Another Ebike conversion kit death
- Thread starter AndyBike
- Start date
Swindon Police recently seized this death trap.
No front brake: Check
Ancient cantilever rear brake: Check
Controller in plastic bag lashed to frame with tape: Check
Drivetrain totally rusted out: Check
Massive 1500w motor: Check
Story here:
www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk
No front brake: Check
Ancient cantilever rear brake: Check
Controller in plastic bag lashed to frame with tape: Check
Drivetrain totally rusted out: Check
Massive 1500w motor: Check
Story here:
Police warn criminals they have 'nowhere to hide' after seizing illegal bike in chase
Drugs, weapons and illegal e-bikes were among the contraband seized by a neighbourhood policing team during a routine bike patrol.
www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk
I have looked into this in the past but I think it is unlikely. There are no UK based manufacturers of cases, connectors, silicon wires, insulation etc. We would have to import even UN3480 cardboards to make the cartons for packaging.
You need to be big enough to get the cells and electronics directly from the manufacturers so that you can specify and get exactly what you need and also, your insurers can sue their insurers if something goes wrong. We are never going to come close to be big enough. Even BMZ moved their factory to China.
Small jobs like recelling are OK if you buy the cell packs from a good factory.
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I refuse to click on a link to the Daily Mail. You won't get a reasonable idea of what actually happened.
What I would say is while it's true that some people end up with kits that catch fire, you can't stop them from trying to do conversions when they have little or no knowledge of this kind of work. At least if you come here you will hopefully get some advice about what to do to make such things as safe as possible from an electrical point of view. A source of reliable information has got to be better than them finding out how to do things from some dickhead on Facebook.
I'm very happy with my Whoosh conversion, BTW. I wouldn't buy an already converted bike because of manufacturer lock-in.
Now, regarding fires with charging at home - a large part of the issue here seems to be a landlord who hasn't made safe provision for ebikes while being happy to charge a massively high rent.
I am a landlord - my feeling is if you're doing your job properly you should make sure that the environment you provide is safe for tenants. All that needs to happen is the insurance companies pushing a message out to landlords reminding them that insurance would be unlikely to cover a fire caused by charging an illegal ebike. I would not allow someone to keep that in any property I own.
Councils also have a part to play here - they are all supposed to be encouraging active travel. Provision for safe storage of bikes should be part of this. But in many parts of the country (including mine), it's a planning application with a fair chance of refusal. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
What I would say is while it's true that some people end up with kits that catch fire, you can't stop them from trying to do conversions when they have little or no knowledge of this kind of work. At least if you come here you will hopefully get some advice about what to do to make such things as safe as possible from an electrical point of view. A source of reliable information has got to be better than them finding out how to do things from some dickhead on Facebook.
I'm very happy with my Whoosh conversion, BTW. I wouldn't buy an already converted bike because of manufacturer lock-in.
Now, regarding fires with charging at home - a large part of the issue here seems to be a landlord who hasn't made safe provision for ebikes while being happy to charge a massively high rent.
I am a landlord - my feeling is if you're doing your job properly you should make sure that the environment you provide is safe for tenants. All that needs to happen is the insurance companies pushing a message out to landlords reminding them that insurance would be unlikely to cover a fire caused by charging an illegal ebike. I would not allow someone to keep that in any property I own.
Councils also have a part to play here - they are all supposed to be encouraging active travel. Provision for safe storage of bikes should be part of this. But in many parts of the country (including mine), it's a planning application with a fair chance of refusal. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
The daily hate aka mail are anti a lot of things with their trash they print but cycling is one of their majot targets.
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You're putting a great deal of emphasis on what you dont know. You've speculated right through this thread without even the smallest piece of evidence.
And for some reason you have it in for delivery riders, who i might add to a splendid job, out in all weathers and are keeping businesses afloat.
Honestly listen to yourself, or at least read before posting.
Your main points.
If delivery riders didnt act as bike couriers have always acted, jumping lights, cutting across roads, pavements for the shortest route, then this fire wouldn't have happened,and this poor girl would be alive.
Fire started in the battery according to the fire investigator, but according to your point, we mustn't blame the battery.
The battery failed catastrophically, thats the cause. not the rating of the motor, and certainly not Deliveroo riders.
If this helps you
IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO OWN AND RIDE AN E-BIKE WHERE THE POWER LEVEL EXCEEDS 250W.
Especially when considering the potential consequencews for fires in bloack of flats.
Do you ban your clients from storing eBikes or thier batteries in the properties you rent ?
Except I didn't write anything like that, did I?
However you make a good point. I shouldn't blame police at this point as there is very little chance this bike might have been legal.
I seem to remember, even Boeing got it wrong with a battery on the 787, which were all grounded shortly after entering service due to a fire with a lithium battery.
Now that could have been a real disaster.
But thinking about it, Boeing have a bit of a reputation fro design errors.
Now that could have been a real disaster.
But thinking about it, Boeing have a bit of a reputation fro design errors.
So despite, I presume, the enormous amount of experts time that went into developing, manufacturing and testing those batteries, still they went wrong.
Such is the joy of Lithium batteries.
Do beginner DIYers stand a better chance ?
True, I wonder how many gazillions Boing paid for thier plane heater ?even if you pay 10k for the best it could still go bang
I still have smart AA/AAA battery charger I bought many years ago. It has option of refreshing old batteries, tells me exactly what level batteries were charged to or amount of energy accumulated by individual batteries if discharged. I wish I had something similar for my ebike batteries.
So let me get this counter argument straight as some of you seem to see it.
Boeing - millions spent, technical expertise at top class
Major bicycle manufacturers Giant, Spesh*, probably a great deal spend on consultation, design etc
And still the risk of fire/explosion.
Fair enough.
But doesnt that suggest that the odds of something going majorly wrong are increased many many times when you buy a battery of an unregulated source
So it would appear to be the case that you are less likely to have problems develop, if you buy your Ebike or kit from a reputable source. And not pick it because its the cheapest you could find -- OR WERE DIRECTED TOWARDS.
* Specialized Ebike damage was tracked down to incorrect sealing on the battery coupled likely with pressure washing and water getting into the system and causing a short etc.
Boeing - millions spent, technical expertise at top class
Major bicycle manufacturers Giant, Spesh*, probably a great deal spend on consultation, design etc
And still the risk of fire/explosion.
Fair enough.
But doesnt that suggest that the odds of something going majorly wrong are increased many many times when you buy a battery of an unregulated source
So it would appear to be the case that you are less likely to have problems develop, if you buy your Ebike or kit from a reputable source. And not pick it because its the cheapest you could find -- OR WERE DIRECTED TOWARDS.
* Specialized Ebike damage was tracked down to incorrect sealing on the battery coupled likely with pressure washing and water getting into the system and causing a short etc.
I meant something like that:
Highly recommended for AA and AAA.
I guess chargers like that would be very inconvenient for some sellers as they can determine real capacity of battery.
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