controller(?) problem - is it easy to fix?

[Marcin]

I commute to work on a cheap e-bike from The Range (described here). A few days ago, after 4 months and about 500 miles, it started misbehaving. First the brake handle stopped switching off the motor. Yesterday the highest of the three PAS levels stopped working, or rather it works like the middle one, up to 10 mph.

Does it sound like something that can be fixed by a layman?

 

[trex]

the problem may not be caused by the controller.
can you post a picture of the LED panel for identification?

 

[Marcin]

here it is:

 

[trex]

the LED display is unusually sparse, so it can be eliminated for now from the suspects - how do you change the assist level?

 

[Marcin]

there is a switch on the handle bar:

 

[trex]

follow the cable from the red switch to the controller. Locate the speed connector. Check for poor connection.
Once you have traced the speed cable to the plug, unplug it and test the switch with a multitester. Water could get inside and damage it. If still no joy, post a picture of the controller for us to identify.

 

[Tubamanandy]

I recognise that `power` meter very well as still have one on my old AlienOcean conversion.

 

[Marcin]

Thanks trex. I've ordered multimeter on ebay and while waiting for delivery I had a look at the controller. It has such label:

and here is the controller itself:

I haven't determined which cables go to the switch, but after I've put everything back the switch started to work, so it's sorted for now.

I still have a problem with the brake (there is only one hand brake). It doesn't stop the motor. I'll try to figure it out when I have multimeter. How it is supposed to work? Should pulling the brake open or close a circuit?

 

[trex]

the label says: brake active low. There is a microswitch in the brake handle that closes when you queeze on the brakes.
Follow the brake sensor cable to the controller. It's usually a two wire connector, black/grey. When the wires are shorted (brake squeezed), the controller stops the motor. You can experiment with a bit of wire.
When it does not work, it's usually the microswitch that fails. Post a picture of the brake handle, members can tell you where to get a new one, about £7.

 

[Marcin]

Shorting the wires works so I had a look at the brake lever. It has engraved Wuxing 70P-DD and looks like this:
with visible switch:
I disassembled it

and checked with multimeter. The switch actually works, but the red cable is broken somewhere. It seems I need a new cable. Now I hope I'll manage to put everything back together.