Liberty Trike controller upgrade

[icrude]

Hey everyone, so I have the libertytrike, and we are trying to change the controller to go from 36v to 48v because this thing is limited to 12mph. I’ve attached some photos of the original setup and motor connector. I got a new controller (link attached) and have the three main wires hooked up for the motor (green yellow blue) but the motor doesn’t want to work. We aren’t completely sure how to wire the throttle up. It has red, black, green, blue, and yellow but the new controller only has black white and red for throttle. The original blue and yellow we think is for the reverse which we don’t need those. So we tried red to red, black to black, and green to white. The motor does seem to be getting power because it locks up when we twist the throttle. So I’m not sure if there is something obvious we’re missing. We didn’t wire up the hall wires (does that matter). Any ideas would be appreciated.

Amazon.com

 

[icrude]

Wow you guys are incredible. Works!

 

[icrude]

For some reason, now that I wired it up more permanently, when I touch the learning wires together, it either rolls forward or back, but after I disconnect the learning wires the throttle no longer works. I’ve got all wires connected, I connect the battery (theft alarm is connected to battery positive), and I just connect the learning wires to turn everything on right?

 

[E-HP]

For some reason, now that I wired it up more permanently, when I touch the learning wires together, it either rolls forward or back, but after I disconnect the learning wires the throttle no longer works. I’ve got all wires connected, I connect the battery (theft alarm is connected to battery positive), and I just connect the learning wires to turn everything on right?

The two sequences I've seen are: turn on the controller, connect the learning wires, if it spins in the right direction disconnect the learning wires and shut off the controller and you're done; if it spins the wrong way, disconnect and reconnect the learning wires and it should reverse. If so, then disconnect, power off and you're done. The other sequence is the same, except if the motor spins the wrong direction, you blip the throttle and it should reverse, then disconnect, power off and you're done.
Note that throttle wiring sequence is also something not standardized, so the +5V, ground, and signal wires can be in a different order between the throttle and controller.

 

[icrude]

Ok, strange, no matter what sequence I do now I have no throttle.

 

[eee291]

The throttle was working before? Maybe you've got the wrong plug or the throttle died
Do you have a second throttle to test or maybe a multi meter?

 

[icrude]

Does it matter that the door lock is always wired to the positive battery terminal? Or
Do I have to plug in battery, THEN attach the door lock wire?

 

[E-HP]

Does it matter that the door lock is always wired to the positive battery terminal? Or
Do I have to plug in battery, THEN attach the door lock wire?

Most folks put a switch between the door lock wire and the battery positive.

 

[calab]

Most folks put a switch between the door lock wire and the battery positive.

I like to hardwire mine but they key option is great, like the half twist with the key option and voltage display. Over the years you get a feel for the battery strength as you ride, so no need for any gauges.

 

[icrude]

Since this controller didn’t come with a screen, is there an easy way to have something to show my the battery voltage so I know the charge rate while I’m riding?

 

[eee291]

Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Tbest-Electric-Digital-Battery-Voltmeter/dp/B07SGBDL3D/ref=sr_1_6?crid=15AJHIGF5PUH3&keywords=48v+battery+meter+ebike&qid=1692831144&sprefix=48v+battery+meter+ebike%2Caps%2C338&sr=8-6

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=48v+battery+meter&crid=1F7KP036JMB2V&sprefix=48v+batter%2Caps%2C309&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_4_10

 

[icrude]

Ahhhh today is not my day. We rode the bike for a while and it was doing good. Then it died. Only after like 3 miles with a full charge. Disconnected the battery and it read 49.3v which should be enough right? Plugged the battery back in after like 5 min and it works fine now. Any ideas?

 

[amberwolf]

Does "died" mean shut off, no power? Or just no assist, but still turned on?

 

[icrude]

Well I don’t have a screen anymore but it seemed dead. I unplugged the battery and reconnected and didn’t hear a jolt like I usually do. I think a cell may be bad….

 

[icrude]

I noticed my controller is 26-32 amps but my battery maximum discharge rate is 30amps. Could the controller been trying to pull too much from the battery which shut it off?

 

[Chalo]

I noticed my controller is 26-32 amps but my battery maximum discharge rate is 30amps. Could the controller been trying to pull too much from the battery which shut it off?

Possibly, but not likely. BMSes will usually exceed their rating until there's a physical limitation.

 

[icrude]

Amazon.com

A 26-32 amp controller should be ok you think with this battery?

 

[docw009]

I have a bad feeling about any $229 battery that claims to be 48V20AH. They claim 13S-7P which means 7 cells in a parallel group, and 13 of these groups. To get 30 amps, you need about 4.5A per cell. The battery can probably do that for a little while,

What was the voltage when you started out on your ride? If it was a full charged battery, it should have been above 54 volts. The exact max is 54.6V. If it's reading 49V after 3 miles, you used up about half the capacity unless you started it at a lower voltage,

 

[amberwolf]

Based on the linked battery in your other thread

Battery percentage for aftermarket battery?

Hey everyone, I bought this battery on Amazon and would like to know the battery percentage when I’m riding. Is that possible? I can get a voltage screen but don’t know how to program it for 100%, 75%, 50%, etc. I literally don’t know what voltage would make the bike shutoff meaning that would...

endless-sphere.com

I'd guess the battery itself is not capable of doing what you need it to. See the linked post for details.

 

[icrude]

So if we rode up and down hills for miles and the bike did fine, the bike shut down randomly not even under full throttle and on a flat road, would you guess the battery is just bad vs the controller being too powerful?

 

[eee291]

My theory is that the battery is experiencing significant voltage sag under load.
It is just barely able to supply the current when fully charged, but at ~49V
the sag is bad enough that the bms under voltage protection gets triggered.
After is sits for about half a minute it enables the output again.

 

[icrude]

voltage sag because the controller is too powerful or battery is just bad? I just remembered the battery did this a few weeks ago when we had the stock 20amp controller in as well....

 

[eee291]

You'd have to measure the voltage while riding to be 100% sure.

 

[icrude]

Sorry to be a pain, but I guess what I'm trying to figure out is...did I get a controller too powerful even if I am able to get this battery replaced? Or if I get a new battery with the same specs should it be able to keep up? Keep in mind the only riding we do is casual around the neighborhood...

 

[E-HP]

Sorry to be a pain, but I guess what I'm trying to figure out is...did I get a controller too powerful even if I am able to get this battery replaced? Or if I get a new battery with the same specs should it be able to keep up? Keep in mind the only riding we do is casual around the neighborhood...

You can ask the question over an over, but if you want a response that's not just speculation, you need to provide some actual data, as eee291 stated.
There's no such thing as a controller that's too powerful, since the controller doesn't create power, it takes energy from the battery and converts it into a form that the motor can utilize. It can limit the amount of power it takes from the battery or the amount of power it delivers to the motor, and many can adjust the limits that protect the battery and/or motor from harm. Otherwise, the battery will give as much as it can give, and the motor will take as much as it can take.
As others have mentioned, my guess is that the battery isn't up to the task at hand, and likely can't deliver what the specs state.
Based on your description of "died" and "jolt" (or it's non-existence), the BMS shutdown the battery.

 

[icrude]

I’m sorry, I’m not trying to ask the same question….I guess what I don’t understand is while the bms may have been tripped this time, a few weeks ago with my stock 20amp controller the same thing happened. Would the bms be tripped on this 30amp bms battery on a controller that’s only rated for 20 amps? (And if I asked the same thing again I’m very sorry)