every mile (1.6 kilometer) I ride. My commute is 20 miles (32 kilometers) so even with the major hill at the end the ride, I should have plenty of juice to get me to work.

Again, many thanks to everyone on this forum for all your help. My new mistress is ready to serve me well. I look forward to riding her often!

[WonderProfessor]

Update:

So far, my new mistress has been serving me well for short distances. The longest we've been together has been less than 9 miles (15 km). She is a blast to ride. I have been pedaling to get up to around 10 mph (16 kph) and then using the motor to get up to around 20 mph (32 kph) at wide-open-throttle. When getting home, I can not discern any significant change in temperature in either the battery nor the motor. (I don't have a thermometer; I am just using my sense of touch.) Happily, I consistently seem to be getting a bit less than 3 miles (5 km) for every 1 amp-hour I use. Since my commute is 20 miles (32 km), I am certain that I will be able to easily make it to work in the morning. My first commute will occur this Friday. My mistress and I are ready for that first long trip together.

Here's my concern: The eZee motor is rated at 400 watts and at wide-open-throttle, the Cycle Analyst reports that we are almost always below that amount. However, when accelerating up to maximum speed or ascending a hill, it is typical to reach upwards of 700 watts. I have the maximum amps set to 15 so it should only be hitting 600 or so but there seems to be a lag before the Cycle Analyst instructs the controller to back down. From reading posts here, it seems that this is typical and not a cause for alarm. Is this correct?

As always, many thanks to everyone here for sharing all your valuable experience and advice.

[dogman]

Nice review. I loved the part about the andersons. I'd been using molexes too for thier avaliablility at radio shack. They pretty much suck. Finally I got some andersons along with some batteries from Ebikes ca. Wow, suddenly I understand the love. Powerwerx is my much cheaper source for andersons now. Get a box of 50 and yer set for quite some time. The covers are infinitely recycleable and the contacts dirt cheap.

Good work on boxing up the ping too, too many sob storys about the bungees that broke on the 2nd ride already.

For long rides, like the 20 miles you speak of, I can't recomend monitoring temperature strongly enough, regardless of climate if there is any long hills to climb. A ten buck automotive indoor outdoor thermometer is my solution. You can put the temp sensor on the end of the axle stub on the wire side, and cover it with a scrap of foam tape or cardboard, anything to cut the wind chill. The temp inside is about 40F above the temp on the axle stub. My advice is to slow down or better yet stop for 10 minuites if you see 130F on the axle stub.

Feeling the side covers doesn't cut it with gearmotors. One of my smoked motors felt cool on the cover just seconds before the stinking smoke billowed out of the roasted motor. The construction of a gearmotor doesn't allow the heat to transfer to the outer case very fast, so the motor can be really hot inside while the cover feels cool. The axle stub, on the other hand, has a much more direct metal to metal connection to the windings, and the heat will show up on the axle long before you get any warmth on the covers. So feel the axle if you don't have a thermometer on it.

I'm sure your bike is sound and ready for a daily 20 mile pounding, so let er rip and enjoy! I haven't gotten rid of my car, but I've cut it's yearly mileage in half. The days I drive now are only because its so hard to carry 200 pounds of lumber or 1000 pounds of cement on a bike. I will admit though, to driving the car to carry my bike to funner places to ride. Take a cruise down the PB boardwalk for me, and don't spare ogling the thongs. I really need to visit my bro in Lake Elsinore more.

[morph999]

Welcome to the club. I got tired of fixing my car...each time I fixed it, it'd be $1000 and those damn car guys would manipulate me into buying things that I didn't need. It only happened once but it made me feel like crap. I took the damn car in to get my gear shift fixed and they ended up fixing my clutch which WASN'T EVEN BROKEN. I was so mad that I said the hell with this stupid car. I got me an electric bike.

I carry a 14lb 12 mm Onguard Chain in the triangle frame of my bike. Lots of people said that I wouldn't be able to carry a chain that big but I've proved everyone wrong. It just barely fits in a Nashbar triangle frame bag in the mid-section of my bike. I don't even notice that it's there anymore.

[WonderProfessor]

For long rides, like the 20 miles you speak of, I can't recomend monitoring temperature strongly enough, regardless of climate if there is any long hills to climb.

Well, my first day of extended riding was a splendid success! I rode the 20 miles (32 km) to work in about 1 hour and 20 minutes averaging almost 17 mph (27 kph). I checked the axle and battery temperatures several times. I could discern no temperature increase in the battery. The axle was just slightly above my skin temperature -- barely able to notice a difference. Very cool! (No pun intended.) I only used a bit over 8 amp-hours to travel the 20 miles.

I took the long way home -- 37 miles (59 km). I only used 12.7 amp-hours and again, no noticeable increase in temperature. I'm a happy man.

I'm sure your bike is sound and ready for a daily 20 mile pounding, so let er rip and enjoy! I haven't gotten rid of my car, but I've cut it's yearly mileage in half. The days I drive now are only because its so hard to carry 200 pounds of lumber or 1000 pounds of cement on a bike.

I won't be getting rid of my car, either -- at least not any time soon. But I do hope to reduce my car mileage by at least half, hopefully more. I am also a registered financial representative (a.k.a. stockbroker) and I just can't ride up on my electric bike to most of my clients. (A few won't mind, to be sure.)

Take a cruise down the PB boardwalk for me, and don't spare ogling the thongs. I really need to visit my bro in Lake Elsinore more.

Just got back! And your admonition regarding spying the available scenery was taken very much to heart. Do come visit soon and be sure to PM me when you are in town -- would be happy to get together.

I got tired of fixing my car...each time I fixed it, it'd be $1000 and those damn car guys would manipulate me into buying things that I didn't need. It only happened once but it made me feel like crap. I took the damn car in to get my gear shift fixed and they ended up fixing my clutch which WASN'T EVEN BROKEN. I was so mad that I said the hell with this stupid car. I got me an electric bike.

The American economy will have a difficult time adjusting to the loss of the outsized profits that come from the American public owning and operating cars. But adjust we must. We have no choice. (http://www.postcarbon.com/)

[dogman]

We used to visit every year, in July, do a little boogie boarding, and some windurfing at the hilton. Then we bought a hot air balloon and all the money went away. It was worth it, but I haven't been to So Cal in years now.

Your motor won't likley get real hot unless you ride full throttle, or climb big hills.

[DahonElectric]

Update:

So far, my new mistress has been serving me well for short distances. The longest we've been together has been less than 9 miles (15 km). She is a blast to ride. I have been pedaling to get up to around 10 mph (16 kph) and then using the motor to get up to around 20 mph (32 kph) at wide-open-throttle. When getting home, I can not discern any significant change in temperature in either the battery nor the motor. (I don't have a thermometer; I am just using my sense of touch.) Happily, I consistently seem to be getting a bit less than 3 miles (5 km) for every 1 amp-hour I use. Since my commute is 20 miles (32 km), I am certain that I will be able to easily make it to work in the morning. My first commute will occur this Friday. My mistress and I are ready for that first long trip together.

Here's my concern: The eZee motor is rated at 400 watts and at wide-open-throttle, the Cycle Analyst reports that we are almost always below that amount. However, when accelerating up to maximum speed or ascending a hill, it is typical to reach upwards of 700 watts. I have the maximum amps set to 15 so it should only be hitting 600 or so but there seems to be a lag before the Cycle Analyst instructs the controller to back down. From reading posts here, it seems that this is typical and not a cause for alarm. Is this correct?

As always, many thanks to everyone here for sharing all your valuable experience and advice.

Actually, if you have a 48v Ping and your controller is set to 15A max, then the total peak power the motor can generate is 720 watts (48v x 15A), so it is no surprise. My 9C was initially set to 20A max (20A controller) and was getting like 685W to 580W during acceleration, climbing and fighting a head wind. After setting it down to 10A, it's averaging around 350W for a 500W motor, but the accelerating is slower, hill climbing maxed out at 25kph as opposed to 32kph and battery endurance has increased. Since you own an eZee motor, why not try out using the cruise control function of the Cycle Analyst?

Currently set my Cycle Analyst to do cruise control with my 9C and it works really well without manually and variably adjusting the throttle on the long stretch of the highway.

DE.

[WonderProfessor]

Actually, if you have a 48v Ping and your controller is set to 15A max, then the total peak power the motor can generate is 720 watts (48v x 15A), so it is no surprise. My 9C was initially set to 20A max (20A controller) and was getting like 685W to 580W during acceleration, climbing and fighting a head wind. After setting it down to 10A, it's averaging around 350W for a 500W motor, but the accelerating is slower, hill climbing maxed out at 25kph as opposed to 32kph and battery endurance has increased. Since you own an eZee motor, why not try out using the cruise control function of the Cycle Analyst?

Actually, the battery is rated at 36-volts at 20 amp-hours. I read through the manual for the Cycle Analyst and found something that discussed setting a maximum speed limit but it didn't say anything about cruise control. Is that the cruise control you were talking about? Does that mean you have to still hold down the throttle but the Cycle Analyst will make sure you don't go above the set speed limit? When people talk about cruise control, they normally talk about the cruise control on cars where you do not have to hold down the accelerator.

[DahonElectric]

36v x 20 w = 720watts. There is always a lag time with the CA because the 3 limiting features if I read correctly is controlled by the digital Proportional/Integral controller (PI Controller on page 13 on your manual version 2.0)which basically means that as you throttle up the bike first, CA computes the values based on your gain sections and then compare its over-ride voltage vs the throttle voltage and then takes control of your bike when one of the limits are exceeded. I find that if you half the discharge value of your battery as your max amps, then you give CA more time to react as I found out, but you loose peak power during the initial acceleration or hill climbing.

Coming back to cruise control is yes, you need to hold the throttle on 100% and let CA drift the speed based on your optimal speed set point. Since my 9c is capable of 40km/h, I simply set it to 35km/h and let CA maintain 35km/h. You'll notice that there is an initial brief surge of power on the watt meter indicator, but once it reaches cruising speed, you will feel a slight tug as though you tap on the brakes and then from there, the watt meter hovers from, in my case, 70w to 450w depending on terrain, hill or head wind. So instead of you varying the throttle to get the same effect, you let CA do it for you.
You need to keep holding the throttle at maximum setting all the time which is the downside. I'm formulating a plan to install a throttle on switch that simulates full throttle on so I don't have to keep holding the throttle, but I need to implement a kill switch that is activated by the brake lever to disable the throttle signal in the event that I want to disable the cruise control function immediately.

[WonderProfessor]

Greetings, Friends. Do I have a poser for all of you! Of course, I am confident that you will have your collective finger on the pulse of the matter immediately.

Watt's Up? Watt's Down! Watt's Going On?

Review: The EZ-1 recumbent has eZee 20" rear-wheel, geared, free-wheeled motor with a 36-volt, 20-amp-hour Ping battery. It has over 1,000 miles in 10 weeks of riding a 40 mile round-trip commute twice a week. On the way home, the first two miles are a long downhill. The rest is normally fairly flat. Normally, when the motor is not engaged, it is silent. (That is because of the free-wheel, right?). On Monday, as I started the downhill glide, I noticed that the motor was making the noise it normally makes only when engaged, except it was at a much higher pitch because I was flying down the hill at over 30 mph. I immediately thought something was wrong. I looked down at the CycleAnalyst and the watts read over -400 watts! The amp-hours were going down! The system was regenerating! I stopped the bike immediately. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. I had not changed anything. I did not know what to do so I just decided to continue on my merry way. As I continued down the hill, the system continued to regenerate electricity until I had gotten to the bottom.

The rest of the ride was fairly uneventful until I got to another downhill. (This was not my normal ride home.) Again, the system began regenerating again and then toward the bottom of the hill, it stopped and the motor ceased the high-pitch whine. Today, on the normal 40-mile commute, there was no regeneration.

Okay, so my question is: What happened? I thought free-wheeled, geared motors did not regenerate electricity. Did the free-wheel seize? Should I contact Justin at ebikes.ca and say something? Or should I consider it a feature and keep my mouth shut and hope it happens again downhill? Am I doing any harm to the system? (I am reluctant to contact Justin if it is not a serious issue because I have already certified myself as a Grade-AAA Flake asking him questions about the charger that I forgot I had received with the battery from Ping!)

Any and all help is appreciated!

[dogman]

I'd contact Justin immediately. Sounds like the freewheel is stuck to me. I'd hate to have some broken bit of metal cause the wheel to lock!

[WonderProfessor]

Almost 1,600 miles (2575 km) on my EZ-1 with a 36-volt, 20-amp Ping V2.5 battery and eZee 20" rear hub motor! (Five and a half months of usage.)

I have yet another stupid question for the esteemed members here. I just received a second battery charger to keep at work. I have run out of 15-amp Anderson connectors and have some extra 30-amp Anderson connectors. I am pretty sure I know the answer to this question is, "Yes," but I want to ask it anyway just in case. Can I use the 30-amp connectors for the charger with the 15-amp connectors connected to the battery? They seem to fit okay. (The charger is only rated at 2.5 amp.) It makes sense that you can use something that has a higher amperage rating.

Many Thanks For All Responses!

[evblazer]

In my experience yes the only difference is where the wire comes in. I also just checked http://www.powerwerx.com/anderson-powerpoles/powerpole-sets/ and they say they are fully interchangable.

DId you ever get that freewheel sorted out?

[WonderProfessor]

DId you ever get that freewheel sorted out?

Many thanks for the link!

Yes, I did. Well, I guess I did. I called Justin. His suspicions were the same as DogMan's. He said he would replace it immediately but he also said that it was likely that the motor was just "breaking in" and that it may not ever happen again. (At least, that is what I think I remember he said -- something along those lines.) Since I really did not want to send it back, he suggested that I just keep using it and see if it failed or worked itself out. It never has happened again. That was over 700 miles ago.

I am already in the dreaming / thinking / planning stages of my second e-bike. Does anyone have one of the new 60-volt Ping batteries yet? Any information or reviews about these available?

[WonderProfessor]

Ah, Dear Friends, Hello and a Happy New Year to Everyone! Although it has been a while since last you have heard anything about my splendid e-bike, that does not mean that it was forgotten and not being used. On the contrary, I have over 3,000 miles on my new mistress and have loved every minute ... up until just last week, that is. Therefore, once again I come asking succor and aid in time of need. Here are the bizarre symptoms:

The bike starts off just fine but after a mile or less, the CycleAnalyst will reset as if someone turned the power off and then back on again immediately. This happens intermittently, sometimes often, sometimes seldom. All of a sudden, with the throttle still open (sometimes wide open, other times not), even though the voltage does not change, the wattage goes to zero and there is no power going to the motor (or so it seems). After this happens a few times, the power will eventually return but the maximum amps will seem to be stuck at 5 amps and the maximum wattage is stuck at 200 watts.

The 36-volt, 20-amp, version 2.5 Ping LiFePO4 battery seems to be fine. The battery charges, the BMS lights all light up, and the CycleAnalyst always shows plenty of voltage. The CycleAnalyst has always been set to a maximum of 15 amps. I went through the CycleAnalyst setup and everything seemed fine.

I really do not know what the problem is and I am not sure how to troubleshoot the problem. I was thinking of disconnecting the CycleAnalyst and seeing if the symptoms persist. With my limited knowledge of electronics, I am really not sure what else I can do. I do not think the problem is with the battery, either. I haven't checked the battery with my multi-meter yet but I am pretty sure that the voltage will read fine, just as the CycleAnalyst said. I do not know how to put a strong load on the battery (other than to use the bike). I think the problem may be the controller and I intend to write Justin at ebikes.ca but I do not know how to test the controller. Here is the kit I installed in the summer of 2009: http://ebikes.ca/store/store_ezee.php

Any ideas, thoughts, similar problems, etc. would be most appreciated. Many Thanks in Advance!

Your Humble Brother-in-Arms,

WonderProfessor

[www.recumbents.com]

If the CA is going to 0V and resetting, that probably means you have a loose connection. It may be your wiring between the CA and the battery, or it may be inside the battery. Your bike has little bitty wheels and no suspension so after 3000 miles something may have vibrated loose.

-Warren.

[Gordo]

Perhaps one of your anderson's are not making a good connection? Perhaps you have a little corrosion? Look for something mechanical first. A duff controller will seldom heal itself unless there is a cold solder joint in it.

[WonderProfessor]

Aye! I forgot to give thanks to the members who offered suggestions and to follow-up on the problems in the hopes that they will help others in the future. There were two separate problems.

The first problem was the controller had indeed failed. eBikes.ca told me that a scant few of these controllers were prone to this problem and sent me a new one. The new controller has been working flawlessly.

The second problem was indeed a loose connection but it was difficult to find. I finally thought to disassemble the kill switch. The metal connectors were blackened. I removed the corrosion and have not had a problem since. I want to replace the current kill switch. (It is a 1950's-style AC on/off switch that would be found on devices such as electric blankets.) I think the problem is this device was never meant to be bounced around constantly as www.recumbents.com noted. I need to find something more robust.

Again, thanks for all your help!

[chvidgov.bc.ca]

I just bought at Sun EZ1-SX and I'm running a 2805 9C in a 20 inch wheel on the front, after I replaced the fork with a 20" Sun Fork that I got earlier to use on my Raleigh 20's front fork. It makes the bike a bit faster and a bit more recumbent than in the 16" wheel format as the bottom bracket is raised more than the seat. I would definitely recommend that you aquire the "mid-rack" (HostelShoppe) which is a Sun product which puts a rack on both sides right under the seat. That is a most excellent location for carrying batteries. in panniers, better than off the back. Plus I have a milk crate on the back zip tied to the seat struts. The racks are about sixty bucks. There is a bit of wheel flop with the 20" front wheel, but that is offset with a Mirrycle mirror on each bar end, the extra weight reduces flop a bit. It is a very sweet ride, with my small Headway pack 48V 10Ahr, nice and light, but able to deliver 30 amps real quick - definitely friskier than the Pings I have as well. The 20/20 Sun Ez1 is a great all purpose urban bike, for distances to 40 miles. Beyond that your butt might get a bit tired.