Motor controller not pulling rated amps

[scrachdat]

Hello I have a 2000w motor controller that is rated for 43 amps and the motor is rated for 45 amps, the issue is even under full load the current locks at 30 amps, I've had a look all over the internet for any documentation on the controller but can't find any.

I'll upload a picture of the controller when I can, but I'll write in all the info that's on the controller

DC brushless controller model:CH01-D
Voltage DC48V Electric current:43 + or - 1A
Off voltage 41.5 + or - 1v power:2000w
Functon (not a typo this is on the label) cruise, burglar alarm, limiting speed
Date 2017 08 16 chf15Wf04

Yongkang chihui industry and trade co, LTD

The extra current would really help me get up hills but I don't know why it's topped out at 30 amps.
For extra info the veichle is a forca bossman S

 

[e-beach]

A: How do you know it locks at 30 amps?

B: What kind of battery pack are you running? Include the chemistry type.

 

[E-HP]

Do you have a couple of wires from the controller, maybe blue or gray, that are jumpered together? The "limiting speed" might be the function for on road versus off road use.

 

[amberwolf]

--What are you using to measure the current?

--What are the specifics of the test being done to cause the present max current load?


Note also that sometimes the limits given are not continous, but just a momentary burst, and then the *real* (unspecified) limit kicks in. You may be seeing this.


(Hopefully you'll reply to the help in this thread unlike the last one, so we can refine the problem and help you fix it.)

 

[dogman dan]

Yeah, many possibilities.

The first and most likely, is you bought a controller locked to 30 amps. ( the shunt in it) But it sells faster if they say its 45. 8) :lol: You know the deal, you sent money, they send you what they have.

One way to fix it if it is that, is a tiny blob on the shunt. look up shunt mod for threads that talk about that.


The other possibility that is super likely, is that you cant put enough load on it to make the motor actually pull 45 amps. Meaning your ass is not big enough. You're flying, but its just only taking 30 amps.


Third really likely possibility, is your battery just sags and cant put out more than 30 amps.


After that, it could be a three speed switch, or high low jumper on the controller. You gotta identify every wire coming out of that thing to know. One of your wires is speed limiter, so that could be your problem. Is it three wires on that circuit or two?

And of course, you could be measuring with something out of calibration. I have at times thought I had a big problem, till I realized I had not calibrated my CA for a different controller, or had a fried shunt on my stand alone CA.

 

[scrachdat]

I'll try and answer all the questions at once,

I have two ways of measuring the current one is the battery itself Bluetooth app and a cycle analyst with external shunt
battery is from em3ev 52v battery that is lithium Ion

I don't think that it is a case of battery sag as the voltage drops from 58.8 to about 56v when fresh off the charger.

The nature of the test is a steep hill where my speed drops alot, my max speed downhill it's about 45mph, and uphill it's about 15-20 and it goes to about 30 amps + or - a few milliamps.

And I have Identified every wire on the controller, the limit wires are gray and when connected limits the speed to 27Mph however the current still reaches 30amps on an uphill.

I think that's everything

 

[e-beach]

Do you have your current limited by the CA? Or is it set to high for no current limit?

 

[scrachdat]

I don't believe I have the cycle analyst to set to limit anything as it's only connected to the shunt, I've not set anything in the cycle analyst to limit power, il'll have another look anyway to see if this is the case.

 

[scrachdat]

--What are you using to measure the current?

--What are the specifics of the test being done to cause the present max current load?


Note also that sometimes the limits given are not continous, but just a momentary burst, and then the *real* (unspecified) limit kicks in. You may be seeing this.


(Hopefully you'll reply to the help in this thread unlike the last one, so we can refine the problem and help you fix it.)

I though this too at first, but I've never seen it register above 30 on the cycle analyst or the app

 

[mybike]

If its not limited… you cannot go more then 30amps then its either your controller is NOT rated at 43amps or and your battery is unable to give out more then 30amps.

What do you have Is it a 2 wheel scooter?
As typing in google Yongkang chihui industry and trade co, LTD comes up as 2 wheel scootors on there website.

 

[amberwolf]

If its not limited… you cannot go more then 30amps then its either your controller is NOT rated at 43amps or and your battery is unable to give out more then 30amps.

If the battery couldn't do more than 30A, it would sag hugely in voltage and the BMS would shut down. Batteries don't limit current in a way that lets you keep using it when it hits the limit, unlike the controller (or a charger). Their electroncs are not that complex--just on or off.

 

[amberwolf]

cycle analyst with external shunt

If the CA is not connected to the throttle or brake of the controller, then it can't be limiting anything, so you can eliminate it as a cause by making sure the throttle goes straight to the controller, and the CA does not have anything that connects to the controller at all.

The nature of the test is a steep hill where my speed drops alot, my max speed downhill it's about 45mph, and uphill it's about 15-20 and it goes to about 30 amps + or - a few milliamps.

Most likely something is hitting the current limit, then, either the controller or, if the CA is connected to the controller throttle input, then the CA could do it.

If teh controller has an app to monitor it, it probably also has a programming mode (even if it's not included in software supplied to the end-user). If so, it may simply be programmed wrong.

If the controller has a 3-speed switch input, it may acutally not be a speed switch, but a current limit switch, or a power limit switch. If so, it's default position, with no switch connected, is probably the middle setting, and if that is programmed to be only 2/3 of the max current, you'd get what you see.


It's certainly possible that the controller itself doesn't actually support the current limit it's advertised with, either because the seller/marketer likes to exaggerate, or because the one you got isn't actually what they got the specs from (wrong one sent by accident, or they ran out of those and just never changed the ad when they got new ones in, etc). Or the manufacturer made them wrong, etc.

 

[scrachdat]

If the CA is not connected to the throttle or brake of the controller, then it can't be limiting anything, so you can eliminate it as a cause by making sure the throttle goes straight to the controller, and the CA does not have anything that connects to the controller at all.

I can confirm that the cycle analyst is not connected and does not provide any limiting.

If the controller has a 3-speed switch input, it may acutally not be a speed switch, but a current limit switch, or a power limit switch. If so, it's default position, with no switch connected, is probably the middle setting, and if that is programmed to be only 2/3 of the max current, you'd get what you see.

the speed limit seems to work by just limiting the throttle voltage as whether it is on or off it still hits 30 amps on a big hill.

If the battery couldn't do more than 30A, it would sag hugely in voltage and the BMS would shut down. Batteries don't limit current in a way that lets you keep using it when it hits the limit, unlike the controller (or a charger). Their electroncs are not that complex--just on or off.

the battery is from Em3EV it has a 60 amp Bluetooth BMS, it can provide 60 amps as I have seen it do so on my electric bike its a 30.6AH 14s 9P battery, with 35E cells I think.

If its not limited… you cannot go more then 30amps then its either your controller is NOT rated at 43amps or and your battery is unable to give out more then 30amps.

What do you have Is it a 2 wheel scooter?
As typing in google Yongkang chihui industry and trade co, LTD comes up as 2 wheel scootors on there website.

It is a road legal 2 wheel scooter provided by a company called Evo-motionhttps://www.evoscooters.co.uk/
But designed by a company called Forca https://www.forca-sports.de/bossman-s-2/
And from what I can deduce is that Yongkang chihui industry and trade co, LTD Produced the parts, as on their aliexpress store they sell the parts for this scooter. https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...ml?spm=2114.12010612.8148356.1.5a6b5ceeqadGXK

If you look you can see Forca Is written on the tyre.

looking on their store further I can find this controller which has the exact same wiring, but with slightly different specs https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...ml?spm=2114.12010612.8148356.4.17714eb1vZOgoa

the wires are all there.

 

[amberwolf]

If the controller has a 3-speed switch input, it may acutally not be a speed switch, but a current limit switch, or a power limit switch. If so, it's default position, with no switch connected, is probably the middle setting, and if that is programmed to be only 2/3 of the max current, you'd get what you see.

the speed limit seems to work by just limiting the throttle voltage as whether it is on or off it still hits 30 amps on a big hill.

I"m not referring to the speed limit "jumper" wire pair, but rather a set of usually three wires that go to a rocker or toggle switch with three positions.

Not every controller has this function, and even those that do don't always have the wires for it installed.

 

[scrachdat]

Okay when I can what i'll do is open up the controller and take some pictures, see what everyone thinks.

 

[aroundqube]

The 3 wire plug labeled converter, with center brown wire labeled +5V , is most likely for use with a 3 speed switch. With no switch attached , the control default usually is mid speed. With a jumper from center wire to one of the outside wires , the control will be low speed. And a jumper from the center wire to the other outside wire will be high speed. Only jump one pair at a time.

 

[scrachdat]

The 3 wire plug labeled converter, with center brown wire labeled +5V , is most likely for use with a 3 speed switch. With no switch attached , the control default usually is mid speed. With a jumper from center wire to one of the outside wires , the control will be low speed. And a jumper from the center wire to the other outside wire will be high speed. Only jump one pair at a time.

these wires on my controller are plugged into a 10A DC DC converter to step the voltage down from battery V to 12V so it can run all the lights horn, brake light ect.

I have unplugged this and run the bike with just the motor and throttle connected and it still only draws 30 amps.

 

[mybike]

It is a road legal 2 wheel scooter provided by a company called Evo-motionhttps://www.evoscooters.co.uk/
But designed by a company called Forca https://www.forca-sports.de/bossman-s-2/
And from what I can deduce is that Yongkang chihui industry and trade co, LTD Produced the parts, as on their aliexpress store they sell the parts for this scooter. https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...ml?spm=2114.12010612.8148356.1.5a6b5ceeqadGXK

If you look you can see Forca Is written on the tyre.

looking on their store further I can find this controller which has the exact same wiring, but with slightly different specs https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...ml?spm=2114.12010612.8148356.4.17714eb1vZOgoa

the wires are all there..

scrachdat be careful riding it on UK roads…
They are NOT legal on UK roads type in “Electric Folding Scooters uk law” you get the following...

In the UK, the electric kick scooter is classified as a PLEV, or Personal Light Electric Vehicle, and that makes them illegal on British roads or pavements. ... And while battery-powered scooters are spotted more and more on British streets, the Department for Transport has offered no hint that the law will change.11 Sep 2018.

There are plenty of info about UK law on them on the net 100% Not Legal. If it was legal I would of had one a long lime a go, but I found out they are not legal period.

update:
Is your scooter registered with DVLA? On the website it says you need to register it with DVLA only then it can be used on UK roads legally.

 

[scrachdat]

Is your scooter registered with DVLA? On the website it says you need to register it with DVLA only then it can be used on UK roads legally. :shock

It is registered with the DVLA, and it does have a liscence plate.

It is insured and registered for road use.

I actually use this as a fast food delivery vehicle.

 

[scrachdat]

Hello, Sorry it's taken so long I've had a busy few weeks, but here are the photos of the controller circuit board.

Here is a bad picture of the shunts sorry the wires are very tight.


I've got a few more if they're needed.

 

[e-beach]

Yep, those are you shunts. However I don't remember anyone around here with the knowledge to read amp ratings from looking at the shunts. Modifying a shunt is not hard. a blob of solder will do it. However it is pretty-permanent once done so make sure you are 100% sure your controller doesn't have a setting to go to 40a.

Check out how John in CR did one. https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=31643

If you still need help trying to discern your controller, show us the connectors, and the pads (the places where the little wires are soldered to the board, and the ones that are also empty) Maybe someone around here will recognize what you need to do to get 40a from your controller before you do any mods.