Bulk charging A123 LifePo4 and Konion Li-Ion packs

[Joneser]

Press the + button whilst its charging and it will change to a screen showing you individual cell voltages. Press it again to return to the screen you are looking at. Good budget charger the Turnigy Accucell

Thanks averhamdave - am rebalancing / charging them again and following your advice can see all 6 voltages.
Cheers
Joneser

 

[Joneser]

Day 1 Report

Love the freewheel - I would not be able to tell the difference - its still like my old unpowered bike, which is great.

But I don't think the motor is performing as it could yet. I'm guessing it is short of 10 mph on the flat. If you think of motor speed and pitch it 'sounds' like it has more to go and I therefore assume the KU63 controller is stopping it.

It goes up the steepest hills, but more slowly than I would have peddled unassisted. So to get the benefit of the motor up steep hills I have to deliberately pedal slowly to allow the motor to do the work.

Do you think the SO6P controller might speed it up (I would need to fit the PAS for this)?

Or maybe this is the reality of the Q75 being the smallest and lightest on the market (but I suspect / hope not)?

Any thoughts welcome.

Joneser

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The KU63 doesn't restrict the motor in any way unless you connect the white wires or use the 3-speed switch. There's two versions of the Q75: 201 rpm and 328 rpm. Which version did you order, and what size wheel is it fitted to?

 

[Joneser]

The KU63 doesn't restrict the motor in any way unless you connect the white wires or use the 3-speed switch. There's two versions of the Q75: 201 rpm and 328 rpm. Which version did you order, and what size wheel is it fitted to?

Awesome thanks dave. I had connected the white wires! Now disconnected it goes much faster!

Can't wait to try it tomorrow....(tempted now but have had too much to drink)

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You can make it go even faster by joining the middle (black) wire of the three-speed switch connector to one of the other two. It should give about 10% more, but different motors respond to it differently. I had one that went twice as fast.

You didn't answer my question: What speed motor is it and what size wheels?

 

[Joneser]

You can make it go even faster by joining the middle (black) wire of the three-speed switch connector to one of the other two. It should give about 10% more, but different motors respond to it differently. I had one that went twice as fast.

You didn't answer my question: What speed motor is it and what size wheels?

Ah yes. 201rpm for 600 wheels.
I'll have a look at the extra speed tip in the morning thanks!

 

[Joneser]

Ah yes. 201rpm for 600 wheels.
I'll have a look at the extra speed tip in the morning thanks!

Just had a look at this. Do you mean connect the 3 speed switch black wire to either of the blue or green 3 speed switch wires?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

One will make it go faster, the other slower. The colours blue or green can be either way round, so you have to try it to see which is the fast one. Once you've got it figured out which is which, wire them permanently to an accessible switch. If you leave it in overdrive when climbing hills, you'll suffer an efficiency loss, hence the need for a switch.

 

[Joneser]

I guess maybe if I peddled fast enough up hills I could maintain the efficiency but a switch would give flexibility to relax more.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

When you use the overdrive, the controller changes the timing, so that it's optimised for high speed. It's a bit like using overlap on valve timing in a car/motorbike engine, which gives good power at high revs, but it doesn't work so well at low revs. The Honda VVT engines got round it by changing the valve timing, which is nearly equivalent to the three-speed switch. If your motor doesn't work efficiently, you start converting battery power to heat rather than motion. With such a small battery, you can't afford to do that.

 

[Joneser]

One will make it go faster, the other slower. The colours blue or green can be either way round, so you have to try it to see which is the fast one. Once you've got it figured out which is which, wire them permanently to an accessible switch. If you leave it in overdrive when climbing hills, you'll suffer an efficiency loss, hence the need for a switch.

Hi Dave, I do have a 3 speed switch from BMS (but not connected it) - would that help (in terms of controlling the fast blue or green option) or would it be detrimental to the top speed?

I took the bike for a spin around my very hilly locality (Crystal Palace) and it was brilliant. Love it.

Joneser

 

[Deleted member 4366]

If you have the switch, fit it. In the middle position it does nothing. Switch one way, you get overdrive, the other restricted - very useful.

 

[Joneser]

If you have the switch, fit it. In the middle position it does nothing. Switch one way, you get overdrive, the other restricted - very useful.

Thanks Dave
Do you mean fit the switch instead of fiddling with the wires or as well as?

 

[Joneser]

Thanks Dave
Do you mean fit the switch instead of fiddling with the wires or as well as?

I have tried connecting the 3 speed switch and it seems 1 setting is slower and 2 settings are the same without so no obvious overdrive.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Do you have the hall sensors connected. It doesn't have any effect without them. Even if they are, it's not easy to detect the difference. Lift the wheel off the ground, give it full throttle and move the switch to the high position. You should hear a change in pitch when the motor speeds up.

 

[Joneser]

Do you have the hall sensors connected. It doesn't have any effect without them. Even if they are, it's not easy to detect the difference. Lift the wheel off the ground, give it full throttle and move the switch to the high position. You should hear a change in pitch when the motor speeds up.

Hi dave I wouldn't know how to connect or disconnect hall sensors?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

It's rather simple: To connect, you hold one side in one hand and the other in the other, then press the two together. To disconnect them, grab one side in one hand and the other in the other, and pull them apart.

Of course, you need both halves to be able to do it. One half is on the controller, but I've just checked the Q75, and see that it's sensorless, so you're missing the other half plus the hall sensors themselves. I've never had any overdrive from a sensorless motor. In that respect, you'd be better off using your Ku63 on a sensored motor and the S06S on this one. The SO6S will be the same speed as the KU63 without overdrive.

 

[Joneser]

It's rather simple: To connect, you hold one side in one hand and the other in the other, then press the two together. To disconnect them, grab one side in one hand and the other in the other, and pull them apart.

Of course, you need both halves to be able to do it. One half is on the controller, but I've just checked the Q75, and see that it's sensorless, so you're missing the other half plus the hall sensors themselves. I've never had any overdrive from a sensorless motor. In that respect, you'd be better off using your Ku63 on a sensored motor and the S06S on this one. The SO6S will be the same speed as the KU63 without overdrive.

Morning Dave,
Thanks for the clear instructions

I was enjoying my commute in today - for the first time with the speed restrictor disconnected but about half way realised I forgot my charger so stopped using power to save for the hills on the way home. Should be a good test for the A123’s.

Joneser

 

[jerrysimon]

Cool, let us know how you get on.

Jerry

 

[Joneser]

Cool, let us know how you get on.

Jerry

It flew me up the long steep hills on the way home. Measured the voltage afterwards at 39.3V. So I'm guessing its got a lot more left in it (?), and if I also charge at work then I can use the boost more liberally if I want to.

It feels quite comical zooming up these hills on a bike that looks normal.

Check my route elevation profile here London Cycling Campaign

Its absolutely brilliant. I am like a kid at Christmas.