Motor cutting out, thoughts?

[Joshua Gibbins]

I bought a velectrix male Urban + which is the same in make as the Volt - Pulse X in the UK.

I ride the bike on max setting for about 20 minutes to work and 20 minutes back home and the bike keeps cutting out on me around the same distance.
I use the motor most of the distance on setting 5 so it i try to get the full juice out of it, just be riding about 15 miles an hour, all of a sudden the motor dies off and I have to peddle a heavy rig down the road for 3 or 4 minutes.

then it kicks back in and I go on my way for a while till it happens again.
The LCD display isn't going off and I have never removed the battery from the bike since purchase.

I tried to put the bike in for warranty to have this problem checked out but no one seems to know what the issue is, is the bike overt heating? anyone had this issue before?

 

[vfr400]

You can eliminate the battery because the LCD would switch off if the battery cut off and you'd have to manually switch it back on. There's not really any way a problem in the motor can do that either, so that leaves the controller, the wiring and the pedal sensor.

If it does it on all levels, it could be the pedal sensor. If you have a magnet disc on the crank, check that it's tight on the shaft and that the gap to the sensor is an even 1mm.

If it only does it on level 5, it's probably the controller over-heating. You need to check it when the motor cuts out. It shouldn't become any hotter than what you can comfortably hold.

 

[Joshua Gibbins]

I don't really know what the problem is to be quite honest, I don't think the bike shop knows either, but yes the bike motor will cut out on other levels, not just level 5, happened on 4 too.


I'll ride the bike, (not up to a steep hills) and around the same time or place each ride the bike will cut out and you can feel the motor on the backstop working. I bring the bike to a complete stop so the LCD display shows I am doing 00 speed but when I paddle again the motor won't kick back in and I just have to peddle this heady ride for 3 - 4 minutes then it will start to operate again.

today when the motor cut out on the way to work, I turned off and on again the LCD display on the handlebar and I feel like it kicked back in quicker, but then it cut out again much quicker a little further down the road.

any ideas?

 

[vfr400]

Check the pedal sensor then.

 

[Joshua Gibbins]

How do I check it?
The pedal sensor is the light under the pedals yeah?
I looked at it, but it looks correct.
What am I looking for?

 

[Joshua Gibbins]

 

[Nealh]

Sounds like controller cutting out/thermal cut out. Mosfets have a max op temp and probably these reaching the limit in pas 5 and temporarily shorting causing the cut out (once they cool down they work again). Your controller isn't vey accessible so you can't hold it to see how hot it actually gets though if you took an Allen key you could whip the side plate off to feel it.

 

[JPGiant]

As above re the controller overheating, try to maintain a slightly higher speed when hill-climbing in particular, to prevent this.
Also double check ALL the cable connections are fully together.

 

[Nealh]

An option if you have a small 6 fet controller is to upgrade controller to a larger model with 9 or 12 fets, controller will then operate at a lower heat level as more fets to take the load and heat.

 

[vfr400]

Put a light finger on the magnet disc to see if yoy can hold it stationary when you turn the pedals. It should be tight enough on the shaft not to slip.

 

[volt x]

Put a light finger on the magnet disc to see if yoy can hold it stationary when you turn the pedals. It should be tight enough on the shaft not to slip.

I may be having the same issue as Joshua, The magnetic disc on mine does stop if I hold it. It also has a crack on it. I clued this a long time ago. I get a terrible crunching sound almost similar to the noise of a slipped chain. That is most likely coming from the hub.

 

[saneagle]

I may be having the same issue as Joshua, The magnetic disc on mine does stop if I hold it. It also has a crack on it. I clued this a long time ago. I get a terrible crunching sound almost similar to the noise of a slipped chain. That is most likely coming from the hub.

If you get the graunching noise, it's the controller losing sync with the motor. It can do that for a number of reasons.

What's your battery state when it happens?
What happens to the segments on your battery indicator in the LCD when it happens?

It's always worth a look at the controller to make sure that the phase wires to the motor or the connectors haven't melted and that the connectors are all nice and tight.

 

[volt x]

If you get the graunching noise, it's the controller losing sync with the motor. It can do that for a number of reasons.

What's your battery state when it happens?
What happens to the segments on your battery indicator in the LCD when it happens?

It's always worth a look at the controller to make sure that the phase wires to the motor or the connectors haven't melted and that the connectors are all nice and tight.

The controller seems to be ok at least I haven't noticed any change in the battery indicator. I've check all the connections. The battery shows full charge, I don't have a voltage tester but I do have another battery I can try.

 

[saneagle]

The controller seems to be ok at least I haven't noticed any change in the battery indicator. I've check all the connections. The battery shows full charge, I don't have a voltage tester but I do have another battery I can try.

and which version is it? A photo would help.

 

[volt x]

If you get the graunching noise, it's the controller losing sync with the motor. It can do that for a number of reasons.

What's your battery state when it happens?
What happens to the segments on your battery indicator in the LCD when it happens?

It's always worth a look at the controller to make sure that the phase wires to the motor or the connectors haven't melted and that the connectors are all nice and tight.

It has a throttle but that's for use when walking the bike. That isn't working properly, if I use it I can hear something in the motor humming , maybe turning but to wheel turning. Then it'll kick in so like the main operation it's intermittent.

To me it's saying I've got to look at the hub, and I don't want to but it appears I have no choice.

 

[saneagle]

To me it's saying I've got to look at the hub, and I don't want to but it appears I have no choice.

That's the last place you look for a solution.

 

[volt x]

That's the last place you look for a solution.

Well there is power going into the hub , all the connections seem to be good on the outside. The motor kicks in and then stops and so on. So there is power, where else would I look. I've checked everything else. The other battery I have is charging, so I'll try that when it's full. Though the current battery is showing full charge. Yes a voltage meter would be ideal, but I don't have one. Plus when the motor on the road does kick in, the bike will be going at full rate.

 

[volt x]

Well the hub was opened but I couldn't get to any wires that might be loose. I know there is power going to the motor as I tested it when out of the hub. The bike was bought in 2017, question, is the motor kaput.

 

[saneagle]

I wanted to help you, but you're not making it easy. If you want to try again, read through the thread, do the things suggested and answer the questions.

 

[volt x]

The issue is what are you referring to when you say controller. I'm thinking the display on the handle bars but that is not what you mean I'm guessing. If you mean the gubbins under the peddles with all the wires going through. Then I had a look at that and found nothing wrong . Doesn't mean it's not at fault, I just don't know what I'm looking for.

If you want a photograph what do you expect to see. All I know is I've had this bike getting on 8 years and from time to time it has had this issue. That sorted itself out, but this time it would seem like it's terminal. So when you want to help you must remember not everybody knows what a controller is. Should I know, people usually find these things when they need to.