controller for brushed aotema motor, educate me please

[Tricia]

I have an aotema 600 watt, 36 volt dc gearless brushed hub motor on a workmans trike which is currently not working. I tested the batteries with a volt meter and they are fine. I attached the batteries directly to the motor and it runs. Therefore I figured it must be a problem with the throttle or controller even though I inspected both for loose wiring. I bought a replacement throttle thru high tech bikes, but still no results. I am presently looking for a controller which is hard to find for this brushed 2 wire motor. High tek bikes only carries the newer version for the brushless motor.
The only printed info I have about the controller is "Electronic Speed Controller Unit - 35 AMP-Limit Controller"

If anyone could shed light on where I might find the right type of controller and/or educate me in what exactly I need to be looking for, thank you!
I found one that has the correct plugs for both the battery power and I believe the throttle (mine has 4 prongs and the fuzzy pic looks like it I think.)
It is a 36 volt, 30 amp controller made for an i1000 which, from what I can figure, is a discontinued IZip scooter with a 1000watt motor. There is a pic and info at this link.
http://www.thesuperkids.com/36vo5pcofori.html
I have no use for the 3 white connectors.
Would this work? What is the correct info that I should be looking for?
Thank you in advance for any assistance.

 

[Tricia]

Re-reading the Currie 36volt, 30 amp (5 pin) controller page, am I correct that the 5 pin is for the throttle plug? Mine only has 4, sigh.

 

[docnjoj]

We need some pictures. I don't remember Aeotma making a brushed motor. They made a good small brushless motor a while back. If it is actually brushed it will only have 2 power wires and 2 motor wires but yes 3 throttle wires.
otherDoc

 

[DAND214]

You might look here. they sell mostly brushed controllers. CHEAP!
http://tncscooters.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=41

Dan

 

[Rassy]

That is the same motor, controller, throttle that I started with about five years ago. Had several, and Daughter-In-Law still runs one on the front wheel of my old delta trike, using a 48V 15AH Ping battery.

Almost any brushed motor controller of the right size, i.e. voltage and wattage, should work ok. However, you will probably have to provide your own battery, motor, and throttle connectors. Many controllers will have extra wires you do not need to use. If you are lucky, the controller you get will have the various wires identified. See this controller for the type of information supplied:

http://www.monsterscooterparts.com/36vocoformip.html

You know it is for a brushed motor if there are only two wires to the motor.

As far as the throttle, you should only need three wires and just don't use the fourth wire that lights up the LED's. On your original throttle that wire is a purple sort of color.

Good luck, and ask more questions if you need to.

 

[Tricia]

We need some pictures. I don't remember Aeotma making a brushed motor. They made a good small brushless motor a while back. If it is actually brushed it will only have 2 power wires and 2 motor wires but yes 3 throttle wires.
otherDoc

Here they are:

 

[Tricia]

You might look here. they sell mostly brushed controllers. CHEAP!
http://tncscooters.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=41

Dan

Thank you for this link. I see they also have modular connectors which I may need if I can't find an exact replacement. I appreciate your help.

 

[Tricia]

That is the same motor, controller, throttle that I started with about five years ago. Had several, and Daughter-In-Law still runs one on the front wheel of my old delta trike, using a 48V 15AH Ping battery.

Almost any brushed motor controller of the right size, i.e. voltage and wattage, should work ok. However, you will probably have to provide your own battery, motor, and throttle connectors. Many controllers will have extra wires you do not need to use. If you are lucky, the controller you get will have the various wires identified. See this controller for the type of information supplied:

http://www.monsterscooterparts.com/36vocoformip.html

You know it is for a brushed motor if there are only two wires to the motor.

As far as the throttle, you should only need three wires and just don't use the fourth wire that lights up the LED's. On your original throttle that wire is a purple sort of color.

Good luck, and ask more questions if you need to.

Thank you for your insight, and the link. Both have been helpful. It looks like I may not find a perfect match to the controller I have, but now I understand that I can adapt one with available connectors. I appreciate your input.

 

[dnmun]

before buying more stuff, can you establish that there is power to the controller and there is 5V on the red wire to the throttle?

 

[dogman dan]

You can buy a controller for the nearly identical crystalyte brushed motor at electricrider. Should have all the plugs match.

Or any brushed controller will work. Perhaps easier to buy a throttle that matches too.

 

[Tricia]

before buying more stuff, can you establish that there is power to the controller and there is 5V on the red wire to the throttle?

Thanks for your reply.
I know the batteries are okay using the volt meter to the positive and negative terminals, but could you review how I establish if there is power to the controller, and testing the red wire to the throttle? I have never done any of this before and whereas I could guess, I'd rather know that I am doing it right.

 

[Tricia]

You can buy a controller for the nearly identical crystalyte brushed motor at electricrider. Should have all the plugs match.

Or any brushed controller will work. Perhaps easier to buy a throttle that matches too.

Thanks. I went to electricrider, but I get a bit confused over some of the specifics. I believe my controller is a 36volt 35 amp, from what I've been able to discern. I see amps above and below that, but since I can't find an exact match, can I use a 40 amp or must I stay below the 35 amp with a 25 or 30 amp?

 

[dnmun]

power up the controller and there should be 5V on the red wire from the controller to the throttle.

there should be a black wire going to the throttle and that is ground so put the black probe of the voltmeter on the ground and put the red wire from the voltmeter on the red wire in the controller and measure using the 20V DC setting on the meter.

 

[Tricia]

power up the controller and there should be 5V on the red wire from the controller to the throttle.

there should be a black wire going to the throttle and that is ground so put the black probe of the voltmeter on the ground and put the red wire from the voltmeter on the red wire in the controller and measure using the 20V DC setting on the meter.

Thanks for the instructions. There was no reading on the voltmeter.

 

[dnmun]

if there is no 5V on the red wire from the controller to the throttle then the controller is not powered up.

you need to establish that there is battery voltage going to the controller plug. then if that doesn't get the 5V on the throttle, look for where there may be a fuse on the outside of the controller and if not, you will have to open the controller to measure the voltage inside.

take pictures so we can tell you what you are looking for. use the VGA format, not too big a file or they block it from printing. close up pictures of the controller.

 

[Tricia]

if there is no 5V on the red wire from the controller to the throttle then the controller is not powered up.

you need to establish that there is battery voltage going to the controller plug. then if that doesn't get the 5V on the throttle, look for where there may be a fuse on the outside of the controller and if not, you will have to open the controller to measure the voltage inside.

take pictures so we can tell you what you are looking for. use the VGA format, not too big a file or they block it from printing. close up pictures of the controller.

Thanks for your suggestions and instructions. I hope to get it done tomorrow.

 

[dnmun]

the controller is powered from the battery and it has a voltage regulator inside that takes the high battery voltage and makes the 5V use for the throttle and other stuff inside the controller. since you do not have the 5V between the red wire and the black wire, either the controller is not getting power from the battery or the voltage from the battery is not getting to the part of the controller that makes the 5V.

or the 5V is not getting out to the red wire.

usually this is caused by bad connections or broken wires. so you just gotta look and using the voltmeter is one way to look.

 

[dogman dan]

If you don't end up finding an easy fix for it, I'm fairly certian that this is the right controller for your motor.

http://www.electricrider.com/crystalyte/x-ct3625sd.htm

25 amp, but bear in mind, wilderness energy exaggerated thier specifications on everything they sold. I mean real liars. 20 miles at 20 mph my foot. Best I ever did on that kit was 8 miles at 12 mph. I'm convinced that the 35 amp bd36 controller was only a 25 amp. I don't have proof because I'd moved on to BL kits by the time I got an ampmeter. They outperformed the BD kit in every way, and on a 22 amp controller.

That controller has a lvc at about 23v, so it would take a pretty bad battery to not power it up because of low voltage cutoff.

 

[Rassy]

Actually, all my BD36 controllers from WE were 35 amps. In fact, when I got my first V1 LiFePO4 batteries the BMS would cut out at about 30 amps. Fortunantly someone had already posted that you just had to shut everything down and the BMS would fire back up. I ended up adding solder to the (shunt?) bridge inside the BMS to prevent the problem, A trick also learned from ES.

These controllers also have a heat sensor that shuts them down when they get too hot. After about five minutes they cool down and reset.

 

[Tricia]

That is the same motor, controller, throttle that I started with about five years ago. Had several, and Daughter-In-Law still runs one on the front wheel of my old delta trike, using a 48V 15AH Ping battery.........
Good luck, and ask more questions if you need to.

Rassy, I DO have another question. My controller is 36volt 35 amp and since I can't find an exact replacement, should I go with a 36volt 30amp or a 36volt 40amp? And if you wouldn't mind explaining why, I'm all ears.

 

[Tricia]

If you don't end up finding an easy fix for it, I'm fairly certian that this is the right controller for your motor.

http://www.electricrider.com/crystalyte/x-ct3625sd.htm.

Thanks dogman. I will most likely get either the one you mentioned or the one Dan mentioned http://tncscooters.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=41_74&product_id=177.
Thank you very much for taking the time to find it for me. Really appreciate it.
PS what kind of dog do you exercise along side you bicycle?

 

[Tricia]

......usually this is caused by bad connections or broken wires. so you just gotta look and using the voltmeter is one way to look.

After examining the inside of the controller closer I'm pretty sure the problem is inside the switch. There's corrosion coming from the switchbox, which must be blocking the contact when I turn it on.

 

[dnmun]

sounds good, you are getting close. i have some of the little rocker switches, blast it with cleaner, like contact cleaner or even just air from an air compressor if you have air nozzle.

 

[Tricia]

sounds good, you are getting close. i have some of the little rocker switches, blast it with cleaner, like contact cleaner or even just air from an air compressor if you have air nozzle.

Oh boy, is it the switch! It's totally rusted away inside. The contact piece is so fragile from the rust it fell off.
I have been to many sites searching for a new one, but no luck yet. I thought I found a match at sparkfun.com, but it's not.

Mine states on the outside K C 103. Below that, 6A 250VAC. On the other side it states: YY
It is a rectange snap in style 20mmx14mm with two contact posts on the bottom, . Any suggestions ALWAYS welcomed.

 

[dogman dan]

Beauty! I wondered briefly if it was just the switch, or perhaps the plug. Nice. I let a more expert guy handle the repairs advice. I'm more of a buy a new one kind of guy. See too poorly to solder well. Bypassing the switch is an option, at least temporarily. Connect the two wires, and turn the controller on and off with the battery plug.

Re the 35 amps. Maybe it was 35. I never popped my bms from over amp on my ping though. Maybe my brushed motors just had the timing wrong, which makes em run hot, and could have been eating all the power. So going brushless might have been a bigger improvement than I realized. Seems to me I remember WE calling the bl controller 30 amp. Defintely well documented that it was a 22 amp controller on the BL. Other retailers of the same kit call it 20 amp. If WE wasn't lying about the controller amps, it's the ONLY thing they didn't lie about. You are correct about the overheat trip, I used to do that fairly often on the wicked hot days.


BTW wouldn's soldering a shunt give you more amps? Snipping one of multiple shunts would lower the amps.