Kalkhoff battery problem

[Spinalot]

Just got off the phone with Matt at 50Cycles and he confirmed that there is indeed a fault, so this time I am sending back both battery and charger. He also reassured me that this is indeed only the second time that the new Impulse batteries have shown this fault. He told me about all the batteries in the test bikes at Loughborough are all still showing five lights when doing the capacity test via the built in hardware.
I have to say I am inclined to believe him. He seems a stand up guy to me. My hope is that I have just got unlucky with a faulty charger. I cannot believe a company that has a as good a reputation as Kalkhoff would send out untested gear and that I have just gotten unlucky. :-(

 

[Jackyh]

I think you have perhaps been unlucky with your battery and/or charger. I have had my Kalkhoff with Impulse battery since June 2012. It still shows 5 lights after a 5 second press. Hopefully you will be sorted once your replacement arrives. Looking out of my windows, I don't think we are missing any great cycling weather- not in Lancashire, at least. Roll on Spring.

 

[flecc]

Roll on Spring.

The Spring equinox was two days ago on the 20th, so maybe roll on Summer is the best wish now.

 

[Hugh]

That'd be Summer 2014 then

 

[rog_london]

Rog. The capacity measuring on these batteries is surprising consistent and definitely not a fiddle in any way. It isn't linear though, each LED step being a different capacity proportion and larger in the middle region, but the measures are consistent as said, despite not being a precise measure of a quantity at each step. I've no idea how that circuit works, my best guess being cell bank internal resistances since those rise with cell age, but work consistently it definitely does.
.

Interesting - thanks for that. Perhaps I'll be able to offer more info in about five years time - assuming the battery in mine doesn't last longer than I... Anyway, so far all is well with the five lights.

I'm willing to bet that Kalkhoff have cause to regret supplying that 'feature' as it does appear as though numerous owners have gone after exchange batteries when perhaps there was little or no need.

Rog.

 

[flecc]

I'm willing to bet that Kalkhoff have cause to regret supplying that 'feature' as it does appear as though numerous owners have gone after exchange batteries when perhaps there was little or no need.

Rog.

They only included it because it was in the Panasonic unit 10Ah batteries which they first replaced with their own BMZ made ones. Having started down that road, I suppose they felt obliged to include the feature on the Impulse batteries as well. Although the Panasonic one was also affected by cold, this shortfall capacity reading didn't occur when they were new, which was probably due to the major differences in the internals. The Panasonic one used 5Ah soft pouch cells while the BMZ ones use much smaller capacity 18650 tubular cells in multiple series/parallel arrays. Also the BMZ ones use different chemistry for the 11Ah than that in the 15 Ah battery, so another inconsistency for that LED meter to handle.

 

[John Chandler]

Same as above, turned out to be a faulty charger,i have noticed that the charger is not very well designed i take care when placing battery into the charger. This does indicate to me that the charger is suspect. Anyway as far as i am concerned it is all history, the Kalkhoff Pro Connect that i own is a very good quality bike with or without use of the electric motor. I live around Porthmadog (Snowdonia within eyesight) i ride these lanes up here on a very regular basis in the summer. I found 50 cycles to be very supportive during 'my teething times'. I suppose what i am saying is stay with it Spinalot you won't be sorry.

John Chandler

 

[jackhandy]

That'd be Summer 2014 then

Have you placed an order for a decent one then Hugh?