crystalball
New Member
I have a 2015 IZIP Dash with a problem Battery Management System. I am looking for someone who has a core. Do you have an old TransX BL17 that is just sitting around as a door stop?
TransX BL17
- Thread starter crystalball
- Start date
I have one sitting in a box torn apart. If the "core" is the bms. It's still here with it. Not sure if it works
Derek Kerton
New Member
I've got the same bike, and like it a lot - even now in 2022 with much more modern bikes out there. It's still my in-town daily driver.
But the battery on this is a PITA. Very few bikes seem to have ever used this format TransX BL17, and there are no new OEM replacements for sale anywhere.
In July 2019, I paid $590 for a rebuild service from EMP, who said they could make it better than new (417Wh -> 480). Well, it wasn't. It was a shorter range than new, and has already lost a good portion of that range. Yesterday, I measured about 14 flat miles on 2 power level, with me pushing the pedals the whole time, and almost ran out of battery.
So, now, I think I'm done with "rebuild services" and I'm about to go a different route, which I'd recommend to you. I'm going to buy a new battery with mounting plate, and just swap out the plate on the bike. For less than the price of a rebuild, I can get a massive battery with twice the capacity.
For you, that gives you a new battery, a new BMS, and you get away from the BL17 dead end.
Yes, the new battery at $414 is a Chinese no-name, so it can't be trusted. They say they use LG cells, but who knows. OTOH, I've lost my trust in all batteries. This is how the battery is described at Jeff Bezos' store: "Unit Pack Power Official 20Ah /15Ah / 13Ah Ebike Battery - 52V 48V 36V Bike Battery for 200-1500W Bafang Voilamart AW Ancheer and Other Motor(W/Charger & BMS Board)"
Another bonus for me is that I also have a iZip Peak E3 2016, which uses the iZip battery, and also has bad range. I can use my old BL17 as a spare for it.
But the battery on this is a PITA. Very few bikes seem to have ever used this format TransX BL17, and there are no new OEM replacements for sale anywhere.
In July 2019, I paid $590 for a rebuild service from EMP, who said they could make it better than new (417Wh -> 480). Well, it wasn't. It was a shorter range than new, and has already lost a good portion of that range. Yesterday, I measured about 14 flat miles on 2 power level, with me pushing the pedals the whole time, and almost ran out of battery.
So, now, I think I'm done with "rebuild services" and I'm about to go a different route, which I'd recommend to you. I'm going to buy a new battery with mounting plate, and just swap out the plate on the bike. For less than the price of a rebuild, I can get a massive battery with twice the capacity.
For you, that gives you a new battery, a new BMS, and you get away from the BL17 dead end.
Yes, the new battery at $414 is a Chinese no-name, so it can't be trusted. They say they use LG cells, but who knows. OTOH, I've lost my trust in all batteries. This is how the battery is described at Jeff Bezos' store: "Unit Pack Power Official 20Ah /15Ah / 13Ah Ebike Battery - 52V 48V 36V Bike Battery for 200-1500W Bafang Voilamart AW Ancheer and Other Motor(W/Charger & BMS Board)"
Another bonus for me is that I also have a iZip Peak E3 2016, which uses the iZip battery, and also has bad range. I can use my old BL17 as a spare for it.
Derek Kerton
New Member
Looks great, and much cheaper than the battery I just bought off Amazon. I paid $414, but maybe I paid for the LG cells I've supposedly got inside.
So, can you tell me anything about the wires? I've just left it partway dis-assembled but stopped because the bike-to-TransX BL17 harness has what looks like four wires, and I don't know if I need to connect just the main + and -, or if the smaller ones are essential, too.
Any pointers at all are appreciated. Seems to be no good hacker info online about our bikes or batteries. Gonna finish this tomorrow one way or the other.
I hooked up the two main wires (plus and negative) wires and just left the smaller two wires hanging. I couldn't get the schematics to the battery to tell if what leads to hook the other two wires onto. I didn't want to chance hooking them up and frying the bms or battery.
Derek Kerton
New Member
Ha! Yep, that's EXACTLY where I am right now: Do I hook these two smaller wires up to V-, and risk frying something...or let them hang.
The only additional info I have is that, I put my voltmeter on the BL17, hit the power button, and measured the four connectors. There's v+, 54v-, then the two other connectors are 50v-, 48v-. So...I might give it a try to just hook the two smalls up to new battery V- and see what smokes.
What bugs me is that I ordered a 48V battery instead of a 52 because I'd lose the capacity display with 52. Oh well, I'll have 960 MWh of range to cry it out this weekend.
Thanks.
Derek Kerton
New Member
I chickened out and just hooked up the + and - wires. No display on dash of battery fill. I guess I'll have to stop, push the battery indicator button, and look at how many LEDs are lit whenever I need to check it.
However, (and I know this isn't supposed to be the case) my BIKE RIDES a few mph FASTER on the same roads as before. I suppose the new battery is able to sustain a higher voltage under load.
I was wondering if you could do me a huge favor. I took apart the front chainring. It has the 2 bash guards and sprocket in the center. In between there are spacers and washers and for the life of me I can't figure out the order the spacers and washers go. Its hard to see in the pictures, but I have it set up in this order.
Inner bashguard, sprocket, spacer, washer and outer bashguard.
Could you take a picture so I can see the correct order and get this fixed?
Attachments
I also have the E3 peak, 2017 and the battery died after a mile. Still says level 3. Izip and bike shops don’t work on these anymore as the motor is defunk. I was going to try a battery rebuild but yeah that’s expensive. Did you go the different route? Let me know as I would love to get back on the road!
How’s the battery holding up? Can you tell me which one you bought? Did you have to buy another mount? That would be awesome.
I've been using the replacement battery for 2 years now and the bike is my only mode of transportation. So it gets a lot of use. I generally get between 20 to 25 miles per charge now. It was 25 to 31 in the beginning. It was just a generic haling battery. The seller said it was 48v, but a multimeter said it was a 52v (so who knows) both will work.
We've discussed the installation in great detail above. I've included a Pic of the order. Due to the time this is the only info left on my purchase.
We've discussed the installation in great detail above. I've included a Pic of the order. Due to the time this is the only info left on my purchase.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
48 V is the nominal voltage, and 52.4 V is the proper voltage for the fully charged battery. Just to make you less worried
Derek Kerton
New Member
Hi, I'm also just over two years into the replacement battery (and the new mounting plate) from Amazon, and it still works great. But, basically, worry-free, powerful, reliable, fast, and strong.
I don't ride as much as Peteinnh. I ride my bike about 3-4 times a week. But the battery is so good, I usually don't charge it after most rides, and just plug it in once a week or so. I never bothered to figure out a fix for the battery strength display on the LCD screen, but in the end it doesn't seem to matter much. I never really run out of juice with this big battery, and once stopped, I can read the display on the battery itself.
Most of my charging is with a Grin Satiator that charges it up to only 85% of full, to extend life. Once in a while, I'll give it a full charge so the BMS can do cell balancing.
I don't ride as much as Peteinnh. I ride my bike about 3-4 times a week. But the battery is so good, I usually don't charge it after most rides, and just plug it in once a week or so. I never bothered to figure out a fix for the battery strength display on the LCD screen, but in the end it doesn't seem to matter much. I never really run out of juice with this big battery, and once stopped, I can read the display on the battery itself.
Most of my charging is with a Grin Satiator that charges it up to only 85% of full, to extend life. Once in a while, I'll give it a full charge so the BMS can do cell balancing.
I still have the battery I purchased on 4/21 and charge it fully every week or other. I keep a spreadsheet of my mileage and I got 25 to 29 miles per charge back when it was new and 2 days ago I charged it and got 29 miles. It's like the never ending battery.
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