New user - Just set up my 1500w conversion

[Benjahmin]

Do you/anyone else here know where's best to order some torque arms from?

I rate these:
http://cyclezee.com/cyclezee-torque-arms.html
in fact the bike with the red forks is my first conversion(how did that happen?)
As for mirrors, these are great:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mirrycle-Generic-Mountain-Bike-Mirror/dp/B00JQN3J50
Folds flat on friction pivots, gives a good field of view with minimum vibration.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Ah that's just reminded me about mirrors, it's on the list - thanks for that!

Do you/anyone else here know where's best to order some torque arms from?

This mirror is really good:
http://www.acycles.co.uk/zefal-cyclop-bike-handlebar-mirror-690.html?gclid=CjwKEAiA2abEBRCdx7PqqunM1CYSJABf3qvaN3uPjRkhi5D17nwGFxcwykalaHiYk8671FIhnW28yxoCOVPw_wcB

 

[gstanley]

I'm having some electrical trouble with the bike.

Obviously it cut out on first test drive; I inspected and wriggled the wiring around in the bag and that brought the power back on fine.

Then as I wheeled it out the door, as the back wheel dropped off the step to the ground, something in the control box bag sent out some amber sparks and power went out again. Worried, I checked over as much wiring as I could do make sure nothing was bare/exposed and earthing to the bike frame or whatever. All seems fine, and power ok again.

Just been out for another test ride and before I'd even got off the drive I heard sparking again and that's it, can't get the power to come back on again at all now. Worried I've buggered it somehow!

Not sure what to do as I'm certainly no electrician :/

 

[gstanley]

Also, it hasn't blown the fuse either that's still intact

 

[danielrlee]

Are you using the frame for an earth connection? If so, not good practice, especially without knowing that all your electronics are fully isolated.

My first thought is that the spark is from your main power connection. Check it out for any loose connections/terminals.

Secondly, what type of fuse are you using? If it is the 12V automotive blade type, they're crap and the sparks could be coming from a dodgy fuse holder.

 

[10JP]

When you say control bag do you mean the bag that houses the battery?

 

[gstanley]

No I'm not using the frame for an earth, I meant if any exposed wires were coming into contact with the frame would that would be the cause of sparking.


This is the fuse and holder, does look to be an automotive type. 40amp fuse.


This is the controller bag which I've tried to keep the majority of the wiring in, although it is pretty tight for space in there. This wasn't yet fitted in my original picture of the bike.

 

[danielrlee]

Lose the blade fuse. It'll give you nothing but problems and can be guaranteed to leave you stranded at some point in the future. I prefer DC MCB's, but I'm sure other's will recommend their favourite method of protection.

Check the legs of the blade fuse for any pitting caused by electrical arcing due to poor contact with the fuse holder.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

What connector are you using between the battery and the controller? They can often give problems.

 

[Woosh]

Ah I see what you mean now, It must be a long commute, Whoosh would say you can go 120 miles or so on 20ah.

if you ride the Woosh Karoo

 

[10JP]

You can keep guessing as to what it could be but the best way I believe is as I say a process of elimination so start with what you already know... sparks from the controller so replicate what happened when you saw the sparks and focus directly at that area first to find exactly where they were coming from it might just be a bad connection or a dry joint somewhere

 

[Artstu]

if you ride the Woosh Karoo

Except the Karoo doesn't have a 20ah battery. Seriously I think the 15ah battery would be flat at around the 30 mile mark if I rode it around here.
Sorry about the extra h woosh

 

[10JP]

Except the Karoo doesn't have a 20ah battery. Seriously I think the 15ah battery would be flat at around the 30 mile mark if I rode it around here.
Sorry about the extra h woosh

Mine is 14.5ah 30 miles is about average but as I keep saying its more about weight of the rider and the terrain, sales hype will always give the max as in MPG with cars you will never achieve what they say.... fact!

 

[10JP]

This mirror is really good:
http://www.acycles.co.uk/zefal-cyclop-bike-handlebar-mirror-690.html?gclid=CjwKEAiA2abEBRCdx7PqqunM1CYSJABf3qvaN3uPjRkhi5D17nwGFxcwykalaHiYk8671FIhnW28yxoCOVPw_wcB

Like the mirror but I have those hand shaped grips on my bike so I guess to get these to fit I would have to cut away the ends?

 

[Benjahmin]

Like the mirror but I have those hand shaped grips on my bike so I guess to get these to fit I would have to cut away the ends?

'Sright. Some have a removable bung, others you cut into with a stanley knife. When the mirror is fitted it hides and tidies up any rough edges. Well worth it as you loose the 'looking over the shoulder wobble'.

 

[10JP]

'Sright. Some have a removable bung, others you cut into with a stanley knife. When the mirror is fitted it hides and tidies up any rough edges. Well worth it as you loose the 'looking over the shoulder wobble'.

Thanks, will look into buying one

 

[gstanley]

This is the the battery to controller set up. The battery came with the + & - Anderson connectors on the top right, so used crimping connectors (blue) to connect to the wiring that came with the controller - a yellow xt60 connector then the fuse. Is this not a good way to go?

 

[10JP]

View attachment 17455
This is the the battery to controller set up. The battery came with the + & - Anderson connectors on the top right, so used crimping connectors (blue) to connect to the wiring that came with the controller - a yellow xt60 connector then the fuse. Is this not a good way to go?

Quite a jumble of wiring there and when its all squeezed into the bag then any thing is possible, this may sound odd but if there has been sparks from there have a really good look at all the connections and a good sniff as normally you can smell electrical arcing

 

[gstanley]

FOUND IT.



Right on the battery. Brilliant. The way it sits in the bag there's a metal ring to let the wires come out of the bag - it's very sharp inside and it presses on the back of the bike frame. It's cut through the cable so the two pos and neg have been making contact.
I've barely done a mile on the bike and this has already happened along with the battery bag ripping on first fit. **** Chinese battery. Wonder if they'll send me a new one out. Thanks to all for your diagnosis suggestions!

 

[10JP]

FOUND IT.

View attachment 17457

Right on the battery. Brilliant. The way it sits in the bag there's a metal ring to let the wires come out of the bag - it's very sharp inside and it presses on the back of the bike frame. It's cut through the cable so the two pos and neg have been making contact.
I've barely done a mile on the bike and this has already happened along with the battery bag ripping on first fit. **** Chinese battery. Wonder if they'll send me a new one out. Thanks to all for your diagnosis suggestions!

Brilliant... China is on a national holiday at the moment until 10th Feb its the Chinese new year, I'm waiting for a replacement part myself! The battery is still ok though?