Good morning all. I own an MTF-XL 24 Folding Byocycle. It is just over 2 years old. Apparently Byocycle as a company no longer exists. Trying to get an answer from the only contact I have for them is like pulling teeth. Recently I had problems and was advised my battery was on the way out. I bought a new battery but that has not solved the problem. The bike has a 790 or 791 display panel I'm not sure how I would find out which as it has no markings on it. When I switch the bike on, the first LED on the assist level lights up. The first light on the power level flashes. After about 15 seconds all the lights on the assist level section also start flashing. After about 30 seconds all the lights go out. When I first switch on for the first 15 seconds I can change the assist level. Until all the lights go out the motor is powered. Can anyone tell me what the light sequence means. I have a video of the lights if that assists. I live on the Somerset Levels and I have not been able to find a dealer who will contemplate looking at the "electrical" side of the bike. I bought the bike through EBikes Direct but they are worse than useless and offer no help at all except to recommend this site !
Byocycles
- Thread starter DaveChet
- Start date
Here're the error codes for King-Meter models 790 and 791. There have been a couple of recent 790 occurrences where the problem was nothing more than moisture (if your bike is used in the rain or stored in a damp shed/garage).
Ebikes don't stop working because they feel like it. For each problem there's a cause. The circumstances of the failure give a clue to the cause, but you didn't tell us anything about that.
First light flashing means there's too much current going through the shunt in the controller when you switch on. There are several potential causes, and the circumstances would point to which one. Therefore, I can only guess. I'd say that you've blown a MOSFET in your controller, though there's also a good chance that there's a short between the controller and LED display.
A blown MOSFET is often consequential damage from another cause.
Who advised you that the battery was on the way out and what tests did they do to come to that conclusion? That information can also help to get to the cause.
First light flashing means there's too much current going through the shunt in the controller when you switch on. There are several potential causes, and the circumstances would point to which one. Therefore, I can only guess. I'd say that you've blown a MOSFET in your controller, though there's also a good chance that there's a short between the controller and LED display.
A blown MOSFET is often consequential damage from another cause.
Who advised you that the battery was on the way out and what tests did they do to come to that conclusion? That information can also help to get to the cause.
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Even more help and advice, many thanks. I cannot remember who advised about the battery. Because I was unable to make contact with Byocycle I rang round their list of dealers. At that time I was having a different problem. The battery power lights on the panel would only show 1 light. The charge level on the battery itself showed 3 green lights. The whole bike seemed dead. It was suggested the battery management system wasn't working, possibly affected by the cold spell we were going through. I ordered a new battery. Whilst waiting for it to be delivered I took the bike out for a short trip to the local shop. I did not switch the electrics on as it really was a short trip with no real hills to negotiate. Coming back and as I got on the bike I absent mindedly switched the power on and to my surprise everything seemed to be working well. I was still waiting for the new battery so rode several times using the old one with no problems. After a couple of weeks though the bike started to display the present problems I have described in my initial post. I assumed that the battery was at fault and so switched to the new battery. That did not resolve the problems. I am beginning to think that the problem lies with the controller. The Byocycle Boxer is badly designed in that regard with the controller contained in a small compartment underneath the bottom bracket. There is a large hole at the front of the housing for the wiring. It is placed so that it can be showered with water coming off the road from the front wheel so the controller is probably very wet. I have tried to stop that from occurring by sticking a dollop of plumbers mait over the hole. As a newbie I haven't yet plucked up the courage to start tinkering with the controller and I was hoping it was either the battery or some other problem causing the issue. Looks like I had better summon up the nerve to open up the controller housing to see what's there.
Sealing that hole off is the worse thing you could have done, it encourages condensation and prevents the controller housing drying out. It's better to arrange some shielding to deflect spray from entering the hole, while leaving it open for drying out.
I'm betting that if you unsealed it and were able to bring the bike into a warm room, preferably with a dehumidifier running alongside, it would be ok within a few hours.
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Water coming into the controller compartment shouldn't be a problem unless you attempt to waterproof it. It's intended that any water that gets in can drain back out, so whatever you do don't seal the bottom of the cover plate. You're OK to seal the hole where the wires come in, but don't go further than that. If you did, you're probably suffering from drowned controller syndrome. Every symptom that you described points in that direction, but it doesn't mean that it's definitely the cause. You'd have to open it to confirm.
The second possibility if you opened that compartment and took the controller out is that you put it back in with the connectors on the bottom, where they would come in contact with the water, instead of the top.
You need to open that compartment and look at all the connectors for signs of corrosion, and you will be able to see the high tide mark in the compartment where any water came to.
The second possibility if you opened that compartment and took the controller out is that you put it back in with the connectors on the bottom, where they would come in contact with the water, instead of the top.
You need to open that compartment and look at all the connectors for signs of corrosion, and you will be able to see the high tide mark in the compartment where any water came to.
I'd suggest you should to shield them from rain or spray entry.
I've had experience of this with my folder. Normally ok, I took it down to Dorset to use it there. Putting it flat into the boot of my car while it was wet allowed water to run along the wiring onto the controller, so when back home on either of the following two days it was dead.
I brought it into a small closed room with a fan heater on a low 1kW setting blowing over the controller region and my dehumidifier the other side drawing in the air to set up a warm dry air loop.
A little over an hour of that and it was intermittently trying to run, a further couple of hours it was perfectly ok and worked ever since.
If you can get yours dried out and working ok, try to rig up a simple deflector plate or two to prevent spray from playing directly onto the hole area(s).
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After all the good advice I've been given I took the plunge and opened up the compartment where the controller sits. It showed signs of having had a lot of water and mud in it I have attached a photo of the compartment after cleaning it out. I have visually checked all the connections and they all seem good. I found some of the wiring was different from any diagram I have managed to find on the internet. For example there was a connector with red black and green wires. It was not connected to anything and there was nothing it could be connected to ! There was a connector with blue red black wires which was connected to the sensor on the crankset (opposite the ring of magnets) which I call (probably incorrectly) the cadence sensor. By the way, the light on the sensor comes on and then flashes when I pedal which I believe to be what should happen. I have attached a couple of photos of the controller. Can anyone identify it from the writing on it please ? You can see that it has been sitting in water to quite a depth. There is no way for the water getting in from the front to run out from the bottom of the compartment. I put everything back into the compartment and blew hot air over it from a hair drier for a good 10 minutes or so. All this made no difference the problem still persisted. I then turned my attention to the display unit. I removed it from the handlebars. There are no identifying marks on it except a string of numbers. I have also attached photos of the unit. Can anyone identify it for me please ? I could not see anyway to open the unit. I tested all the buttons, when the light switch is pressed the light flashes once and then goes out. The walk assist button seems to work. I have never had reason to use it and I seem to remember from the few bits of info that came with the bike it worked as it should, press it for 3 seconds or so and the motor turns slowly. I put the display unit back on the handle bars but the problem still persisted. Now the strange bit ! I went and had a coffee and then came back to put away my tools etc. I remembered that I had not tested the charge indicators on the battery. I switched on the battery with the key, 3 green lights. I don't know why but I then pressed the on off button on the display unit. The panel lit up as it should. I was happy to see the display showing the correct lights and to be sure I went for a 10 minute ride. The bike behaved as it should, the battery level lights stayed on steady and the assist level lights worked when I went up and down to assist levels. I put the bike away and went to bed last night a happy man. I got up this morning and as it wasn't raining I decided to go for a ride. Switched on the battery, pressed the on off button and, yes you've guessed it, the 1st battery level light came on and then they all started flashing soon after joined by all the assist level lights. Any further advice gratefully received.
Attachments
You are not alone in experiencing these problems. I just found another older thread with exactly the same problem. The design of that bike makes it easy for water to get in and not so easy for it to get out, so no wonder your controller has drowned.
Consider drilling a drainage hole in the bottom, but wait for others to comment before doing that.
www.pedelecs.co.uk
Your controller is a Lishui which is very common. And it’s probably still drying out. So it may be a good idea to take the cover off to see if there is still a load of water inside.
The good news is that it is cheap and easy to replace if it has blown up and you can also upgrade your display at the same time.
It doesn’t need to be replaced with the same model number, but should be replaced with another that has the same specifications. You could even fit a KT controller and display if the fancy takes you, if it fits inside your compartment that also doubles as a swimming pool.
Oh and the connector with red, black and green wires may be for a throttle.
Consider drilling a drainage hole in the bottom, but wait for others to comment before doing that.
Byocycle Chameleon FD folder controller/display problems
Hello all, I have just found this excellent site and wondered whether anyone has any pointers on an issue with my Byocyle Chameleon FD which I bought second hand a few months back. The bike was working beautifully until: a) I had recently taken it on a long journey in the car, however it was...
www.pedelecs.co.uk
Your controller is a Lishui which is very common. And it’s probably still drying out. So it may be a good idea to take the cover off to see if there is still a load of water inside.
The good news is that it is cheap and easy to replace if it has blown up and you can also upgrade your display at the same time.
It doesn’t need to be replaced with the same model number, but should be replaced with another that has the same specifications. You could even fit a KT controller and display if the fancy takes you, if it fits inside your compartment that also doubles as a swimming pool.
Oh and the connector with red, black and green wires may be for a throttle.
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These symptoms probably mean it's still not dried right out as AGS says, they can be very difficult to get completely dry once these problems start.
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Remove the 4 screws on the wires end of the controller, then the three in the side. You can then slide everything out to inspect and dry it.
The disconnected connector is probably for a throttle if you don't have one fitted.
The control system is quite crappy, you don't have to replace with the same one, you can use the opportunity to upgrade if it's not fixable.
The water normally drains out through the unsealed side-plate joint, which is what mustn't be sealed. Your joint looks very clean. Did someone attempt to seal it?
The disconnected connector is probably for a throttle if you don't have one fitted.
The control system is quite crappy, you don't have to replace with the same one, you can use the opportunity to upgrade if it's not fixable.
The water normally drains out through the unsealed side-plate joint, which is what mustn't be sealed. Your joint looks very clean. Did someone attempt to seal it?
Sorry for the belated response, the good weather required attention to the garden. Thanks for the advice again. The joint probably looks clean because when I took it off after earlier advice I found a layer of fine mud and grit all over the compartment so I cleaned it out with a rag and a bit of silicone spray. I didn't realise the water was meant to drain through that joint. Now I know I will incorporate a thin washer into the joint which should help it to drain. Thanks once again I'll definitely try and take the cover of the controlleroff and give it a blast with the hair drier.
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