Motor Id

saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
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Telford
It's a band brake motor, like those fitted to the Cyclamatic Power Plus and a load of similar bikes. The only thing that affects the wheel size is the speed, so stick the axle in a vice or frame and power it up to see how fast it spins. If it's too slow for whichever wheel size you want, you can run it at 48v. To get the speed, stick a magnet on it and use a cycle computer or use any controller with an LCD.

If you're lucky, it's 180 rpm, which gives you the most options.
 

saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
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Telford
Thanks for the info. I will do as you say and check the speed. It was advertised for 20" folder.

What speed would a 20" folder have?
A motor for a 20" wheel should have a maximum rpm of about 328 rpm to get good power and efficiency at 15 mph. If it's too slow - say 260 rpm, you can run it at 48v to increase the speed by 30%. If it's a 180 rpm version or 201 rpm, it'll be too slow. It has 180 written on it, which is a bit worrying, though it might be just a coincidence.

Band brake motors are wider than disc or rim brake ones, so make sure that you try the motor in the frame with its brake before building the wheel.
 

saneagle

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Oct 10, 2010
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I wondered if I should strip it down and modify it on my lathe to fit 135mm dropout
The band brake frames have the left side offset a bit to deal with the extra width. If you just leave off the bandbrake it might be narrow enough. frames for 20" wheels are stiffer that ones for larger wheels, so springing the drop-outs apart to fit a wider motor isn't as easy, but it depends on the design of the bike.

You could do something to reduce the width, but make sure that you don't end up with too much offset from the centre of the frame. Most rear hub-motors have about 6 or 7mm, which has to be compensated for by dishing the wheel when you build it. Any more offset than that results in too much difference in the spoke tension from side to side.
 

Garry Hallam

Pedelecer
May 18, 2024
68
7
I could not check the speed as my only other controller is on the est100 and has a weird 9 pin pinout. I have ordered a 15amp KT controller to pair the motor with.

20250502_120640.jpg

As you can see with these dividers set to 136mm dropout width it would be just about doable with a max 3 speed freewheel. This would pretty much put the hub centre in the frame.

I may even screwcut a collar 1.375" x 24tpi (I'm guessing Unified thread) for the band brake side, this would enable me to mount a disc brake as it looks like it would fit there nicely. Would need to take measurements later to determine mounting position relative to the brake caliper.

Just gotta wait for the controller to check the hub speed now.

Another option is to put it in this 26" folder that I also saved from scrap. Shotblasted and powder coated. That is if the speed suits? Would not need the disc brake adaptor either on this, as is rim brake!20250322_101734.jpg20250322_103626.jpg
 
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saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
8,298
3,789
Telford
I could not check the speed as my only other controller is on the est100 and has a weird 9 pin pinout. I have ordered a 15amp KT controller to pair the motor with.

View attachment 63050

As you can see with these dividers set to 136mm dropout width it would be just about doable with a max 3 speed freewheel. This would pretty much put the hub centre in the frame.

I may even screwcut a collar 1.375" x 24tpi (I'm guessing Unified thread) for the band brake side, this would enable me to mount a disc brake as it looks like it would fit there nicely. Would need to take measurements later to determine mounting position relative to the brake caliper.

Just gotta wait for the controller to check the hub speed now.

Another option is to put it in this 26" folder that I also saved from scrap. Shotblasted and powder coated. That is if the speed suits!
You're not measuring the width correctly. It doesn't matter which freewheel you use because the axle is stepped and is long enough for a 7 speed one. using one with a lower stack height only increases the gap between top gear and the drop-out unless you can turn down the stepped part, which is hardened steel, and mill the flats further along the axle.
 

Garry Hallam

Pedelecer
May 18, 2024
68
7
You're not measuring the width correctly. It doesn't matter which freewheel you use because the axle is stepped and is long enough for a 7 speed one. using one with a lower stack height only increases the gap between top gear and the drop-out unless you can turn down the stepped part, which is hardened steel, and mill the flats further along the axle.
Sorry, I realise they are hardened and I was intending to grind the flats to 136mm . It would require a spacer on the outside once in the frame to allow the nut to engage. If that makes sense!

Either that, or a new longer nut from hex bar counter bored to miss the shoulder protruding. Similar to a sturmey archer toggle chain hub nut.
 
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saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
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Or....tweak the frame to suit. Probably an easier option!
You can go up to about 150mm on most frames with 26" wheels or bigger. if you have a disc brake, it's mor complicated because of disc spacing and alignment issues, though they can all be overcome if you're good at figuring stuff out.
 

Garry Hallam

Pedelecer
May 18, 2024
68
7
You can go up to about 150mm on most frames with 26" wheels or bigger. if you have a disc brake, it's mor complicated because of disc spacing and alignment issues, though they can all be overcome if you're good at figuring stuff out
I try this approch as it is steel frame, Cheers.
 

saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
8,298
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Telford

Could somebody advise what cables I will need with this controller for bafang 9 pin motor.
It's easier and probably cheaper to buy the whole controller kit from Topbikekit.

If You want the moulded connectors, you'll need the 1 into 4 cable, motor cable PAS and throttle. If your motor doesn’t have a speed sensor in it, you'll be stuck because there's no easy way to connect one with that arrangement. You'd need to open the controller and solder in your own connector or hack into the motor cable to expose the wires.

The controller's with block connectors normally have a separate connector for a speed sensor or you can splice into the already exposed wires.

The only way to test whether you have a speed sensor is either with a working controller and LCD or with a motor cable without the moulded connector on the other end so you can power the hall sensors with 5v and measure the speed sensor signal by rotating the motor backwards. Or you can check the original listing of the motor to see if it mentions a speed sensor.
 

Garry Hallam

Pedelecer
May 18, 2024
68
7
I will just have to test it on the controller when it arrives. I cannot find any info on the motor anywhere. I opened it up but despite there being a model number on the control board it still fails to bring anything up. It seems was made in 2016 and obsolete20250502_035336.jpg
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
21,376
8,740
61
West Sx RH
We know it is a Bafang hub motor , the width may suggest it is for a fat tyre bike .
 
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saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
8,298
3,789
Telford
I will just have to test it on the controller when it arrives. I cannot find any info on the motor anywhere. I opened it up but despite there being a model number on the control board it still fails to bring anything up. It seems was made in 2016 and obsoleteView attachment 63062
The speed sensor is staring you in the face. It's on the pcb by the axle and marked JP4.Its connection to the white wire is marked SP. Check how many magnets are glued to the face of the hub to pass over it. You'll need that later when you setup the LCD.
 
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Garry Hallam

Pedelecer
May 18, 2024
68
7
The speed sensor is staring you in the face. It's on the pcb by the axle and marked JP4.Its connection to the white wire is marked SP. Check how many magnets are glued to the face of the hub to pass over it. You'll need that later when you setup the LCD.
Cool, I was hoping you would notice. Thanks