First e-grin, now to troubleshoot an issue..

C

cbr shadow

1 kW
Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Messages
341
Location
Daly City, CA -USA
So I've been working on my etrike, planning what to buy, planning how to come up w/ extra cash to afford exactly what i want, and recently putting everything together. I have a KMX Trike, HS3540 motor, Lyen 18FET controller, and 24s lipo. I needed 1 last bullet connector for my build, so I drove the etrike to my fathers house where I knew he had some 4mm bullets. Connected everything and took off! Huge grin ear to ear the entire time. I probably got up to 40mph on a straight/downhill, and it took my up a steep hill (probably 12 percent <guess> grade for 1/8 mile). Nothing too insane but with just pedalling it's a difficult hill. These were the only roads nearby so I went around the block once (1 time up the hill) and back to my parents house once, then let my father take it around the block, then 5 min later I took it 1 more time.I kept checking the hub motor and it was warm but not "hot".
I was about to load the trike back into my car when i decided I'd take it one more time around the block. I went around the block and was already up the big hill and headed down a long straight when the power just cut out. I let off the throttle completely, then gave it a little more gas and it lurched forward but wouldn't go. Then I hit the kill switch, let it sit for 30 seconds, then tried again but this time no movement at all. The CA still got power, just no movement of the motor.
I haven't set any program on my cycle analyst, just plugged it in and started riding.. is it possible that the CA cut it off? I had the batteries balance charged to 4.1v to begin with, but they were of course dropping quickly while I rode around.
So my question is.. What are the obvious things to check first? I realize I was a bit hard on it to begin with by going up hills like that at full throttle without pedaling much, but I honestly thought it could handle way more than what I was putting it through. Thoughts? Where to start first?
Thanks,
Ryan
 
First think I'd check is your CA LVC setting. Then check your controller LVC setting. Or you could do a quick 5 minute charge, then if it runs again, and cuts out quickly, it is probably a LVC setting.
 
Yeah I would first check connection, then the lvc for the controller and CA. Had this happen to me when first playing around with the settings in the lyen controller.

It is also possible, but much lower probability, your sensoris dead or sensor wires are cut.

Check those too.

Best, of luck.
 
So I looked over all of the connectors and that doesn't seem to be the issue - everything is connected fine.
Thinking more about it, since I'm currently sitting at 98v, isn't it pretty unlikely that the default CA or controller settings would cut power from LVC?
 
It takes less time to check them, than to type a response.
 
I'm at work at the moment so dont have access to the bike. Much less time to type the response than check them :)
I actually dont know my way around the CA yet, so I'll have ot read up on how to check the LVC.

What are the next things to check?

I've read about a device called an "ebike checker" that cellman carries. What's the purpose of this? Is it helpful? How is it different than a volt meter?
 
The ebike checker is essential, and you should get one. They allow you to easily check your halls and phases. They are particularly helpful with diagnosing hall problems.

I would approach your issues in this order:

1) remove the CA from the equation and check if you still have a problem (ie unplug it, and try it). If it works with the CA removed, then the CA is the problem.
2) If the CA seems to be the problem, check you have calibrated the Rshunt for your CA. Having this wrong does all sorts of weird things, because if not calibrated your CA thinks your power is totally different to what it is. I can't remember what the ballpark Rshunt value for a Lyen 18 Fet is off the top of my head, but PM Lyen and he will tell you. It will at least get your CA in the ball park of its Rshunt value. To see that, you scroll right, when you get to "Advanced settings" hold right button down, and you will go into advanced, and you want to change the Rshunt value. It will ship from Ebikes CA (I think) as 1, and this is almost definately wrong for an 18 Fet, but I am not sure (I think 24 Fets are 1, 12 Fets are 2.6, but I can't remember 18 Fets. Anyway, those are just approximate settings, PM Lyen.
3) Check all your connections.
4) get a ebike tester and check your halls.
5) get another beer (hang on, that was my inside voice)
 
Thanks for the advice. I'll unplug the CA at lunch today and see if that's the issue. Otherwise tonight I'll go over all of the connections again and give the batteries a 5 min charge to see if the controller is the issue. "grab another beer" - no problem! I just bottled my first IPA home brew :)

Where's the best place to buy an Ebike tester? Are they all the same?
 
I'm still betting on something unplugged. Not the whole plug loose, just one contact in a housing backed out. Hard to spot little suckers.
 
ok... so I turn the wheel and I can really feel the gripping every inch, then it gives.. is this normal? I dont remember if it did this before the issue.. I spin the rear wheel and there's friction, then no friction, and it repeats all the way around 360 degrees.. is this a sign of a blown FET?
 
You have a blown fet almost certainly (the grabbing/stopping of the wheel). If you are confident with a soldering iron you can replace the Fet yourself (after diagnosing which phase it is, which the ebike tester makes easy), or otherwise you will need to get Lyen or someone else to repair it for you.

Lyen sells the ebike testers as well for $29 and he sells spare fets as well. So you can either go the cheap option and repair it yourself or get him to repair it.

This is why I have a large supply of fets and spare controllers, because I hate facing up to what this hobby costs me in time and money, and I like to make out like it is no big deal when my controller shits itself (usually because of something stupid I have done, but sometimes for no apparant reason at all).
 
ahh that's so dissapointing that it's a fet.. I had the controller on very conservative settings and didn't really think i was pushing it that hard. If I limited it at 30 amps, how could it have blown a fet? I was running about 100v , but I was told the Lyen 18FET could handle 60amps and 100v. I think I'm going to have to lower the settings even more since I dont think I was pushing the performance very hard.
I think I can handle the soldering. Where do you buy the FETs? straight through Lyen, or somewhere else?
Thanks everyone for the help
 
Just to updated everyone, a FET had melted in the controller due to the screw in that fet not being totally tight. DanD helped me take the controller apart and diagnose what the issue was. I sent the controller back to Lyen and he replaced the melted mosfet free of charge. Also while he was in there I had him switch out the accessory resistor to handle my 88.8v nominal. The resistor change was only $5, and I only paid for shipping outside of that.
I'm impressed with quick and honest service. He dianosed and repaired the issue the same day he received the controller, and sent me an email with pictures of the problems, the repairs, and a final video of the controller being tested on his own bike. I can't complain with that!
Thanks everyone for the suggestions, and thanks a lot to DanD for helping me out.
-Ryan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
    • Like
Motor recommendations for 16% climbs?
Replies
18
Views
924
Ebike Bob
Ebike Bob
R
Controller upgrade help for REI Gen E1.2
Replies
3
Views
986
Battlepoint
B
skeetab5780
I Bought a Talaria Sting R MX4...
Replies
10
Views
557
skeetab5780
skeetab5780
N
Store bought ebike got stuck in full throttle, brakes wouldn't disconnect motor.
Replies
13
Views
1,135
N8!
N
B
Battery question; or, "do I really need a battery capacity double my range consumption estimate?"
Replies
18
Views
1,541
sysrq
S
Back
Top