Conversion kits and battery

Peter1972

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 3, 2019
12
4
Hello. I want to buy a conversion kit from eBay. 1000w rear hub 48 v battery. LCD screen. The issue I'm having is the connectors on the parts actually matching. I've noticed that there are various types. So my question is does anyone know what will work together and from what seller. I have a budget of £400 for the parts.

Many thanks
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,993
Basildon
You're going to have a lot more problems than connectors.

£400 isn't enough to buy a kit and a battery that can supply 1000w. The cheap 48v batteries can't provide enough current. Expect to pay around £350 for the battery alone. You'll have to pay around £50 duty, etc, if you buy one from China. If you're looking at ebay, type 48v 1000w battery into the search, not just 48v.

You will also need to factor in decent hydraulic disc brakes, which means rotors as well as calipers and levers. When you're travelling at 30 mph with a 1000w kit on your bike, it takes 5 times as much energy to stop your bike compared with travelling at 15 mph on a normal bike. Pedal your bike at 15 mph, then see how much effort it takes to stop quickly, then multiply that by 5 to get an idea of what's involved.

Have you include the price of two torque arms, which will also be necessary?

To answer your question, you will always need to change/add connectors to your battery unless you buy the whole kit, including the battery, from the same supplier and you confirm with them that they have matching connectors, which they often don't.

Is it time for a new plan? Sorry if I spoilt your dream, but life isn't always simple.
 
Last edited:
  • Informative
Reactions: D C

Peter1972

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 3, 2019
12
4
You're going to have a lot more problems than connectors.

£400 isn't enough to buy a kit and a battery that can supply 1000w. The cheap 48v batteries can't provide enough current. Expect to pay around £350 for the battery alone. You'll have to pay around £50 duty, etc, if you buy one from China. If you're looking at ebay, type 48v 1000w battery into the search, not just 48v.

You will also need to factor in decent hydraulic disc brakes, which means rotors as well as calipers and levers. When you're travelling at 30 mph with a 1000w kit on your bike, it takes 5 times as much energy to stop your bike compared with travelling at 15 mph on a normal bike. Pedal your bike at 15 mph, then see how much effort it takes to stop quickly, then multiply that by 5 to get an idea of what's involved.

Have you include the price of two torque arms, which will also be necessary?

To answer your question, you will always need to change/add connectors to your battery unless you buy the whole kit, including the battery, from the same supplier and you confirm with them that they have matching connectors, which they often don't.

Is it time for a new plan? Sorry if i spoilt your dream, but life isn't always simple.
Thanks for the information. I did type in 48v 1000v and there are some for £220 they are 12.5ah. What would you recommend? is this not sufficient then? And the 1000w hubs come in below £200. I do understand that sometimes paying little more for higher quality components is a better option. As for the disc brakes they will be on the doner bike I use. The budget of around £400 was just for battery and hub. So am I looking more at £550?

Kind regards
 

sjpt

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2018
3,837
2,759
Winchester
The 1000w are illegal for use except on private land with no public access. Also they will be direct drive and get through battery really quickly, so extra reason to need expensive batteries.
 

Peter1972

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 3, 2019
12
4
The 1000w are illegal for use except on private land with no public access. Also they will be direct drive and get through battery really quickly, so extra reason to need expensive batteries.
Thanks I know the law on this. I found this company that ship from Germany.


Seems reasonable. Will any of those batteries be sufficient. Have you got any recommendations?

All the best
 

KirstinS

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 5, 2011
3,224
899
Brighton
Thanks for the information. I did type in 48v 1000v and there are some for £220 they are 12.5ah. What would you recommend? is this not sufficient then? And the 1000w hubs come in below £200. I do understand that sometimes paying little more for higher quality components is a better option. As for the disc brakes they will be on the doner bike I use. The budget of around £400 was just for battery and hub. So am I looking more at £550?

Kind regards
The problem with buying a cheap direct drive kit is they are very power hungry indeed. Forget the 1000w moniker. Most 250w nominal legal hubs can put out at least 500w and many 800w. Most are geared and use battery at lower amps

In the same manner one 12ah battery is not the same as another 12ah battery. That's just how much is in the tank

How quickly that 12ah can be delivered is very important too. That depends on the actual cell specification and the BMS inside. Cheap chinese cells will perform badly and die quickly on what you are planning. You need a quality celled battery with BMS capable of giving high amps (not amp hours). These are expensive at c400 quid

This is what VFR is telling you

A better way to go about this is tell us what you want to achieve, on what terrain, mileage, your weight and so forth.

This isnt about quality but matching the requiremets of the motor to the battery. Do it wrong and you will be chucking money in the bin!
 
  • Like
Reactions: D C

Peter1972

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 3, 2019
12
4
The problem with buying a cheap direct drive kit is they are very power hungry indeed. Forget the 1000w moniker. Most 250w nominal legal hubs can put out at least 500w and many 800w. Most are geared and use battery at lower amps

In the same manner one 12ah battery is not the same as another 12ah battery. That's just how much is in the tank

How quickly that 12ah can be delivered is very important too. That depends on the actual cell specification and the BMS inside. Cheap chinese cells will perform badly and die quickly on what you are planning. You need a quality celled battery with BMS capable of giving high amps (not amp hours). These are expensive at c400 quid

This is what VFR is telling you

A better way to go about this is tell us what you want to achieve, on what terrain, mileage, your weight and so forth.

This isnt about quality but matching the requiremets of the motor to the battery. Do it wrong and you will be chucking money in the bin!
 

Peter1972

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 3, 2019
12
4
[/QUOTE.

Thanks. I'm 19 stone. I just want a little bit more power than I currently have at the moment. I have a 500w conversion with a 36v battery which does ok. I ride to work about 11 miles round trip. It will get up to 19mph. But struggles on hills. So I'm not looking for mega long range or mega speed. Just a little boost in speed and climbing hills. Any help is appreciated as I realize the minefield the internet is with cheap kits.
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,993
Basildon
can you tell us exactly what motor, controller and battery you have. There are probably better and cheaper solutions than that 1000w kit.

The problem with those 100W kits is that they're designed for continuous 30 mph. if you run them at normal speeds, they're inefficient and overheat. With your weight, I can't see one lasting very long before something burns. You need a slow high torque solution.
 

Peter1972

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 3, 2019
12
4
The problem with buying a cheap direct drive kit is they are very power hungry indeed. Forget the 1000w moniker. Most 250w nominal legal hubs can put out at least 500w and many 800w. Most are geared and use battery at lower amps

In the same manner one 12ah battery is not the same as another 12ah battery. That's just how much is in the tank

How quickly that 12ah can be delivered is very important too. That depends on the actual cell specification and the BMS inside. Cheap chinese cells will perform badly and die quickly on what you are planning. You need a quality celled battery with BMS capable of giving high amps (not amp hours). These are expensive at c400 quid

This is what VFR is telling you

A better way to go about this is tell us what you want to achieve, on what terrain, mileage, your weight and so forth.

This isnt about quality but matching the requiremets of the motor to the battery. Do it wrong and you will be chucking money in the bin!
So would it
can you tell us exactly what motor, controller and battery you have. There are probably better and cheaper solutions than that 1000w kit.

The problem with those 100W kits is that they're designed for continuous 30 mph. if you run them at normal speeds, they're inefficient and overheat. With your weight, I can't see one lasting very long before something burns. You need a slow high torque solution.
I have no idea what make of wheel ,battery, controller I have. All I know that it's a 500w hub and 36v 10a battery I think. It was a conversion kit that was fitted by a company that are no longer trading!
 

Peter1972

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 3, 2019
12
4
Show us photos.
I appreciate your time. But I can't see how showing you a picture of my hub and battery will help. I've told you the specification of them. You won't get more information from a black battery and black hub. They all look the same!
 

KirstinS

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 5, 2011
3,224
899
Brighton
I appreciate your time. But I can't see how showing you a picture of my hub and battery will help. I've told you the specification of them. You won't get more information from a black battery and black hub. They all look the same!
Because he is an expert. They look the same to you
 
  • Like
Reactions: vfr400

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,918
8,533
61
West Sx RH
I'm not even going to bother....
 
  • Like
Reactions: vfr400

hech

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 29, 2011
352
27
argyll
So is an 'Esteemed Pedelecer' better than an 'expert' pedelecer or is it just the way one talks on the Forum these days?
They all look the same to me too, similar even to our designs here at NASA for getting our lads up and back home from the space station on the cheap. Chinese astronauts are lighter in general too, though many cant play the guitar so good.
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,993
Basildon
So is an 'Esteemed Pedelecer' better than an 'expert' pedelecer or is it just the way one talks on the Forum these days?
They all look the same to me too, similar even to our designs here at NASA for getting our lads up and back home from the space station on the cheap. Chinese astronauts are lighter in general too, though many cant play the guitar so good.
Long time, no see. Welcome back. I used to like your posts. I think esteemed pedelecer is about right for you.
 

hech

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 29, 2011
352
27
argyll
Why thank you Sir you are too kind. But esteem is a word I am not worthy and pedelecer not a word at all.
 

jonathan75

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 24, 2013
794
213
Hertfordshire
I appreciate your time. But I can't see how showing you a picture of my hub and battery will help. I've told you the specification of them. You won't get more information from a black battery and black hub. They all look the same!

They really don't all look the same, and there is much information to be had from photos. If you don't want to stick out your tongue for doctor, fine. If you don't think people here know anything useful, you're wrong, but fine. But please don't tell doctor that there's no point in sticking it out because all tongues look the same. That's just exasperating.
 

Peter1972

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 3, 2019
12
4
They really don't all look the same, and there is much information to be had from photos. If you don't want to stick out your tongue for doctor, fine. If you don't think people here know anything useful, you're wrong, but fine. But please don't tell doctor that there's no point in sticking it out because all tongues look the same. That's just exasperating.
I'm sorry if I came across as dismissive. I did come here for advice. I will stick my tongue out later!