i have a 350w 36v kit from worldwide electric bikes. the power led's on the head light unit should indicate how much charge is letf in the batterys, right. on mine when i run the bike with the throttle switch in the low range they seem to work that way, it stays in the green for about 5 miles then starts droping in to the yellow, going about 7 or 8 mph, but if i use the med or high range they all go out and the low battery light comes on, this happens even with a fresh charge. it still seems to run ok, goes about 20 mph in high. the seller swaped out the battery and controler for me but it still does the same thing. should i be concerned about this or is it normal. the led's seem to be indicating power draw instead of power reserve's. thanks, john.
newb with ?'s
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TylerDurden
100 GW
That's normal.
It shows relative battery voltage. the heavy draw (current) makes the voltage drop significantly, especially if you have SLA batteries or a small battery pack.
So, you can also easily see that lighter throttle gets more range in the EV world.
It shows relative battery voltage. the heavy draw (current) makes the voltage drop significantly, especially if you have SLA batteries or a small battery pack.
So, you can also easily see that lighter throttle gets more range in the EV world.
Sounds like you have the Fusin kit like mine. The LEDs indicate battery voltage. When you draw more current from the battery than it's current state of charge can handle without dragging down the voltage, you'll see that on the LEDs (as you would with any other power meter, in various ways).
Sounds like the battery you have is perhaps a bit undersized for the power draw you are using, so it sags a little during use. It's fairly normal for a smaller battery pack, depending on the kind of cells it's made of. Some of them are fairly low C-rate, meaning they simply can't deliver much power without voltage sag.
Mine draws about 16A at acceleration, around 9-10Wh/mile total, running at 13-15MPH with some pedalling, in low. I've forgotten what it draws in medium or high, but it gets significantly higher. Do you have a wattmeter to be sure what your power draw is?
If your power draw is similar to mine, and you lose power after only 5 miles, that's about 50Wh taken out of the pack at that point, so it shouldn't sag much yet if it's a larger pack. A smaller one will, though, like mine.
Mine is a NiMH 36V 9Ah, already well-used before I got it. It's not really meant for high-current draws, so it does sag significantly during acceleration and in any mode other than low. Even in low, it sags after a couple of miles. Total I got about 12-13 miles of range with it, hauling a trailer with a couple of other bikes in it.
Sounds like the battery you have is perhaps a bit undersized for the power draw you are using, so it sags a little during use. It's fairly normal for a smaller battery pack, depending on the kind of cells it's made of. Some of them are fairly low C-rate, meaning they simply can't deliver much power without voltage sag.
Mine draws about 16A at acceleration, around 9-10Wh/mile total, running at 13-15MPH with some pedalling, in low. I've forgotten what it draws in medium or high, but it gets significantly higher. Do you have a wattmeter to be sure what your power draw is?
If your power draw is similar to mine, and you lose power after only 5 miles, that's about 50Wh taken out of the pack at that point, so it shouldn't sag much yet if it's a larger pack. A smaller one will, though, like mine.
Mine is a NiMH 36V 9Ah, already well-used before I got it. It's not really meant for high-current draws, so it does sag significantly during acceleration and in any mode other than low. Even in low, it sags after a couple of miles. Total I got about 12-13 miles of range with it, hauling a trailer with a couple of other bikes in it.
TylerDurden
100 GW
thanks for the info guy's. it has the lipo 10ah pack that came with the kit, i'm getting about 13 to 15 miles out of it with no pedaling. just wanted to know if that was normal as i want to shorten the wiring up to make for a cleaner install, it's just a wad'ed up mess wire tied on there now, wanted to make sure all was ok before i started cutting and soldering in case i had to send it back. guess i can start making it look good now.
Two other mods I recommend you do while you're at it.
Put one or two pieces of black electrical tape over the light sensor on the bottom of the headlight. If you don't, it'll turn itself off just passing by streetlights, or if car headlights from pretty far away reflect off your legs. That's bad.
Put a couple layers of nice dark window tint over the LEDs under the clear plastic top--otherwise they are so bright at night that they can be very distracting and even mess up your night vision. Even with two layers of "limo dark" mine is quite visible by daylight but is not blinding at night. Needs a third layer, but I couldn't see it in daylight then.
Optionally a brightness switch could be used for them, with a small resistor in series with whatever common wire goes to all the LEDs in the panel (not the headlight). But the tint can be put on with out any physical modifications.
Put one or two pieces of black electrical tape over the light sensor on the bottom of the headlight. If you don't, it'll turn itself off just passing by streetlights, or if car headlights from pretty far away reflect off your legs. That's bad.
Put a couple layers of nice dark window tint over the LEDs under the clear plastic top--otherwise they are so bright at night that they can be very distracting and even mess up your night vision. Even with two layers of "limo dark" mine is quite visible by daylight but is not blinding at night. Needs a third layer, but I couldn't see it in daylight then.
Optionally a brightness switch could be used for them, with a small resistor in series with whatever common wire goes to all the LEDs in the panel (not the headlight). But the tint can be put on with out any physical modifications.
dogman dan
1 PW
It's the battery. The fusin kit I got, and sold to amberworlf did not act like that till I had run the battery down some. I had to ride about 6 miles before the led's would start winking out on hard accelerations. But the led's on that kit are very sensitive, and will really show you how much voltage sag you get when using the throttle. But for them to all wink out when you pull max throttle right away is not normal. It's showing you that you have a lot of voltage sag under load.
As a battery meter, they are about useless, since you are using lifepo4. With sla's or nicads they should work better as a fuel guage since those chemistries have more of a gradual sag as they discharge. But the meter still gives good info by showing you how deep the voltage sags under load.
I hesitate to say much... since I tested and reviewed only the motor. But I never heard anybody say they loved the battery in the Fusin kit. Great motor, and I found the led's on the light very helpfull, since at that time I had no wattmeter. But two people I know of didn't think much of the kit battery. I think it is a classic case of low c rate cells used in too small a battery. You may get good life out of it though, if you just keep to the medium setting unless you need the speed. Paralelling another 10 ah battery would help a lot. But If I were you, I'd try to avoid pulling lots of amps, by using the slower settings, or by using them to get going, and then using high only when cruising. Though it risks wearing out the switch, you can use it like a gearshift. Or pedal first.
As a battery meter, they are about useless, since you are using lifepo4. With sla's or nicads they should work better as a fuel guage since those chemistries have more of a gradual sag as they discharge. But the meter still gives good info by showing you how deep the voltage sags under load.
I hesitate to say much... since I tested and reviewed only the motor. But I never heard anybody say they loved the battery in the Fusin kit. Great motor, and I found the led's on the light very helpfull, since at that time I had no wattmeter. But two people I know of didn't think much of the kit battery. I think it is a classic case of low c rate cells used in too small a battery. You may get good life out of it though, if you just keep to the medium setting unless you need the speed. Paralelling another 10 ah battery would help a lot. But If I were you, I'd try to avoid pulling lots of amps, by using the slower settings, or by using them to get going, and then using high only when cruising. Though it risks wearing out the switch, you can use it like a gearshift. Or pedal first.
dogman dan
1 PW
Hey, WWelectricbikes is back. I thought they had gone away when their web site went down. Pretty good deal now, even if the batteries are a bit wimpy, the kit is solid enough, and the price drop makes the kit a good deal still.
I'm beta testing now on fusins latest version of the 48v motor. Still using the light, but the power wires now do not go to the light and then back to the controller, shortening the power to controller run by about 6 feet. Just a switch wire goes that distance now avoiding some voltage drop.
I'm beta testing now on fusins latest version of the 48v motor. Still using the light, but the power wires now do not go to the light and then back to the controller, shortening the power to controller run by about 6 feet. Just a switch wire goes that distance now avoiding some voltage drop.
