Hello All, Voltman here - my first post, thanks for your patience.
I'm about four years into my electric recumbent BikeE (rear shock version). It's a near-perfect machine for "electrifying". Less happily, the BC coast in winter is not kind to Chinese hub motors. I've gone through two Cry'lites and now my 9C has also similarly turned to rust. After getting my pics, ebikes.ca now recommends storing ebikes indoors over NW Coast winters. Sorry. No can do without extending and enclosing my mud room and building a ramp. May have to, yet...)
Speaking of accommodation, while parked in my unheated, 1-side tarped shed, I drape a Harley cover over the front end of the bike and fairing and run a dehumidifier under this drape. Not good enough. The light bulb I used to hang near the hub before seemed to work better. But not 100%, alas...
Once again, I'll be using my trusty (ebay) puller to prise open and drain (!) my 9C. Next I use an electric palm sander (!!)to take the rust off those flat plate stator thingies. No fear. Works great. Then I apply a heat gun (carefully!) to those moist innards until dry. This time, I am going to paint everything within reach with red varnish lacquer (ebay again) used to seal windings in alternators, etc. This ought to help. I hope. (Hint: To avoid crushed fingers and wrecked magnets, use the puller again to slowly and gently re-seat the motor into the hub.)
Yes, I've sealed both covers with silicon and gooped the wires. I've also drilled a single drain hole in the motor cover to "let the water out." (Don't try this in your boat!) A bit of electrical tape seals the drain hole while riding in the wet. If I can ever remember to park the bike with the drain hole exposed and facing down, this might - might - help. Otherwise, I will have to dismount the 9C (or replacement) front hub motor and store it indoors between rides. (Ugh!) A friend with a BMC V2 stored in his wooden shed is still riding with no problems. Expensive. And still iffy. But I'm watching. Recycled my carbon-burner in favour of electric transport, so I really need my ride.
Hope this helps. I hugely appreciate all the advice I've gleaned from these forums. THANK YOU ALL! -Voltman
(Moderator edit: Split this off from Kingfish's rust removal thread,
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=34135
becuase this one is a different method and should have it's own thread. If the title I gave it is not what you want, feel free to edit the subject of this post and it will change it for you, or post what you want it to be and I'll change it for you)
I'm about four years into my electric recumbent BikeE (rear shock version). It's a near-perfect machine for "electrifying". Less happily, the BC coast in winter is not kind to Chinese hub motors. I've gone through two Cry'lites and now my 9C has also similarly turned to rust. After getting my pics, ebikes.ca now recommends storing ebikes indoors over NW Coast winters. Sorry. No can do without extending and enclosing my mud room and building a ramp. May have to, yet...)
Speaking of accommodation, while parked in my unheated, 1-side tarped shed, I drape a Harley cover over the front end of the bike and fairing and run a dehumidifier under this drape. Not good enough. The light bulb I used to hang near the hub before seemed to work better. But not 100%, alas...
Once again, I'll be using my trusty (ebay) puller to prise open and drain (!) my 9C. Next I use an electric palm sander (!!)to take the rust off those flat plate stator thingies. No fear. Works great. Then I apply a heat gun (carefully!) to those moist innards until dry. This time, I am going to paint everything within reach with red varnish lacquer (ebay again) used to seal windings in alternators, etc. This ought to help. I hope. (Hint: To avoid crushed fingers and wrecked magnets, use the puller again to slowly and gently re-seat the motor into the hub.)
Yes, I've sealed both covers with silicon and gooped the wires. I've also drilled a single drain hole in the motor cover to "let the water out." (Don't try this in your boat!) A bit of electrical tape seals the drain hole while riding in the wet. If I can ever remember to park the bike with the drain hole exposed and facing down, this might - might - help. Otherwise, I will have to dismount the 9C (or replacement) front hub motor and store it indoors between rides. (Ugh!) A friend with a BMC V2 stored in his wooden shed is still riding with no problems. Expensive. And still iffy. But I'm watching. Recycled my carbon-burner in favour of electric transport, so I really need my ride.
Hope this helps. I hugely appreciate all the advice I've gleaned from these forums. THANK YOU ALL! -Voltman
(Moderator edit: Split this off from Kingfish's rust removal thread,
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=34135
becuase this one is a different method and should have it's own thread. If the title I gave it is not what you want, feel free to edit the subject of this post and it will change it for you, or post what you want it to be and I'll change it for you)