Controller requires self learning cable to be plugged in and unplugged every time it loses power for throttle to work

[Quantumflux]

So I have the following controller:

1x DC 36V-48V 500W 17A Electric Bicycle E-bike Scooter Brushless Controller New | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1x DC 36V-48V 500W 17A Electric Bicycle E-bike Scooter Brushless Controller New at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

that I'm using with wheel hub motors:

Amazon.com

I'm using this on a larger platform that I'm controlling with an Arduino/embedded PC for the throttle. It (now) works great... Except for one issue:

Every time I power the controller off completely, the throttle no longer works. I have to re-connect the "self learning" cable, the wheels spin, and then disconnect and it will then respond to the throttle. If I don't do this, the wheels won't turn after powering on.

Is this normal? If so / if not, are there any workarounds to avoid having to do this every time?

To be clear, it's just like it came from the factory every time it's powered off. It's not saving whatever it's learning via the self-learning cable when it's powered off.

 

[Quantumflux]

(Realized I should have posted this here instead of a different area, not sure how to remove the other.)
So I have the following controller:

1x DC 36V-48V 500W 17A Electric Bicycle E-bike Scooter Brushless Controller New | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1x DC 36V-48V 500W 17A Electric Bicycle E-bike Scooter Brushless Controller New at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

that I'm using with wheel hub motors:

Amazon.com

I'm using this on a larger platform that I'm controlling with an Arduino/embedded PC for the throttle. It (now) works great... Except for one issue:

Every time I power the controller off completely, the throttle no longer works. I have to re-connect the "self learning" cable, the wheels spin, and then disconnect and it will then respond to the throttle. If I don't do this, the wheels won't turn after powering on.

Is this normal? If so / if not, are there any workarounds to avoid having to do this every time?

To be clear, it's just like it came from the factory every time it's powered off. It's not saving whatever it's learning via the self-learning cable when it's powered off.

 

[E-HP]

You can manually configure it by swapping around the hall and phase wire combos. Use Tommycat’s guide and flowchart. When there is no throttle response, you are in the “stuck” mode.

Testing BLDC motor's Phase Wiring - Hall Sensors and Wiring. - Electricbike.com Ebike Forum

Testing electrical components of a typical hub motor with a digital multi meter. First take a few minuets and look over the wiring going into the motor for cuts, scrapes, missing insulation and other wiring issues or poor connections that should be resolved first. Smell for...

electricbike.com

 

[Quantumflux]

Thank you for the response - however, it appears that the issue still exists. I went through the guide and it looks like only the phase wires change in the flowchart (I don't see the hall wires changing in the different scenarios.) I first tried the "stuck" wiring diagram, then went through all iterations. In all cases, the wheels did not turn at all until I plugged in the "self learning wire" (at which point they turned a set speed), then unplugged it (at which point they turned to the speed whatever the throttle specified.) If I power off everything, the wheels won't turn when powered on until I do the self-learning again.

 

[TommyCat]

I'm using this on a larger platform that I'm controlling with an Arduino/embedded PC for the throttle. It (now) works great...

Does the output signal voltage of this throttle connected to the controller remain at around .8vdc when the controller is booting up?
I.E. Does the controller “see” .8vdc on the throttle signal when starting? Verified by voltage check.


Regards,
T.C.

 

[j bjork]

What kind of signal do you get from the arduino to the throttle input, some sort of pwm?
I am thinking that the controller might not like the signal, so it goes in safe throttle off mode.
What happens if you connect an ordinary hall throttle?

 

[Quantumflux]

The issue suddenly went away on its own.

I'm guessing it had something to do with a weird signal being sent on the throttle due to my code and putting it in some kind of safe mode (or something to do with me having my arduino connected via USB and it starting/stopping at the wrong time or something like that) that caused the issue. Works now though, so I'm good for the prototyping phase anyway (unless it comes back, at which point I'll test that.) Thanks for your help!

One question; if I did see .8vdc, what does that mean / not mean?

 

[Quantumflux]

The issue ended up going away on its own and it works now.

It was either because of the way I was debugging with USB, or some update in the code (for something unrelated) fixed it. To your point, maybe it sent some signal that put it in safe throttle off mode.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Elmo]

nice job figuring it out. self-learning stuff is a pain sometimes.

 

[TommyCat]

One question; if I did see .8vdc, what does that mean / not mean?

The short answer is... with your type of controller and a hall sensor throttle, that is the voltage, on start-up, that the controller is looking to see.

The longer version...

j bjork and I have both seen Arduino supplied throttle voltages that can be a bit sketchy...
And since you didn't mention what power supply you were using or the particulars of the programming. (not that I'd understand any of that...) It seemed a simple question to see if you had the proper throttle signal voltage available at the controller on start-up.

I.E. Not starting at 5vdc then reducing, or 0vdc and going up, or with different power supplies making sure the grounds are connected together.

The reasons can be gleaned from this chart which points out where a throttle's voltage should be on start-up, and possible lock-out features if not.

Note: Controller will not start if the throttle start-up voltage is in the BLUE ether.

Which is explained in fuller context in this thread.
Using an On/Off-Momentary Push Button Switch that’s normally open to replace a hall throttle.

Glad to hear your up and running!

 

[MxusMick]

I have had intermittent loose wires that would cause the unlearn issue, on my ebike, I think maybe losing contact on a phase wire or hall may send a controller back to the original wire configuration.