Impulse 2 Charger

[Perseus]

Before I buy a replacement, what could cause an Impulse 2 Charger to go bang!

Log: https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/beat-bike-toba-crossbar-bike-log.27632/page-5#post-558443

 

[cyclebuddy]

You mean your charger went "BANG" as in an audible "BANG", or it just stopped working?

Common charger failures include:
1) Fuse in plug or the charger itself
2) MOV/VDR failure (sometimes coupled with a thermal fuse) designed to stop an overvolt event.
3) Capacitor failure, usually on the output/secondary side. Most often very low cost, marginally rated, worked hard.

A pic of the inside would give a better clue.

 

[Nealh]

A loose wire/wire shorting ?
As CB has said you will only possibly know by opening up and looking.

 

[Perseus]

You mean your charger went "BANG" as in an audible "BANG", or it just stopped working?

Common charger failures include:
1) Fuse in plug or the charger itself
2) MOV/VDR failure (sometimes coupled with a thermal fuse) designed to stop an overvolt event.
3) Capacitor failure, usually on the output/secondary side. Most often very low cost, marginally rated, worked hard.

A pic of the inside would give a better clue.

An audio bang, flash and burning smell. Preceded by charging failure. Can't get it apart easily.

 

[Ocsid]

From what I read on "Pedelecs" of owners experiences with the Impulse 2, are there not many "spare" chargers out there?

 

[Andy-Mat]

Before I buy a replacement, what could cause an Impulse 2 Charger to go bang!

Log: https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/beat-bike-toba-crossbar-bike-log.27632/page-5#post-558443

As others have said, many things can cause a charger to stop working, water and moisture ingress are right up there as well!
A good charger, will have a tiny ventilator, cooling any parts that get warm and it must never get wet!
A slow charger (usually around 2 amps max), treats your battery "kinder" over time, than a fast charger does (4 amps or more).
I do not know your defective charger, or your bike or battery (some photos may change that!), and I have not seen how its connected, but you have the DC cable on the defective one (hopefully undamaged!), so really all you need is a new charger of the correct voltage and output amps, and to get a knowledgeable person to carefully swap the old DC cable over to the new charger, maybe even with a simple DIY adapter cable, which is what I did, when my 2nd battery arrived with a different charge connector a few years ago.........
There may be some unforeseen reasons for not doing it, that hopefully someone here can point out!
So wait up!
Andy

 

[Perseus]

As others have said, many things can cause a charger to stop working, water and moisture ingress are right up there as well!
A good charger, will have a tiny ventilator, cooling any parts that get warm and it must never get wet!
A slow charger (usually around 2 amps max), treats your battery "kinder" over time, than a fast charger does (4 amps or more).
I do not know your defective charger, or your bike or battery (some photos may change that!), and I have not seen how its connected, but you have the DC cable on the defective one (hopefully undamaged!), so really all you need is a new charger of the correct voltage and output amps, and to get a knowledgeable person to carefully swap the old DC cable over to the new charger, maybe even with a simple DIY adapter cable, which is what I did, when my 2nd battery arrived with a different charge connector a few years ago.........
There may be some unforeseen reasons for not doing it, that hopefully someone here can point out!
So wait up!
Andy

No water ingress

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/components/electronics/kalfhoff-impulse-20-charger_457212

 

[Andy-Mat]

No water ingress

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/components/electronics/kalfhoff-impulse-20-charger_457212

WOW, really expensive.....
Thanks.
Andy

 

[Ocsid]

Even if the plug case does not contribute yet an additional connection, there are already 4 pins involved, hinting there could be more to replacing this charger than DIY cobbling up an alternative charger to apply a potential to the battery?

 

[Andy-Mat]

Even if the plug case does not contribute yet an additional connection, there are already 4 pins involved, hinting there could be more to replacing this charger than DIY cobbling up an alternative charger to apply a potential to the battery?

Possible.
Is there not a bike shop person or owner here who could explain why 4 pins? Guessing, possibly a temperature sensor?
That alone is an important point for when buying a bike, a standard two pin charger can be bought all over, just get the right connector, observe polarity and you are up and running again...
Almost 120 UK Pounds for a new charger is dreadful!
Andy

 

[cyclebuddy]

An audio bang, flash and burning smell. Preceded by charging failure. Can't get it apart easily.

It does sound pretty catastrophic, but unless you can post a pic it's hard to comment if the issue looks terminal. If you just want to buy a replacement, Powatechnic in Sheffield modify/resell alternative e-bike chargers for most brands including your Kalkhoff Impulse for a lot less. They advertise on ebay or you can go direct. A 36v 3A with the 4-pin Kalkhoff XLR is here:

https://powatechnic.com/36v-3a-lithium-battery-charger.html

 

[Andy-Mat]

It does sound pretty catastrophic, but unless you can post a pic it's hard to comment if the issue looks terminal. If you just want to buy a replacement, Powatechnic in Sheffield modify/resell alternative e-bike chargers for most brands including your Kalkhoff Impulse for a lot less. They advertise on ebay or you can go direct. A 36v 3A with the 4-pin Kalkhoff XLR is here:

https://powatechnic.com/36v-3a-lithium-battery-charger.html

Thats a far better price!
Andy

 

[georgehenry]

The charger for my Yamaha Haibike failed with a similar flash and loud bang that turned out to be a short circuit caused by frayed wires.

In fairness to Yamaha I use my bike to commute to work and back and take my charger with me in the panniers so it leads a hard life with regular wrapping and unwrapping of the connecting wires and plug.

The 5a fuse in the plug saved the charger giving me the chance to tidy up the wiring and replace the fuse. I do carry a spar fuse now and can see that checking these wires occasionally is a good thing to do although it is easy to keep putting that off.

 

[Andy-Mat]

It does sound pretty catastrophic, but unless you can post a pic it's hard to comment if the issue looks terminal. If you just want to buy a replacement, Powatechnic in Sheffield modify/resell alternative e-bike chargers for most brands including your Kalkhoff Impulse for a lot less. They advertise on ebay or you can go direct. A 36v 3A with the 4-pin Kalkhoff XLR is here:

https://powatechnic.com/36v-3a-lithium-battery-charger.html

Looking at the picture of that replacement charger you kindly posted, it appears that the only connectpr between this charger and all the various connectors, is ONLY 2 POLE!! Check the picture out carefully!
Therefore, it is apparently totally misleading to assume that because there are 3 or 4 pins on the original charger, that they all "DO SOMETHING!" other than to mechanically stabilise he connection more! Nothing electrically!!!
That is a very "telling" picture!!
What say you all?
Andy
PS. Possibly examining the DC charge cable from the original charger to the battery connector, may reveal that its only a 2 wire cable. Telling!!
Also, looking inside the battery, at the other side of that connector, will probably reveal that only 2 wires are connected, positive and negative!

 

[Ocsid]

Looking at the picture of that replacement charger you kindly posted, it appears that the only connectpr between this charger and all the various connectors, is ONLY 2 POLE!! Check the picture out carefully!
Therefore, it is apparently totally misleading to assume that because there are 3 or 4 pins on the original charger, that they all "DO SOMETHING!" other than to mechanically stabilise he connection more! Nothing electrically!!!
That is a very "telling" picture!!
What say you all?
Andy

Similarly, it is naive just to assume they don't serve some functions, even if not functions replicated in cheaper options?
A case where to know what if anything they do is a far better informed position than assuming.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Similarly, it is naive just to assume they don't serve some functions, even if not functions replicated in cheaper options?
A case where to know what if anything they do is a far better informed position than assuming.

Have you read my update above to my original post you answered, that will verify exactly what is there and what is not! Simples!
"Elementary my dear Watson"
Andy

 

[cyclebuddy]

Looking at the picture of that replacement charger you kindly posted, it appears that the only connectpr between this charger and all the various connectors, is ONLY 2 POLE!! Check the picture out carefully!
Therefore, it is apparently totally misleading to assume that because there are 3 or 4 pins on the original charger, that they all "DO SOMETHING!" other than to mechanically stabilise he connection more! Nothing electrically!!!
That is a very "telling" picture!!
What say you all?
Andy
PS. Possibly examining the DC charge cable from the original charger to the battery connector, may reveal that its only a 2 wire cable. Telling!!
Also, looking inside the battery, at the other side of that connector, will probably reveal that only 2 wires are connected, positive and negative!

You're looking for problems when there aren't any. Powatechnic adapt generic 2A, 3A and 5A chargers in a variety of voltages, modified with a huge variety of correct plugs and correct connections. They do a modified Sans Charger for Halfords Carrera bikes with 5-pins connected to include handshaking, over-temp and over-charge cut-outs (as it needs to), and a TranzX clone with 4-pins to include correct comms, so they know what they're doing.

Here they ebay list this same 3-amp charger (as the original Kalkhoff is) specifically aimed at Kalkhoff Impulse owners:

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Ocsid]

Have you read my update above to my original post you answered, that will verify exactly what is there and what is not! Simples!
"Elementary my dear Watson"
Andy

Clearly, as I responded some time before you "updated" your post reading it would, shall we say, have been quite obviously "challenging".
Whilst I could tear into the cable, the charger or the battery I shall not be doing so.
The charger itself, I have checked and they accredit the following to the pins,
pin 1+, pin 2 ID-R, pin 3 -, pin 4+

The evidence so far hardy supports the sweeping assertion;

"Therefore, it is apparently totally misleading to assume that because there are 3 or 4 pins on the original charger, that they all "DO SOMETHING!" other than to mechanically stabilise he connection more! Nothing electrically!!! "

On my part, there had been no assumption whatsoever, just preference to know actually what the facts are.

 

[cyclebuddy]

The charger itself, I have checked and they accredit the following to the pins,
pin 1+, pin 2 ID-R, pin 3 -, pin 4+

Yes, so that suggests Pin 2 is for handshaking. A number of e-bike makers use that measure (and often a unique plug/socket) specifically to prevent you using chargers of unknown origin. It must have taken Powatechnic some time to work out all the different techniques used by each maker to overcome them.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Clearly, as I responded some time before you "updated" your post reading it would, shall we say, have been quite obviously "challenging".
Whilst I could tear into the cable, the charger or the battery I shall not be doing so.
The charger itself, I have checked and they accredit the following to the pins,
pin 1+, pin 2 ID-R, pin 3 -, pin 4+

The evidence so far hardy supports the sweeping assertion;

"Therefore, it is apparently totally misleading to assume that because there are 3 or 4 pins on the original charger, that they all "DO SOMETHING!" other than to mechanically stabilise he connection more! Nothing electrically!!! "

On my part, there had been no assumption whatsoever, just preference to know actually what the facts are.

Did you actually look at the picture of the replacement charger, and identify the DC charging cable and connector? It appears to be only two wires.
There is nothing on the other two wires from that replacement, except possibly a short or a diode....
As, if I understood it fully, the original charger is defective, why not inspect the cable carefully? It could tell you a lot! And possibly save you money, and help others here who might get into a similar situation....
Andy