Preliminary advice for fitting a Bafang bbs02 motor only

[Gully]

Hi guys. Been looking at getting a fairly powerful e-bike for a while. I like to be hands on so was looking at conversion kits but don't have much cash so felt like I was constantly window shopping. Batteries seemed prohibitively expensive, until last night I found this:
http://dillengerelectricbikes.co.uk/spares/electric-bike-kit-spares/bafang-8fun-batteries/lt-style-48v-7-8ah-samsung-battery-bafang.html

Seemed like a bargain so I checked what 48V motors were on eBay. Sure enough a used Bafang 8fun bbs002 750w motor was going cheap. It seems like a great motor for me, so being terrified I'd miss both deals I snapped them up! Trouble is the Bafang is just the motor not the kit. Here's the listing:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bufang-crank-drive-motor-8Fun-48V-750w-/192750649087?txnId=1576794784009#vi__app-cvip-panel

So now I have a motor and battery en-route and not much money for the rest...

... So first priority is to get the motor running. I was wondering if anyone here knows much about these kits. I understand that the controller is integrated so that's one more thing down. For the rest I was wondering how Bafang-specific the parts need to be? Will I need to find like-for-like or are there generic parts I can utilise? Are all the connections proprietary and if so can I bypass then? Also what's essential for the motor to turn? Obviously I'lI need a throttle, how about the display and brake leavers - will it run without them plugged in? I do intend to get them all before using but it would be encouraging to see the motor turn first! Will have tons of questions as I progress but this seems like a logical start.

Many thanks in advance for any knowledge you can share as well as general tips for the project. Also will be happy to elaborate on anything I haven't covered above.

Cheers!

 

[anotherkiwi]

Welcome.

A battery at 30% of list price didn't raise any suspicions? You will not get much range from that battery, I hope you weren't intending to go far?

You need a Bafang LCD, a speed sensor, brake switches. You don't "need" a throttle but as you have a moped motor why not. The LCD is Bafang specific, the other bits need Bafang plugs so best bet is to get theirs.

 

[chris_n]

Welcome.

A battery at 30% of list price didn't raise any suspicions? You will not get much range from that battery, I hope you weren't intending to go far?

You need a Bafang LCD, a speed sensor, brake switches and PAS. You don't "need" a throttle but as you have a moped motor why not. The LCD is Bafang specific, the other bits need Bafang plugs so best bet is to get theirs.

Pas is in the motor surely.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Pas is in the motor surely.

Correct, badly worded. Edited, I wanted to say "you can use PAS, you don't need a throttle."

 

[Nealh]

A Bafang BBS lcd screen and trunk cable will be required to ensure the pin outs are correct.
Parts are readily available a basic C961 lcd about £50 and trunk cable for £25, speed sensor £10 and a brake sensor is advisable.
Eclipse bikes, GBK, BMSB, PSWPower, ebay and Aliexpress will have the items or alternately you could give Woosh a call and see if they stock accessories which aren't shown on line.

 

[jarob10]

Connect the battery, jam in a paper clip as per photo, then give the cranks a turn

Hi guys. Been looking at getting a fairly powerful e-bike for a while. I like to be hands on so was looking at conversion kits but don't have much cash so felt like I was constantly window shopping. Batteries seemed prohibitively expensive, until last night I found this:
http://dillengerelectricbikes.co.uk/spares/electric-bike-kit-spares/bafang-8fun-batteries/lt-style-48v-7-8ah-samsung-battery-bafang.html

Seemed like a bargain so I checked what 48V motors were on eBay. Sure enough a used Bafang 8fun bbs002 750w motor was going cheap. It seems like a great motor for me, so being terrified I'd miss both deals I snapped them up! Trouble is the Bafang is just the motor not the kit. Here's the listing:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bufang-crank-drive-motor-8Fun-48V-750w-/192750649087?txnId=1576794784009#vi__app-cvip-panel

So now I have a motor and battery en-route and not much money for the rest...

... So first priority is to get the motor running. I was wondering if anyone here knows much about these kits. I understand that the controller is integrated so that's one more thing down. For the rest I was wondering how Bafang-specific the parts need to be? Will I need to find like-for-like or are there generic parts I can utilise? Are all the connections proprietary and if so can I bypass then? Also what's essential for the motor to turn? Obviously I'lI need a throttle, how about the display and brake leavers - will it run without them plugged in? I do intend to get them all before using but it would be encouraging to see the motor turn first! Will have tons of questions as I progress but this seems like a logical start.

Many thanks in advance for any knowledge you can share as well as general tips for the project. Also will be happy to elaborate on anything I haven't covered above.

Cheers!

 

[Gully]

My thoughts regarding the battery were that it's a reputable vendor selling a new product with no caveats. I imagined it was reduced just because it's sold as a spare battery for a specific kit and I guessed they're just overstocked for the sales volume or something... Why, are you thinking the battery will be below listed capacity?

And by 'fairly powerful' I just meant the motor. I'm aware that the battery isn't huge, but I'm only looking to do 10 miles or so at the moment. In the long term I can upgrade as required.

Jarob's suggestion looks great for testing the motor. What am I spoofing the presence of by shorting those pins? If that works, pressumably the LCD isn't required for the motor to turn? But I do want an LCD once I'm using it so really handy for all the tips. A couple of used bits currently on gumtree: https://www.gumtree.com/search?search_category=all&q=Bafang

Cheers

 

[anotherkiwi]

My thoughts regarding the battery were that it's a reputable vendor selling a new product with no caveats. I imagined it was reduced just because it's sold as a spare battery for a specific kit and I guessed they're just overstocked for the sales volume or something... Why, are you thinking the battery will be below listed capacity?

And by 'fairly powerful' I just meant the motor. I'm aware that the battery isn't huge, but I'm only looking to do 10 miles or so at the moment. In the long term I can upgrade as required.

It doesn't say what cells are in it, you need 10 Amp constant discharge cells with the motors it is listed as supporting. They are getting rid of them because a big motor will eat through 374 Wh in no time and nobody wants one - how long have they been on the shelf?

If the cells are half decent at that price buying two and connecting in parallel to make a 15.6 Ah, 748 Wh battery would be quite economical at £198 when compared to this: http://dillengerelectricbikes.co.uk/spares/electric-bike-kit-spares/bafang-8fun-batteries/nt-style-48v-14ah-panasonic-cells.html

 

[Gully]

Ok, I see - thanks for that. Perhaps I should have consulted you guys before panic buying! But it still seems like good value per wh. No idea how long they've been on the shelf but regardless, do you think it'll suffice for 10miles of only moderate speeds/hills? Unfortunately I fear I won't be able to afford a second battery whilst the offer lasts...

By needing a throttle I meant any power trigger, i.e. throttle or PAS sensor, but do I gather that the motor has a built in torque PAS sensor? That'd be great because I really wanted PAS but thought a throttle would be easier.

Then all I need is LCD, wiring harness, brake sensors, speed sensor and probably brake upgrade.

 

[J8519]

It's not that simple
1)You have to buy the newer Color Display DP14 because de other black and white can give errror codes and you can have problems
2)Use the pedals not the throttle because the batery lasts a lot longer and a lot more speed you will have
3) use a 44 teeth chain ring and a 6 or 7 speed cassete because those have bigger pinions and the motor will run well with the bateries that you can buy - 48 v 17.5 ah or if you can make a costume bike with a 48v 24 ah batery it probably is more performant
4) my mottor power cable needed a xt50 mosfet to fit the batery cable
5) when installing the batery on the bottle screws be careful not to strip the threds or over torc the bolts because you will break the internal bolts of the frame and you cant repair it

 

[KirstinS]

It's not that simple
1)You have to buy the newer Color Display DP14 because de other black and white can give errror codes and you can have problems
2)Use the pedals not the throttle because the batery lasts a lot longer and a lot more speed you will have
3) use a 44 teeth chain ring and a 6 or 7 speed cassete because those have bigger pinions and the motor will run well with the bateries that you can buy - 48 v 17.5 ah or if you can make a costume bike with a 48v 24 ah batery it probably is more performant
4) my mottor power cable needed a xt50 mosfet to fit the batery cable
5) when installing the batery on the bottle screws be careful not to strip the threds or over torc the bolts because you will break the internal bolts of the frame and you cant repair it

Hmm, I think you are maybe frightening the guy a wee bit needlessly

1) isn't true
2) is true of most throttle enabled bikes BUT a bbsxx can be programmed so it isn't true
3) I don't understand , sorry
4) is rubbish , MOSfET are a controller component and nothing to do with cables
5) well yes, true of any screw in any application ! Don't trash the threads !

 

[KirstinS]

Oh and do listen to Nealh , his knowledge of sources for parts (in conjunction with serious expertise ) makes him a particularly worthy contributer to this thread

 

[J8519]

Point 3 is that it can have problems whith ingaging the internal gears when using small pinions (like 11, 12,13 teeth + 44 teeth crank) because the lack of batery maybe (i have 48v 16 ah) , this i so at my bike witch had the problem that the motor had some interupts (like the motor wants to go fordward but he kent and you shake back and forth ) , i mostly use the 14 teeth pinion and the 12 on small down hill roads -" maybe its only my mottor with problems , i dont know"
Point 4 - i coudnt connect the batery cable to the mottor because they worrent the same type of plug , that is all i wanted to say , if was a translasion error

I mostly use my bike like a motorcycle , i use a lot of batery and i have to charge it after every ride around town on flat rouds(aprox 40 km) , a dont put much effort when riding

 

[harrys]

Maybe I can allay your fears about the battery. I own a BBS02, programmed for 750W. I believe the max current is 25A. I normally run it on a 48V battery rated for 30A, but just for fun today, I set it up on a 48V4AH battery and a 48V 6AH battery.

I found that the bike would still hit around 22 mph on the 4AH battery pulling the 20A from its cells, and 24 mph on the 6AH battery pulling 25A. It's only 44F today, so the colder weather probably limits the battery output. I believe the OP's Dillinger can support 20A, if not more..

My 48V4AH battery is a series combination of a 36V4AH hoverboard battery and a 12V6AH custom battery. The composite AH rating is the smaller of the two cells, and the max current of the hoverboard battery is 20A. I would think the DIllinger is a 39 cell battery, 13S x 3P. Mine was a 10S2P and 3S3P (20 total cells). For my 48V6AH battery, I swapped in a 30 cell 36V battery.




Here is my mid drive BBS02 with its regular ebike rack battery. With the wattmeter, I have tracked my miles vs AH. I have ridden my BBS02 over 25 miles on 5AH, if I can trust my meter, but I only use assist level 1 and go about 13 mph.

 

[Nealh]

The limiting factor for Gully with that battery is range so depends on the range he requires, limiting the controller via reprogramming will aid range but at 25a it will deplete the battery most likely in less then 15/20 miles.
Battery connections are easy, just solder on new matching connectors (gold banana bullets, xt30/60 ) or directly solder wires.

 

[Nealh]

It's not that simple
1)You have to buy the newer Color Display DP14 because de other black and white can give errror codes and you can have problems
2)Use the pedals not the throttle because the batery lasts a lot longer and a lot more speed you will have
3) use a 44 teeth chain ring and a 6 or 7 speed cassete because those have bigger pinions and the motor will run well with the bateries that you can buy - 48 v 17.5 ah or if you can make a costume bike with a 48v 24 ah batery it probably is more performant
4) my mottor power cable needed a xt50 mosfet to fit the batery cable
5) when installing the batery on the bottle screws be careful not to strip the threds or over torc the bolts because you will break the internal bolts of the frame and you cant repair it

For threads I use Helicoil thread inserts to repair damaged threads easy and effective to use.

 

[J8519]

Thanks for your help but I was stupid and use to much force and i put the bolts crucked , and the internal bolts of the bottle cage rotate inside

 

[harrys]

Jarob's suggestion looks great for testing the motor. What am I spoofing the presence of by shorting those pins? If that works, pressumably the LCD isn't required for the motor to turn? But I do want an LCD once I'm using it so really handy for all the tips. A couple of used bits currently on gumtree: https://www.gumtree.com/search?search_category=all&q=Bafang

What you are doing is to connect battery power to the controller's start pin. This is the way most controllers start. I verified it on my bike. Jumper the two pins. Spin crank. Zoom zoom. You get some default PAS level, and I didn't ride the bike to see. I used an insulated jumper. Don't want that 48 volts contacting something accidentally.


After you apply the jumper, you will get 5volts between +5 and GND as shown here. I have not verified this, but if you apply 3 volts between the throttle pin and Gnd, the motor should also take off.

 

[Gully]

Very handy info, thanks. Hoping to get going on this very soon

 

[Gully]

Hi guys. So I finally tried connecting power, jumping those two pins and turning the cranks today. Nothing happened!! I checked voltage across the pins and can confirm full battery voltage reaching them. Any ideas?

Could PAS have been programmed out? Can I emulate a throttle easily?

If it's a fault, is there a good way to decide if it's controller or motor? My buyer protection ends tomorrow so I probably need to request a return asap even if I don't end up returning it!

Quick responses vastly appreciated!!