notes on cycle analyst usage moved from a sale thread

[amberwolf]

Note: this thread is posts moved out of a sale thread
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=71734
at the request of the OP of that thread, since deleting them would have lost information useful to others.

********************

Just some notes for yourself or the eventual purchaser:

I also installed a "lemon hobby" watt meter because the Bafang system doesn't allow the use of the Cycle Analyst.

Sure it does--any electric motor system at all would allow it. You'd just need to use the SA (standalone) model instead of DP (Direct Plugin), if the controller of your system doesn't happen to have a CA-DP plug already installed, and you don't want to add one.

Paul said that I needed to be sure to keep my sustained current under 20 amps.

The CA can be setup to automatically do that for you, by controlling the throttle if current got too high.

It can also be setup to stop the system at a specific voltage level (LVC low voltage cutoff), if your battery does not already have a BMS to do this for you (any battery from EM3EV should already have a BMS with LVC)


One thing to keep in mind about not fully charging the battery is that unless EM3EV installed a BMS that balances at the lower voltage level, rather than at the "full" voltage level, the only way to balance the pack is by fully charging the pack and leaving it on the charger for long enough to balance (which can take days for a badly-imbalanced pack). Unless something is wrong, like you start getting less range before cutoff than you used to, generally there's nothing to worry about. But if that does start happening, then before you do anything else, try just letting it fully charge and leaving on the charger for a significant time after it's done.

 

[Patches1958]

Thanks for the information. Like I said in the beginning. I wanted to build a good, complete system and EM3EV sold me what I asked for. The battery has a BMS system and you are correct, the system didn't have a simple way to add a Cycle Analyst so I (have an electrical background) put in the watt meter and that gave me the information that I was looking for. I don't think that enough good things can be said about the Cycle Analyst, but this system didn't have one and I didn't want to modify anything. The watt meter gives me instant current monitoring capability without having to have modified anything. Thanks for looking :wink:

 

[tomjasz]

Just some notes for yourself or the eventual purchaser:

I also installed a "lemon hobby" watt meter because the Bafang system doesn't allow the use of the Cycle Analyst.

Sure it does--any electric motor system at all would allow it. You'd just need to use the SA (standalone) model instead of DP (Direct Plugin), if the controller of your system doesn't happen to have a CA-DP plug already installed, and you don't want to add one.

Doesn't that just make the CA an expensive watt meter? Many features are left out by simply linking the CA to the shunt. Great for monitoring power but that can be done much cheaper. BTW I have one and have used it to understand how my mid drives run and use power. But the watt meter the OP used is a better value for his setup unless he were to follow Kepler's lead and actually integrate the CA.

 

[Patches1958]

Thanks for the reply on the watt meter. It tells me exactly what I need to know when I need to know it. The voltage reading on the watt meter is as important as the instantaneous amperage being used reading is. Although, with the pedal assist, there is never an over-amperage situation.
Thank you

 

[amberwolf]

Doesn't that just make the CA an expensive watt meter? Many features are left out by simply linking the CA to the shunt. Great for monitoring power but that can be done much cheaper.

If it's not being used to control anything, then yes. But the cotnrols don't always have to go thru a DP plug in the controller itself. One can use an external shunt to monitor things, then have the throttle go into the CA's throttle input plug, then use the CA's throttle output plug go to the regular cotnroller throttle plug. Same with ebrakes.

So, it depends on how you choose to wire it up--it doesn't necessarily require a DP system to do the stuff a DP system can do.

 

[tomjasz]

Doesn't that just make the CA an expensive watt meter? Many features are left out by simply linking the CA to the shunt. Great for monitoring power but that can be done much cheaper.

If it's not being used to control anything, then yes. But the cotnrols don't always have to go thru a DP plug in the controller itself. One can use an external shunt to monitor things, then have the throttle go into the CA's throttle input plug, then use the CA's throttle output plug go to the regular cotnroller throttle plug. Same with ebrakes.

So, it depends on how you choose to wire it up--it doesn't necessarily require a DP system to do the stuff a DP system can do.

Thanks Amber, but my point is, using a CA on a BBS02 is more complex and out of reach for many. I will someday have integration but the watt meter does everything needed for a lot less money and complexity. Sadly we don't all have your skill set. :wink:

 

[amberwolf]

I havent' even ever done what I describe...but it's easy to do, and AFAIK it's all in the CA manual, cuz it's made to do this.

I don't remmeber what connectors are all built in, but if it's not all there it's easy enough to add following the instructions in the UUG or on the grin tech site.

 

[tomjasz]

Yup all the information is out there, but one man's easy is another man's nightmare. Lot's of brilliant lone wolves here doing all sorts of cool things.Sadly without someone to hang with with similar passions makes these adventures much more difficult. I will someday have a CA and BBS02 working together. Perhaps when the next version BBSHD is out in November...