Am I able to upgrade the controller for my kit?

[Gkyle840]

I was wondering if I could upgrade the controller for this kit https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00GIXZKP8/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

I am hoping to get a bit more speed and torque from the motor as well as being able to adjust the amount of pedal assist.

 

[ninetimes]

Probably. KT controller and display would be a possible upgrade. How many amps is the current controller? How many amps can your battery handle?

There are also some cooling options for direct drive hubs that will help it handle more power, like Statorade and hubsinks. I'm not an expert on those but you can google for more info.

 

[Gkyle840]

This is all that I could find on the amperage of the current controller.
Specifications:
- Wheel Size: 26"
- Top Speed: 28 MPH
- Motor: 48V 1000W
- Amps: 20.83
- Net Weight: 28.7lb

The battery is supposed to be 48 volt 20ah with Samsung cells but I am not sure what kind of draw it can handle. It was a little over $400 for the battery.

 

[ninetimes]

Do you have a link to the battery?

 

[Gkyle840]

I don't have a link to the battery, only a guess. The only markings on the battery are on the handle and they read SSE-014. From what I could find, the silverfish battery looks identical to mine and comes up in the search when I do a search for sse-014. https://energiecycle.com/products/silver-fish-battery

 

[ninetimes]

I think that number refers to the style of case. If you unscrew the black endcap, you may find a fuse on the discharge wires. That will give you an idea of the bms max discharge.

 

[Gkyle840]

The fuse is 20 amp 250 volt

 

[ninetimes]

So, unfortunately that caps you at about 1000w with the current battery. 48v x 20a. Any more and you will blow the fuse and/or trip the BMS.

 

[Gkyle840]

Ok, thank you for the help! Atleast now I am not going to do something to destroy my battery.

 

[ninetimes]

Sure thing. If you ever decide to upgrade the battery, there are people reliably putting 2000w+ into those motors.

 

[ninetimes]

On other thing - upgrading to a KT controller and LCD display will give you more adjustment and programming options, even if you don't increase the total power. Cost would be about $90.

 

[Gkyle840]

What would be a good battery option to get close to 2000w to the motor?
Would the KT controller be able to handle this if I upgraded the battery?

 

[ninetimes]

On other thing - upgrading to a KT controller and LCD display will give you more adjustment and programming options, even if you don't increase the total power. Cost would be about $90.

Edit: as far as battery choice, you need to make sure that the discharge rating matches the power you want to achieve. Unit Pack Power is a popular vendor and pretty cost competitive.

 

[Gkyle840]

I looked at the unit pack power batteries on Amazon and the highest rating I could find was a 52v 20ah battery with a max constant discharge current of 40 amps. Would this battery push my top speed much higher than it currently is being the battery is only 4 more volts? I assume it would definitely have a lot more torque.

 

[ninetimes]

It would have a lot more torque. Your top speed would be 8% higher ((52-48)/48). Motors have a Kv rating that determines how many rpm per volt a motor will spin. So, assuming you have enough torque to reach top speed (for a bicycle, it doesn't take much), the limiting factors are the motor's Kv and voltage.