Bafang front wheel

[Rossco]

Hi all,

I live in Dublin and I have an Azor Dutch style bike that has a Bafang front-wheel motor - the motor is incorporated in the front hub. The display unit is Bafang DP C11.

I've had the bike for a couple of years with no issue but recently the display unit only will switch on sporadically. It usually works but sometimes doesn't switch on... It might work after 15 / 30 minutes repeated pressing but it seems to be random. Even disconnecting and reconnecting the display unit cable or battery doesn't seem to make a difference.

I've taken it to 2 different e-bike repair shops who work with Bafang but they have not been able to help. Annoyingly, the bike operated perfectly for both. The best one could say was to replace the display unit, which I did but the issue persists. I'm sceptical if they actually did a proper diagnostic test, I mentioned the besst tool but they didn't convince me that it was used.

I'm really not sure what to do now. Wondering if anyone has had a similar issue... It's very frustrating - something that either works or doesn't fairly randomly.

Thanks,
Ross

 

[saneagle]

It's very simple to solve. The LCD is powered directly from the battery, though the wires go through the controller. If it doesn't switch on, it's normally because it doesn't have a connection to the battery, though it can also be because water go in it or the switch. You can test which of the two it is by disconnecting the LCD and bridging the power wire to it and the one from it that powers the controller (brown and orange for Bafang). You should get some limited function like that with throttle if you have one, otherwise level 1 with the pedal sensor.
For pin-outs:

Wiring Issue for a Bafang... - Electricbike.com Ebike Forum

Hello Everyone! I'm hoping someone can help me with this weird issue that I have. My Bafang bike came with an Intelligent screen. I took a bad fall and broke the screen. A friend of mine gave me a brand new screen They both look the same. I shared the photo below. The only...

electricbike.com

 

[Rossco]

Thanks for your help. I spoke to the bike shop about your reply and they are now suggesting that I get a replacement controller... Given that a replacement display unit didn't make a difference then do you think it's wise to take this step?

 

[saneagle]

Thanks for your help. I spoke to the bike shop about your reply and they are now suggesting that I get a replacement controller... Given that a replacement display unit didn't make a difference then do you think it's wise to take this step?

Never pay any money for replacement parts until you know what the problem is. They sound like a crappy bike shop if they can't do the test I suggested or test whether the controller is faulty or not.

I've never known a controller go intermittent. When any electrics go intermittent, it's either because of a bad connection or faulty power supply. Maybe there's a connection fault. They charge you for a new controller and fit it, during which they solve the connection fault. Your bike then works and makes you happy to pay the £100 or whatever to fix the "faulty controller".

If they believe that the controller is faulty, a simple 1 minute test would show that, which anybody can do, including you, with a £5 multimeter.

I sort of feel sorry for the bike shop. Maybe I'm being a bit unfair calling them crappy. They need to earn a living by getting money from you. There's no money to be made by bending a battery connector straight or crimping down a bullet connector that's a bit loose.

 

[Rossco]

Just coming back on this thread... The bike shop was unable to find a problem and gave me the bike back. I'm now getting the Error message 8 which the manual says relates to:

Fault with motor hall sensor inside - check the motor module.

Just to confirm that usually the bike operates perfectly then now and again it won't switch on and now I'm getting the Error derailed above. It's a front wheel drive bike (not mid-drive).

I spoke to the bike shop again and they have said that it's likely that the motor will need to be replaced or the whole system and they are quoting 600 quid. The problem is that there are v few places that will look at a Bafang system in Dublin so I'm kind of stuck.

Any suggestions on what I should do would be greatly appreciated?

 

[saneagle]

Just coming back on this thread... The bike shop was unable to find a problem and gave me the bike back. I'm now getting the Error message 8 which the manual says relates to:

Fault with motor hall sensor inside - check the motor module.

Just to confirm that usually the bike operates perfectly then now and again it won't switch on and now I'm getting the Error derailed above. It's a front wheel drive bike (not mid-drive).

I spoke to the bike shop again and they have said that it's likely that the motor will need to be replaced or the whole system and they are quoting 600 quid. The problem is that there are v few places that will look at a Bafang system in Dublin so I'm kind of stuck.

Any suggestions on what I should do would be greatly appreciated?

As I said above, the control panel works independently from everything else. If it doesn't switch on, it's nothing to do with hall sensors. It doesn't know or care anything about them. Some time after switching in and powering the controller, the controller tries to start the motor. When the controller does that but doesn't get a correct hall signal, it sends the info to the LCD for to let you know.

As you didn't get the code before, most likely the repairer has either damaged the motor cable or not pushed in the motor connector far enough. Neither of those things would affect the Control panel switching on.

You can buy a complete new kit, including battery, for £600.

Ebikes really are simple to diagnose and fix. All you need is a multimeter, a screwdriver and some determination.

 

[Rossco]

Thanks... So just to clarify, I have had the error 08 in the past but not very often, mainly the issue has been the display unit sporadically not turning on. However, now the display unit just is displaying the error code but given past performance I'm expecting the bike to randomly work again, I've actually had that happen during cycling - where the error is displayed on the display unit but the it starts working again. It does hint at a connectivity issue as you have said.

 

[saneagle]

Thanks... So just to clarify, I have had the error 08 in the past but not very often, mainly the issue has been the display unit sporadically not turning on. However, now the display unit just is displaying the error code but given past performance I'm expecting the bike to randomly work again, I've actually had that happen during cycling - where the error is displayed on the display unit but the it starts working again. It does hint at a connectivity issue as you have said.

Try pushing the motor connector in ALL THE WAY TO THE MARKED LINE.

Follow the wire to the controller and check the connections at that end. After that, check the motor cable for damage, especially where it comes out of the axle and near the steering.

 

[Rossco]

Well I may have found the problem, I reconnected the motor connector by twisting it and effectively changing which pins went into which holes if you know what I mean and the error message disappeared. I hope it will be that easy, thanks for the guidance in any event and until the next time... We'll see.

 

[Nealh]

Well I may have found the problem, I reconnected the motor connector by twisting it and effectively changing which pins went into which holes if you know what I mean and the error message disappeared. I hope it will be that easy, thanks for the guidance in any event and until the next time... We'll see.

The two parts of the motor connector should have embossed raised arrows to align the correct connection, if you have done as you have said one can only assume the numpties at the shop had little or no idea and shouldn't be messing with things they know nothing about.

 

[AGS]

This scenario usually results in bent or broken pins.

 

[Nealh]

This scenario usually results in bent or broken pins.

One suspects he meant rotated one of the two parts before reconnecting.