Please answer a simple yes or no question

[Ch00paKabrA]

I have searched around on the board but since the search function is not the best, I have been unable to find a definitive answer to my question.

Here is my question:

Can I run my sensored hub motor with a sensorless controller?

Here is why I want to know:

My motor is a Bafang 36v 250w motor that I am currently running on 72v 250w. It is a slow (torque - 175 rpm) wind and on 36 volts, it will do just under 20 in 29er rim with a 2.35 tire. On 72 volts it will do almost 30 but it takes a while to get up there. I want to run it on either 500w or 750 but I believe it would be in my best interest to increasee the size of the phase wires before doing so. The problem is that there is not enough room to increase the phase wires unless I eliminate the hall wires.

Thank you in advance for your kind replies and I bow to your superior knowledge

'Cal

 

[Punx0r]

Yes

 

[spinningmagnets]

Yes.

I always recommend to get hall sensors in a hub-motor. You don't have to use them, but they are there if you ever want to try them out. Some controllers also start in sensored mode, and after getting up to speed, they switch over to sensorless. The benefit is that if you ever fry a hall sensor, the sensorless part will limp you home.

 

[Drunkskunk]

Yes... provisionaly. Its a geared hub, so you need a sensorless controller that can function with geared hubs. Some can't. just verify that the controller you're about to buy is suitable for geared hubs.


As an alternative, there are other ways to fit larger phase wires and leave room for the halls. one method involves stripping the insulation for the part of the wire going through the axle, then covering the bare wires with much thinner shrink tube. Also using much thinner grade wire for the halls as they exit the motor can help.

Sensorless can work just fine, but you're always going to get smoother opperation and better performance from fully functioning halls.

 

[dnmun]

yes or no.

did you try using 12G with thin insulation yet? if that is too tight then try 14G and you will be able to get the 5 hall wires alongside.

 

[Tench]

Yes

And with the effectively lower gearing of a geared hub (more commutations to distance moved) it should start and pull away better than a sensorless controller on a DD hub.

 

[Ch00paKabrA]

Thank you all for the replies. I really appreciate it. I will try to find wire with thin insulation to keep the halls but it is good to know that I can use a sensorless controller if it come down to it.

Thank you again.

 

[dogman dan]

Ha ha. All answers yes,,, but,,,,.

Yes, but,,,, I'd just increase the wire size to the axle, and live with the same size through the axle and keep the halls. It will heat sink out some heat from those smaller wires, and the thin wire will be short, so less heating of the wire just from current. It's a common way to mod the wires, and works fine for people aiming for moderate increases.