elife Royal with no life...

[old git]

Hi to everyone, reaching out for some experience/knowledge.
Bought my sick wife a folding elife royal, 36V after 2 years occassional use, the power now cuts out completely as soon as you try to move.
Put it on a stand & the front wheel will run fine for a time, and loading by a gloved hand or on the ground and all power is cut to the whole system requiring an on/off reset at the battery.
Any ideas ?
I have reached out to the importer who says it will need a new motor (so complete front wheel) and controller, but havn't been able to get any answer on how much and from where.
thanks in advance.

 

[sjpt]

It could be a very tired/dead battery. This could be if you had allowed the charge to drop very low while not in use. The voltage will get up to full after charge, and it could deliver a little power (your off the ground test), but it won't manage any attempt to draw significant power from it.

If you are lucky enough to know anyone with a similar bike try swapping round the batteries.

It looks as if it has a fairly standard battery so you may be able to try with any standard 36v battery, but connectors are always an issue. I'll leave any further comments to the experts.

 

[Nealh]

The Elife bikes are pretty cheap ones and often they sell on Ideal World T.V channel, the rack battery is nothing special so you can buy/use any 36v battery that will fit.
The first port of call is usually the battery is at fault esp if you can stop the wheel by hand.
Do you have a volt meter or know a friend/neighbour who has one ? If so charge the battery fully and measure the battery charge output a few hours later when it has rested . Also someone with a bit of technical ability can simple wire up a volt meter temporary just to see what happens to the voltage when a load is applied, if the voltage suddenly is seen to collapse then the battery cells are scrap.

Once the battery is confirmed as at fault a replacement battery can likely be found for < £200, another option is to have the cells replaced known as are cell by Jimmy at ebikebatteries.co.uk in North London ( He is highly recommended and many have used his excellent services).

 

[Nealh]

Old git, I like it someone with a sense of humour .
If you mention your area /location someone may be able to help with a battery check or test with another battery, a simple test with another 36v battery would answer all and I'm fairly sure a member if near by would help you out.
Under the current distancing rules if some one can help both parties can still comply to work this out safely.

 

[Lurch]

Hi, I have the very same problem with my elife.
If you or I get it sorted can we update the post please.
I live in Langley, Slough, Berkshire and would love a fellow member who lives nearby who can offer me a try with a known good battery to get in touch.
Thanks
Lurch

 

[Lurch]

Hi, I have the very same problem with my elife.
If you or I get it sorted can we update the post please.
I live in Langley, Slough, Berkshire and would love a fellow member who lives nearby who can offer me a try with a known good battery to get in touch.
Thanks
Lurch

I checked the battery and get 42V across the two outer pins, left battery overnight and got the same reading.

 

[Lurch]

I checked the battery and get 42V across the two outer pins, left battery overnight and got the same reading.

I also took the motor out and checked the continuity from the plug connection to each coil, all reading ok.
Opened the motor case and checked wire connections, all ok.

 

[Nealh]

I checked the battery and get 42V across the two outer pins, left battery overnight and got the same reading.

How old is the battery ?

 

[Lurch]

Probably about 2 years old.
I kept charging it every 3 months or so when not using the bike.

 

[Nealh]

I also took the motor out and checked the continuity from the plug connection to each coil, all reading ok.
Opened the motor case and checked wire connections, all ok.

If you are handy with electronics measuring/testing, you can rig a meter or a cheap £2 voltage meter via the controller power wires. Make the wire extension long enough so you can see the read out on the bars or some where, go for a spin round the block and watch what happens to the voltage under any load. If voltage just plummets then the cells have had it, they are probably cheap China unbranded ones.

A failing battery/cells failing can still hold a full charge as charge isn't an indication of capacity. Upon a load being applied the voltage will simply collapse and then rebound when said load is realeased.

After the battery you have to look at the controller and hub motor.
You can test controller mosfets for issues with a resistance test and also motor halls for voltage to see if any show up anomalies.

Use the links below to carry out simple tests using a meter.
Mosfets.

https://www.ebikes.ca/documents/BlownMosfets.pdf

Hall sensors.

https://www.ebikes.ca/documents/HallSensorTestingFinal.pdf

 

[Lurch]

Thanks Nealh
That’s very helpful, I’m not sure where to find the controller. I guess it’s within the battery housing.
I will give it a good look and if I have to try and remove the battery housing I will try that.
Thank you very much for your help.
Regards Lurch

 

[Lurch]

Hi, noticed that the test button on the battery displays full charge and when the control lights go off the test button when pushed now shows no life. When battery is switched off and back on then the test button when pushed now shows full battery again.
I will try to connect an external volt meter but there is no space and I will have to drill a hole in the battery case to run a cable to the meter.
I’ll report findings when I have done it.
Many thanks
Lurch

 

[Lurch]

Hi, noticed that the test button on the battery displays full charge and when the control lights go off the test button when pushed now shows no life. When battery is switched off and back on then the test button when pushed now shows full battery again.
I will try to connect an external volt meter but there is no space and I will have to drill a hole in the battery case to run a cable to the meter.
I’ll report findings when I have done it.
Many thanks
Lurch

Hi, I’ve checked the voltage direct from the battery terminal’s and found the voltage started at 41Vdc and when I used the pedal assist it stayed at 36Vdc and as soon as I put load on the wheel the voltage dropped straight down and the controller dropped out when it reached 14Vdc and then kept dropping until it reached 2.8Vdc. When I turn the battery switch off and back on the battery showed 40.5Vdc.
I am then able to turn the controller back on and then repeat the above.
All voltages approximate.
I’ll try an external battery pack when I can put one together safely.
I’ll keep the post updated.

cheers
Lurch

 

[Nealh]

Hi, I’ve checked the voltage direct from the battery terminal’s and found the voltage started at 41Vdc and when I used the pedal assist it stayed at 36Vdc and as soon as I put load on the wheel the voltage dropped straight down and the controller dropped out when it reached 14Vdc and then kept dropping until it reached 2.8Vdc. When I turn the battery switch off and back on the battery showed 40.5Vdc.
I am then able to turn the controller back on and then repeat the above.
All voltages approximate.
I’ll try an external battery pack when I can put one together safely.
I’ll keep the post updated.

cheers
Lurch

Your battery or should I say the cells are scrap, voltage sag at it's best with a load applied.
The 41v starting voltage isn't a very good start point and the 5v sag using PAS is a pointer to severe battery trouble.

 

[Lurch]

Your battery or should I say the cells are scrap, voltage sag at it's best with a load applied.
The 41v starting voltage isn't a very good start point and the 5v sag using PAS is a pointer to severe battery trouble.

Hi, sorry it’s taken a long time to get back but it’s taken me a long time to find a battery.
I’ve fitted a new battery and the bike now works great.
so it was the battery at fault.
I got the battery from EBay, £160 including a charger.
sold by ysbattery-2012
i ordered it on Thursday and received it Monday. That’s quick.

 

[Nealh]

YS battery 2012 is yose powers ebay shop.
Pleased you are mobile again.

 

[old git]

Hi, sorry it’s taken a long time to get back but it’s taken me a long time to find a battery.
I’ve fitted a new battery and the bike now works great.
so it was the battery at fault.
I got the battery from EBay, £160 including a charger.
sold by ysbattery-2012
i ordered it on Thursday and received it Monday. That’s quick.

Mine looks to be some controller or cut-out inside the wheel motor. I have been chasing replacement now since the end of April, its now mid Oct.
I would never recommend Ideal World, or elife bikes, service has been por to say the least.
They can't even give me any idea when parts will be available. I've tried various departments and they just send you round in circles.
True, it was at the cheap end of the market, but the shame is when working it was an excellent bike for my wife, folded away and was more than enough for her needs, she is so disappointed to have lost it.
Anyone reading this thread should take warning, buy locally from bicycle shop of similar outlet, don't but from Ideal world or elife, customer support is non-existent.

 

[Gavin]

Mine looks to be some controller or cut-out inside the wheel motor. I have been chasing replacement now since the end of April, its now mid Oct.
I would never recommend Ideal World, or elife bikes, service has been por to say the least.
They can't even give me any idea when parts will be available. I've tried various departments and they just send you round in circles.
True, it was at the cheap end of the market, but the shame is when working it was an excellent bike for my wife, folded away and was more than enough for her needs, she is so disappointed to have lost it.
Anyone reading this thread should take warning, buy locally from bicycle shop of similar outlet, don't but from Ideal world or elife, customer support is non-existent.

They're just middle-man box-shifters. You won't get any support from them.

The good news is that you're wife's bike is (almost certainly) made up of standard generic Chinese components. These are readily available from various internet sources at ridiculously low prices (although that may change after 1st January).

All the advice you need to fix your wife's bike is contained in this thread. If you don't understand electrics/ electronics then find someone who does and show them this thread. They don't need to be a bike mechanic, they just need to understand the electronics.

The golden rule with any problem like this is to be logical and methodical and try to "back the problem into a corner". Don't just change components willy-nilly on a hunch or you'll introduce more variables.

Keep us posted with your success so other people learn...and don't lose heart.

 

[Nealh]

Mine looks to be some controller or cut-out inside the wheel motor. I have been chasing replacement now since the end of April, its now mid Oct.
I would never recommend Ideal World, or elife bikes, service has been por to say the least.
They can't even give me any idea when parts will be available. I've tried various departments and they just send you round in circles.
True, it was at the cheap end of the market, but the shame is when working it was an excellent bike for my wife, folded away and was more than enough for her needs, she is so disappointed to have lost it.
Anyone reading this thread should take warning, buy locally from bicycle shop of similar outlet, don't but from Ideal world or elife, customer support is non-existent.

The only thing in the hub motor to fail are the hall sensors.
Your bike as said will have generic type controller etc so one shpuld be able to pin point the point of failure with a few simple tests/fault finding using a cheap testing meter. If you want to try we can lead you in how to.

 

[Newtchaser]

Hi, sorry it’s taken a long time to get back but it’s taken me a long time to find a battery.
I’ve fitted a new battery and the bike now works great.
so it was the battery at fault.
I got the battery from EBay, £160 including a charger.
sold by ysbattery-2012
i ordered it on Thursday and received it Monday. That’s quick.

I also need a battery for my Elife Royale but ysbattery if this one in my link is a longer length battery and also is 10Ah whereas my original is 7Ah. Was your replacement identical to original or like this one?

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