Ezee Charging problem

[Nealh]

Ok no wires, in the first batch of pics it looked as if there might have been.
The battery is balanced quite well and nothing irregular in the voltages.

Does the battery have an on/off switch ? If so long press it for 10 secs or so in case it is in sleep mode as some batteries have this function.

 

[Nealh]

Going back to post #5, the battery input should read the charger voltage if it is only reading 36.8v then it is at a lower voltage then the pack voltage. Hibernation could be possible which is the BMS not switching on.

 

[Pink Nigel Dean]

It has a key, which turns it on and off and also unlocks it from the carrier so that it can be removed, but no other switch.

Ok no wires, in the first batch of pics it looked as if there might have been.
The battery is balanced quite well and nothing irregular in the voltages.

Does the battery have an on/off switch ? If so long press it for 10 secs or so in case it is in sleep mode as some batteries have this function.

 

[Pink Nigel Dean]

OK, but

Going back to post #5, the battery input should read the charger voltage if it is only reading 36.8v then it is at a lower voltage then the pack voltage. Hibernation could be possible which is the BMS not switching on.

these measurements were not taken on a fully charged battery, indeed I had tried hard to run the battery down in case the level of charge was what was preventing it from accepting a charge.

 

[Nealh]

OK, but

these measurements were not taken on a fully charged battery, indeed I had tried hard to run the battery down in case the level of charge was what was preventing it from accepting a charge.

I took it that you got 36.8v from the battery charge input with the charger on, I obviously misunderstood #5.
All I can say is another try another charger but can be easier said then done.

 

[Benjahmin]

When you plug these chargers in there is a sequence of events.
Plug into the mains, then into the battery. There is a rocker switch on the charger to turn on. A red and a green led come on, there is a pause then the green led goes yellow and the fan starts up - I assume that's when charging starts. Yellow led goes green on completion, though it's difficult to tell and I normmally wait for the fan to stop - presumably when the charger has cooled down.
Does this help Neal?

Oh and they are a 4A charger.

I think the 36.8v was the battery charge socket pins - no charger connected. It was a lower voltage than the battery output terminals.

 

[Benjahmin]

I've just measured my charger at the output pins and got 41.7v. With the same meter I measure 41.5/6 fully charged battery, the OP's charger was readin 42.3v if memory serves, so 0.5v higher - could that upset the bms and stop it accepting charge?

 

[Nealh]

the OP's charger was readin 42.3v if memory serves, so 0.5v higher - could that upset the bms and stop it accepting charge?

If the bms has a definite 42v max and doesn't allow for over charge then yes it would prevent charging that is why the trim pot was mentioned, Nigel needs to adjust the trim pot down to see if it works.

 

[Pink Nigel Dean]

I've posted on a couple of forums to see if I can find someone local with a charger I could borrow for a couple of minutes, but no luck so far, which is understandable since borrowing a charger is not yet on the approved list of reasons to leave home..

Would it be a fair conclusion that the problem most probably lies with either the charger or the BMS?

 

[Pink Nigel Dean]

When you plug these chargers in there is a sequence of events.
Plug into the mains, then into the battery. There is a rocker switch on the charger to turn on. A red and a green led come on, there is a pause then the green led goes yellow and the fan starts up - I assume that's when charging starts. Yellow led goes green on completion, though it's difficult to tell and I normmally wait for the fan to stop - presumably when the charger has cooled down.
Does this help Neal?

Yes, that';s the sequence I've always employed, but the yellow light doesn't come on any more

Oh and they are a 4A charger.

I think the 36.8v was the battery charge socket pins - no charger connected. It was a lower voltage than the battery output terminals.

Yes, that's right, except that the yellow light and fan no longer kick in, but I've always used the same sequence you suggest.

 

[Pink Nigel Dean]

I still need to know which pot to adjust to what, but who is Nigel?

Elaine

If the bms has a definite 42v max and doesn't allow for over charge then yes it would prevent charging that is why the trim pot was mentioned, Nigel needs to adjust the trim pot down to see if it works.

 

[Nealh]

I still need to know which pot to adjust to what, but who is Nigel?

You are it says so in your name, Pink I'm sure isn't your first name so it must be Nigel Dean.

The bot pot UR1 first note the how much you turn the pot and see if it tones the voltage down if not turn it back.

 

[Nealh]

Just noticed in an earlier post you aren't a Niggle but an Elaine, I can understand the pink but not ND.

 

[Pink Nigel Dean]

Just noticed in an earlier post you aren't a Niggle but an Elaine, I can understand the pink but not ND.

Here you go, my pride and joy....


It's a classic 1990's Reynolds 531 road bike, which still fools most of the boy racers nowadays, which is why I'm so fond of it and so keen to get it back on the road.



Thanks for the sensible pot turning advice, what voltage would you take it down to?

 

[Nealh]

Now I understand Elaine.

For balancing all the time 41.8 - 42v though I have set two of mine to 41v for better cell cycle life, hopefully once you trim the voltage down the BMS will paly ball.

 

[Pink Nigel Dean]

Now I understand Elaine.

For balancing all the time 41.8 - 42v though I have set two of mine to 41v for better cell cycle life, hopefully once you trim the voltage down the BMS will paly ball.

You were right, it was the bottom pot, but I turned it down to 41.7v and the charger still refuses to play.

 

[Benjahmin]

Nice VERY pink bike, kit is exactly the same as mine. I think they are not common as they aren't the cheapest by any stretch, but they last don't they?
Being not common is probably why you can't find a charger to borrow.
At the end of the day, if this charger can't be got going, then an alternative can be sourced, once pin polarity has been checked.

On another note, I see your motor cable exits the axle directly upwards. It would be best if you found a bit of slack to form a drip loop, so the cable exits the motor downwards then turns up. Helps to keep rain and condensation out of the precious motor.

 

[Benjahmin]

When the charger normally starts up there's the click of a relay coming in. Might be worth giving it a nudge/sharp tap on the side just to see if it achieves anything.

 

[Pink Nigel Dean]

Nice VERY pink bike, kit is exactly the same as mine. I think they are not common as they aren't the cheapest by any stretch, but they last don't they?
Being not common is probably why you can't find a charger to borrow.
At the end of the day, if this charger can't be got going, then an alternative can be sourced, once pin polarity has been checked.

On another note, I see your motor cable exits the axle directly upwards. It would be best if you found a bit of slack to form a drip loop, so the cable exits the motor downwards then turns up. Helps to keep rain and condensation out of the precious motor.

You obviously have excellent taste. This one has lasted since 2012 albeit with a replacement LED display and controller. Thanks for the tip, but it isn't going out in the rain, in fact right now it isn't going anywhere..

The relay still clicks, as usual, but normally that precedes the yellow light and the fan, which aren't following now.

This morning I wired the charger up to an incandescent bulb to simulate a load. It lit the bulb dimly, and entered a repeating cycle of relay click, bulb on, relay click, bulb off, but at no point did it turn on the yellow light or the fan.

Presumably the issue could still be either the charger or the BMS, and another charger is probably the best way of working out which.

 

[Pink Nigel Dean]

Thank you both for all your help so far, which is much appreciated, but I need to decide on the best way forward from here.

Would you agree that the fault most probably lies with either the charger or the BMS, and that the result of the bulb test points a finger towards the charger?

That being so it might be worth buying a new charger, since I've failed completely on borrowing one, but do I need an expensive 4A unit or would a much cheaper 2A charger do the job, albeit slower?

Your opinions would be much appreciated.