Help! Replacement electronic controller required

Tony Emerson

Finding my (electric) wheels
May 1, 2019
23
1
Apologies for the long delay in reporting.
Finally got a test run in yesterday over 20 miles of Skye's best up and downs.
Glad to report the repaired controller worked perfectly.
Many thanks to all who provided such detailed advice and guidance on candidate solutions, and how best to achieve them.
 
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Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,991
8,173
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West Sx RH
What/which controller did you settle on ?
 

Tony Emerson

Finding my (electric) wheels
May 1, 2019
23
1
The original!
The controller failure was due to a failed MOSFET, and I located an Electrical/Electronic Technician on Skye who offered to try replacing it (see post 35). He did and it worked........
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,985
Basildon
Hello, I wasn't sure if I should make my own topic or just bump this one. My fathers Freego has got the same issue. It looks like the controller has died. As per the link earlier, would this still be a good replacement to get? http://www.pswpower.com/ven.php?cargo.2016-3f-3f7c
Yes and no. It'll almost certainly work better than the previous one, but it's not a plug-and-play replacement. You'll have to rip out all the previous electrics and wire in the new parts. You'll have to do some soldering to a couple of the connectors too.
 

FreegoWoe

Just Joined
Feb 2, 2020
3
0
Yes and no. It'll almost certainly work better than the previous one, but it's not a plug-and-play replacement. You'll have to rip out all the previous electrics and wire in the new parts. You'll have to do some soldering to a couple of the connectors too.
That's not a problem I can manage that, just wanted to make sure it would work. But I would be putting that whole kit on the bike instead, the only remaining original parts would be the motor and battery so I cant imagine there's going to be much chopping to do.

A quick question about the PAS sensor. I assume this is the pedal assist detection? Which is better, dual hall or ten poles? From the price, i assume dual halls is better?

Thank you very much.
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
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If you want one that works, get the 10 poles one.

For your new kit, it's best to get LCD3, 10 poles PAS, thumb throttle and external speed sensor. You don't need brakes as it's simple to wire yours in.

If you think that later you might want to go up to 48v, get the 36v/48v version of the controller., then when your battery wears out, you can get a 48v one and enjoy more power and speed options.
 

FreegoWoe

Just Joined
Feb 2, 2020
3
0
If you want one that works, get the 10 poles one.

For your new kit, it's best to get LCD3, 10 poles PAS, thumb throttle and external speed sensor. You don't need brakes as it's simple to wire yours in.

If you think that later you might want to go up to 48v, get the 36v/48v version of the controller., then when your battery wears out, you can get a 48v one and enjoy more power and speed options.
Thanks i'll get the 10 pole.

Unfortunately my father likes the LED display, being in his 70s he prefers it simple. I'll try and convince him but I think he won't want an LCD display.

Thanks for your help.
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,985
Basildon
Thanks i'll get the 10 pole.

Unfortunately my father likes the LED display, being in his 70s he prefers it simple. I'll try and convince him but I think he won't want an LCD display.

Thanks for your help.
Do not get a LED display. they only work on ones where you have the parameters programmed correctly.
 

Lee Arnall

Pedelecer
Jul 15, 2018
35
3
50
Wirral, Merseyside
That's not a problem I can manage that, just wanted to make sure it would work. But I would be putting that whole kit on the bike instead, the only remaining original parts would be the motor and battery so I cant imagine there's going to be much chopping to do.

A quick question about the PAS sensor. I assume this is the pedal assist detection? Which is better, dual hall or ten poles? From the price, i assume dual halls is better?

Thank you very much.
Hi all, came across this thread and also looking to use the recommended replacement kit mentioned but the weblink is no longer available I haven’t been able to source all the parts on pswpower website, could anyone help me track it down, cheers
 

Lee Arnall

Pedelecer
Jul 15, 2018
35
3
50
Wirral, Merseyside
Is your motor sensored or sensorless?
Hi didn’t expect there to be anyone up,so late thinking of ebikes too Its sensor it’s an older model of freego eagle (see my profile avatar) thanks for your input. My controller had water damaged after being caught in a huge sections of water on a former railway line, bike shop tried to sort but now worse so looking to replace controller and upgrade it while I’m at it
 

Lee Arnall

Pedelecer
Jul 15, 2018
35
3
50
Wirral, Merseyside
Hi didn’t expect there to be anyone up,so late thinking of ebikes too Its sensor it’s an older model of freego eagle (see my profile avatar) thanks for your input. My controller had water damaged after being caught in a huge sections of water on a former railway line, bike shop tried to sort but now worse so looking to replace controller and upgrade it while I’m at it
If you are interested, this is my situation:
The newly installed pedal assist activates but the led controller level is inactive it assists at one level (low level) ands is full time.

Turning the levels up down and off does nothing it remains active.

Also the throttle isn’t operating as it did before it was pre restrictions so it can get up to 12mph now it bearly moves me on the flat.

I also noticed it had difficulty coasting, the motor seemed to be dragging once stop peddling
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,985
Basildon
Most shops don't have a clue what they're doing.

Let's start with control panel. It works completely independently from the controller, so if it doesn’t work properly, it's faulty. It sounds like it has water in it, which is a common problem.

There may be a pair of grey or white wires on the controller that you have to connect or disconnect to change the throttle operation. I know the early Freegos had something like that.
To answer your original question, if you can afford it, it's probably best to upgrade the controller and control panel. There are two options that are very well known, so we can answer questions if you run into difficulties. At about £40 is the Brainpoer one with S866 LCD rhat works quite well. At around £70 is the KT sine wave controller with LCD3 that will make your motor very smoothe and quiet, like a new bike.

Either option will require some work to re-route the wires. You will probably need to fit a wheel magnet type speed sensor because early motors didn't have the internal speed sensor.

You can get the KT controller from Topbikekit.com
 

Lee Arnall

Pedelecer
Jul 15, 2018
35
3
50
Wirral, Merseyside
Most shops don't have a clue what they're doing.

Let's start with control panel. It works completely independently from the controller, so if it doesn’t work properly, it's faulty. It sounds like it has water in it, which is a common problem.

There may be a pair of grey or white wires on the controller that you have to connect or disconnect to change the throttle operation. I know the early Freegos had something like that.
To answer your original question, if you can afford it, it's probably best to upgrade the controller and control panel. There are two options that are very well known, so we can answer questions if you run into difficulties. At about £40 is the Brainpoer one with S866 LCD rhat works quite well. At around £70 is the KT sine wave controller with LCD3 that will make your motor very smoothe and quiet, like a new bike.

Either option will require some work to re-route the wires. You will probably need to fit a wheel magnet type speed sensor because early motors didn't have the internal speed sensor.

You can get the KT controller from Topbikekit.com
Vfr400 - Thank you for your time in responding, it gives me the confidence to get this sorted myself.

The new issues of the control panel not responding is clearly an error made by the workshop they did some substantial rewriting and reconnecting of the controller - this issue did not exist prior to getting work on it.
It went to the workshop due to motor not initiating.

So considering it’s age I wish to take on your advice to upgrade to a decent unit and one that will make it feel new.

Does the KT sine wave come as a package or do I need to put it all in the shopping basket - thumb throttle, pas 10 pole sensor, speed sensor, KT controller and lcd3 display - have I missed anything ?- importantly are all these items compatible with the KT controller? The website doesn’t confirm they are compatible together.

Oh finally you said on previous post not to worry about brakes - they can be wired in?

many thanks
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,985
Basildon
Click the LCD3 and ordinary speed sensor. You could click the throttle and PAS too, which are always useful as spares and dead cheap when you order them with the controller. They have the advantage that the connectors will match the controller. If you want to use your present PAS and throttle, the connectors or wire sequence might not match, so you can just cut off the connectors and join the wires, which is probably quicker than installing the new ones.
 

Lee Arnall

Pedelecer
Jul 15, 2018
35
3
50
Wirral, Merseyside
Click the LCD3 and ordinary speed sensor. You could click the throttle and PAS too, which are always useful as spares and dead cheap when you order them with the controller. They have the advantage that the connectors will match the controller. If you want to use your present PAS and throttle, the connectors or wire sequence might not match, so you can just cut off the connectors and join the wires, which is probably quicker than installing the new ones.
Excellent, I will have a good look at all of these tonight after work, I also need a crash course in soldering
 

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