How to increase the Power of a 250W hub motor

[Rod Fuller]

With a fully charged lead acid battery in my Power Cruiser, motion from a standstill is acceptable without pedalling.
To reach a reasonable speed, I have to pedal like crazy, speed is not maintained without pedalling.
( bare in mind my last bike had a 1000W hub motor no pedalling required, fantastic)
What is themaximum voltage that one of thse motors will accept without burning out?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Is your motor brushed or brushless?

 

[Rod Fuller]

Is your motor brushed or brushless?

dv8 your wisdom and as always a quick response is appreciated.
Brush or brushless, how to determine? I think it is brushless and runs from a 36V battery.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

2 thick wires joining the controller is brushed, 3 thick wires often with 5 thin wires is brushless.

 

[Rod Fuller]

Is your motor brushed or brushless?

For the attention of d8veh:
I cannot tell, I opened the cover below the battery housing and was amazed at the number of wires and connections. I gave them a good dose of WD40 and screwed the cover plate back on.
I could not contact Power Cruiser,number written on the bike, I then contacted Pro Rider who are selling a similar machine and the consensus is that it is brushless.

 

[Rod Fuller]

d8Veh
your opinion is requested. RJF

 

[Rod Fuller]

d8Veh
your opinion is requested. RJF

Further to above,( I am working may way thro all the FAQ) Oct 15th 2014, Jason Gadsby asked about speed of this'' crank'' motor.granite and bafangt mentioned, replies included most controllers can handle 44.4V from Kirsten and 504W vat motor, 400W at the wheel from Happy.
Next question for a nominal 250W motor how do hub motors and crank motors compare, max torque & max speed for bike it was built in to?

 

[trex]

crank motors give better torque when you select a low gear number (1,2,3) and higher maximal speed when you select a high gear number (7,8,9,10) but not at the same time. In middle gears, hub motors are better.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Before anybody can tell you anything, you have to tell us whether your motor is brushed or brushless.

 

[Rod Fuller]

crank motors give better torque when you select a low gear number (1,2,3) and higher maximal speed when you select a high gear number (7,8,9,10) but not at the same time. In middle gears, hub motors are better.

Trex thanks for your response, I am confused, photographs I have seen of crank motors look small in comparison with a hub motor, how is torque acheived, different windings, high power rare earth magnets?
10 gears, does the crank drive through a normal derailleur?

 

[trex]

does the crank drive through a normal derailleur?

yes. That's how crank drives can be good at both climbing steep hills and achieving high speed on flat roads.

 

[Rod Fuller]

yes. That's how crank drives can be good at both climbing steep hills and achieving high speed on flat roads.

Trex thank you.

 

[Rod Fuller]

Before anybody can tell you anything, you have to tell us whether your motor is brushed or brushless.

At last, Hooray it is a BLDC, Brushless motor, 3 medium wires and 4 thin ones.
IF the motor assuming a nominal 250W can take the maximum current from the battery we are talking about 6.9A from a 36V supply. If tne windings can take 48V.but only 5.2A, what is the maximum for the controller?
I am sure that the calculation is not that simple as a nominal 250W is almost certainly capable of much higher power. Do you have a graph of power v voltage?

 

[trex]

most 250W motors can take 15A at 36V and 48V.
Check the label on your controller.

 

[Rod Fuller]

most 250W motors can take 15A at 36V and 48V.
Check the label on your controller.

Thanks Trex, under the crank area on the Power Cruiser is a compartment with lots of wires and connections.I think the controller is in a zinc type box which has been sealed with silicone. It definitely has no label.
I think that the motor windings will take a much higher current, but what about the control circuitry?.

 

[trex]

...
I think that the motor windings will take a much higher current, but what about the control circuitry?.

that's the controller. Unfortunately, there is no label so we can't tell.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

At last, Hooray it is a BLDC, Brushless motor, 3 medium wires and 4 thin ones.
IF the motor assuming a nominal 250W can take the maximum current from the battery we are talking about 6.9A from a 36V supply. If tne windings can take 48V.but only 5.2A, what is the maximum for the controller?
I am sure that the calculation is not that simple as a nominal 250W is almost certainly capable of much higher power. Do you have a graph of power v voltage?

It should be three thick wires and 5 thin ones. Can you confirm that? If so, it means you have a brushless sensored motor. Can we see a photo of the controller? Then, I can tell you how to turn up the power. Is your speed limited to 15 mph, or does it go a bit faster?

 

[Rod Fuller]

It should be three thick wires and 5 thin ones. Can you confirm that? If so, it means you have a brushless sensored motor. Can we see a photo of the controller? Then, I can tell you how to turn up the power. Is your speed limited to 15 mph, or does it go a bit faster?

It should be three thick wires and 5 thin ones. Can you confirm that? If so, it means you have a brushless sensored motor. Can we see a photo of the controller? Then, I can tell you how to turn up the power. Is your speed limited to 15 mph, or does it go a bit faster?

d8veh Thanks for your response, it probaby has 5 thin wires, coils plus Hall effect sensdor presumably.I have no idea of max speed. With the present gears on the flat I cannot pedal any faster in top gear..
The controller is in a die cast alloy box which has been sealed with silicone or something similar.If you insist I can open it and take a photograpgh. I have a premonition that I might have to make a new controller.
As an aside, I am enjoying reading all about ebykes and my disciple Michael Faraday's inventions, more than riding the byke. Thank you also for the morror tip, now installed on the byke.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Just show a photo of the controller from the outside for now.

 

[Rod Fuller]

It should be three thick wires and 5 thin ones. Can you confirm that? If so, it means you have a brushless sensored motor. Can we see a photo of the controller? Then, I can tell you how to turn up the power. Is your speed limited to 15 mph, or does it go a bit faster?

Just show a photo of the controller from the outside for now.

Definitely 3 thick, 5 thin.
I have not had a response from the Help line regarding including photos, can I have your email address please and I will forward.
In the photo you will see a rectangular black object, it looks like a TV controller with press buttons on it?
Foreign, Chinese writing? on die cast box:
3615D-C-10GO, Ser No. N12B6C161033.