Hello, thanks for reading and helping out, you can find the TLDR at the end.
Some background information:
- Delivery driver with Bafang BBSHD with pretty high mileage (30000+km, 2.5/3 years old)
- Current battery Chamrider 52v36ah about 15000km (1 year old)
- Have had minor issues in the past which I could all solve (broken displays, worn-o-ring, nylon gear, hailong battery contact worn/burned)
So I went on a long bicycle tour about 3000km, didn't have issues until near the end.
(I had been to the coast days/week before the fist problem occurred, it was very windy with lots of saltwater, could be related?)
First issues appeared, display/motor everything suddenly turning off.
As I remember correctly I could turn it back on but the same issue would occur minutes later.
The weather might have been wet/moist, but I'm not sure.
(after that I went with the train somewhere as my gf was visiting)
From the train I had to do a short ride (maybe 10km), but it was pouring rain, like really pouring.
Display/motor turned off again, this time not getting back on at all.
The next day at the hotel I was trying to get it back on, but it wouldn't turn on.
I started plugging in the USB programming cable, connecting my PC, connecting my phone and at some point miraculously it became alive.
And it kept working, tried multiple times turning on/off, rode around a bit, everything fine.
Gf left, my bicycle journey continued, without issues, even had some rain, but I had no problems.
On the end of my journey I took a train back home and the trouble started again.
I had to do about 40km from the train station back home, it was raining and I was close to halfway and a black display again.
Couldn't get it back on, tried everything including the USB cable, walked/cycled the heavy bicycle back for a couple hours.
Back home I could have a good look at everything, I thought maybe my lights weren't very well wired and caused the issue.
So I rewired stuff, checked connections, well it worked... but on my first day back at work the bike would turn off again, I can't turn it on until I re-plug the battery, but it kept turning off.
Checked everything again, but same issue, sometimes I can ride for an hour and it might just happen once, sometimes it constantly happens.
As a delivery rider I need to be able to fully trust my bike and being in traffic with suddenly no more power can lead to dangerous situations.
What I've done:
- I've checked most if not all the wiring and if it looked like it could cause an issue I would redo it
- I've put the speedo sensor closer to the magnet
- Pulled the controller and didn't physically see any problems, maybe a super super small amount of moisture?
- I heated up the controller in case moisture was the issue
- Left the bicycle ON without riding it and it doesn't seem to turn off this way
- Drawing high power does not make the issue appear
- Full throttle does not make the issue appear
- Pulling/moving wires does not make the issue appear
- Finally bought a voltmeter (should've done that long time ago)
- Checked the battery, checked the plugs/wiring for continuity but can't find the issue with a voltmeter.
(next up is measuring if the battery still has voltage at the moment the problem occurs)
Edit: So it just cut again and I had a voltmeter with me:
Started out riding with my battery voltage being 55.xxv
Power cut-out, left everything connected, measured the battery voltage: 5v (yes that is FIVE volt)
Disconnecting, measured battery voltage 55.xxv
Reconnected everything and powered on again
- I have not opened up the motor, as there are no strange noises and to me it doesn't seem to be a mechanical issue, but solely electrical
TLDR;
- BBSHD turns off (complete shutdown/black display/no power)
- Sometimes I can get it back on by re-plugging the battery
- During (heavy) rain it won't turn back on (until maybe the next day)
- Currently it turns off randomly, which makes it very hard to diagnose
- Issue seems to only occur when riding
- Drawing high power does not make the issue appear
- Full throttle does not make the issue appear
- Pulling/moving wires does not make the issue appear
I've read about every post and trouble shooting guide I could find, but haven't been able to resolve it.
What I currently think is water/moisture damage, I am leaning towards buying a new controller? but prefer not to waste time/money.
Your help is very much appreciated
Some background information:
- Delivery driver with Bafang BBSHD with pretty high mileage (30000+km, 2.5/3 years old)
- Current battery Chamrider 52v36ah about 15000km (1 year old)
- Have had minor issues in the past which I could all solve (broken displays, worn-o-ring, nylon gear, hailong battery contact worn/burned)
So I went on a long bicycle tour about 3000km, didn't have issues until near the end.
(I had been to the coast days/week before the fist problem occurred, it was very windy with lots of saltwater, could be related?)
First issues appeared, display/motor everything suddenly turning off.
As I remember correctly I could turn it back on but the same issue would occur minutes later.
The weather might have been wet/moist, but I'm not sure.
(after that I went with the train somewhere as my gf was visiting)
From the train I had to do a short ride (maybe 10km), but it was pouring rain, like really pouring.
Display/motor turned off again, this time not getting back on at all.
The next day at the hotel I was trying to get it back on, but it wouldn't turn on.
I started plugging in the USB programming cable, connecting my PC, connecting my phone and at some point miraculously it became alive.
And it kept working, tried multiple times turning on/off, rode around a bit, everything fine.
Gf left, my bicycle journey continued, without issues, even had some rain, but I had no problems.
On the end of my journey I took a train back home and the trouble started again.
I had to do about 40km from the train station back home, it was raining and I was close to halfway and a black display again.
Couldn't get it back on, tried everything including the USB cable, walked/cycled the heavy bicycle back for a couple hours.
Back home I could have a good look at everything, I thought maybe my lights weren't very well wired and caused the issue.
So I rewired stuff, checked connections, well it worked... but on my first day back at work the bike would turn off again, I can't turn it on until I re-plug the battery, but it kept turning off.
Checked everything again, but same issue, sometimes I can ride for an hour and it might just happen once, sometimes it constantly happens.
As a delivery rider I need to be able to fully trust my bike and being in traffic with suddenly no more power can lead to dangerous situations.
What I've done:
- I've checked most if not all the wiring and if it looked like it could cause an issue I would redo it
- I've put the speedo sensor closer to the magnet
- Pulled the controller and didn't physically see any problems, maybe a super super small amount of moisture?
- I heated up the controller in case moisture was the issue
- Left the bicycle ON without riding it and it doesn't seem to turn off this way
- Drawing high power does not make the issue appear
- Full throttle does not make the issue appear
- Pulling/moving wires does not make the issue appear
- Finally bought a voltmeter (should've done that long time ago)
- Checked the battery, checked the plugs/wiring for continuity but can't find the issue with a voltmeter.
(next up is measuring if the battery still has voltage at the moment the problem occurs)
Edit: So it just cut again and I had a voltmeter with me:
Started out riding with my battery voltage being 55.xxv
Power cut-out, left everything connected, measured the battery voltage: 5v (yes that is FIVE volt)
Disconnecting, measured battery voltage 55.xxv
Reconnected everything and powered on again
- I have not opened up the motor, as there are no strange noises and to me it doesn't seem to be a mechanical issue, but solely electrical
TLDR;
- BBSHD turns off (complete shutdown/black display/no power)
- Sometimes I can get it back on by re-plugging the battery
- During (heavy) rain it won't turn back on (until maybe the next day)
- Currently it turns off randomly, which makes it very hard to diagnose
- Issue seems to only occur when riding
- Drawing high power does not make the issue appear
- Full throttle does not make the issue appear
- Pulling/moving wires does not make the issue appear
I've read about every post and trouble shooting guide I could find, but haven't been able to resolve it.
What I currently think is water/moisture damage, I am leaning towards buying a new controller? but prefer not to waste time/money.
Your help is very much appreciated
Last edited: