Throttle throttles throttles. Sigh.

[Rifle]

My first throttle on my Amped Bikes kit got slow after about 3 months. My second throttle from TNC Scooters died completely after a month. Where the heck can a guy get a dependable hall effect throttle? I can't find any that looks any different on the internet. What about getting a Curie 5 kOhm throttle (http://www.thunderstruck-ev.com/throttles.htm) and soldering a resistor in series on the wiper wire? Would that work acceptably? What value of resistor would I need?

 

[Russell]

This is the throttle I use on both of my ebikes;

http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8026


-R

 

[Patriot]

^^^ I tried a trigger throttle on my bike, but found it to be a real problem. I love the idea, and it felt great. However, no matter how I configured it, the throttle would not work, as it got in the way of my trigger shifter. I can't remount my shifter to a DT setup, because they are integrated into my brake/shifter handle. Plus, with my bike, there is nowhere to mount a DT shifter. I could leave it on the big ring, but if I accidently hit my shifter and drop it to the smaller chainring, I have no way to get it back up to the big one without taking the bike apart to do so. The only other option would be to lock the front der into position on the big ring using the stop screws. This could work, but if I hit hte shifter, the der cable will end up dangling off the downtube in a very nuiscant way. The idea of it just seems like too much hassle, when my thumbie works just fine, all-be-it a mild pain to my wrist.

Someday I'll find something that will work better.

 

[Russell]

They work great for me. On the first bike I use a DT shifter for the front derailleur but on the second bike I bought a $1 shifter from Nashbar for the front.




http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_217490_-1_201511_10000_201516





-R

 

[Rifle]

I've decided to try out Russel's idea with the trigger throttle. Could buy about 3 Hall effect throttles for that price, but since I've already had 2 break on me in about 4 months I feel like I need to try something different. Seems like a potentiometer based throttle should be more durable too. I was thinking though, as a back-up (and until the new throttle arrives), could a dude just short the high and wiper wires to get a wide open throttle signal?

 

[Russell]

This will work in a pinch;



http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102789

Red to the left, black to the right and whatever color your throttle signal lead is to the center terminal.


EDIT: E-brakes or a deadman switch inline with the pot would be a good idea.



-R

 

[317537]

This will work in a pinch;



http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102789

Red to the left, black to the right and whatever color your throttle signal lead is to the center terminal.



-R

I want to go with resistive throttle but how to fashion it to spring back to zero throttle position is a little difficult to do. It is do-able however with some reliability and ruggedness is more of a challenge..

any more ideas how to do this spring loaded.

 

[Russell]

The potentiometer would just be a temporary solution and of course wouldn't be safe unless you had E-brakes hooked up, used an inline deadman switch which opened up when you let go or had a pedelec which enabled the throttle.

I am hoping to try a pedelec in the near future with either a pot box or 3-position switch to see if I can eliminate the throttle altogether.

-R

 

[317537]

The potentiometer would just be a temporary solution and of course wouldn't be safe unless you had E-brakes hooked up, used an inline deadman switch which opened up when you let go or had a pedelec which enabled the throttle.

I am hoping to try a pedelec in the near future with either a pot box or 3-position switch to see if I can eliminate the throttle altogether.

-R

Interesting concept based on need vs control ability making the hall controll redundant. I'm still thinking of some spring lever on a resistor pot though. Some gearing should apply as the pot turn is too much for hand, finger or thumb manual controll.

 

[Russell]

Interesting concept based on need vs control ability making the hall controll redundant. I'm still thinking of some spring lever on a resistor pot though. Some gearing should apply as the pot turn is too much for hand, finger or thumb manual controll.

The throttle I am using and that I recommended above is basically just that. The RadioShack pot idea was a response to Rifle's desire to have something while he waits for that throttle to arrive.

I have a controller on the way from one seller and a pedelec coming from another so I'll see if they will work together. If they do work then I'm going to try some alternative throttle ideas such as a pot box like eZee has, or maybe something as simple as a few resistors hooked up to a "go" switch.

-R

 

[amberwolf]

To use a pot spring loaded is fairly easy, as long as you have something around with a coil spring that will fit over the shaft *and* has long enough levers that stick out at each end to attach them to your base and your thumb lever

This is my current throttle, which works well enough. The pot was a horizontal control out of some old monochrome monitor. The knob came off some old medical equipment modules. The bracket it's on used to hold a seatpost rear reflector. The spring came off of...something. I forgot what.

I just use the side of my thumb to move it and hold it; my bars are essentially like beach cruiser bars, but since I am seated leaning back some, they are not horizontal; more upright, making it more comfortable to have my hand in that position.

Note that my 2QD has a setpoint pot for throttle, allowing me to use quite a range of throttle control types and still adjust the input to the ~4V full scale needed for the actual throttle input at the comparators.
View attachment 3

 

[coln72]

I am sick of replacing twist throttles as well, on my fourth in a couple of months and the bike is not even on the road yet! so I am converting to a pot.

To do this, I have modified a Shimano bar end shifter with a bit of filing and drilling (10 minutes work) so the shaft of the pot slips through where the original shifter shaft went. The pot is held in location with the nut and possibly some sort of glue. On the shaft of the pot, I have machined up an adaptor that presses into the lever and onto the shaft of the pot. I am planning to run either a torsion spring between the lever and the shifter body or run a cable via the original gear lever to some sort of return spring mounted remotely.

Hope this makes sense will try for some pics tomorrow to clear it up.

 

[amberwolf]

For reference, here is a throttle pot from a wheelchair/powerchair. It is spring-centered, and pivots either direction, because this one is meant to give forward/reverse throttle ability.

Since the metal lever mount piece comes off with 4 allen-head setscrews, it's easy enough to readjust it so the power is applied for my particular use, forward only, scaled from one end of the throttle rather than from the center starting position. Just loosen the set screws, then use a flatblade to turn the pot's shaft until it is as far as desired to the new "zero" point.

The spring in it is *really* tough to push against unless you mount a fairly long lever (3-4") to it. I'm probably going to use this one with my adapted-brake-lever throttle idea, where a second brake lever is added "under" the first, so the brakes can be squeezed very fast without accidentally activating the throttle, but the throttle is instantly right there by fingertips as I release the brake.

 

[coln72]

Here are a few pics of my as yet un-tested thumb throttle. It has a built in return spring at the moment but can be converted back to use a gear cable attatched to some sort of remote located return arrangement. Will get some more pics of it when I pull it apart as I feel that a little more filing will be in order.

 

[Rifle]

My order for that throttle Russell modified just got canceled. Apparently it is no longer made. However, I busted open my other throttle and I couldn't see anything wrong with it, and waving the magnet in front of the hall sensor produced the desired results, so I taped it back together and it works. Go figure. I guess I'll just rig up a pot to have as an emergency back-up and call it good.

 

[richmpdx]

This is a late question relating to Russell's post about a pedelec/controller combo. I rather like the ezee pedelec system, because basically you don't have to fuss with a throttle. At higher power levels, it is perhaps a little abrupt in the on/off transition, but still seems to work ok. Where did you find a pedelec sensor system? I will look forward to your reports after you have a chance to try the system.

Rich

 

[Russell]

This is a late question relating to Russell's post about a pedelec/controller combo. I rather like the ezee pedelec system, because basically you don't have to fuss with a throttle. At higher power levels, it is perhaps a little abrupt in the on/off transition, but still seems to work ok. Where did you find a pedelec sensor system? I will look forward to your reports after you have a chance to try the system.

Rich

I ordered a controller from ecitypower on eBay for several reasons; first, it is supposed to work sensorless (I am dubious about that however), second, it is supposed to enter automatic cruise control if the throttle is held constant for 8 seconds, third, because it has a pedelec connection, and finally because it was cheap to try.

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/ecitypower

the controller is described on their sister site here;

http://www.bmsbattery.com/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=105

I ordered a pedelec sensor as an afterthought from a GoldenMotor dealer hoping it will be compatible.

-R