Help! Sparta Ion; has anyone converted one to use generic parts to avoid the software issues.

[David Groen]

Hello, I'm in West Sussex and have a Sparta Ion (!) and a Batavus Dutch ebike. I get them serviced at Dutch Bike Shop in Littlehampton; highly recommended.
Has anyone successfully converted a Sparta Ion to use generic parts to avoid the software issues, (and not being able to easily buy parts from the EU). Thanks!

 

[AndyBike]

What kind of parts are you talking about ?.

 

[guerney]

What kind of parts are you talking about ?.

Those parts hidden in deep holes in the ground? Hiding bike parts in such deep holes is madness IMHO. He wan't even given a torch.

 

[AGS]

Do you want to remove the controller from the hub and rewire it to use an aftermarket controller and display?

 

[David Groen]

I have now successfully converted my Sparta to use a generic Chinese controller and LCD display ( approx £35), PAS (£8), throttle (£8)and the original motor, which didn't need any modification. The only thing I couldn't use was the original battery, shame as it was a big one with loads of power left. Bike works well, but slight lumpiness as it it picks up speed which clears at about 5mph. Apart from that , I now have a Sparta ion that I can cheaply repair myself. And a spare front wheel with motor, but that's another story.

 

[keystl03]

Hi. I have done the same to my 2015 sparta c3 e motion. I bought it mssing it's battery. I planned on using a 36v battery I already have, but codnt power it up. As well as a +&- it also had 4 smaller wires that were soldered onto the battery plug and connected to the controller. Because I didn't know the voltage or polarity I had to use a different controller that doesn't use hall sensors. They were different to the color and number than the new controller had. I also used the original throttle. Can anyone tell me what voltage comes out of these smaller 4 wires? Thank you. Also I am in Australia and there is no distributor here for sparta bikes.

 

[thelarkbox]

Additional wires connecting to a battery are generally bms (battery management system) closed proprietary communication connections. While many marketing boasts are usually made about such features, they are most often used to turn off the battery power when not connected to recognised control systems, providing additional ways for the bike to 'go wrong' and stop working, and incidentally tying you into a probably overpriced replacement battery model too. - generally this is a major reason for replacing control systems..

 

[David Groen]

Yes, this was the reason I couldn't use the Sparta battery in my Ion rebuild, not recognised.. My friend who is a qualified electronics engineer couldn't find any way of safely getting power out of the Sparta battery. So, I replaced the controller, display, battery and pedal sensor with generic cheap parts, using the original front wheel motor, and now successfully use the bike. It took a lot of programming but was ultimately a useful bike which I can use and cheaply repair. Let me know if you want to know how I did it, and what parts I used.

 

[keystl03]

Additional wires connecting to a battery are generally bms (battery management system) closed proprietary communication connections. While many marketing boasts are usually made about such features, they are most often used to turn off the battery power when not connected to recognised control systems, providing additional ways for the bike to 'go wrong' and stop working, and incidentally tying you into a probably overpriced replacement battery model too. - generally this is a major reason for replacing control systems..

 

[keystl03]

Additional wires connecting to a battery are generally bms (battery management system) closed proprietary communication connections. While many marketing boasts are usually made about such features, they are most often used to turn off the battery power when not connected to recognised control systems, providing additional ways for the bike to 'go wrong' and stop working, and incidentally tying you into a probably overpriced replacement battery model too. - generally this is a major reason for replacing control systems..

 

[keystl03]

Additional wires connecting to a battery are generally bms (battery management system) closed proprietary communication connections. While many marketing boasts are usually made about such features, they are most often used to turn off the battery power when not connected to recognised control systems, providing additional ways for the bike to 'go wrong' and stop working, and incidentally tying you into a probably overpriced replacement battery model too. - generally this is a major reason for replacing control systems..

Ok,that makes perfect sense,that once you own their equipment you overpay to keep said equipment working and it doeanr interchange with other brands. Another thing they do is keep their schematics well hidden from public view. It wouldn't matter too much anyway because the controller box is totally filled with potting.