Another Regen Question

Michael Kalm

New Member
I tried to post this to a thread that had already been started, but something went wrong. It seems to have disappeared. So I will post it as another new thread.
I have had my Stromer ST1 Elite now for almost three months, and I love it! It's not an exaggeration that it has given me, at age 68, a new lease on life - except for two problems:

I do a lot my riding of my ST1 Elite in the canyons around Salt Lake City. The beginning part of my route is mostly uphill, running down the battery, and I rely on Recup mode on my downhill runs to be able to get home. The only problem is - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. While my LCD display says "Recup 1" there are no arrows lit charging the battery. Moreover, there is no difference in "feel" between Recup mode and non-assisted mode. There are no charging arrows when braking either. When Recup mode is working, the bike goes downhill slower, similar to a car that you throw into a higher gear descending a hill. The difference in recharging is remarkable. Coming down Millcreek Canyon for example, when recup mode is working, the battery starting at 22% charge at the top of the canyon, will be at 40% by the bottom of the canyon. When it's not working, it might only go up 2% to 24% by the time I get to the bottom.

I spoke to my dealer about this. The first thing he said was that it was "normal," that regen is not really supposed to work very much! The second thing he said, was turn the system off, and then back on, that that might make it work. It doesn't.

One more issue, I don't know if it's connected or not. Yesterday, I was riding up Big Cottonwood Canyon. My power dropped to just one bar. I thought I should have at least 15 minutes left. But suddenly, without warning, the system just died - no assist and nothing showing on the LCD panel either. I was at an elevation of 8,162 feet at the time. If I pressed the power button, I would briefly see the word "off" alternating with the word "Stromer" but nothing else. I started riding back down the canyon, and after a mile, tried to turn the power on again. and it did come on. I put it in Recup mode 1 and I did get some regen, having 22% power by the bottom of the canyon. It wasn't enough to get me home, however. I had to walk the last half mile uphill. After I charged the battery, which did take a full charge by the way, I found that the whole system had been reset. Even my Odometer, which should have read about 432 miles, was reset to zero. Also my speed, which had been displayed in miles per hour, was changed to kilometers per hour.

Anyone have any ideas about what's going on here, and how this differs from normal, if it does, and how it might be solved?

Thanks for your help.
 
The cutting out was probably a sensor detecting too much heat. You did climb a mountain after all. In June, I had my Motiv Shadow stop working also. I was riding along, throttle only, at about 20 mph for a half an hour, when suddenly everything went dead. I figured I had overheated the motor. The air temperature in Phoenix was well over 100 degrees. I turned the bike off waited 15 minutes, turned the key and the power was back on. So now, I try to ride early in the morning or late in the evening after the worst of the days heat is gone. Also, as far as my battery charge display is concerned: it is only approximate. My display fluctuates continuously, and gives me only a rough estimate at best. I find it most helpful just to reset the bikes odometer to zero. I know from experience that at 18 to 20 miles per hour I can count on getting 30 miles out of my 36V 15Ah battery. If I can go 9 to 12 miles per hour that stretches out to about 45 miles.

If you haven't heard by now, it is not good for you to discharge the battery that far. It will cut back the total number of charging cycles you will get out of it. Like pliablemoose says: get a reserve battery,
 
I have had my LCD reset before. I would replace the small battery in the LCD . I think a 2032?? Also I have experienced complete shut offs with weaker batteries. I have 4 older purples and 4 newer golds. It has only happened w/the purples. It now happens sometimes at almost 40% if i am in power going up a hill.

I believe the BMS in the battery saw the voltage drop too low and shut down the battery quickly. The little battery couldn't support the quick shut down and it's voltage was probably too low too and everything went out

Replacing the little battery will only save the display when the voltage drops on the big battery, probably will continue to shut down under hard use little left. Get a spare gold or 2 :)

Regen works below 70% . I have had a few times it wouldn't come on even though it was below 70. 1st when the battery was seconds from shut down it wouldn't charge, almost constant w/this scenario. 2nd scenario is not consistent. Battery low but above 20% doesn't regen especially after recently restarted. Seemed if I used some battery at a higher rate it may "wake up" and start regen, always starts working again after a couple few minutes

I always carry more battery then I can use too many other issues too worry about, got home 4am Monday due to flat tire and being 35 miles from truck...

Mark
 
Last edited:
I have had my LCD reset before. I would replace the small battery in the LCD . I think a 2032?? Also I have experienced complete shut offs with weaker batteries. I have 4 older purples and 4 newer golds. It has only happened w/the purples. It now happens sometimes at almost 40% if i am in power going up a hill.

I believe the BMS in the battery saw the voltage drop too low and shut down the battery quickly. The little battery couldn't support the quick shut down and it's voltage was probably too low too and everything went out

Replacing the little battery will only save the display when the voltage drops on the big battery, probably will continue to shut down under hard use little left. Get a spare gold or 2 :)

Regen works below 70% . I have had a few times it wouldn't come on even though it was below 70. 1st when the battery was seconds from shut down it wouldn't charge, almost constant w/this scenario. 2nd scenario is not consistent. Battery low but above 20% doesn't regen especially after recently restarted. Seemed if I used some battery at a higher rate it may "wake up" and start regen, always starts working again after a couple few minutes

I always carry more battery then I can use too many other issues too worry about, got home 4am Monday due to flat tire and being 35 miles from truck...

Mark

Thank you, Calvin and Mark for your suggestions. I have gotten a spare battery, and I will switch it out before it gets too low. Also, I will try that suggestion about using some battery at a higher rate to make it "wake up." That is consistent with my observation that when I reach the "top" of the mountain, if I loll around a little too long so that the lcd switches off by itself, that is when I seem to have the most trouble getting into regen mode starting out in just regen mode. So I definitely will try this.
Michael
 
Back