eBike using e-ride.ca kit, yardworks 20V 6Ah Lithium batt

[hlukeh]

I built my electric bike using my old Rocky Mountain mountain bike, http://www.e-ride.ca conversion kit and three yardworks 20V 6Ah lithium batteries from Canadian Tire.

So far I'm very happy with the motor, controller and batteries. I posted info about the kit and conversion on a blog to help others choose or not choose e-ride's kit.

http://evbike.blogspot.com/

If you have any questions please feel free to either ask them here or on the blog.

Luke

 

[Mark_A_W]

You need torque arms/fork reinforcements, with a closed section around the axle, or your wheel will fly off, and you may die.

 

[voicecoils]

Great blog.

Thanks for taking that motor apart. It looks like a very interesting alternative to eZee, BMC and Bafang currently on the market.

If you learn more about it, let us know 8)

I'm interested in reliability and how it performs at higher power levels (then it was rated for).

 

[hlukeh]

Thanks for the info. Did you build your fork reinforcements? It looks like you cut out a thick piece of aluminum, welded it to a pipe you ripped in half, welded on some bolt mounts and bolted the two halves to your fork. Do you think it's necessary to have the reinforcing pipe extend most of the way up the fork, or do you think if I just welded a flat steel bar with the axle hole in it to a ~3" steel pipe that I just slid over the end of the fork and somehow secured to it, that would suffice? I assume the main concern is the dropouts ripping out, and not the forks snapping?...

Thanks again!

You need torque arms/fork reinforcements, with a closed section around the axle, or your wheel will fly off, and you may die.

 

[hlukeh]

Hmm, it seems to me that I might be alright with a piece of flat bar (~1/8" - 1/4") that I drill a hole in, slip over the axle, strap to the forks in a few places with those metal pipe straps that have the screw down things. What do you think of that idea? I think it might also be good to weld the pipe straps to the flat bar so if the dropouts did ever break the flat bar wouldn't slide up the fork...

Any suggestions?

 

[Anonymous]

Nice batteries
I want to double up and use 12 of them, the original 6 have gone 3658 km in 144 cycles.

 

[hlukeh]

I love the Yardworks batteries! I first came across them at Canadian tire when I was looking on their site at the Mastercraft Lithium 18V ~2.5Ah drill batteries. I was initially considering using those, but the 6Ah Lithium Yardworks is a way better deal. I read all your posts about the amazing results you've had with them so I figured how could I go wrong. I've just got three at the moment, but if they ever go on sale (50% off would be nice), I'll definitely double up, and possibly buy some extras for fun!

Thanks for all the time you spent posting your results with these batteries. Everything matches what I've found exactly.

 

[hlukeh]

Update:

The Yardworks batteries have lasted just over a year. I do not recommend them for an e-bike. They now die really quickly (seem to use around 2Ah), and can't handle the 17A current they used to without the BMS system shutting off the battery.

I read something recently about Lithium batteries that have the battery meter that the BMS system needs to be re-calibrated by running the batteries almost dry (I forget how far exactly). This apparently re-calibrates the BMS so it doesn't shut off the batteries too soon. I haven't tried this because I have pretty much given up on the batteries...

Luke

 

[beast775]

hello,do you have any specs on the total cycles,watts,speed,mileage gone,weight.im sure you would have to charge and discharge each cell to find out pack wellness.the batteries interest me,but have never saw a single cell. if you get rid of them i might want to buy a few just to test,open them up and see whats going on in those packs.

 

[beast775]

ive been reading your blog really good build tutorial,excellent detailed info.forget my questions above you answered most in the blog.,