Replacement Battery for Alien Oceon kit

[AndyTyson]

Hi,
My girlfriend is using an old Alien Oceon kit I originally bought for my dad and has been in light use for many years. Needless to say the battery has seen better days, to the point where it won't manager her 4 miles commute (she has MS so needs the boost the kit gives to help avoid fatigue). As part of some lifestyle changes we're making she'd like to cycle more often without the worry of a dodgy battery - it will also mean we can both go out cycling together more.

So, round to the question - obviously the easiest thing to do is to throw the whole kit away and start again, but as its had quite light use and not really been abused it seems a waste to ditch everything. If I just want to replace the battery is there anything I should look out for which could cause a problem? The original is a Phylion 36v 10Ah unit and ideally I'd like to replace it with a 36v 15Ah one. Ideally this shouldnt just work with the current kit as ultimately we may look at replacing everything and replace the front hub drive with a mid-drive (rear drive isn't an option due to hub gears). I would still mount the battery on a rear carrier due to the bike being a step-through for ease, but a bottle mount one can be modified to fit on the rack so any recommendations are gratefully received. I'd like to go with some quality cells from Samsung/Panasonic etc rather than cheaper no-name options.

Thanks
Andy

 

[Benjahmin]

Speak to Jimmy at Insat, otherwise known as bga reworking.
He can probably re-cell your original case with quality cells and get more capacity.
Haven't got a link, someones bound to be along soon to give you one, if you'll pardon the expression

 

[awol]

Haven't got a link, someones bound to be along soon to give you one, if you'll pardon the expression

http://www.bga-reworking.co.uk/

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I wouldn't get that battery re-celled. Instead, you can use any 36v battery mounted wherever you want. If you have a triangle frame, you can get a downtube battery, which will improve the handling a lot. This style of battery is pretty cheap. You can chuck that monstrosity of a rack and stick the controller in a saddle-bag, like this one:

Photobucket offline at the moment, so check again later.

 

[AndyTyson]

Thanks for the ideas, I'll have a look at re-celling to see if it can give as much capacity as replacing the battery.

I do like the idea of a downtube battery, unfortunately due tot he fact the bike is a step through I don't think it will be feasible to fit in the available space whilst keeping good capacity and space to step through.

Am I right to think that as long as the battery is 36V I can use any out there that don't have a built in controller? I'm sure I could source suitable waterproof connectors to get it all connected in properly.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You can use any 36v battery you want. the contoller is in the compartment at the front of the rack, As I said, you can take it out and mount it in a toolbag.

 

[AndyTyson]

I've been having a look for batteries and was interested in the 36v 15ah bottle battery from Woosh bikes. Whats put me off is that if I buy it for a non-woosh bike there is no warranty offered - so £345 seems like a good price, unless I have any problems then its an expensive paperweight. I can understand the problem that suppliers face in this respect, but does anyone know where I could get a battery which would have a warranty for as a retrofit, or is this a way to persuade buyers to spend more money on a completely new kit or take the risk?

 

[brianw]

You can use any 36v battery you want. the contoller is in the compartment at the front of the rack, As I said, you can take it out and mount it in a toolbag.

Very interesting but just to clarify I would still need the controller for the replacement batteries?
Do you know the Lipo battery equivalent that Woosh use?
I,m trying to sell my Woosh Santana whch is 4 years old on the original battery and buyers are worried about the cost of replacing battery so I am thinking of doing what you suggest

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I've been having a look for batteries and was interested in the 36v 15ah bottle battery from Woosh bikes. Whats put me off is that if I buy it for a non-woosh bike there is no warranty offered - so £345 seems like a good price, unless I have any problems then its an expensive paperweight. I can understand the problem that suppliers face in this respect, but does anyone know where I could get a battery which would have a warranty for as a retrofit, or is this a way to persuade buyers to spend more money on a completely new kit or take the risk?

Eclipse Bikes

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Very interesting but just to clarify I would still need the controller for the replacement batteries?
Do you know the Lipo battery equivalent that Woosh use?
I,m trying to sell my Woosh Santana whch is 4 years old on the original battery and buyers are worried about the cost of replacing battery so I am thinking of doing what you suggest

Don't talk about lipos. It confuses people - maybe even you. You want a lithium-ion battery (not lithium-iron, which is another type).

This is probably the cheapest. 8Ah is enough for most people:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hot-sale-flat-case-36v-rack-battery-free-shipping-36v-8ahelectric-bicycle-li-ion-battery/32465383122.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.2.cAKAyt&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10065_10130_10068_433_10136_10137_10138_10060_10062_10056_10055_10054_302_10059_10099_10103_10102_10096_10052_10053_10050_10107_10051_10106_10084_10083_10080_10082_10081_10110_10111_10112_10113_10114_10037_10078_10079_10077_10073_10070_10122_10123_10126_10124,searchweb201603_9,afswitch_1,ppcSwitch_4,single_sort_0_default&btsid=25858e3c-7388-4cf9-8f0c-2ab314d357f3&algo_expid=77621b1a-73be-4a46-9fcc-472bfec21bea-0&algo_pvid=77621b1a-73be-4a46-9fcc-472bfec21bea

 

[brianw]

Don't talk about lipos. It confuses people - maybe even you. You want a lithium-ion battery (not lithium-iron, which is another type).

This is probably the cheapest. 8Ah is enough for most people:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hot-sale-flat-case-36v-rack-battery-free-shipping-36v-8ahelectric-bicycle-li-ion-battery/32465383122.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.2.cAKAyt&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10065_10130_10068_433_10136_10137_10138_10060_10062_10056_10055_10054_302_10059_10099_10103_10102_10096_10052_10053_10050_10107_10051_10106_10084_10083_10080_10082_10081_10110_10111_10112_10113_10114_10037_10078_10079_10077_10073_10070_10122_10123_10126_10124,searchweb201603_9,afswitch_1,ppcSwitch_4,single_sort_0_default&btsid=25858e3c-7388-4cf9-8f0c-2ab314d357f3&algo_expid=77621b1a-73be-4a46-9fcc-472bfec21bea-0&algo_pvid=77621b1a-73be-4a46-9fcc-472bfec21bea

Thanks that loos a good price and as you sy dropping from 10 to 8ah is not a problem.
However perhaps I did'nt make myself clear, I was interested in your suggestion to dump the canister and buy the separate batteries to connect to the controller. Would the controller not have to recognize the same number and ampage of the replacement batteries?
I have 2 Turnigy 5000nAh 18v each, (they name them) LI-PO batteries, would these work?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

10s Lipos work the same as any 36v battery as long as you know the procedures to use them. Any 36v battery will work as long as it can give the current that the controller demands. The max current will be written on the controller.

 

[brianw]

Thanks that loos a good price and as you sy dropping from 10 to 8ah is not a problem.
However perhaps I did'nt make myself clear, I was interested in your suggestion to dump the canister and buy the separate batteries to connect to the controller. Would the controller not have to recognize the same number and ampage of the replacement batteries?
I have 2 Turnigy 5000nAh 18v each, (they name them) LI-PO batteries, would these work?

Thanks for that.
The original battery is not by any means spent, I can still ride 20 miles on assist with three bars out of five on the battery indicator still showing, The problem is proving to a buyer that there is good battery life remaining. The age of the battery is what puts them off.
Is there a way to prove remaining battery life?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Is there a way to prove remaining battery life?

Not without a battery tester that can put a real load on it or a wattmeter on your bike to show actual charge used. Even then, will people believe it. nearly everybody that I know, who bought a used bike with a supposed new battery found out that the battery was knackered and needed to be replaced.

 

[brianw]

Not without a battery tester that can put a real load on it or a wattmeter on your bike to show actual charge used. Even then, will people believe it. nearly everybody that I know, who bought a used bike with a supposed new battery found out that the battery was knackered and needed to be replaced.

OK thanks, I don't have either
I suppose I have to get the buyer to ride the bike and judge for themselves
Cheers for all your help