Giant Spirit/Revive e-bike build.

Skysurfer

Pedelecer
Oct 31, 2011
27
12
Hi, folks. I've a few bits of said machine, notably the Panasonic brushless motor I'm going to hopefully run. I'm having difficulty in sourcing a suitable controller. It has TWO thick power wires, red & black. I'm assuming the electronics are in the ally case to actually drive the motor, as it also has a torque sensor in there, somewhere.
I'm looking for a 24v 250w brushed motor controller from China to start (cheap), then if all goes well, I might spend on a quality item, later. It must have a PAS circuit in it.
Anyone got a link? All I can find brushed don't have a PAS connection... (Chinglish ain't easy... Dureilleur is 'throttle'!)
Cheers, & TIA,
 
D

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If it has a brushless Panasonic motor, what are you going to do with a controller for brushed motors?
 

Skysurfer

Pedelecer
Oct 31, 2011
27
12
d8veh, thanks for your post. Not too sure, I was hoping that the output from the controller would be just a variable voltage, as the motor, although apparently brushless, seems to have the controlling circuit built in to the casing that mounts the drive to the bike, with only two thick wires exiting. So I'm thinking all it needs is a variable voltage power supply. I can't find a lot of tech info on this system, just external images of the unit itself. I understand that it seems a bit odd, but without any actual circuits diagrams available, and it not being too important to me, I thought this might be a way to go. I could just drop a supply through a pot to see if it moves...I've no idea how to drive a brushless with two wires, is all.
I'll keep looking before I try anything that might let the smoke out, though. Cheers.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,761
30,348
The Revive Spirit unit doesn't need any controller, everything is built into the motor unit other than the handlebar switching unit. That connects to one of the small multi pin sockets and the two thick wires from the unit are the battery positive and negative connections. The battery on these was a rear mounted frog type unit.

If you are missing the handlebar unit, a Giant hybrid dealer should be able to get one for you.

The unit is very similar to this old unit in my Panasonic support website, so you can find out anything you need to know from this link
.
 
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Skysurfer

Pedelecer
Oct 31, 2011
27
12
Haar! Y'all know what coming next... Yup. identifying the wires. I have the looms that exit the motor, but no control gear. Rooting through t'interweb to buy the original controllers isn't really an option, it's more than a bit cost prohibitive. But. I'm sure that with correct ID on the looms, something could be made to work. I'm more interested in the PAS to drive the motor, I find that's just so much cleaner on the handlebars. I'm trying to drop this into my spare Revive frame, it looks like a reasonable fit could be made. Eventually...
These are rare & nice machines, as the motor is almost new, it would be a shame to leave it on the shelf...
I'm still trawling the web just in case anything turns up...
If anyone is interested in these machines, I have a spare Spirit frame (no forks, frame only, and a few other bits) I can donate for cost of postage if anyone needs one. An aside... Spirit forks don't fit the Revive. I found out too late! Ha!
Attached images: My (bought earlier in the year) new Revive, ant the motor I'm trying to use.
Thanks, all, enjoy20150608_114028.jpg 20150408_171305.jpg the weather!