jbond
100 W
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2010
- Messages
- 204
I have an Alien Aurora (http://alienbikes.co.uk/page7.htm) I'm very happy with it, but I'm curious about possible tweaks and upgrades. I've searched the forum repeatedly but been unable to find much about the specific motor-controller-battery set and what's possible. The bike is built round a Bafang set. I can't find any manufacturer markings on the controller but it does have some specs on a stick on sheet. It looks to me like all of this (apart from the battery) comes from SB or is at least packaged by SB.
- Motor - Bafang BPM 36v350W (13)26 Brushless, sensorless, rear mount, Shimano 7 speed cassette, disk, 26" wheel.
- Controller - 18a peak, rated 9a, 36v. This is in a small ally case not the plastic case Elfei branded unit although the electronics may be the same.
- Wiring - SB EBUS. This has a multi-way wire from the controller to a wiring concentrator near the bars. From there, wires go to the brakes, throttle and control switch.
It's got a 3mode switch that gives a top speed of ~ 12mph/16mph/21mph. The concentrator has a 2 way DIP switch in it which seems to limit the mode signal wire so you get Low-Med-High, Low-Med or Low only. I guess this is to optionally make it EU-Legal.
- There's a Throttle-Pedelec (Either-Or) switch that's linked to a function internal to the controller.
- Battery - Phylion 36v10Ahr LiOn
- Power from the motor seems to be limited in two ways. The first is an overall current limit. The second is the Low-Med-High speed limit. As far as I can tell, on hills steep enough to get the speed below 12mph, there's no power difference in the three modes. Acceleration up to the lower speed limits seems to be the same in all three modes. The throttle seems to be a variable upper speed limit, not a power-acceleration control.
Pictures of most of this stuff can be found here http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/ele...suzhou-bafang-cable-connectors.html#post68693
So what kind of tweaking-upgrading options have I got?
- 48 Volt battery upgrade. It seems likely that just swapping the battery with no other changes is not going to do a great deal. It'll probably work, but the speed limits of the controller might remain even though 18A48v should give more power
- Re-Programming the controller for alternate strategies. Could this be a Shenzen controller re-badged? Is it worth trying to get inside it and find out? If I do, will I be able to actually change much?
- Using an alternate controller. But which one? And how do I obtain it in the UK? It's not obvious to me what controllers are available that work with the Bafang BPM sensorless or what people have actually tried and made work.
What I'm interested in is the possibility of removing the speed limits but having control over the power draw. And of course, more speed by being able to add pedal power+motor power+gradient without the motor cutting out and freewheeling when I go over 21mph.
- Motor - Bafang BPM 36v350W (13)26 Brushless, sensorless, rear mount, Shimano 7 speed cassette, disk, 26" wheel.
- Controller - 18a peak, rated 9a, 36v. This is in a small ally case not the plastic case Elfei branded unit although the electronics may be the same.
- Wiring - SB EBUS. This has a multi-way wire from the controller to a wiring concentrator near the bars. From there, wires go to the brakes, throttle and control switch.
- There's a Throttle-Pedelec (Either-Or) switch that's linked to a function internal to the controller.
- Battery - Phylion 36v10Ahr LiOn
- Power from the motor seems to be limited in two ways. The first is an overall current limit. The second is the Low-Med-High speed limit. As far as I can tell, on hills steep enough to get the speed below 12mph, there's no power difference in the three modes. Acceleration up to the lower speed limits seems to be the same in all three modes. The throttle seems to be a variable upper speed limit, not a power-acceleration control.
Pictures of most of this stuff can be found here http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/ele...suzhou-bafang-cable-connectors.html#post68693
So what kind of tweaking-upgrading options have I got?
- 48 Volt battery upgrade. It seems likely that just swapping the battery with no other changes is not going to do a great deal. It'll probably work, but the speed limits of the controller might remain even though 18A48v should give more power
- Re-Programming the controller for alternate strategies. Could this be a Shenzen controller re-badged? Is it worth trying to get inside it and find out? If I do, will I be able to actually change much?
- Using an alternate controller. But which one? And how do I obtain it in the UK? It's not obvious to me what controllers are available that work with the Bafang BPM sensorless or what people have actually tried and made work.
What I'm interested in is the possibility of removing the speed limits but having control over the power draw. And of course, more speed by being able to add pedal power+motor power+gradient without the motor cutting out and freewheeling when I go over 21mph.
