Intermittent power loss... Likely causes?

[ebinary]

I'm running a Crystalyte controller with a stock USPD thumb throttle (I do not know what type of throttle it is, because I've never had an issue with it). I also have a Cylce Anaylst.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been experiencing intermiddent dead-spots. Not necessarily in the throttle... I'll just be riding along and the bike will just lose power to the motor (not to the CA, so it not battery connection) for a few seconds. Then everything is back to normal. Happens once every few minutes and lasts at most a couple of seconds.

I'm wondering if this is how a throttle behaves when it gets old. Another possibility is the brake input on the Cryslate is shorting out (it may also be connected to the CA - maybe thats sending a bad signal) and that's telling the controller to stop sending power.

Any input would be appreciated, before I start disassembling things.

Thanks!

 

[fechter]

Can you tell if the LED on the controller stays on?

Either the brake line or throttle could cause those symptoms. There are things inside the controller that could do that too.

It would be fairly easy to disconnect the brake line connector as close to the controller as possible (just don't give throttle with the brakes on). If the problem still happens, then you could probably eliminate the brake line.

 

[Link]

Don't think it's the throttle. In my experience, it causes occasional power loss for short spans of time, but also in periods of rapid succession, resulting in low power and a lot of noise/vibration from the motor.

Notice if it happens on bumpy roads a lot?

 

[ebinary]

Thanks Fletcher and Link:

I haven't noticed any relationship between road conditions, riding conditions, or throttle position. So far it just seem random. I think I did hook up the brake control to the CycleAnalyst (its not connected to my brakes)... maybe there is a short in that connection.

I'll have to make some test cases next week.

 

[swade]

I doubt it is this but I had exactly the sames symptoms a few months ago.

It turned out that it was the way I mounted the controller. The wires were pushing up against the power button and every now and then bumps would cause the power button to slightly depress thereby killing the power for just a second or two. Anyway, the possibility that this is your issue too would be pretty easy to eliminate.

 

[ebinary]

I doubt it is this but I had exactly the sames symptoms a few months ago.

It turned out that it was the way I mounted the controller. The wires were pushing up against the power button and every now and then bumps would cause the power button to slightly depress thereby killing the power for just a second or two. Anyway, the possibility that this is your issue too would be pretty easy to eliminate.

Thanks - I'll confirm that I've got clearance.