TransX BL17

[crystalball]

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?

 

[Peteinnh]

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?

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]

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.

 

[Peteinnh]

I ended up getting a 48v 17.5ah hailing for 275$. I purchased it 4/21 and it's still going strong. The mounting was super easy and so was the wiring (except I lost the ability to track battery life on the display.

 

[Derek Kerton]

I ended up getting a 48v 17.5ah hailing for 275$. I purchased it 4/21 and it's still going strong. The mounting was super easy and so was the wiring (except I lost the ability to track battery life on the display.

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.

 

[Peteinnh]

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]

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.

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]

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.

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.

 

[Peteinnh]

Here are pictures of the newly installed battery and wiring.

 

[Peteinnh]

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.

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?

 

[jjstar1]

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.

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!

 

[jjstar1]

I ended up getting a 48v 17.5ah hailing for 275$. I purchased it 4/21 and it's still going strong. The mounting was super easy and so was the wiring (except I lost the ability to track battery life on the display.

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.

 

[Peteinnh]

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.

 

[Peteinnh]

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.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The seller said it was 48v, but a multimeter said it was a 52v (so who knows) both will work.

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

 

[Peteinnh]

Thanks for letting me know. I had no idea and will never understand why a 48v battery registers as 52v. Please don't explain cause I'm so done trying to figure this battery crap out lol

 

[Peteinnh]

Just an FYI. The replacement battery I posted above is still going strong as of today 3/20/24