Winterizing your ebike

nutsandvolts said:
The Stig said:
I just don't see "letting water out of the motor" as a solution to waterproofing the motor.
Click to expand...

Its not a solution for waterproofing, it's a means for evaporation to occur. The point was that prior attempts to "waterproof" the wire entry point did not succeed, water still got in and then could not drain or evaporate. If some water gets in there its not a problem as long as the bike is stored inside where it can dry out. In theory a brushless motor could be made to operate even submersed, but it would be a lot of work, requiring sealing inside the motor (hall sensors). There have also been suggestions here that drain holes could be drilled and plugged with a rubber stopper which is removed just for drying.
Click to expand...

Plugged drain holes may work. However I cannot understand why everyone has failed to waterproof the wires... either the water is coming in from somewhere else or something strange is going on...
 
How does one prepare an ebike for winter? I realize it may be hard to seal the hub from snow and slush and occasional rain, but is there any protection?
The controller likes to stay dry, what about the throttle? Can I seal the wire connections in electrical tape?
 
ive never "winterized" an ebike before but for my jetskis (stand up jet skis NOT seadoo's aka sitdoo) with unsealed total loss ignition we use wd40 (wd=water displacement) and/or spary on silicone. not a permenant fix but helps the parts shed water. and yes we used to ride in January dodging ice on the fraser.

seemed to work rather good on the nitro rc stuff i was into a few years ago . when it rained we just sprayed all the electronics (servos to reciever) with wd and have atter.

the real trick will be studding some tires :)
 
enoob said:
ive never "winterized" an ebike before but for my jetskis (stand up jet skis NOT seadoo's aka sitdoo) with unsealed total loss ignition we use wd40 (wd=water displacement) and/or spary on silicone. not a permenant fix but helps the parts shed water. and yes we used to ride in January dodging ice on the fraser.

seemed to work rather good on the nitro rc stuff i was into a few years ago . when it rained we just sprayed all the electronics (servos to reciever) with wd and have atter.

the real trick will be studding some tires :)
Click to expand...
lol@studding some tires lol

i prefer to just buy the pre-studded tires lol
 
remove pedals, battery, seatpost and front wheel,

pack all in back of van and head to San Diego.

REmove, assemble, look for work.
 
Here's a good video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZh-Kq3CbCQ You basically want to make sure everything is properly waterproofed. Then the normal--add fenders and spiked tires (hint, you can make your own using sheet metal screws, that's what I've done), if you don't have them, get good lights, too. If your hands get cold, you might want pogies. They show pogies in the video. I got some from Amazon for $17.99 with free shipping. I absolutely love my pogies. Remember to keep things cleaned throughout the winter.
 
broloch said:
How does one prepare an ebike for winter? I realize it may be hard to seal the hub from snow and slush and occasional rain, but is there any protection?
The controller likes to stay dry, what about the throttle? Can I seal the wire connections in electrical tape?
Click to expand...

Oh boy, I've been waterproofing my bikes for weeks now. Take a look here to start with for great info:

Waterproofing with Silicone Fire-Retardant Waterproofing (Controller)
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10233

Improved Weatherproofing Idea (Hub Motor)
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12984

Controller:

Silicone Conformal Coating (or Car Ignition Spray from Canadian Tire) and possible potting too. Or

http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/422a.html

Connectors:

Use waterproof connectors if possible (Deutch, Weatherpack), or

Waterproof your existing ones with Silicone Dielectric Grease applied to the contacts or
inner portion of the connectors surrounding the pins. Then you can paint black electric
tape paint to the outside of the connectors where they join to seal out the water. It dries fast.
I tried using black electric tape and it wouldn't stick very well in the cold. MG Chemicals is
called Connector Coating,

http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/4229.html

Walmart and Canadian Tire have cheaper equivalents.

What also works well is stretchy Silicone Tape that adheres to itself.

http://www.rescuetape.com/

The same or similar stuff is Cheap on ebay. Wrap your connectors tight with this
and water can't get passed the silicone seal.

Wires:

I like to use 3:1 adhesive lined heat shrink tube when possible to do any wire to wire
connections. The adhesive lining melts when you're shrinking the tubing making a
water tight seal. 3:1 means it shrinks to 1/3 of its original diameter. Great to get
over connectors if you forget to put the tubing on before crimping on the pins etc.
You can also get 4:1 and higher but its special order and $$$. Canadian Tire has 3:1.
If its too later to get a shrink tube on, the Connector Coating works, but
is a bit too soft for my liking and can wear off. I find that black tape or silicone tape
is hard to get on the wires and peels too easy, esp in the cold.

Batteries:

Make sure they're in a waterproof pannier or similar sealed bag that water can not get
in AT ALL. Seal the exit like Russell did on his build,

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/download/file.php?id=22887

or seal your power tool batteries completely if that's what you use. Here's how I did mine:

Waterproof Lithum 6AH Yardworks Battery

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9451

I have the back of those Anderson's sealed with epoxy where the wires go in. You
can use a syringe from a drug store for oral meds (or pet store) to inject the epoxy
into the the area where the wire enters the back of the Anderson.

Then I have them wrapped tight with Silicone tape. So water can not get in the
back of the connector, or where they join.

Motor:

There was some good info in that link I put above. Here again:

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12984

I'm inclined to use some spray
that stays a thick liquid like Wurth Film or ACF-50 that slowly rolls around and prevents
rust and corrosion. I don't have the shite yet so here
is what I did on my son's bike's motor (I had it opened to fix it):

- Greased the gears and metal pieces that spin and rub.
- On the inside of the hub where the axle posts stick out, I've applied a good dose of grease to both sides,
to in theory, keep the water out a little while longer.
- Silicone RTV'd the hole where the wires exit the axle.
- Silicone II'ed the screw on cap to seal out the water.

GE Silicone II is just a neutral curing Indoor/Outdoor Silicone Caulking material. Its not as hard
as RTV so I might be able to get the cap of later (maybe).

Edit: I've noticed that the new 8-Fun Bafang motors advertised as waterproof, now have an
O-Ring where the cap screws on. The also have 3-pin phase wire waterproof connectors.

Its debatable weather you want to seal where the wires leave the hub. Some people (ebikes.ca)
think that this makes it worse, since water that gets into the motor from heat, then condensation
from cooling, can not get out and stays trapped in the motor. I'm going to try what I did above,
but it might be better to just leave it as is. I'm pretty sure that the Wurth Film or ACF-50 will
work if you can get it into the hub motor. That's what I plan to do next.

Throttle:

I have not figured this one out yet. I think I'll Google "Ebike waterproof throttle." Not sure how
critical this is compared to the other things. I guess you don't want it shorting out too "full on"
though, so I'm going to look into this. This is why ebikes.ca stopped using throttles with
battery level indicators. They were susceptible to this.

On/Off Switch:

Mine is just a switch I used for where a key switch is intended. If it shorts, it just means that
the power to the bike stays on. Not a biggie. I have glue gunned the switch quite a bit, just to
make it more water tight. One could also use RTV Silicone to do this. Also, there are
push button switches with rubber boots available. I have a 79 cent clear boot that screws onto
a standard toggle switch I'm going to try. The back part off this kind of switch would still have
to be waterproofed though.

Lights:

Just buy a waterproof light. MEC has them.

PS: I was meaning to write this up for a while now. Thanks for the motivation. Once I learn
more, I'll edit and post as a new waterproofing topic.

Edit:

From the video from http://www.itselectric.ca, I like the Inner-tube idea to protect the wires, but
I would not trust to waterproof. I'd do the wires and connectors as above, then use the
inner-tubes to direct and protect the wires.

Update Edit:

I tried Permatex Plastic Weld 5 Minute for the back of the Andersons where the wires go in.
Injected with a syringe as mentioned above. This worked great and is fast. The stuff smells
like hell though, which must mean its breaking down the plastic a bit to bond better, which
is good. This works better that crazy glue gel, which tends to crack.

This is a GREAT way to do this. No shrink tube on the back of the connectors is necessary,
unless you want it for strain relief. Personally, I like without. With 12 gauge wire, you
don't really need strain relief.

So now when connecting the Andersons together, its a nice flat clean surface from
connector to connector, and the silicone tape seals it nice for the final touch.

I also realized that when making a series wiring harness. Ie controller to battery to battery
to battery and back to controller. You don't actually ever need to join and solder any wires.
You just make the harness as a big loop. Less to waterproof. Just make sure all the connector
to connector wires are measured out before you start. I'll post a pic if anyone does not get it.

Finally, here's a real cool trick I discovered on the Anderson connectors. Instead of those
Anderson locks that you can get from.

http://www.powerwerx.com/anderson-powerpoles/accessories/retention-clips.html

You can loop a small zap strap cable tie through the same holes and lock them that way. Of
course this only works on more permanent connections.
 
I put fresh dielectric grease into the connectors today.
I should soon pull the stem and seat post to seal them with boat-trailer axle grease.
The BB was repacked last month and the Brooks saddle coated with Sno-Seal.
The brake shoes were replaced but they'll need to be replaced again before winter is out.

Studded tires would last a long time here if you only ran them one ice or packed frozen snow.
Trouble is, it's usually a combination of slush ruts and bare pavement along with the polished ice.

I rode home-made studs on a SS mountain bike through the worst of last winter. (when I had to)
It was the eighth year on trash tires with one sheet-metal screw replacement.
Some years they weren't needed.
In fact, if I mounted them before the snow, it wouldn't snow.

Last winter it wouldn't stop snowing.
Real tungsten stud Nokians would have been welcome along about week two but they were sold out locally.

Next winter I might be ready with a tar-dipped sled on studs. (LWB+FWD)
 
Thanks Zoot. I was starting to think about the rest of the bike now that I have the electrics covered.
I probably should have prepared the rest of the bike 1st, then the electrics.

Bike Maintenance before Electric Power is the safe bet.
 
I never "winterized"... just "summerized" in the springs by replacing wiring and switches etc rotted out by the winters salty slush
:D
LocK
 
Re: throttle...we can't all be elegant here. I put a bread bag over mine in winter, but I have no shame.

Studded tires are a must here, and I even have a set of snow chains that I'm secretly wanting to actually use.

We usually freeze hard and fast here, reducing the slush factor. This year's been strange, though.
 
zukster... I'm printing out a copy of your weatherproofing ideas for easier reference.

My bike is still in "fair-weather-only" condition, so I'm getting very few rides lately. (I'm just south and east of you. We've had at least 20 inches of rain here in November.) My question is: once the bike is ready for the rain and puddles, how do you weatherproof yourself? Do you wear goggles? I've tried covering my ears with a wide headband but even that makes it very difficult to fit a helmet. I definitely need the helmet -- I crashed the other day in my own driveway after skidding on wet leaves. Rain pants?

thanks!
 
hillbilly said:
how do you weatherproof yourself? Do you wear goggles? I've tried covering my ears with a wide headband but even that makes it very difficult to fit a helmet. I definitely need the helmet -- I crashed the other day in my own driveway after skidding on wet leaves. Rain pants?
Click to expand...

Ah - I have all my hiking ski clothes to wear. They're all Gortex XRC and tough nylon. I never would have
bought for just biking though. Too expensive. They are great if your peddling a lot and work up a sweat
as the water can escape through the gortex as steam, but not in. The latest in this kind of fabric is
eVent, but its even more $$$. There are less expensive alternatives at MEC or Rei(Seattle) co-ops. Some
others are Entrant, and North Face has their own kind of material.

My Gortex jacket also has a storm hood that is designed to fit over a helmet. It keeps your head
really warm this way too.

On a budget, or if I was simply not going to peddle assist as much, I would put on my boating Helly
Hansen PVC rain jacket and pants. Nothing gets through this kind of gear design for the guys out
fishing on the Ocean. Its cheap at some of the HH outlets along the I5 (Centrallia, et al).

I have yet to find rain shoes boots that are adequate. If its light rain I take Mink Oiled leather
hiking shoes, but water gets in the top and eventually soaks through the sides if its really wet out.

When its really wet I, I put on some womens rubber boots :oops: that I bought a few years ago.
They're thinner and lighter than mens gum boots, and keep my feet completely dry. The all black ones
don't look too bad either. I just get them in a womens size a couple of up from my mens size and make
sure there's enough room for a thick sock if its cold out. They're really comfy too.

I wear glasses so I don't use goggles. If I did, I just get some biking goggles or a really light tinted
full wrap biking pair of sunglasses.

I've been thinking about trying something like an an anti-rain, anti-fog spray for my glasses, but I
don't want to wreck them. Anyone have a recommendation for this kind of stuff? Something like
rain-x, but for eye glasses. There is stuff you can get for skiing, but it mainly anti-fog, and I'd
like the water to drip off my glasses too so I can see better.
 
Hey zuckster!

I've been using felt-pack boots for riding in winter, and they really can keep you dry. They're not much good for walking, because they wear out fast, but for biking, they're great in winter. You can throw away those pink boots now!

For headwear, if you don't mind the styling statement, I wear a full face helmet with a thin balaclava underneath. There is simply nothing that you can wear on your eyes when it gets below -20F. that won't freeze or fog, but the full face helmet helps keep your eyeballs intact.

Bob
 
rguy56 said:
Hey zuckster!

I've been using felt-pack boots for riding in winter, and they really can keep you dry. They're not much good for walking

Bob
Click to expand...

Hey rguy56, do you mean like the Sorrel Winter boots that are waterproof - or something cheaper. For Vancouver, BC,
Canada, it rarely gets below freezing, (not sure about hillbilly by Mount Baker about 100 km inland from here).

So waterproof is my main concern. They're black (NOT pink) dammit :!:
 
Sorels are really expensive, and likely heavier than regular rubber boots. I get the cheapest pair I can find. Because I know what I like, I just wait for end of season clearances, and get them for half price. There would be a down side for Vancouver weather, because if the felt gets wet it can take a while to dry, and make for stinky boots.
 
Someone mentioned silicone dielectric grease. This stuff is pretty much mandatory for wet or underwater connectors. Dow Corning #4 is commonly used on underwater connectors. I think MG Chemicals #8462 is similar stuff. http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/8462.html I found some at Sayal Electronics up here in the GWN.
 
Just an update here.

I tried Permatex Plastic Weld 5 Minute for the back of the Andersons where the wires go in.
Injected with a syringe as mentioned above. This worked great and is fast. The stuff smells
like hell though, which must mean its breaking down the plastic a bit to bond better, which
is good. This works better that crazy glue gel, which tends to crack.

Edit: The ones I did with crazy glue or crazy glue gel actually held out okay. The Anderson
rep actually recommends crazy glue too. So either works.

This is a GREAT way to do this. No shrink tube on the back of the connectors is necessary,
unless you want it for strain relief. Personally, I like without. With 12 gauge wire, you
don't really need strain relief.

So now when connecting the Andersons together, its a nice flat clean surface from
connector to connector, and the silicone tape seals it nice for the final touch.

I also realized that when making a series wiring harness. Ie controller to battery to battery
to battery and back to controller. You don't actually ever need to join and solder any wires.
You just make the harness as a big loop. Less to waterproof. Just make sure all the connector
to connector wires are measured out before you start. I'll post a pic if anyone does not get it.

Finally, here's a real cool trick I discovered on the Anderson connectors. Instead of those
Anderson locks that you can get from.

http://www.powerwerx.com/anderson-powerpoles/accessories/retention-clips.html

You can loop a small zap strap cable tie through the same holes and lock them that way. Of
course this only works on more permanent connections.
 
Hi all,

Just want to discuss what is the proper procedure for winterizing your ebike. Now that New York has started to plummet temperatures into the freezing point of water at night, I find it less comfortable to ride an ebike for commuting. Just wondering other than storing the batteries at 3.8v/cell in the garage which is not heated (but will stay above freezing because the garage is built into the home) is there anything else I can do to make sure it will be in good condition to start using again in the spring? The lipo batteries are 20s2p, with no BMS, so there will be no residual drain. I plan to keep it in the garage and do upgrades for the spring, like pegs on the rear hub motor for occasional passenger, and also a small rear rack which will double as a rear fender (here's the build btw: http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5469). Should I do any bike maintenance, such as lubing the chain.. or anything else, for things other than the battery, to help keep the bike in good condition?

So, how do you guys keep your ebikes during the winter if you don't ride them, and what do you do to keep your hands busy?
 
Just balance charge on the store setting and you should be ok for 6 months at least. Won't hurt to check them once a month, but I've stored one I use for my backup generator at 3.85V per cellfor over a year in the house with very little voltage drop.
 
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