Bafang Mid Drive M510 motor controller only supplies light to the front lamp?

[Trevor George]

Hi folks . . I did a search and couldn't find any references, but I have a Bafang Mid-drive M510 motor, and the controller only supplies 12 Volt power to the front light on my - MarioBike Bird - and I've been irritated ever since it arrived, as my rear lamp is a separate (and fiddly) item which has to be removed to charge the small internal battery, and it could easily be stolen when I park up.

I just wondered if anyone else here has a similar setup with a Bafang Mid-drive motor on their eBike that also only supplies power to their front light?

To me that doesn't seem very useful when there's a 48-volt battery just in front of it, so I decided to do something about it and have now converted my MarioBike Bird eBike to be able to switch both front and rear lights on at the same time.

If this is of any help to anyone else who may have a similar setup, and 'might' be able to pass a wire through their frame to the rear, then this is my 'help' video -

Interestingly, I contacted the - MarioEbike Factory - and showed them, and are now going to adopt my idea on all of their new eBikes on their Assembly-line, as soon as they have ordered in enough lights and cables

 

[AGS]

Good effort, but you need to be careful that the additional load of the rear light doesn’t overload the light output from the controller.

Some e-bike controllers are notorious for blowing their lighting circuits by adding additional lights. But you may have got way with it in your case.

Also I thought those Bafang motors supply 6v for the lights. Have you checked the voltage using a multimeter?

 

[cyclebuddy]

I just wondered if anyone else here has a similar setup with a Bafang Mid-drive motor on their eBike that also only supplies power to their front light?

Yes, I do, an M400. As I understand it, the supply provided by the controller in the motor doesn't provide enough current to power anything of substance - i.e. that's properly bright - hence why it's normally limited to just one light.

I did toy with the idea as you have done, but would have spliced a rear cable into the wire where it plugs in at the controller rather than run a cable through the whole frame and use a Y-splitter at the front.

As I cycle dark unlit Norfolk roads and country lanes with that bike, I've got some proper beefy high-power lights that would draw far too much current, although it would be possible to take a tap directly off the battery.

 

[Trevor George]

Good effort, but you need to be careful that the additional load of the rear light doesn’t overload the light output from the controller.
Some e-bike controllers are notorious for blowing their lighting circuits by adding additional lights. But you may have got way with it in your case.

I think because the rear LED is very low-powered, compared to the bright front light, that I can get away with it, and I don't think the Factory would adopt the idea unless they had checked with Bafang first

 

[AGS]

Probably best to stick with the lights that were supplied with the bike then. Upgraded lights may make it go kaboom.

 

[Trevor George]

Yes, I do, an M400. As I understand it, the supply provided by the controller in the motor doesn't provide enough current to power anything of substance - i.e. that's properly bright - hence why it's normally limited to just one light.
I did toy with the idea as you have done, but would have spliced a rear cable into the wire where it plugs in at the controller rather than run a cable through the whole frame and use a Y-splitter at the front.

I did consider the Contoller, but it's so difficult to get at on mine, and I would still have to remove the motor, so when that Y-splice worked ok when I tested it at the front with a low-powered 12 Volf rear light, I just figured the easiest way was to drop a wire down the frame to connect up.
I'm just hoping it won't overload the system, but being low-powered, I'm hoping to get away with it

 

[Trevor George]

Probably best to stick with the lights that were supplied with the bike then. Upgraded lights may make it go kaboom.

The original rear light was such as faff, and the new rear light is low powered, and the Factory have adopted my idea, so I'm hoping all will work out ok. It's a damn sight more efficient anyway

 

[Trevor George]

Also I thought those Bafang motors supply 6v for the lights. Have you checked the voltage using a multimeter?

Yep, checked with a Mulimeter and it was 12 Volts, before ordering the new rear light off eBay

 

[cyclebuddy]

Yep, checked with a Mulimeter and it was 12 Volts, before ordering the new rear light off eBay

The next question should be what is the combined current draw of both lights? Usually when I've seen controller-switched front and back lights, the rear light is just a token single LED, not an array.

The lights should say in the leaflet/manual, and then worth checking with Bafang what the supply is capable of. Even if it's working right now, I wouldn't want to chance it longer term in case you're overdriving the circuit. A new controller for an M510 would be silly expensive.

 

[guerney]

The next question should be what is the combined current draw of both lights? Usually when I've seen controller-switched front and back lights, the rear light is just a token single LED, not an array.

I've been curious about this myself, but not curious enough to measure these two which are both connected to my BBS01B's circuit for lights, and have been for over three years. I'm about to remove them, because I don't want that circuit's failure killing the controller. I'll try to remember to take a measurement before disconnecting them.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Bicycle-Warning-Portable-Taillight/dp/B0899GL2JF

LED Headlight Bike Front Light For Bafang Mid Drive BBSHD

Turned on/off by the display in the Bafang BBS series mid drive kit. IPX6 rated waterproof against splashing water from any angles. Make sure you have a Bafang BBSXX mid motor with integrated light…

ebikesystems.co.uk

 

[AGS]

Interesting that you measured 12 volts.

The Bafang workbook specifications on all their mid drive motors says 6 volts, 3 watts, so 500 mA max.

https://www.bafang-e.com/Uploaded/Labels/202307070823093077.pdf

 

[guerney]

Interesting that you measured 12 volts.

The Bafang workbook specifications on all their mid drive motors says 6 volts, 3 watts, so 500 mA max.

https://www.bafang-e.com/Uploaded/Labels/202307070823093077.pdf

Yes 500mA and 6V was what I read 3 years ago. Seems I might have been overloading that circuit for 3 years. Hope the controller doesn't give up the ghost soon, but I have a spare. I've got another Bafang headlight kicking around, intended for the trailer, I may measure current drawn later.

 

[Trevor George]

The next question should be what is the combined current draw of both lights? Usually when I've seen controller-switched front and back lights, the rear light is just a token single LED, not an array.

Hiya . . I don't know the total circuit draw and it's not in any manual I have, but considering the front light is very bright and the rear is nowhere-near-as-bright, and that any circuit / engine / whatever is always created to allow for tolerances, I feel quite content in using this alteration. If it blows the Contoller, then I will inform the Factory, as I'm pretty sure they will send me a replacement controller, as I'm being a 'guinea-pig' for them, in doing this sort of thing for them to show how well-made their eBikes are

As here - https://youtu.be/zRDpBSWLrbM

 

[Trevor George]

Interesting that you measured 12 volts. The Bafang workbook specifications on all their mid drive motors says 6 volts, 3 watts, so 500 mA max.

Yep, I'm puzzled as well, as I didn't think that a 12 volt LED rear light would even work from a 6 volt supply

 

[Trevor George]

I've been curious about this myself, but not curious enough to measure these two which are both connected to my BBS01B's circuit for lights, and have been for over three years. I'm about to remove them, because I don't want that circuit's failure killing the controller. I'll try to remember to take a measurement before disconnecting them.

If you've been doing it for three years, and have gotten away with it, then it's probably well within the tolerances of the circuit-designer's original circuit diagrams and specifiactions for components
I feel the rear light draws so much less than the front, that it won't (hopefully) become a problem for me.

 

[guerney]

If you've been doing it for three years, and have gotten away with it, then it's probably well within the tolerances of the circuit-designer's original circuit diagrams and specifiactions for components

I'll see if I can remember to measure current draw of those two lights before I disconnect them, so we have a number.

That Bafang headlight and 6V rear light are on constantly when I'm riding, day and night - the Bafang headlight points back at my hi-viz blouson to make me look siller but highly noticeable to drivers etc. I have two 1800LM headlights plus a 2400LM headlight soldered to the battery pointed forwards, and another 1800LM headlight made red using heat-resistant acetate sheet, pointing backwards flashing brightly - all those are also on day and night. I'll connect the Bafang headlight, and that 6V rear light to the battery too via a DC converter... mind you that red 6V pales into insignificance compared to the 1800LM flasher, so I may not bother.

 

[saneagle]

I always tell you guys to get lights that work at battery voltage and wire them directly to the battery via their own switch. There are too many risks and problems when you wire your lights to the controller.

Personally, I prefer lights that clip on and have their own batteries, so you only put them on when needed. I've had wired lights nicked while I parked outside the shopping mall - wires and fixings just ripped off, causing additional damage.

 

[cyclebuddy]

Hiya . . I don't know the total circuit draw and it's not in any manual I have, but considering the front light is very bright and the rear is nowhere-near-as-bright, and that any circuit / engine / whatever is always created to allow for tolerances, I feel quite content in using this alteration. If it blows the Contoller, then I will inform the Factory, as I'm pretty sure they will send me a replacement controller, as I'm being a 'guinea-pig' for them, in doing this sort of thing for them to show how well-made their eBikes are

As here - https://youtu.be/zRDpBSWLrbM

It's in the Bafang Technical manual @AGS linked in post #11... at least for the M500 (the M510 isn't shown). 6v @ 3W = 500mAh. That wouldn't light a candle.

Let's hope Mariobike extend their generosity to all that might end up blowing their controllers with free replacements, seeing they'd be doing it on the say-so of their UK Ambassador for the brand!

 

[guerney]

6v @ 3W = 500mAh. That wouldn't light a candle.

Those Bafang "headlights" are awful as headlights: Measurement of current drawn at 6V from my cheapo non-calibrated variable power supply. Hope you lot are happy now - my time is worth a lot of money, but only in Shifnal.





Current measurement of the 6V rear light plus that light, will have to wait a bit.

 

[AGS]

Well if they only draw 3.32mA then you can mount 150 of them on the front of your bike.