Windsor Powacycle

[NeilP]

Next week I am going to the island of Sark..( cars banned, only tractors/horses and bicycles) and the purpose of the visit is too see if I can fix a friends grandmothers Windsor Powacycle.

I am there for maybe a day or two at the most...and probably no internet connection, so need to research this now

All she can say is there is something wrong with the throttle...not sure any more than that, so, a few general question

Any one have a wiring diagram for this bike? or at least a wiring colour code or pinout?

Any common faults or issues with this bike?
Connections that always fail?

What is the battery? NiMH or LiFePo4, LiPo? have seen both mentioned

Motor type? I am assuming Hall effect...so phase and hall effect wires

Test procedure for the Hall Sensors?
Motor winding resistance values?

Anything really anyone can give me would be appreciated

Thanks

Neil

 

[JuicyBike]

Hi Neil
This is a work in progress...

juicybike.co.uk/diagnostics.asp

And not directly applicable to Powerbike. They may have something similar. It might be useful in the absense of anything else.

Far from complete and far from original!

 

[Atmosphere]

Powacycles are very easy to work on (unles you have to get at the controller )
Its usually the brake cut outs that have problems with Powacycles and that's where I would start first. Disconnect each individually to see if it helps.
The throttles them selves are also prone to failing so this could be another area to check
Motors usually fine, controllers are generally OK, so would check for connections if its not the two above
Batteries on newer ones are Li ion - prior to that they were Nimh (about 3 years ago)

Have fun

Alistair

 

[banbury frank]

Wow far from original

So have a look at the real company

Controller Diagnostics

 

[NeilP]

Ok, that was a quick reply
Thanks for that. Looks useful

I must admit the first impression before I scrolled down was..Oh No..
I saw the words "Check the Power" and immediately thought it was going to be a typical "Windows Help " trouble shooting procedure, you know the sort....is it plugged in, have you connected it, is it turned on...all the totally obvious stuff.

But I was pleasantly surprised some useful info there

I have spoke to a really helpful lady (Lyn) at PowaCycles just now, and she is going to try and dig me some info out.

Thanks for the link

Neil

 

[NeilP]

Just looked at the Juicy Bike website and their 'Classic' model. Looks almost identical to the Windsor.

Do you know if the electrics are the same? Ok, they will be similar. but just wondered if they were exactly the same ?

Edit...just seen all the other posts..thanks guys.

That is another un related question ...how hall sensors are wired...I was thinking Hall sensors were two wires...but three sensors...5 wires..could not work it out...Three wires on sensor and it all becomes clear

 

[banbury frank]

controller

I am an electronics engineer I would NOT recommended opening the controller as first off all the battery amps present can vaporize tools

Then you cant fix it anyway stick to the cables going into the controller

and do simple measurements

I am sure powercycle will cive you a simple conection diagram

I would look at taking a spair throtell as the bike can fall over and this gets damaged this can happen on any ebike

you could also take a controller with you again powercycle will help you

Frank

 

[Alex728]

the Powacycle Windsor is the step through version of the Salisbury. Every other component other than the frame is identical.

Depending on the age of it it could either have a NiMH or a LiPo battery.

Controller isn't that difficult to get at, except its jammed into a fairly tight space (in the panel just below the battery) so it can be a fiddly job.

its not uncommon to have to replace the throttle on this model, (there is also a switch activating it which is worth checking) although to be fair mine has been fine. Connections can however come loose which is often the source of this sort of problem rather than a controller fault, in fact on mine the soldering on the main battery connection wasn't that well done (causing the machine to eventually cut out) and I had to resolder this (had no problems since them).

I've found Powacycle to be eventually helpful but have had to be chased for quick responses to queries. That said for the budget price its not a bad machine (I still ride my Salisbury into town for shorter distances as it looks less "bling" than the Wisper and I feel less worried about locking it up in town).

 

[NeilP]

Thanks Frank...although living in Jersey, I have no means of getting these parts, other than on line or telephone ordering. No dealers here in Jersey, that would actually stock parts.

Thanks for the warning re the voltages. I am aware of the damage that can be caused to electronics and tinkering with high voltage stuff. I am not an electronic engineer, have been working with this sort of stuff on/off for years. One of my lapsed hobbies is Amateur radio (GJ1YOT) electronics construction etc. I do (I think) still have a scope/sign gen/dummy loads/ workshop PSU's etc somewhere in the attic. Was never much good with the fault finding and theory of stuff. I could etch a PCB, follow schematics and build up a board...but if it did not work, I was usually stuffed and had to head down to a friends radio shack for help.

I am in the process of buying/acquiring parts for my first electric bike build at the moment.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I don't have a Powercycle, so I can't be sure this applies to you, but from what I can see in the pictures, it looks like a common type of throttle. In that case there isn't much to go wrong with it because inside is a hall sensor and magnets, both of which are well protected and robust. Although anything is possible, the most likely cause of throttle failure is that the cable has been pulled and a connection to the hall sensor has broken, or the connector to the controller is faulty. To dismantle the throttle, you have to remove the whole assembly from the handlebars, then you can prise off the twist-grip away from the main housing with a screwdriver. It clips on and the clips are quite strong. Here's a photo of inside mine. You can see the hall sensor with three wires connected at the bottom (one has no sleeve because I had to re-solder it after it came off). The other two wires up the side are for the battery indicator LEDs.

 

[banbury frank]

Hi Neil

RF good stuff Had some experience Travels up the bone marrow

I was at a amateur radio show one year with my brother when somebody got in the way off a microwave beam being demosteted at the show he went down lick a sack of bricks he was ok though

Frank

 

[banbury frank]

Have you seen the new halo halo I must be using there spelling

Frank

 

[NeilP]

Or even THEIR spelling

I did start to muck around with SS TV at one time, but never got very far. I found that a lot of the amateurs over here tend to more be the 'buy an new shiny black box' brigade rather than much home brew stuff...And I could never really afford or justify spending large wads of cash on fancy Icom rigs.

Don't like the idea of being knocked out by the RF from a microwave rig, who knows what damage that could do to the internal organs.


Until 0730 today, I had never even heard of a Windsor Powabike. My partner mentioned it over coffee this morning and since we were going to Sark, maybe I would look at her friends bike. By 0900 I had posted here, and had a reply by 0905. I had also phoned Powabikes by then.


By 0930, I had received an e-mail back from Lyn at Powabikes plus loads of usefull help from you guys... Thanks
By 0945 a phone call from one of their engineers (Bob). By 1030...I had e-mail back from Bob, with wiring diagram, and battery fuse check document, and the names and phone numbers.

it is amazing how easy and quick finding info the net can SOMETIMES BE

thanks all

 

[TeTs.BiZ]

Before you go messing about with the throttle and other wiring, check the on/off switch on the left hand grip. These often go wrong on Powacycles and in fact the easiest thing to do is often to short it out - at least you can eliminate this problem first. This is assuming that the problem is throttle related (does the pedelec work? If so then it's the throttle or throttle switch).

Feel free to give us a call for some free advice if you're stuck. I would recommend taking with you a spare controller and throttle plus a couple of blade fuses (5A and 20A) for the battery, and a multimeter.

Jamie

 

[NeilP]

Hi Jamie

Not sure what is wrong with it yet. I'll make a note of your number when I go and have a look at it.

The lady did say that she was waiting for the battery to go fully flat before she re charged it, and I t still has two lights on it, so she has not recharged it yet.

I am wondering gif it is something gas simple as a either flat or on poor battery..i have not idea how old it is or what state of charge the battery has been kept in.

Thanks for the offer

Neil

 

[NeilP]

Well my new controller for my bike arrived today...and with it somethng else I forgot I had ordered. A tester:

I do not have any other spares, like throttle or controller, but if there is another one on the island, I can maybe do a swap and see