Your favorite Kit

[Jacques]

What was your favorite kit and/or a kit you would recommend for a first time ebike builder?

 

[wesnewell]

I bought this one 3 years and over 11K miles ago. More info on it- http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=49638
http://www.ebay.com/itm/48V1000W-26-Rear-Wheel-Electric-Bicycle-Motor-Kit-E-Bike-Cycling-Hub-Conversion-/291092737889
If buying today I'd probably go for this one simply because it's comes disc brake compatible and it's cheaper.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/26-Electric-Bike-Bicycle-Motor-Conversion-Kit-eBike-Rear-Wheel-48V-1000W-/370934929537

The battery I'd use would depend on the range I wanted. But it would be 12s rc lipo from HK. There are lots of lithium battery choices. I would never use SLA.

 

[dogman dan]

Cost not mattering, E-BikeKit.com, for noobs.

Best kit for experienced folks would come from Grin.

That's for a person in North America.

 

[Jacques]

wesnewell, is this the battery you were suggesting?

https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__26789__Turnigy_nano_tech_A_SPEC_5000mah_12S_65_130C_Lipo_Pack_.html

I only ask because that seems like a super reasonable, almost unbelievable price for a 5AH, 65C battery. Most of the batteries I've looked at have been $500-1000 for less continuous current.

 

[wesnewell]

No. I was thinking like 2 of these hooked in series for 12s. 20C is more than enough and a heck of a lot cheaper.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=16207

 

[wineboyrider]

I now have the same or similar kit that wesnewell uses and love it. However, if I were too spring for another kit it would be a bafang bbs02 as I love through the gears mid drive kits. I had a cyclone, but I hammered the gears and ran it hard and the maintenance issues on it at over 1200 watts was too much time for me to manage considering how many miles I drive.

 

[teslanv]

Even cheaper HK LiPo:

String (3) 4S Hardcase Packs together for 12S.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__15521__Turnigy_5000mAh_4S1P_14_8v_20C_hardcase_pack.html

 

[Jacques]

I'm a noob. So this might be a stupid question.

How would I string them together, and what kind of charger would be compatible?

 

[cal3thousand]

I'm a noob. So this might be a stupid question.

How would I string them together, and what kind of charger would be compatible?

If you're a noob, skip teslanv's suggestion. Batteries are not the area to cheap out on unless you have the knowledge and skill to mitigate the inherent risks.

 

[teslanv]

"String together" was a poor choice of words on my part.

If you want to learn more about DC electricity and batteries in general, research Series & Parallel connections.

My previous post is referring to connecting three 4S batteries in a serial (series) connection.

 

[spinningmagnets]

I haven't had one of these yet, but they have been tried by many builders with good reports all around:

MAC 10T rear-wheel geared hub at 48V providing 26-MPH with very good hill-climbing. I would limit the controller to 30A, and choose em3ev.com's large triangle pack using the standard Samsung 22P cell.

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=36&product_id=138
http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=123

If you put it on a hardtail bike, next purchase saved up for would be a Thudbuster suspension seat-post (or the Tamer/Suntour?), and next after that is a Cycle Analyst. For trouble-shooting get a cheap digital multi-meter and a spare throttle. If you have a few bucks extra to spend get a 6-FET Lyen sensorless controller as a back-up and also used as a trouble-shooting device.

http://www.electricbike.com/suspension-seat-posts/
http://www.ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/cycle-analyst-3.html

 

[wesnewell]

I'm a noob. So this might be a stupid question.

How would I string them together, and what kind of charger would be compatible?

Almost rc lipo packs from HK come with main connectors that can break apart, so you simply plug the neg of one into the pos of the next until you get the cell count you want. the 4s packs are real cheap, but present a small problem to charge as a full 12s pack as it leaves you with 3 4s balance plugs and 12s chargers only have 2 balance ports. I got around this by making adapter cables to turn those 3 4s plugs into 2 6s plugs. But it's much easier to just get 2 6s packs. I built a 24s2p pack so I saved considerable by doing so. For a 5ah pack you won't save that much. As for charging with an rc charger, I'd recommend a 12s charger like the Thunder 1220, But with only a 5ah pack, it would be easy to parallel charge them with a 6s charger too. See this for some wiring.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=39666

 

[mark5]

I'm a noob. So this might be a stupid question.

How would I string them together, and what kind of charger would be compatible?

You string them together like this (picture, three 4s packs).

 

[tomtom123]

I'm a noob. So this might be a stupid question.

How would I string them together, and what kind of charger would be compatible?

You string them together like this (picture, three 4s packs).

The negative and positive wires on these lipos come ready to be connected to each other, or do i have to modify them somehow to do what you did in that picture?

also i seen people replace the normal connectors with anderson cause they say they can run more amps through the wire that way. how much amps do the stock wire allow on this lipo, does anyone know?

 

[mark5]

I'm a noob. So this might be a stupid question.

How would I string them together, and what kind of charger would be compatible?

You string them together like this (picture, three 4s packs).

The negative and positive wires on these lipos come ready to be connected to each other, or do i have to modify them somehow to do what you did in that picture?

The wires are joined together by the plastic housing shown here. Just separate them with a utility knife.

 

[dogman dan]

FWIW, I meant the E-BikeKit with battery for a total noob.

Or the kit with battery from EM3ev is not a bad choice either.

Read a lot of "you'll burn your house down" threads before you decide on lico.

 

[Jacques]

I haven't had one of these yet, but they have been tried by many builders with good reports all around:

MAC 10T rear-wheel geared hub at 48V providing 26-MPH with very good hill-climbing. I would limit the controller to 30A, and choose em3ev.com's large triangle pack using the standard Samsung 22P cell.

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=36&product_id=138
http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=123

I've seen a couple posters on here say they like the MAC motor. The kit is a very reasonable price for a first time buyer as well. I only see a 36V option for the motor, though. Wouldn't it wear out the 36V motor running it at 48V? Also, the Samsung 22P cell might be a little bit of over kill for me. The battery is rated at 2C and 25AH, so putting a 30A controller on it would seriously limit the battery.

What if I got the 48V 13S Samsung battery at the 29E option that is rated for a 25A controller?

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=161

Also, to the guys who suggest the Lipo batteries from Hobby King. I would love to put my own battery kit together, but I am pretty nervous about the hazardous side of those batteries. This being my first time, I feel more comfortable going with a safer option until I lurk here enough to get my feet wet on the subject.

 

[dogman dan]

You can run 48v on those Mac's, but it's likely that gears last longer with less watts, at 36v.

If you use the lower amps controllers, you can use a smaller, less expensive battery. But other than the cost and the weight, you can never really have too much. But if you will not ride far or use high amps, then the small one should work fine.

Paul has done a great job of matching his battery to the kits. Many other vendors gleefully sell you a too weak battery that cannot last with a kit.

 

[Drunkskunk]

I've seen a couple posters on here say they like the MAC motor. The kit is a very reasonable price for a first time buyer as well. I only see a 36V option for the motor, though. Wouldn't it wear out the 36V motor running it at 48V? Also, the Samsung 22P cell might be a little bit of over kill for me. The battery is rated at 2C and 25AH, so putting a 30A controller on it would seriously limit the battery.

The options are for the controller, 36 volts to 52 volts for most, and one option for a 36 volt to 72 volt controller. The motor can take what ever you feed it.

A 25AH battery pack with a 2C rating would be able to handle up to a 50 amp controller. The smallest size of that pack, the 17.5AH pack would be able to handle a 30 amp controller

Steer clear of Lipo if you aren't highly skilled in electronics. They offer a cheap and light solutin to the power problem, and burn down your house when you get something slightly wrong. There have been plenty of members here who have had fires.

 

[ronnbot]

9C (72V) kit with the cool Cycle Analyst for me from ebikes.ca. As for batteries, got 8x 4S 5Ah hardpacks from HK. I'm an e-bike noob (but not new to brushless systems and lipos) so I found the CA to be really useful. Also, I liked dealing with a local supplier (ebikes.ca physical store is a few minutes ride from my work), especially when needing to replace some components or buy small stuff.

 

[Jacques]

So I have one last question about the MAC kit from EM3ev.

They have a couple of options for motor speed. All of which are at different RPM and T levels. I assume that the higher the RPM the faster the bike can go, but what does the 12T, 10T, 8T mean and how does that affect the speed of the bike?

 

[Geebee]

If you go to his pick and mix it shows the effect of Turns of wire on the stator clearly.
36v 8T = 320 rpm
36v 10T =255 rpm
36v 12T =200 rpm
The higher the turns the greater the torque and lower the rpm (speed)
8T would be fast on the flat but struggle on steeper hills the 12 T would be slow on the flat and climb steep hills well
Also if using a 20" you would want a lower turn count to get adequate speed.

 

[dogman dan]

10t seems to be the choice of most for 26" wheels.

Slower 12t is needed for specific applications, where grinding up a steep hill is desired, or for other reasons you actually want to limit top speeds a lot.

The faster the motor, the less efficient it will be in stop and go conditions. So unless you have long rides between stop signs, 10t works better than 8t. Just run the 10t on 48v for enough speed for most people.

10t will climb hills fine too, 12t would be for more extreme slopes, like mine or logging roads. The 10t will have no problems climbing 10% grades.

 

[RLD70]

I have the GM PRO 901 which is basically the same thing that is sold on eBay and Amazon and the 10T MAC and I wouldnt trade the MAC for anything.

 

[deffx]

I have the GM PRO 901 which is basically the same thing that is sold on eBay and Amazon and the 10T MAC and I wouldnt trade the MAC for anything.

Agreed, I have a crystalyte 408 DD, and a Mac 8t, and the Mac kicks arse.

This is using reasonable voltage and amps, 15s 60v and 40A

though the 408 is silent, I kinda like the macs super charge whine and it's weight