Ezee battery question

[PinkFloyd]

This has happened a couple of times now and, at first, I thought the battery charger had packed in but on closer inspection it's actually the 5 amp fuse inside the battery that has blown. It's a 5 amp Q blade (automotive type) and you have to open the battery housing to gain access to it.

Question A: Why is this blowing from time to time? what is causing it?
Question B: Is it ok to bypass this fuse altogether or would it be better fitting a higher rated fuse here?

I spoke to Wai Won Ching about this a while back and he reckoned it would be fine to dispense with the fuse altogether.... question is, why fit the damned thing in the first place if it's fine to remove it....... hmmmm

This has happened to both of my batteries.

Thanks, in advance, for your replies.

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi PinkFloyd,

It could well be due to a duff battery charger, This has happened to me.
See this thread http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/2944-ezee-batteries-not-charging.html

J hn

 

[PinkFloyd]

Hi PinkFloyd,

It could well be due to a duff battery charger, This has happened to me.
See this thread http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/2944-ezee-batteries-not-charging.html

J hn

Hi John,

Thanks for the link to that thread but it's not the battery charger (I don't think) it's the internal fuse in the battery that has blown (NOT the user replaceable one that is accessible by unscrewing the fuse cover)) as explained.

The 5amp fuse in the battery has gone so the charger shows green even though the battery is fully discharged. I have already replaced this 5 amp fuse and all was well but there it is gone again..... just wondering if it's cool to bypass it as per Wai Won's suggestions or if this will cause problems..... possibly Flecc is the man to answer this?

 

[PinkFloyd]

This is the fuse I'm talking about: please click for full size.

 

[wotwozere]

Hi

I was bidding for one of these on ebay last month and really glad i did not win, seems like there is so much to go wrong with these. When i rang to buy a battery I was told only 6 months warranty even though the website showed 12 months. Not sure why anyone would want to spend £400 on a battery every 6 months. My fuse changing days are well over my fingers are too big for niggly jobs like that. Would it not void the warranty if someone opens up the video player or washing machine, I wonder if it is the same when changing the fuses in a battery. Is it dangerous running a battery with no fuse and if not what is the porpose?

thx

Bob

 

[flecc]

Hi PinkFloyd, wondered where you'd got to as you'd been away for some months.

Some of these battery chargers have been causing that internal fuse to blow, but Wai Won is correct that the fuse isn't very important. The early batteries had a standard tubular 10 amp fuse in that position, in addition to the external one, so upping to 10 amps could be a suitable move, as it's only there as a safeguard against the person who uses a 1" nail in place of the external fuse.

Heres the old tubular one, shown as number 6 in the photo:

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi John,

Thanks for the link to that thread but it's not the battery charger (I don't think) it's the internal fuse in the battery that has blown (NOT the user replaceable one that is accessible by unscrewing the fuse cover)) as explained.

The 5amp fuse in the battery has gone so the charger shows green even though the battery is fully discharged. I have already replaced this 5 amp fuse and all was well but there it is gone again..... just wondering if it's cool to bypass it as per Wai Won's suggestions or if this will cause problems..... possibly Flecc is the man to answer this?

Hi again PinkFloyd,

As I discovered a couple of weeks ago, a charger from the faulty batch supplied by 50cycles does exactly what you describe, blows the internal 5 amp fuse. If you switch on the charger with a healthy fuse and the green light comes on after only a couple of seconds, the fuse has blown and the charger is almost certainly faulty. What is the serial number of the charger?

J hn

 

[WaiWonChing]

Chief eZee Operator

Dear Bob,

What is this thing with you that you find every opportunity to attack eZee ?

W W Ching

Hi

I was bidding for one of these on ebay last month and really glad i did not win, seems like there is so much to go wrong with these. When i rang to buy a battery I was told only 6 months warranty even though the website showed 12 months. Not sure why anyone would want to spend £400 on a battery every 6 months. My fuse changing days are well over my fingers are too big for niggly jobs like that. Would it not void the warranty if someone opens up the video player or washing machine, I wonder if it is the same when changing the fuses in a battery. Is it dangerous running a battery with no fuse and if not what is the porpose?

thx

Bob

 

[WaiWonChing]

Chief eZee Operator

Hi,
The function of the fuse inside the battery box for charging circuit is only for short circuit protecion, and the first batch of Li+ polymer battery we have came fitted with a 5 amps blade fuse, I thought it was adequate since the charging current is at 2 amps. Now from hindsight we know the current at time could exceed that and cause the fuse to go.

Subsequently they are all fitted with 10 amps fuse.

If you have a problem, replace with a 10 amps fuse or do away with it altogether would not be a problem.


W W Ching

 

[wotwozere]

Hi W w Ching

Sorry to ask a question, I would like to own an ezee and tried many times but could not get the type I wanted. Changing a fuse in a battery is beyond my skill as a bike technician and would not like to open it.

thx

Bob

 

[PinkFloyd]

Cheers guys I'll pop down the car shop and get a few 10 amp Q blade fuses to try out. Flecc, I've been away a while with mild depression mate..... now it's time to get the cycle clips on again and head for the road

Mike.

 

[Paul at Cyclepoint]

Batteries guaranteed for 1 year...

Hi all.
Paul here from Cyclepoint, the new eZee distributors in the UK.
Just to clarify, eZee batteries bought from us are guaranteed for 1 year.

Thanks,
Paul.

www.cyclepoint.net
01273 672 555

 

[flecc]

Flecc, I've been away a while with mild depression mate..... now it's time to get the cycle clips on again and head for the road

Mike.

Sorry to hear that Mike. All the best, enjoy the cycling and your music interests, and it's good to see you posting again.
.

 

[PinkFloyd]

If you have a problem, replace with a 10 amps fuse or do away with it altogether would not be a problem.


W W Ching

Wai Won...... only "problem" being it would invalidate the warranty as opening the battery breaks the "warranty void if broken" label. It's pretty damned annoying having to faff about with internal fuses and I hope your new chargers and batteries are more compatible with one another......

Mike.

 

[wotwozere]

to right pink floyd we aint all that handy to change fuses and who wants to do this in the dark and void warranties.

thx

Bob

 

[peckerman]

Why would it be in the dark? When my ford Sierra kept blowing fuses in the 80's I fixed it with a paperclip inbetween the fuse contacts. Worked a treat.