Ailing Bike, or Failing Battery?

[Ajax]

I wonder if anyone can help me on this question.

My bike's a Salisbury LPX purchased in 2007, of late the power to my
bike has started to cut out. Often all it takes is a flick of the key for
the battery lights to come back on. At other times its as though the
brakes were gripping and ungripping the rear wheel.

Of course its not, but that's the effect as im forced to redouble my
peddling effort.

Is this the sign of a failing Battery? I've not replaced battery since
the bike was purchased. The battery charges OK and will even shows
red lights, indicating its two-thirds charged, at the end of my journeys.

Or might it be the bike, which has to be left outdoors, albeit without
the battery. The battery contacts are exposed to the elements,
as too are any of the electronics.

Is it possible that minor corrosion (which i have no way of verifying)
is responsible for the bike's faltering performance, or is this the
sign the battery in need of replacement. I would hate to replace the
battery and find it was actually the bike, or the motor..

 

[NRG]

Sounds like your hitting the low voltage cutout in the controller. Maybe its a combination of things, the battery age, the current cold weather and poor contacts. I'd go over all the contacts with DeoxIT D5...separate each one and spray liberally with the D5...make and break each one a few times to wipe the contacts spray again and then remake. Any resistance in the contacts will drop you volts so its good to do this especially if the bike is 3 years old.

If that doesn't help you may be looking at a new battery....

 

[1967geezer]

My bike started to do the same thing sometime around last autumn, the symptoms were exactly the same. The bike is about the same age, and I put it down to combination of a tired battery and the colder weather.

And at £500+ for a new battery, which is well more than half of what I paid for the bike in the first place, I haven't replaced it...

 

[Alex728]

the quality of the soldering in the battery compartment is not the best (indeed I had to resolder the wires on mine) and it could have got dirty as well so worth a check there....

 

[fishingpaul]

I wonder if anyone can help me on this question.

My bike's a Salisbury LPX purchased in 2007, of late the power to my
bike has started to cut out. Often all it takes is a flick of the key for
the battery lights to come back on. At other times its as though the
brakes were gripping and ungripping the rear wheel.

Of course its not, but that's the effect as im forced to redouble my
peddling effort.

Is this the sign of a failing Battery? I've not replaced battery since
the bike was purchased. The battery charges OK and will even shows
red lights, indicating its two-thirds charged, at the end of my journeys.

Or might it be the bike, which has to be left outdoors, albeit without
the battery. The battery contacts are exposed to the elements,
as too are any of the electronics.

Is it possible that minor corrosion (which i have no way of verifying)
is responsible for the bike's faltering performance, or is this the
sign the battery in need of replacement. I would hate to replace the
battery and find it was actually the bike, or the motor..

If the cutting out occurs on hills when maximum power is drawn from the battery, and the bike works ok on the flat after switching the power off and then back on,it is the battery for certain, at two years plus for one of the cheaper bikes,the battery has lasted better than some of the far more expensive £1200+ bikes from this time if this is any consolation.

 

[Keithdrengen]

If the cutting out occurs on hills when maximum power is drawn from the battery, and the bike works ok on the flat after switching the power off and then back on,it is the battery for certain, at two years plus for one of the cheaper bikes,the battery has lasted better than some of the far more expensive £1200+ bikes from this time if this is any consolation.

My bike did that (1 year old Alienbike kit, 250w 36v 10 amp.); I had turned the controller potentiometer to max, which is 15 amp. And after a month or so it started to turn off once in a while. I experimented with the potentiometer setting and ended up at around 2/3 of maximum, which I guess is 10 amp. And now it never turns off, though I accelerate gently with half throttle.
CJ

 

[Ajax]

Sounds like your hitting the low voltage cutout in the controller. Maybe its a combination of things, the battery age, the current cold weather and poor contacts. I'd go over all the contacts with DeoxIT D5...separate each one and spray liberally with the D5...make and break each one a few times to wipe the contacts spray again and then remake. Any resistance in the contacts will drop you volts so its good to do this especially if the bike is 3 years old.

If that doesn't help you may be looking at a new battery....

Just to follow up. I cleaned the contacts with a bit of steel wool, on both the bike and the battery, which were showing signs of carbonization. This however made no difference to the battery cutting out. It might be the cold weather, or the battery, which as i say, appears to be fully charged. I even took the controller out of the bike and took some pics. All appears fine, but.....

 

[Ajax]

My bike did that (1 year old Alienbike kit, 250w 36v 10 amp.); I had turned the controller potentiometer to max, which is 15 amp. And after a month or so it started to turn off once in a while. I experimented with the potentiometer setting and ended up at around 2/3 of maximum, which I guess is 10 amp. And now it never turns off, though I accelerate gently with half throttle.
CJ

There's a thought. The throttle was replaced a few months back, it could be that the new throttle is letting more juice through. I'll try the bike at reduced throttle to see if this makes any difference. It could be i'm putting too much on strain on the battery, made worst with the weather and all.

 

[Keithdrengen]

There's a thought. The throttle was replaced a few months back, it could be that the new throttle is letting more juice through. I'll try the bike at reduced throttle to see if this makes any difference. It could be i'm putting too much on strain on the battery, made worst with the weather and all.

Just to clarify: the potentiometer I am talking about is a little adjustable screw-thingy sticking out of my controller. It might be an exclusive feature in kits from "Alienbikes.co.uk".

 

[Ajax]

Just to clarify: the potentiometer I am talking about is a little adjustable screw-thingy sticking out of my controller. It might be an exclusive feature in kits from "Alienbikes.co.uk".

Now you mention that, i did see something like that inside the controller when i took it apart. I didn't dare play with it, just in case i broke something on the motor. If worst comes to the worst it might be worth a tweak just to see what results. The trouble is there would be no immediate way to know if this resolved the issue, until the bike gave up on me part way through a journey. ;

 

[flash]

spooky

Had this problem on my bike today. Bike just died, when I checked the main fuse all ok again, ride a few hundred yards same again. Led me to believe it was a bad connection on the fuse holder. So I replaced it this just made matters worse, now I can oly go 10 yards. Hoping it was not the battery ( only 6 months old lifepo) I set about to check out all the connections again. This time I by-passed the fuse holder completely and hey presto all is now working again.

 

[Ajax]

Had this problem on my bike today. Bike just died, when I checked the main fuse all ok again, ride a few hundred yards same again. Led me to believe it was a bad connection on the fuse holder. So I replaced it this just made matters worse, now I can oly go 10 yards. Hoping it was not the battery ( only 6 months old lifepo) I set about to check out all the connections again. This time I by-passed the fuse holder completely and hey presto all is now working again.

Thanks for that thought, i hadn't considered something being loose inside the battery. I'm riding solid tires which possibly means more jarring and more wear and tear on any doggy connections. I shall look into this.