EBCO Eagle LSL50 flashing battery icon

basssignal

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 25, 2020
11
0
Hi all, I have a ebco eagle lsl50 with a battery flashing icon on the display and there is no power to the motor.

The battery is absolutely fine, charged and measured @42v. This bike has its controller built into the front wheel hub.

I assume the bike is in some sort of service mode? Can anyone please advise how to bring the bike back to life? Thanks
 

cyclebuddy

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 2, 2016
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The battery is absolutely fine, charged and measured @42v.
Are you sure? If your battery is the original, it's likely at least 8+ years old, more likely 10 (the bike dates from 2010). The battery only ever had a service life of 500 cycles when new.

The 42v you measure may just be surface voltage, which collapses when you switch the bike on. If you can, it'd be worth load testing to check.
 

basssignal

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 25, 2020
11
0
Hi there, I also tested the ebco bike with another 36v lithium pack which I use on my main commute ebike. I built this pack and wired the bms myself. I just swapped the connectors. This pack measures near enough to 42v.

I see the same flashing battery icon. The issue must be somewhere else? maybe an initiation setup is needed. I think even if the battery voltage dropped ie 40v, the indicator should still show the level. Thanks.
 
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cyclebuddy

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 2, 2016
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770
Beds & Norfolk
The Eagle is one of those TranzX bikes that pre-dates CanBus diagnostics. My local Ebco dealer said/suggested there were ways of calibrating/setting those earlier bikes by combinations of key-presses.

If you think it just needs resetting, I'd think your best bet would be to contact Ebco themselves, or an "old-school" Ebco dealer and ask (there are far fewer of those now since Ebco revamped/consolidated to a much smaller range of e-bikes), or contact J D Components in Germany. J D are TranzX, who designed and built the bike, marketing it under various names throughout the world - branded Ebco in the UK.

Be aware there are various versions (8sp, 9sp - even automatic gear versions - some with torque control), so be clear about your Eagle model if contacting J D themselves.
 

basssignal

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 25, 2020
11
0
A bit more research on this. Apparently the Tranxz BL-05 battery pack that comes with this bike is a little more complicated than first thought! The battery BMS communicates directly with the display via a 2 wire I2C bus, and can detect whether a genuine 36V battery is installed. I suspect that although i get a nice 42v output from the unit, the battery inside is not a genuine one so the BMS cannot communicate with the display using I2C. If anyone has any information on this, this please share :)
 
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cyclebuddy

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 2, 2016
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770
Beds & Norfolk
If you do a simple google on "TranzX BL-05" a company comes up in Stockton and/or Durham who claim to have fixed exactly your problem.

I have no idea if their claim is genuine. It seems odd to me if, as you say, the controller is in the motor, but there is another controller of sorts in the battery. That's just plain weird - even for a relic of this age.
 

basssignal

Finding my (electric) wheels
Nov 25, 2020
11
0
Hi, on further investigation, I can confirm that a non genuine 36v,10A cell pack has been fitted in the BL05 enclosure. Because the original bms with its I2C interface is not present, the display goes into a fault mode "flashing battery icon" on power up. Unfortunately Tranxz cannot sell a BMS directly to me. My best solution is to find someone willing to sell their BL-05. I have a new set of 18650 here ready to go. I just need the bms or a second hand bl05 unit to refurbish.
 

cyclebuddy

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 2, 2016
1,640
770
Beds & Norfolk
Then ebay is your friend. Eagles and their parts come up all the time.