Battery Light Indicator Anomaly

[Branwen]

I'm happy with the charging and the new range my re-celled lafree battery has now. Does anyone know why the battery LED indicator flashes on one light long before the light on the handlebars begins to flash the same warning though?

Before, both the battery LED and the handlebar light flashed when there was a mile to go, now the one on the battery flashes when the battery still has maybe a third of the charge, but the one on the handlebars doesnt flash till much later, when there is still maybe 4 miles left to go.

Not a big problem, I guess, unless its indicative of something else going wrong soon. Maybe I should just get a milometer.

The battery isnt working properly at all any more, perhaps due to the fact that the batteries inside arent all the same colour, which I am told means they are from a different manufacturer and might also be of a different voltage, and this isnt advisable. Back to the drawing board

 

[flecc]

It's not a problem Branwen, other than the fact that recelling disturbs these very sensitive battery meters. With some cell types the battery integral meter actually refuses to work at all.

In all recelling cases with these batteries, it's best to run the battery once right down to it cutting out on the bike, and then completely recharge the battery. This is because the meter circuit "remembers" a base point to measure from, and recelling upsets that. By emptying the battery completely, a new base point is registered to work from.

The handlebar meter doesn't work that way, hence the discrepancy. It merely works on the voltage seen, regardless of source and taking zero volts as it's base point.
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[Branwen]

I've been making sure to drain the battery every time since the re-cell, (but not on the bike, using the re-charger most times) ...oops

How did I manage before I found this site?

 

[flecc]

Even then it may not be absolutely right though, Branwen. It's common to get an error after a cell change on this very fussy design.
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[Branwen]

Well, I've had the spark at my work recell my battery all over again from scratch, and everything seems fine, though I have now spent too much money on the bike to replace it with the Gazelle Easyglider I had my eye on.

 

[flecc]

Good that it's now been recelled properly and working ok now Branwen.

Although it's delayed any purchase of the Gazelle, the Lafree is still a fine bike, and is lighter, so you won't be losing any performance.
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[Branwen]

Yeah, and its possibly for the best as the Kalkoff might be a better purchase and there should be plenty of reviews for it by the end of the summer when I can get one. Luckily, my trusty LaFree is going as well as ever now, not even any anomolies on the indicator lights to worry about, and certainly no power drop offs.

 

[flecc]

I'm quite certain from my experience with it that the Kalkhoff Agattu is the better bike. The Gazelle is superbly styled in some of it's details, but they add nothing to the cycling, and the lack of the high power mode on a bike at that price is a bit mean.

You might also be interested in the high end version of the Agattu, still cheaper than the Gazelle, but with the luxury of the superb Magura hydraulic brakes amongst the extras:

50cycles Electric Bikes UK - New Kalkhoff Tasman Pedelec Electric Bicycle Home Page

£100 off at present as an introductory offer.
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