Convince me to stay electric

aroncox

Pedelecer
Oct 26, 2006
122
0
Ooooohhhh, flecc and Harry that's very interesting, it may do as a top-up at work if necessary. Thanks guys, I've never been to a forum where people are so knowledgeable and helpful before!

Flecc previously mentioned that you could use the Li-ion charger to top up but you would have to be careful not to overcharge (use with a timer?). A bit risky but might tide you over 'till a new discharge charger comes along.
 

JohnInStockie

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2006
1,048
1
Stockport, SK7
I've since ascertained that the Li-ion charger cannot overcharge the NiMh battery, so it's safe to use. Unfortunately it can't fully charge NiMh either, so as Harry says, only as a top up to keep rolling.
.
Is it possible / feasible to use more than one charger if you were using ones like this (see the £13.49 one with a discharge facility) and could find a successful way of connecting / disconnecting batteries in series as required?

Would that be a cheap alternative with a discharge function or am I barking up the wrong tree?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,152
30,567
No John, using these could at the very least shorten cell life and could wreck the battery.

Our chargers have to be three connector types terminating the charge on a temperature basis.

That means a cutoff circuit that matches the thermistor value in each battery type. Any old charger won't do, our having quite a lot of sophistication with temperature controlled charge progression, temperature signalled charge cutout and overvoltage safety termination, all matching a particular bike battery type.
.
 

aroncox

Pedelecer
Oct 26, 2006
122
0
Well I cycled to work on my Torq without a motor for the past four days, and I'm not sure I can do it tomorrow, hopefully my replacement battery will come soon, boy it's hard work without assistance!
 

HarryB

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 22, 2007
1,317
3
London
Well I cycled to work on my Torq without a motor for the past four days, and I'm not sure I can do it tomorrow, hopefully my replacement battery will come soon, boy it's hard work without assistance!
Well done for managing 4 days as it is not easy - think how fit you are going to get. By the way I think you will have to wait until early december for your delivery, still I expect you are first in the queue.
 

aroncox

Pedelecer
Oct 26, 2006
122
0
When I ordered it they said there would be a shipment early November and they will be sent out perhaps the second week in November, so it'll be interesting to see when it does arrive. Somehow (perhaps I'm a natural pessimist) I expect you're right. However I did cycle in again today, I'm not sure I'll be able to move my legs this weekend!

Well done for managing 4 days as it is not easy - think how fit you are going to get. By the way I think you will have to wait until early december for your delivery, still I expect you are first in the queue.
 

HarryB

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 22, 2007
1,317
3
London
When I ordered it they said there would be a shipment early November and they will be sent out perhaps the second week in November, so it'll be interesting to see when it does arrive. Somehow (perhaps I'm a natural pessimist) I expect you're right. However I did cycle in again today, I'm not sure I'll be able to move my legs this weekend!
Yes you would assume that as they are getting a new stock of the Torq 2 around that time, so I hope you are right. Let us know when it arrives....
 

HarryB

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 22, 2007
1,317
3
London
My latest trick (and this won't help you aroncox) is to leave the battery next to a radiator overnight. No cutting out at all this morning although I am sure it will hasten the battery's demise doing this. No chance of doing this at work though as no radiators.
 

HarryB

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 22, 2007
1,317
3
London
Hi

Sorry to say we have been let down on the supply of Nimh batteries on this shipment. We did order enough last shipment but the announcement on the forum seemed to cause us to run out nearly overnight.

There will be no available Nimhs until at least mid December.

On the other hand though we are getting some great reports from Lithium batteries and we have not had one claimed under warranty in 6 weeks.

Best Regards

Scott
Scott, just a thought about the NiMH batteries and supplies. I am happy to put down a deposit (say 10%) to secure a battery from the next shipment but not that happy to hand over £250 to secure one. Could a deposit system be arranged on the website or over the phone?
 

Branwen

Pedelecer
Oct 2, 2007
97
1
@Branwen - Well done, 5 years :D impressive.

@ALL - Can I ask if anyone has any concerns about cycling on and around bonfire night (just a bit apprehensive about cycling home in heavy traffic with the prevalence of teenagers setting off fireworks all around me/at me)?

John
When I first got the bike I seemed to be the only one on the road, and used to get comments like "she's a space cadet" yelled at me. Going past a school can be bad enough without the added fireworks element; cyclists in general seem to be a favourite target for the teens right now, without throwing in something a bit different for them to latch on to. I'm going to be staying in that night for sure.

Maybe I am a bit biased. The teenagers near me spent their time waiting for cyclists and trying to knock them off their bikes by kicking a football into them, and recording it on thei mobile phones. Not very pleasant. Six 16 year old lads, who are already taller than my diminutuive 5'2" tall, were far too intimidating to tell off when I fell foul of this trick as well, so I went home fuming.
 

ITSPETEINIT

Esteemed Pedelecer
Dec 11, 2006
492
0
Mere, Wilts
........get even!

When I first got the bike I seemed to be the only one on the road, and used to get comments like "she's a space cadet" yelled at me. Going past a school can be bad enough without the added fireworks element; cyclists in general seem to be a favourite target for the teens right now, without throwing in something a bit different for them to latch on to. I'm going to be staying in that night for sure.

Maybe I am a bit biased. The teenagers near me spent their time waiting for cyclists and trying to knock them off their bikes by kicking a football into them, and recording it on thei mobile phones. Not very pleasant. Six 16 year old lads, who are already taller than my diminutuive 5'2" tall, were far too intimidating to tell off when I fell foul of this trick as well, so I went home fuming.
Tell me where you live Branwen and I can avoid that locality.
You should really have reported it to the Police: (Never, never ever confront the perpetrators.
The Police may not be inclined to do anything: but as the 'Copper' remarked when I had an infinitesimal burglary (a grab on a garden pot worth £10) and I said it was nothing of much value, he responded: IT'S A CRIME!!!
A neighbour had taken the Car Reg'n number and it was spotted in Poole, Dorset (30 miles away from scene of crime). When approached by 'plod' he ran off leaving his mates in the car. Of course they were "unable" to explain their connection to him. As the car was hot, no one claimed ownership. So it was towed away and found its way to the crusher!!
RESULT!
P.
 

Jeremy

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 25, 2007
1,010
3
Salisbury
We suffered a spate of anti-social behaviour like this a few years ago. The police simply didn't have the manpower to do anything, but they agreed to us forming evening neighbourhood patrols, in pairs. All we did was walk around the village with cameras, filming the yobs being insulting and breaking up street furniture. The local police were sent the photos and the anti-social behaviour quickly stopped. With two of you, one filming, the other with a mobile phone held to their head, the yobs would run away rather than be confrontational.

The worst incident I personally experienced was the yobs pouring petrol (stolen from a neighbours shed) into the gutter outside my house. I backed out of my drive to be confronted with a sudden sheet of flame behind the car. One of the little sods had hidden around the corner and set light to the petrol just as I was driving out...........

Jeremy
 

Branwen

Pedelecer
Oct 2, 2007
97
1
Tell me where you live Branwen and I can avoid that locality.
P.
I live in Edinburgh, and have had comments from various locations, usually near schools at times kids are going in or out, unfortunately. The size of kids nowadays means they are big enough to be scary but protected in law as minors, and dont they just know it huh?

Alex is hoping to get an electric bike owners day out arranged, there;s a lot of us around in this city. Perhaps en masse we will be the scary ones!:D