Razor ecosmart Metro wiring diagram: Need knowledgeable person to answer question.

[orlbuzz]

I need someone who knows the Metro's stock controller. I emailed the company and he was absolutely no help.
I am upgrading the controller and motor and I want to know the purpose of the small wire I've marked on the attached image. It bypasses the switch and provides constant power to something in the controller. My new controller does not have that wire and I want to know what I will be missing, if anything.

orlbuzz

 

[larsb]

It's likely a precharge wire for the controller. It allows the controller to be connected to the battery without using a separate precharge resistor.
Your new controller probably also needs precharging to avoid the inrush current that's created when a controller with empty capacitors are connected to the battery. If you don’t disconnect to charge the battery then the hassle of using a separate precharge resistor is acceptable.

Other possible solution is to use anti spark connector to the battery like AS-150 or XT90-s, that’s what i would recommend.

 

[orlbuzz]

larsb,

after over 150 views on two forums, and yours being the only reply, I sincerely appreciate your response. However, while studying the wiring diagram trying to figure out another problem, it dawned on me that without that small wire, there is no complete circuit to charge the batteries! I studied your suggestion and decided that it would not apply to my controller and so I connected it to my scooter and it ran without a problem. Except that now, I have no way of charging the batteries!

Now I need to figure out another way to charge the batteries. Obviously just connecting the connector labeled for charging is not going to work. I need to figure out if I can connect to the charge port directly to the batteries, or is there circuitry in the controller that is needed for a proper charge.

As always, any help is appreciated!

orlbuzz

 

[larsb]

I see, you’re correct. The wire is not switched off by the on/off breaker and charging was done through the controller before.

To do charging with the new controller should be as simple as connecting new wires from your charge port directly to the battery. Add a fuse rated for the charge current in this loop and you should be good.

Just check that the charger shuts off itself at fully charged voltage the first time you charge so that this shut-off function was not built into the original controller.

 

[orlbuzz]

larsb,
thank you again for replying in both my post today. Thanks for the insight, and the suggestion of a fuse. I'm sure that would be wise!
Thanks again!
orlbuzz (Gary)

 

[orlbuzz]

Just in case you didn't see these in the other posts: Two wiring diagrams that confirm what we were all thinking.