Can any ebike controller be configured to run headless.

[thelarkbox]

Controller headsets appear to be the weak link in many setups suffering damage from knocks and scrapes and dying as soon as any rain seeps inside. So are they really necessary all the time?

How do the controller and headset work together, is the headset a dumb terminal when configuring the controller or is it 'smarter' in that it retains the settings and exchanges them with the controller during its start-up and handshake?

This is for an off rd throttle controlled bike, which i fully expect to fall off launching the cycle into the thicket where a vulnerable controller headset displaying useless info would be at risk. so it seems wise to just not mount one on the bars.

I suspect my best option is to house the controller headset inside the controller bag exposing the on off button thru the zipper, but this still exposes the fragile headset to damage.

Cheers.

 

[saneagle]

They're all different. Generally, LCDs hold the settings for the controller, like wheel size, max speed, what to do with the throttle, and a load of other stuff. All of them are user interfaces so that you can tell the controller how much speed or power you want.

They also act as a switch for the controller: The controller's power comes from the battery and is sent on to the controller when the control panel is switched on, so when you switch on, it's not just the control panel you're switching on.

They're pretty reliable. I haven't heard of many getting broken, and they don't normally let water in unless you leave your bike out in the rain after you used it for a ride.

Most controllers will give some functionality wthout the control panel if you join the power wire from the nattery to the one that powers the controller (normally red and blue), so if you're truly worried about smashing your control panel, carry a spare connector with those two pins bridged, though you could always rip what's left of the control panel off and join those two wires by twisting them together.

 

[Nealh]

Displays depend on where you place them, I make a simple ali bracket up and sit mine on the steerer stem and use the head set bolt to clamp the display. It sits tight to the steerer stem and is out of the way so can't really get damaged. Leaving a bike out in the rain will likely see water ingress etc, though in 8 years or so I have never had an issue riding in rain with my KT lcd3's.

My KM LCD on the big bear kit is very slightly misted up inside but it has never caused an issue .

 

[thelarkbox]

Thanks @saneagle for the power wire tip, no doubt i will let some magic smoke escape as i explore this..
But it sure sounds like the simple solution i was hoping for.

My vast hands on experience with ebikes totals a whole 3 of em 2 of which arrived to me with damaged headsets hence my bias in concern perhaps..

Its certainly reassuring to hear the longevity of your lcd-3 @Nealh as it bodes well for my shiny new lcd10 (fingers crossed)

 

[guerney]

I made my display a rain hat using a bit of the thick clear plastic bag my huge can of Aeroshell 22 arrived in, edged with self-amalgamating rubber tape. I guess you could make a more rugged version using perspex cut to size, and by winding loads of rubber tape around it, or possibly sponge tape then rubber tape around that.

 

[harrys]

The KT LCD certainly is big and a target for cracked screens, I've broken two when the bikes fell, and it was probably just the shock transferred up the handlebars and thru the plastic mount, as the LCD never touched the ground. And I also cracked a creen the first time I fliiped a bike upside down. Now I know better.

I own three different controller brands, and they all will work without the display, provided you do what saneagle suggested. However, I only run KT controllers. The other two just don't give the same feel as the "torque assist",

 

[guerney]

The controllers of today have evolved, they need a display as the display is the on/off switch becaue they have various power levels and other features. If you had such a controller it would likely be a one speed only controller and likely low speed .
You can use modern controllers and simply not use the display by shorting some of the wires together but you only get one power level which likely is the lowest , then you need to add an interupter/on/off switch which means messing about . In the end you may as well keep the display and benefit from the extra functions.

Not relevant to the OP: It appears the BBSXXX series can run headless.

https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/running-bbs01-without-display.31146/#post-435412

The lowest level can be set to whatever, which for me would be 100% of 15A because that's pretty much all I use anyway. An ebike locked in a public place would be far less attractive a target for thieves (and vandals) without it's battery and display. The modified display extension lead in effect acts as a key.