Just sayin that Bafang builds their motors for 60v max and yes ALL components have to be rated for whatever voltage is being applied.
More volts, probably higher amps, more heat, larger devices to disapate that heat, but enough of that.
A motor controller has firmware installed on it to perform a specific sequenced of operation with different sensors providing feedback so adjustments can be made accordingly.
My buddy has a BBSHD motor and we figured out that the controller was caput.
It is an older motor that was rated at 48v for both the motor and controller and in the past those same units would play just fine with a 52v battery system like they always have.
About a year ago Bafang made firmware restrictions in the controller and made them ”volts specific” for 48v or 52v depending on your battery supply.
I ordered a 48v version not knowing about the changes from GBK over across the big pond and when it finally arrived and I dropped it in it powered up fine and didn’t think twice about it.
I got a call from him a few days later saying he’s recieving an ERROR code on the screen and it won’t run.
Did some research and that’s when I discovered my error in ordering a 48v controller for a 52v system.
So….
It initially ran fine because his battery was about 50% at the time of the install so it was UNDER the max threshold of that unit ( probably 54.6v) and then after he charged it up all the way (58.8v) it saw the error.
So 2 choices either send it back possibly and order the correct voltage version or fix this one somehow.
Looked around on-line and saw a few places, (Biktrix being on of the and I think Cal E bikes being the other) that had replaceable firmware upgrade to change the 48v unit to A 52v.
Plugged in my PC and hooked up the controller to my usb cable I use for reprogramming the bafang motors connected up a battery and went to work.
There is a specific sequence to follow to erase and rewrite the program on those controllers and if I remember correctly the Biktrix version kept giving me an error code and wouldn’t work.
But the one from cal e bike worked just fine.
I had my fingers crossed the whole time and it came out fine.
Exept….
What it did was load up the “current” version of their “stock” programming for that series motor which restricted it somewhat from the original “hot rod” version he got from Luna.
This is where I made a judgement call. I like my buddy for the most part but I won’t ride a bike with him.
He’s an urban street rider only and rides way to fast, no courtesy, runs stop signs, probably lights to if he can get by with it and in general is a hazard to anyone around him.
So I did not adjust the parameters on any of the values that it came with to give him more power than he had.
So yeah there is a workaround for the controllers if you get the wrong one but it’s a bit of apain.
