Bosch power pack 400 rack mount hard to remove

[shueyh]

Hi I have a Cube GTS with a rack mounted Bosch power pack. I have found that the battery is really hard to remove. It requires 2 people one to hold the bike turn the key and hold it in the open position while the other pulls really hard.

Any fixes for this would be appreciated
Thanks

 

[sjpt]

The rear rack Bosch battery holder is really badly designed; at least, on our 2016 Motus, but I think the mount is the same on most Bosch rack batteries. It is much worse than our (Chinese designed?) frame battery holder which just lets the battery slip into the correct place every time.

My main quibble is that it is very easy to get it almost correctly located but not quite. Connection is still made, still locked at the front, but it has lots of movement at the back and is (as you describe) very difficult to get out. I'm sure its damaging the connectors too.

My current way to get it located it to put in on the rack so it is a couple of inches from being closed, then let it rest, and then push it into place from the back (neither lifting the back up nor pushing it down). Putting it in in a single movement is very prone to error; too high at the back, too low at the back.

If the issue isn't with getting it placed exactly try a little Vaseline or a tiny smear of light grease on the runners.

 

[shueyh]

Hi Thanks for the reply, on closer inspection it appears its sticking on the rack just as its about to connect so my fear was the terminals were bent is unfounded. As you suggest Ill try a bit of vaseline on it.

Thanks again

 

[Deleted member 25121]

This sounds similar to my 500W packs that clip into the bike's from. I found the release mechanism to be very fiddly to begin with until I found the knack of knowing where to push and where to pull.

 

[bvf]

I know this is an old discussion now, but I'm posting my findings to help other people who are having this problem and find this discussion via internet search (which is how I came upon it).

I have a Raleigh Motus with Bosch Powerpack - originally a 400, which I recently replaced with a 500. The Powerpacks were always difficult to fit/remove, but today it jammed solid. I was able to remove it by using a screwdriver - the flat head inserted into the gap between the battery and the housing, using the rack as a fulcrum to lever the battery off the housing. I then tried to figure out the cause of the problem. It was nothing to do with connection between battery and housing. The problem was at the other end of the battery. There are a couple of lugs on the base of the battery which engage with the rail on the rack, to hold the battery in place. The problem is that the lugs grip the rail too tightly. A squirt of WD40 onto the rail and lugs has solved the problem.

 

[Cadence]

If it's plastic to plastic then a small smear of silicone grease (sold for electrical applications, NOT silicone sealant!) would last longer. Vaseline is petroleum based and affects some plastics, while WD40 will evaporate quite quickly and become ineffective.

 

[bvf]

If it's plastic to plastic then a small smear of silicone grease (sold for electrical applications, NOT silicone sealant!) would last longer. Vaseline is petroleum based and affects some plastics, while WD40 will evaporate quite quickly and become ineffective.

It is indeed plastic-to-plastic. I only have motor oils and greases like graphite grease to hand, which are just too messy. But I think you underrate WD40 - I've used it for things like curtain rails, and its effectiveness lasts for a couple of years. I assume it contains a propellant/solvent which evaporates quickly and leaves a less volatile residue which provides the low-friction coating.

 

[sjpt]

We had exactly the same replacing our 400 with a new 500. I used a very small dab of regular car grease because it was to hand, but not sure that's good long term for plastic to plastic. I'm going to try a dab of handcream, or maybe even WD40. (There seem to be so many WD40 branded products now that it's a bit confusing.)

Also see my post#2 above; but I realized later that, as Cadence says, Vaseline is not appropriate for plastic to plastic.

p.s. good deal from Merlin at £349 inc quick delivery for a 500, https://www.merlincycles.com/bosch-powerpack-500wh-rack-battery-303236.html

 

[bvf]

Yes, I got my new Powerpack 500 from Merlin a couple of months ago. At least £100 cheaper than anywhere else I could find. I was worried that it was too good to be true and a scam, but it was the real thing of course.

 

[soundwave]

3rd party batts wont work on these bikes as use can bus coms so wont even turn on tho a company does make them but in Germany and wont post them.

note the new smart batts will not work on older motors even if you can make it fit as changed the bms programming not to work

 

[lenny]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40#Formulation

 

[saneagle]

It is indeed plastic-to-plastic. I only have motor oils and greases like graphite grease to hand, which are just too messy. But I think you underrate WD40 - I've used it for things like curtain rails, and its effectiveness lasts for a couple of years. I assume it contains a propellant/solvent which evaporates quickly and leaves a less volatile residue which provides the low-friction coating.

You need silicone grease for plastic. Oil-based products can do nasty things to it. Silicone grease is easily obtainable from any auto stuff shop, DIY shop, Ebay, Amazon, etc.

It's also good to waterproof any connectors and prevent them from seizing.

Silicone Grease Seal Waterproof Lubricant Maintenance FAST Lubricant | eBay

Material: synthetic lubricating oil. All pictures are for illustration purpose only and Colours may vary slightly. Import Duties.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Ray Winder]

The WD40 people also make a silicone spray which is good for plastic I picked up a small spray when I went into screwfix, it lasts a while and you don't need to use much.
Good for the wheel spindle and pedal shafts on grandchildren's pedal car.

Found this: Spray

 

[saneagle]

The WD40 people also make a silicone spray which is good for plastic I picked up a small spray when I went into screwfix, it lasts a while and you don't need to use much.
Good for the wheel spindle and pedal shafts on grandchildren's pedal car.

Found this: Spray

That's quite cheap. It's normally sold as mould release agent, but a lot more expensive. I'll get some next time I pass Screwfix.