Kill the PAS

Cisco-man

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 27, 2023
297
72
Not to everyone’s taste, but I’ve now got a handlebar switch that turns off the PAS sensor. I find that the motor kicks in when I just want to turn the pedals for stability, and also my help-needs are more subtle than a basic help setting on the display. This also allows me to jump easily between no help and lots of help. I have a Swytch Max setup so pin-outs shown are for the Swytch PAS.
 

Attachments

Cisco-man

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 27, 2023
297
72
The switch is off of ebay, and just cuts the signal wire from the PAS sensor. I’ve left the power to the sensor intact.
 

saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
6,818
3,152
Telford
Would have the same effect. Not sure what’s easier to do though - it didn’t take long to do it this way.
What you did was OK, but you can achieve the same on any bike by splicing a switch into the brake switch wires.. Just peel back a bit of the cable insulation, scrape off the insulation off the signal and ground wires and splice on your switch, then reinsulate. The signal and ground are both wires in a two wire cable and the two that aren't red in a three wire one.
 

Cisco-man

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 27, 2023
297
72
What you did was OK, but you can achieve the same on any bike by splicing a switch into the brake switch wires.. Just peel back a bit of the cable insulation, scrape off the insulation off the signal and ground wires and splice on your switch, then reinsulate. The signal and ground are both wires in a two wire cable and the two that aren't red in a three wire one.
Agreed, but the Swytch kit doesn’t have brake switches though. You can buy them but they ain’t cheap!
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,917
8,533
61
West Sx RH
My KT LCD3 already has this function as std, one simply toggles the pas to zero.
 
  • Like
Reactions: joelectric

Cisco-man

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 27, 2023
297
72
My KT LCD3 already has this function as std, one simply toggles the pas to zero.
Yes, I can turn the PAS down to nothing on my display too, but one click of a switch without looking - and I know I’ve turned assist off. With the display I have to look down and see what assist I’ve got, and then click it down to zero. It’s subtle, but to me it’s a big difference - not to have to look. It highlights a confusion I have about throttles. It would be nice for me to have a twist-grip or thumb-push that sets the assist level to what I want - from nothing through to something without looking. But these devices are not legal I believe - maybe because they all appear to overide the PAS function. No one seems to offer a throttle function that doesn’t overide it.
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,396
3,236
A 9 position thumb operated lever to change PAS levels without needing to look at a display to know what level PAS you're using, could be mistaken for a throttle by the cops. It'd be time consuming to make, but possible for the BBSXXX series, at least. It isn't something I want or need because I only ever use level 9, unless very low on battery.
 
Last edited:

Cisco-man

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 27, 2023
297
72
That’s my fear. I can get everything I currently want, and still be legal, but I need
A 9 position thumb operated lever to change PAS levels without needing to look at a display to know what level PAS you're using, could be mistaken for a throttle by the cops.
That’s my fear. I can get everything I currently need, and still be legal. But it also has to be seen to be legal! I don’t think the police have extensive pedelec training. The current rules look totally unenforceable - they are so open to hidden tampering. What real difference would it make to allow a throttle up to 15 mph without PAS. At least it would then be more black and white. I bet you’ve had THAT discussion on here before!
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,396
3,236
That’s my fear. I can get everything I currently want, and still be legal, but I need

That’s my fear. I can get everything I currently need, and still be legal. But it also has to be seen to be legal! I don’t think the police have extensive pedelec training. The current rules look totally unenforceable - they are so open to hidden tampering. What real difference would it make to allow a throttle up to 15 mph without PAS. At least it would then be more black and white. I bet you’ve had THAT discussion on here before!
I believe cops have been briefed in the simplest terms possible regarding throttles, which is why I carry mine as part of my mobile toolkit for emergency use only - if one of my legs get smashed or a pedal falls off and I can't find it or something (fell off once). My throttle is an easy toolless clip-on. There's no need to pfaff about pulling things off the handlebar.

54544
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cisco-man

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,917
8,533
61
West Sx RH
Simply switch the KM off and on , if one doesn't want PAS activated.
 

Waspy

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 8, 2012
431
170
Simply switch the KM off and on , if one doesn't want PAS activated.
Yes, that's one solution but I wouldn't mind making one of those kill switches spliced to a brake cut-off wire.

Of course I don't have any brake cut-off wires or even brake cut-offs, but that can be done.

It's really for negotiating this sort of thing, first time I tried it, I left the PAS in level 3, turned the pedals slightly and one got thrust into a thorn bush at a rate of knots.

 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,917
8,533
61
West Sx RH
To me adding another switch and a bunch of wiring just adds more clutter, nearly all bikes have an on off switch or the option of 0 PAS. One just needs to think and simply apply the actions as second nature.
 

saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
6,818
3,152
Telford
Yes, that's one solution but I wouldn't mind making one of those kill switches spliced to a brake cut-off wire.

Of course I don't have any brake cut-off wires or even brake cut-offs, but that can be done.

It's really for negotiating this sort of thing, first time I tried it, I left the PAS in level 3, turned the pedals slightly and one got thrust into a thorn bush at a rate of knots.

I know what you mean. I have found similar situations where I have to negotiate some difficult turns. Also, it's handy to cut off power when you're negotiating your way around pedestrians. All you need is a horn switch or similar, wires straight across the brake switch wire.
 

thelarkbox

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 23, 2023
1,209
371
oxon
I find myself cracking the back brake just enough to register with the controller but not enough to engage the brakes when approaching any obstacles. only releasing and allowing motor assist when clear.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Peter.Bridge

Cisco-man

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 27, 2023
297
72
I know what you mean. I have found similar situations where I have to negotiate some difficult turns. Also, it's handy to cut off power when you're negotiating your way around pedestrians. All you need is a horn switch or similar, wires straight across the brake switch wire.
…or if you don’t have brake switches - use the switch to cut the PAS sensor signal.
 

afzal

Pedelecer
Mar 26, 2023
48
21
Kerala, India
It's really for negotiating this sort of thing, first time I tried it, I left the PAS in level 3, turned the pedals slightly and one got thrust into a thorn bush at a rate of knots.

I think a properly tuned torque sensor based setup would not cause such a problem