Shorten motor cord on Grinfineon controller?

ChanW

ChanW

1 mW
Joined
Aug 26, 2021
Messages
17
16301704801140.jpgHappy! Very happy!

Just had to say it! I just finished installing my Grin Ready to Roll kit, on my Linear Limo recumbent! First longish ride yesterday, lots of hills... no worries! (It's going to take me a while to absorb the fact that I don't have to design my route home around the hills - we live on top of a hill, of course, which has altered my riding more and more as the years accumulate.)

My posting however, is technical, because with my install, the only wire I've been unable to properly "bury" is the big fat one that goes from the controller to the motor. It's length is intended to reach from a potentially front mounted controller on a typical diamond frame bike to its rear wheel (edit: more likely... designed for a seat-post mounted controller, reaching to the front wheel). As you can see from the picture, the wire from the controller is way too long because the controller is right next to the front wheel where the motor is...
16301705107561.jpg

The motor is the Grin 'All Axle' direct drive motor.

Is there any problem in simply shortening this cable, if I were to open up the Grinfineon controller and resolder the wires? I think I might lose 2 to 3 feet of cable.

I haven't opened it up yet so I don't know how many conductors I'll need to deal with, the motor connector has 10 pins, seven tiny ones, plus the three 'phase' wires. I have no idea how many of those small wires are actually used.

I can solder, but I'm completely ignorant regarding motors and controllers.

Or would it be smarter to contact Grin techs about this?

TIA for any help you can give.
 
I would not open up the controller with my soldering skills. One little mistake leads to another. If you have a high skill level go for it but opening up the controller and performing work on it would void any warranty. May want to talk to Grin first.

I would do a staggered splice to keep the thickness down to a minimum. Plan it out and take your time. Would have more of a drip loop coming out of the motor, more for turning (look at the break cable). I just got in a L10 connector to put on a controller, it came with a pig tail so i'm going to chop off my connectors and some cable at the right length and splice it in. I will need to figure out the wiring and yours will be color to color.

There are more than a few threads on splicing. Solder or crimp or both, will leave it up to you. Heat shrink all the connections and outer wire, make it look nice. Don't splice at a bend.

Nice build I sure been wanting one of them motors to try out. I'm a big recumbent's fan.
 
Thanks @ZeroEm, good advice. I didn't really want to deal with a solder sucker, or a wick, actually...

I didn't even consider trying to shorten it from the other end, with a new L10 connector, duh. I'll have to see if there's a source for a crimp-on or solder L10.

Yes, I'm loving the new bike, seems amazingly 'powerful', takes the hills here in Western NY like nothing, with Amp-hours left over! (though the only other eBike I can compare to is my wife's Rad). Totally impressed with the company too, and the resources they provide.

And now I can keep up with my wife! :wink:
 
I haven't opened it up yet so I don't know how many conductors I'll need to deal with, the motor connector has 10 pins, seven tiny ones, plus the three 'phase' wires. I have no idea how many of those small wires are actually used.
Click to expand...
PinoutRef02.png

This is Grin's pinout for your cable.
 
Actually it's a 10 conductor, just a bit different from the nine conductor, like this:
L1019_Pinout.jpg

From their page illustrating various connectors, here:
https://ebikes.ca/learn/connectors.html
 
I pulled that image from Grin, you right it's wrong.
Was looking at the pig tail to see if I could open it up to see if a person could get to the wires but did not want to destroy it. I may see if I can also buy just an end but i'm better at splicing than soldering in tight spaces.
 
Yeah, I have a message in to Grin tech to see what they recommend, and if they carry the connector (either crimp or solder). I'm having a hard time imagining it being available in a crimp connector - it looks too crowded for those fittings.

It will probably become an over-the-winter job, opening the controller and shortening the cable from that end. Making ten connections on a crimp connector might be more of a PITA than working on the circuit board, although the gobs of silicone they used to seal the cable entrance will be a chore to get past.

Cool thing is, Grin's philosophy with their systems is that the owner should be able to work on it. They'd prefer to help you troubleshoot a problem - open up a device to access the electronics, etc - rather than send it to them to figure out.

Dunno yet if that philosophy applies to their controllers or not. I'll have to see. They're busy these days, and might be slow to respond.
 
It's the cost of shipping. :shock:
I bet they get them with connected with a cable attached. I'm sure it's soldered. I can look here in the USA for just an end and you can solder correct. You are in the USA?

I will do a search :!:
 
Heh!

Thanks for looking!
 
Have a motor with the Higo L1019, and just received the matching male plug to put it on my controller (same as your going todo). So it serves my interest as well. Want to get a mated pair for my trike. That one will be motor and controller. Guess I need to practice my soldering skills.

It would make a good Thread for us here when you open up a baserunner.

Motor Female L1019 Plug
Controller Male L1019 Plug

Is this how yours is. Want to match with production units. So it's all plug and play. Mostly Play. :lol:
 
Yeah, I doubt I'd open a BaseRunner without coaching from Grin.

If (when?) I upgrade to a BaseRunner, I'll ask them to put a custom cord on it before they ship it out.

But I'm having second thoughts about the BaseRunner though, only because I'd need to turn my battery around to get the controller connections near the Cycle-Analyst. As it is now the Controller is right next to the Cycle-Analyst.

The eventual upgrade might just be to the PhaseRunner for that reason.
 
Don't know where the assumption of you having a baserunner came from. A phaserunner would be more flexible on battery Voltage and more amps. Grinfineon should be easy to open up.
 
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