Anyone using a Currie motor - advice please

[Yamaha1]

Hi - newbe on here, from England. Have just bought an Izip CB26 electric bike - I know it's only an entry level machine - but it seems well made, but very heavy, with it's steel frame and SLA 24v 12Ah batteries - but I am enjoying it. I will add that I'm aproaching 68 - and weigh about 200lbs.

I have already been delving into the electrics to fit a Turnigy watt meter, which seems to be working well.

I did notice that the wiring to the 200W Currie motor seemed very light - the controller is rated at 20A - but the wiring to the motor (as it came from Currie) definately wouldn't handle 20A !!
If my calculations are correct - 200W motor, running on 24V should take 8A ish on full load - but I am concerned that the voltage drop on those thin cables would be excessive - even at 8A !!

Am I being paranoid? I just can't figure why they would use such thin cabling for a traction motor.

I notice the motor cable goes into the motor alongside a metal plate, retained by 4 screws - if I did decide to rewire it with heavier cable, is it safe to remove this plate to get to the connections? Don't want the motor falling apart 'cause I removed the screws!!

Any comments gratefully received - even ribbing for my choice of bike if you like !!!

Mike

 

[dumbass]

I have 2 EZips (US versions with 450w 24v motors with 35a controllers) and don't worry about the wiring it will be fine.

 

[Kurt]

Welcome to ES,

The wiring is on the thin side but i think you will find the insulation on the wire is very thin giving the impression that the wire is undersized. You remove the rear cover but its a little tricky to put back on as the brushes are spring loaded. So you need to place some tape to hold them back in there sleeve.Then you can slip the cover back over the commutator and remove the tape letting the brushes spring forward. Anyhow if you want to upgrade the wire you could but at this stage its not necessary. I was pumping over 1000w into one and then two of the motors without changing the wire.I think in the end I did upgrade the wire but joined it just before it went into the motor plate as the bottle neck effect isn't so bad over a very short distance.

Befor pic

After pic

I good indication if the wiring isn't up to the job is to measure the temperature of it before and after a ride.

Can you post some pics of your bike? I had the same bike i think as my first ebike. I still use my Izip frame but have changed the motor,battery's,controller,forks,brakes, and wheels, almost everything over the past couple of years But the frame its self I really like as its very strong and a comfortable size.

Bike as it is today

You should enjoy your bike as it is and there is plenty you can do to improve it if you feel you want to in time.

Kurt.

 

[Yamaha1]

Hi Kurt - thanks for the interesting reply and photos - and your comments about the wire size are noted.

I went for a quick spin yesterday to test my new Turnigy meter, and noticed that if I stopped pedalling the current drawn showed up to 15A - so my 8A calculation is obviously way out!!

I will get some photos of the bike soon - rather busy with motorbikes at the moment!!

I don't really know what guided me to chose the Izip - I went to my local (small) Dealer just to have a look at the technology, and maybe try one out if possible. I had in mind a folding bike - but didn't much like the small wheels - and the battery wasn't charged on his demo bike, so didn't get to ride it - a Whisper 805FE I think it was.

Hoiwever there was a Whisper 905 City, I think it was, that WAS charged, so I had a whizz on that. The motor cutting in when I peddled seemed strange to start with - but with a price tag of over £1400, I wasn't prepared to lay out that sort of money without being convinced I would both like the concept, and actually USE the thing, having never actually liked bicycles!!

Then I noticed the Izip - which he seemed to dislike, saying it was his only one - and when it went, he wouldn't be in a hurry to replace it!! As I looked closer, the funny bolted-on motor, and SLA battery pack which weighed a ton - as did the bike itself, being a steel frame - it made me realise that for a small initial outlay I could have a very well built bicycle, with the electric bits "tacked on", that I would be able to play around with and upgrade if and when the mood took me. The battery on this one had never been charged - so we took it off, and I had a pedal around sans electric!!

Much to his amazement, I bought it!!

Mike