controller for synergie mistral

[dil]

hi all, the controller on my 2009 synergie mistral is now broken and alien have ceased trading, so i was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction towards getting a new controller?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Controllers are pretty standard, so you can take your pick of 36v 15A ones. Is your motor with or without hall sensors?

Why do you think the controller is broken? They're normally pretty reliable.

 

[dil]

Controllers are pretty standard, so you can take your pick of 36v 15A ones. Is your motor with or without hall sensors?

Why do you think the controller is broken? They're normally pretty reliable.

thanks. you are right; i don't know it is broken and i am no expert. what i know is that there is current reaching the controller from the battery and that there is no current reaching the motor. i guess it could be a cabling problem and i am having it re-checked at a shop, so i was jumping the gun.

i don't know if the motor has hall sensors. it is a brushed 250w motor. if it is a controller problem, is that something i need to know first? + many of the controllers seem to be rated by wattage rather than ampage. would i be looking for a 250w controller or, i guess, 540w, given that 36 x 15 = 540, or 500w maybe?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

That's an old bike then with the brushed motor. Brushed ones don't have hall sensors. Brushed controllers are not as reliable as brushless ones, but the common problem is blown MOSFETS, which gives you full throttle as soon as you switch it on. See what the shop says if they're going to check it.

It's not easy to figure out controller ratings unless they have the maximum current written on them. Yours should say "overcurrent protection X amps" what is X? The watt ratings don't really mean anything because they're the rated power, not the maximum. You need one with the same maximum current as your present one.

 

[dil]

thanks. don't currently have the bike to check, but from memory X=13. i guees i should wait to see what they say. when i took it there they said that if it's the controller then i probably won't be able to get another. from what you say, it seems i should be able to find another?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You can get 24v and 36v brushed controllers on Ebay for next to nothing, though it's not so easy to find one with the connector for a pedal sensor.

 

[dil]

thanks. worst case i could live with the hand throttle assist only, i.e. without pedal assist.

 

[dil]

at last i have the bike back from the shop. they have confirmed that the battery and motor are ok and say they had it running for 10 seconds at one stage, but could not work out what exactly the problem is. they suggested i get a new bike! maybe they are right, but i wouldn't mind a second opinion. if it's neither the battery nor the motor, can it only be the controller or cabling, or might it be something else? if the former, would it be worth taking a punt on buying a new controller or is that more likely to be a waste of money?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

It's a shame that the shop can't do basic diagnostics. It's not exactly difficult.

If they say the motor is OK, which is easy to test by connecting a 12v battery directly to the two motor wires, and the battery is OK, then either the controller, the wiring, the throttle or the PAS is faulty. Each, apart from the controller, is easy to diagnose, but not remotely over the internet because we don't know what you've got.

Controllers don't cost much. You can find them on Ebay for £15 to £20 without PAS. You need to be able to do basic wiring if you want to try one. If it were my bike, I'd give it a try, but I don't know your capability.

 

[dil]

thanks, yes the shop was disappointing. i would be happy with throttle only, no PAS. i don't do much electrical stuff, but could manage to connect a few wires. the main problem seems to be working out which wire is which. i cannot see a 36v 250w 13a brushdd controller on ebay. the nearest seems to be a 15a. do you think this would still be ok?

36 VOLT 250W Brush motor Controller Box For Electric Scooter Bike
Condition:Brand New
Quantities:1PCS
Features:
Suitable Voltage:36V
Mathed Motor Power:250W
Current Limit:15A+-1A
Short Voltege Protection:31.5V+-0.5V

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Any 36v brush motor controller with a maximum current round about 15A will be OK, usually described as 250W. Ideally, you want one with at least one brake-switch connector, which most have. The wiring is simple. To test it, you connect the two battery wires and the two motor wires, then the throttle. That should make it go. The only thing to look out for is that the three throttle wires are in the right sequence for the controller. If you're unsure, post the colours here when you get your new controller, and we should be able to tell you.

 

[dil]

thanks. seems worth a go. just to confirm, a 15A maximum current controller should be ok, despite the last being only 13A?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Yes, you'll get a little more power, but that shouldn't make you or your motor complain. You can probably go as high as 20A.

 

[Blew it]

Dill, before you give up on your controller you should check the brake switch cables for shorting. Locate the cables in the controller housing beneath the battery. The two switch cables from the brakes have one blue wire and one red wire in each cable. The cables connect to two cables on the controller with the same colour code.

Disconnect both cables and see if the motor will run. If it does, then one of those cables leading up to the handlebars is damaged and activating the inhibitor circuit. Also possible is the failure of one of the momentary switches fitted in the brake lever shrouds.

If the motor runs with both cables disconnected, try plugging them in one at a time to find out which one is preventing the motor from running.

 

[dil]

thanks for the suggestion. unfortunately, it still does not work. have just ordered a new controller.

 

[dil]

i have finally received the new controller. the instructions say that the large red and black wires are for the battery; the large white and blue for the motor.
i have different colour wires: red, black, blue and green. i guess the red male connector is for the battery (like the old one). the black one does not seem to be, as it is also a male connector (the old is female). the other two connectors are both female. does anyone know which i should use for the battery? i assume the remaining two are for the motor.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Correct. You'll have to get the correct controller or replace them both with Deans or something like that, or you could just solder them together.

 

[dil]

sorry, maybe i didn't phrase the question well. of the 4 wires (red, black, blue, green), which two are for the battery?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

It's more or less universal that red and black are for the battery.