How interchangeable are ebike parts?

[Pedalo]

Hi,

Sorry I seem to be asking lots of questions and not contributing much - Hopefully one day I'll be able to redress the balance and start sending information in the opposite direction!

My question this time is about how much you can chop and change parts for an electric bike - I'm more intersted about the electrical characterstics rather than whether it fits physically or has the correct connectors etc.

I'm tempted to buy a complete kit in the first instance but I like to tinker(!) and would hope to be able to experiment with individual parts until I find the optimum for me.

So taking the elements in turn:
i) Battery - I assume that provided you get the right voltage and can find somewhere to mount it on the bike and sort out the connectors you're pretty much free to choose any?
ii) Charger - I've heard that different chargers are required for Lithium vs NiMH but otherwise can you use any charger with any battery assuming it's the right voltage?
iii) Motor - If I've got a particular controller, can I freely swap out one motor for another and have it all still work. I suspect not but are there exceptions (e.g. swapping out one motor for another from the same manufacturer?)
iv) Controller - I suspect this is linked to motor choice. If I swap motor I will need a new controller?
v) Twist throttle / thumb throttle. Do these all work with the same principle so any will do? Similar question for:
vi) Brake levers (cutout switch)?
vii) Pedal sensors?
viii) Battery monitor?

Again sorry for so many questions.

 

[didi28]

i) Battery - I assume that provided you get the right voltage and can find somewhere to mount it on the bike and sort out the connectors you're pretty much free to choose any?

It depends how much Ampere your controller "wants". A 20Amax controller and a 10Amax battery is not a good combination.

ii) Charger - I've heard that different chargers are required for Lithium vs NiMH but otherwise can you use any charger with any battery assuming it's the right voltage?

No. But there are chargers, which do almost everything, but they are expensive.

iii) Motor - If I've got a particular controller, can I freely swap out one motor for another and have it all still work.
iv) Controller - I suspect this is linked to motor choice. If I swap motor I will need a new controller?

Sensorless motors need sensorless-controller. Motors with hallsensors can be controlled with both, sensorless- and sensor-controllers. Volts should always bei the same, also maximum Ampere.

With the programmable sensorless 3-switch-controller from Das Elektrorad von Frank Scheftlein: Komplette Pedelec- / Elektrofahrrad Umbausätze und Ersatzteile von Bafang, Puma (eZee), Tongxin u.a. you can use almost every brushless motor from 24-48V and 7-17Amax.

v) Twist throttle / thumb throttle. Do these all work with the same principle so any will do? Similar question for:

No. But most of them work the same way.

vi) Brake levers (cutout switch)?

No. There are two systems: NO(normally open) and NC(normally closed)

vii) Pedal sensors?

No. But mostly you can get it working.

viii) Battery monitor?

No. Depends on voltage and battery.

 

[Pedalo]

Wow - thanks for the very detailed response. Much appreciated!