Carrera Vulcan intermittent e42

Mickyroo

Finding my (electric) wheels
Apr 12, 2020
18
1
Hi I have a Vulcan. And the thing e42 errors when it feels like it and works fine for 10/20 mile then away again. Iv made a lead to allow me to test cable on the bike and tested the voltages on the hall sensors and on a good motor I get around 2.5volts with walk button held in on all three colours and on the one that errors I get:
Yellow 1.96/7v
Blue 2.61/2v
Green 1.25/6v.
Iv attached a pic of the Hall circuit there’s Three of them any advice on what to change to fix this would be great.
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
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Basildon
You can't test them with the motor running because they switch too fast, which will give you an average 2.5v. You should turn the wheel backwards by hand while you check the voltage on each one. They should switch between 0v and 5v as the wheel goes round.

Your picture is missing. can you post a picture of the whole pcb?

In case you need replacements:
 
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Mickyroo

Finding my (electric) wheels
Apr 12, 2020
18
1
Here’s the picture I shudda attached the first time lol I have a spare motor but iv swapped that and it’s the same. Is there a way to test the three halls I must have 3 good chips on two motors to sort one out with.
 

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vfr400

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Jun 12, 2011
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The easiest way is probably like you did begore, but turn the motor by hand.

If you don't have a complete motor, you need to apply 5v to the vcc position and ground to gnd, then measure the voltage between each sensor output and ground while you wave a magnet over the hall sensor to see if it switches. These hall sensors are latching, which makes things easier, but you will have to wave the magnet in both directions and turn it over from N to S to make the hall switch.

Say it's switched off so sitting at 0v. It might need a N or S magnet to switch it on, and only in one direction, which is 4 possibilities of which only one will make it switch, though it's possible that a N from the left might do the same as a S from the right. The opposite magnet in the same direction will switch it back off again.

Can we see pictures of the rest of the motor. i've never seen one disassembled before and it's very unusual to see an inrunner. Most are outrunners.
 

Mickyroo

Finding my (electric) wheels
Apr 12, 2020
18
1
Hi I will take some more pictures when I take it apart again or of the parts motor I have. It is a intermittent problem got me sick of it lol. I done 17 mile no error yesterday and i went over some nasty bumps then today done about a mile stopped waited 30 sec for my missus to catch up and bang e42. It’s a nitemare are them halls a direct replacement I mite just change all three of them I just ain’t sure it’s not some off the rest of the surface mount things on there that’s causing it.
 

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vfr400

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Jun 12, 2011
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Hi I will take some more pictures when I take it apart again or of the parts motor I have. It is a intermittent problem got me sick of it lol. I done 17 mile no error yesterday and i went over some nasty bumps then today done about a mile stopped waited 30 sec for my missus to catch up and bang e42. It’s a nitemare are them halls a direct replacement I mite just change all three of them I just ain’t sure it’s not some off the rest of the surface mount things on there that’s causing it.
Intermittent can't be the hall sensors. They're solid state, so they work or not. They can't repair themselves if they stop working. Instead, it's the motor connector. The pins or wires get pulled out. You can eliminate that by cutting off the connectors and soldering the wires.
 

Mickyroo

Finding my (electric) wheels
Apr 12, 2020
18
1
I was thinking the motor side of the plug and wire is the only thing I have not changed cos I didn’t have another one and they did all have continuity when I tested. That’s a good help with that then knowing it can’t be the halls. I mite pull it apart when I get the time and put a bafang plug on it I got one of them spare.
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
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3,986
Basildon
I was thinking the motor side of the plug and wire is the only thing I have not changed cos I didn’t have another one and they did all have continuity when I tested. That’s a good help with that then knowing it can’t be the halls. I mite pull it apart when I get the time and put a bafang plug on it I got one of them spare.
You don't really need a connector, and it's twice the work to put connectors on.
 

Mickyroo

Finding my (electric) wheels
Apr 12, 2020
18
1
That’s true. I will chop it off and solder and heatshrink it then. The bikes sold once im happy it’s fixed anyhow lol
 

Mickyroo

Finding my (electric) wheels
Apr 12, 2020
18
1
I ended up putting a bafang plug on won’t no if it’s successful for over 50 mile I took some pics of my spare motor for you
 

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vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
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Thanks for the pictures. It's an interesting design, using a faster turning in-runner with a high reduction ratio (14.3:1). If it were an out-runner, it would be very similar to the Q128.
 

Bles31

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 4, 2020
8
1
Just another thanks for the photos. I have a Vulcan - hopefully I won't be making use of the photos, but you never know!
 

Mickyroo

Finding my (electric) wheels
Apr 12, 2020
18
1
Quick update on the e42 Vulcan I changed the entire motor cable from the controller to the pcb in the
Motor and it has never had any errors since.
 
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