Help - HMI controller on BOSCH system broken! Anyone good with electronics?

[timswimuk]

Hi,

I've recently purchased an electric bike, and AVE MH-7 and it is so awesome.

Unfortunately, it has fully stopped working.
This is entirely because of a loose screw on the back of the HMI controller (the computer part that attaches to the handlebars) which has let in some damp over the past few rainy weeks. Now that I'm aware of the loose screw I can take steps to seal it and prevent the problem happening again.
BUT, after drying out the whole HMI unit and then reattaching it, it fails to turn on, thus the whole system fails to activate.
A local ebike dealer has quoted a replacement cost of over £100 for the small unit (as it was a second hand bike purchase, no warranty).
Is there any other way of resolving this issue that you may be aware of -
A cheaper supplier of the HMI (taking into account it is from an older BOSCH system, 2012),
OR
Someone who may be able to take a look at the electronic part of the tiny unit and may be able to repair whatever damage the condensation within the unit had caused? It may be something easily resolvable / repairable and may not need £100++ spent on a whole new replacement part.....
Any electrical wizards out there for this BOSCH part?

Help!
(my legs ache!!)


~
Tim

 

[Deleted member 4366]

According to this guy, there's a 2GB SD card inside, so no other display would work. There's something about hacking the display about half-way down the page:
http://elektrischefiets-bert.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[timswimuk]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply...

There hasn't been any other response - so I get the impression an HMI is unrepairable and I will need to purchase a brand new one from BOSCH? Has anybody else encountered this before, water damage to HMI? (surely!). The replacement from AVE will be over £100 as quoted from a local e-bike store in Oxford... seems a lot, considering the HMI doesn't actually do much, other than change the speed settings, and I've been told all of the stored information about mileage etc is actually stored in the motor part of the system and only displays on the HMI. Seems a lot of money for something that doesn't do much and is no bigger than a stopwatch. There must be another way than splashing out all that money for a new replacement,
arrrrrr,
splashing!!


Cheers
~
Tim

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I seem to remember that there were several instances of them leaking when they first came out. There's a thread on the German forum about it. My google translate isn't working with it at the moment, so I can't summarise. Maybe it works on yours:
http://www.pedelecforum.de/forum/showthread.php?16854-Bosch-HMI-Wasserschaden

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

According to this guy, there's a 2GB SD card inside, so no other display would work. There's something about hacking the display about half-way down the page:
http://elektrischefiets-bert.blogspot.co.uk/

Hi Dave, there is no SD card inside the head unit. The only SD card is for us dealers to plug into our computer to authenticate the Diagnostics tools. They are nothing to do with the bike at all.

Regards
Martin

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Hi Tim,

It is unfortunate that you have purchased the bike second hand and therefore have no dealer support at all. I have got your PM by the way, just thought it would be easier to post a reply here..

Its a bummer that you didn't have a chance to re-tighten the screw so that no damp could get in at all. But we cant go back now.

You are correct the Bosch head unit for 2011/12 model is £115 as per my website here - http://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/eBike-Spare-Parts/bosch-display-2011-2012

The old HMi is not serviceable at all, also if you were to open it up, diagnose and possibly fix, you would probably find that the labour included in the repair would cost more than the headunit itself.

The chances are that you have shorted some connections within the head unit itself. You could have also fried the internal (head unit) battery. Before replacing I would check the connections at the back of the HMi holder itself. Clean them up, make sure the head unit is getting a good connection. On the old unit sometimes a little conductive grease (copper grease is good) can help secure the connection between the display and the holder itself. I mean a tiny little bit. Don't smear it all over as you further run the risk of shorting the connections again.

Your best bet is to purchase a new headunit for your Bosch eBike, the later ones are better sealed and should not encounter this problem in the future.

If you do need a new display, then maybe it would be a good opportunity to upgrade the system to the new Intuvia design. Its not a lot more and I can make this work with an appropriate software update. This would give you a much nicer display and functions. Its also more weather proof. Check it out here - http://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/eBike-Spare-Parts/bosch-intuvia-kit

I am currently in the process of doing this conversion for a member on here as he would prefer the control buttons on the left side (something the new Intuvia offers). I will let you know how it goes.

Although I cannot speak for this member, there might be a slim chance he could sell his old 2011/12 display to you.. But that would be his decision, he may want to keep it as spares. I will ask the question when I see him..

Regards
Martin

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Where does the system keep all its logged data?

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Where does the system keep all its logged data?

The brain of the Bosch eBike is the Motor. Its all in there. Nothing is stored in the head unit. Even the battery communicates its data back to the motor. The motor records so many parameters. About 40 different ones in fact.

The motor is the only part linked to the bike. It stores info like - date of manufacture, bike frame number etc.

Any head unit or battery is interchangeable. The motor is not.

Regards
Martin

 

[Deleted member 4366]

That's interesting, and thanks for the info. Why then is there a battery in the head unit?

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

That's interesting, and thanks for the info. Why then is there a battery in the head unit?

The head unit copies some stored data directly from the motor - Trip Distance, Range left, Total Mileage, Max Speed.

The small rechargeable cell in the head unit is to power the head unit when not connected to the bike. So for example, you are sat in a Cafe and want to see how much range you have left, you can whip the HMi out your pocket and view the last recorded data. This small lithium cell is re-charged when re-connected the the bike off the main Bosch Power Pack.

This head unit data is only a direct copy from the motor data. So for example if you were to plug that same Display HMi unit onto another Bosch eBike it would automatically pick up the new stored data from that Motor.

Regards
Martin

 

[timswimuk]

Hi Martin,

Thanks for your responses,

You mentioned that one of the problems could possibly be having fried the internal (head unit) battery - I wonder, if I can easily get hold of a replacement battery to test to see if this is the issue?
or would this internal battery be a specialist component from BOSCH, again leaving me with no choice but to buy a whole new unit....
If it's something I can pick up from a local electrical store or something then I'd love to give that a go,

Also, as mentioned in a private message to you I'd be very interested if you had any luck with the customer whom you are replacing their old HMI with the new one, if they were interested in selling their old unit,

Many thanks for your help,

~
Tim

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Hi Tim,

His new components turned up today anyway so I will ask him shortly. Ill ask him to PM you if interested at all.

As for the battery, I was actually referring to the 2013 head unit, (sorry I was distracted halfway through writing the post, then came back to it). I may stand corrected but I'm pretty sure the 2011/12 system may not have this. From memory I think with the old system when you remove the headunit from the bike, the head unit will not power up on its own?

Regards
Martin

 

[timswimuk]

Hi Martin,

Thanks for your message - yes, I didn't think there was a battery, because the unit is only powered when connected to the bike system... well that resolves that issue then

I like the idea of upgrading but the issue would be transporting the bike... it is about an hours journey, a little over (from Oxford). I sold my car when I replaced it with the ebike (yay) so getting the bike down there will be the main issue. I'm thinking, once this issue has been resolved, of selling the bike anyhows and getting a new 2014 model. Then again, perhaps an upgraded system would add value to the bike at sale, I wonder how much it is you'd charge in labor costs to upgrade too?

I won't go ahead with ordering a new 2011/2012 HMI just yet, as I'll wait to hear about the spare / possible repair / possible upgrade, and come to a decision then,


Many thanks
~
Tim

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Hi Tim,

OK thats fine. Yes as per my most recent PM to you, an upgrade will involve you bring the bike to me. I will PM you back with labour costs.

Might be worth waiting till I have performed this upgrade on another bike next week so we know it 100% is compatible etc. Then we can talk further to how you would like to proceed.

Regards
Martin

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Hi Tim,

I can confirm I performed the latest 2013 Intuvia Upgrade onto the old 2011/12 motor system for my customer today.

Everything worked, ran diagnostics initially, provisionally fitted the new parts and re-flashed the main drive unit software and it is all working spot on.

If you want to buy the old head unit still, I have asked my customer to contact you direct via PM on here. He is willing to sell the old head unit. His name is Hugh and he will be in touch.

Regards
Martin

 

[OxygenJames]

Now that's what I call excellent customer service!!

 

[John F]

So even the German's can't make a waterproof ebike! Explain to me why you can reasonably expect a cheap motorbike costing hardly any more than many overpriced ebikes, to be fully waterproof?

 

[SRS]

So even the German's can't make a waterproof ebike! Explain to me why you can reasonably expect a cheap motorbike costing hardly any more than many overpriced ebikes, to be fully waterproof?

You can't. I have had several and all have had electrical / water ingress problems.

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Now that's what I call excellent customer service!!

Thanks James, I hope your Haibike is still going strong! Im sure I saw a picture of it in your shower the other day?!! Hahah. Good to see your looking after it

Regards
Martin

 

[timswimuk]

Hi Martin,

Just to say many thanks for passing on my contact details to Hugh, he got in touch and the replacement Bosch HMI head unit arrived today and the bike is now fully functional again! When I get round to possibly upgrading to a 2014 I'll be in touch to check out the Haibikes that you stock,

Many thanks for your help in getting this resolved,
~
Tim