Dismantling Controller Housing

[ChrisOfBristol]

I have a Verteci electric bicycle.It's not working and I'm confident that this is because of a controller fault. It's hidden away in a large metal tube inside the bottom bracket.
It's not clear to me how this is dismantled and I'm reluctant to use any force on it until I'm sure.

Is anyone familiar with this arrangement on this or a similar electric bicycle?

 

[ChrisOfBristol]

My controller has failed. My preference is to fix it (discussed on another post), but it might be better to replace it with a different one.

I think I understand what controllers do, and would be able to pick a suitable one and wire it in. However I'm not sure how maximum speed control is implemented.

I imagine that for BDC motors it can be done inside the controller (without a sensor on the motor) because it knows how fast the motor is turning. It doesn’t know the wheel size though, so the controller must be matched to the correct motor for the wheel size.

Mine is a brushed motor. In old bicycles these had sensors on the motor hub or wheel, mine may have one within the bottom bracket, but the controllers I see on ebay haven't got a connector for one.

How do brushed motor controllers control maximum speed?

 

[nutnspecial]

That's a cool bike. The company seems very cool too, did you try to contact them for service docs, or just support? http://www.verteci.com/contactdetails.asp

Otherwise hopefully someone here has worked on them - I have not.

 

[xadmx]

i think the controller is more then likely in the box at the back where you pulled the metal tube out of. under the battery connections.

follow the wires from the throttle and see where they go and thats where your controller is.

 

[nutnspecial]

It will be simplest of course to get a direct replacement with as much extra info as possible from the manu Verteci.

But, if you know what voltage you are using now, and are happy with the bike speed, the main criteria is a brushed controller that works with that voltage, although connectors and throttle function need consideration also.

Addressing speed/voltage: speed is controlled by the voltage you pass to the controller. If changing controller (or battery), consider the low level battery cutoff on controller- you don't want one that is too high for your battery voltage or it won't allow you to use all of battery capacity, and may not run at all.

Example: I had small 150w scooter w/ brushed controller. It says it is for 24v, with a minimum (the cutoff) of ~19v (iirc). So I couldn't make use of any battery power that drops below 19v. When confirmed it could handle higher voltages (I simply just tried it ), I had the option of running more voltage for more speed. I ran 48v on it for fun, but of course the tiny controller wasn't anywhere near capable of pulling enough amps to make good on that higher speed, except down a hill. Double the voltage, double the motor max rpm. . .

Voltage = speed. Amps = power to get to that speed. You want them reasonably balanced for the system components you are using. I hope that helps!

 

[ChrisOfBristol]

That's a cool bike. The company seems very cool too, did you try to contact them for service docs, or just support?.

That was the first thing I did - their website says they should reply within a day. Don't believe everything you read on a website!

 

[ChrisOfBristol]

Controller tube now dismantled.