Bypass the need for a key to always be inserted to power the bike.....

[Ash_Syd]

Hi all,

I have a compact foldable bike with the standard aluminium box design battery (below).

As with most of these generic battery enclosures, they require you to have the key to power the bike on.

What would be the best solution to overriding this? (It drives me nuts having to insert/remove a key every time I ride!)

What about simply soldering the leads that pass through the lock mechanism together?

The bike charges just fine with the battery keyed on or off.

Thanks,

Ash

 

[fooferdoggie]

the problem with that is then the system is always on unless it has a power button or you remove the batery.

 

[harryS]

Ah, that's the silverfish. Various battery makers may use that switch in different ways, but on mine it switches battery power directly. Yes you could bridge the switch terminals so the power always goes to the controller. But the key still needs to be in place to lock the battery to the bike, doesn't it?

 

[Ash_Syd]

the problem with that is then the system is always on unless it has a power button or you remove the batery

It has no physical switch except for the button on the display/controller, so yeah I guess there will be some nominal battery draw.

Rather than just bridging the wires, I was also thinking of using one of these switches instead.

 

[Ash_Syd]

If it were my ebike and it's driving me nuts, l would leave it in on position all the time. Is there an on/off button on the level selector?

There is an on/off button on the controller, but to leave it on requires the key to be in the lock. I'd like to just lock the bike battery and control it from the controller. Having a key sticking out the side of the bike isn't a good look other!

 

[fooferdoggie]

do you have another key? if so insert one turn it on and then cut the key off short so you don't see it.

 

[Ash_Syd]

Ah, that's the silverfish. Various battery makers may use that switch in different ways, but on mine it switches battery power directly. Yes you could bridge the switch terminals so the power always goes to the controller. But the key still needs to be in place to lock the battery to the bike, doesn't it?

When in the lock position I can remove the key. This is the way I'd like it to always be when riding. By default of course there is no power in the lock position.

Of course it's not the end of the world having a key, but it is a fiddly extra step every time I start and leave the bike!

 

[Ash_Syd]

do you have another key? if so insert one turn it on and then cut the key off short so you don't see it.

Yeah, I have two and had thought of that. Certainly a very simple solution. Of course, whilst unlikely, it would be possible for someone with a pair of pliers to get some purchase on the key blade and potentially remove the battery when locked in public.

What kind of ebike do you have?

Just a cheap generic foldable bike. 250W, which is the maximum allowable in Australia Still, very happy with it for my first e-bike, except for the key!

 

[Ash_Syd]

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions/comments.

No one seems to be suggesting what I'm proposing is overtly foolish, which is good!

 

[fooferdoggie]

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions/comments.

No one seems to be suggesting what I'm proposing is overtly foolish, which is good!

you just have to think if the power is on when you fold it up and hit the throttle if it has one is it going to be an issue? I had that oj a e scooter that folded and used a key.

 

[harryS]

OK. I forgot that the key comes out in the lock position.
.
As others have said, that's one of the few theft deterrents on the bike. You have a display on the bars, LED or LCD, that turns on the controller, so someone could ride it away. When I fold my folding bikes, it's to go inside a vehicle. and it's a habit to take off the battery first to lighten them up.
.
Anyway, solder is easily undone, and you can reverse it if something none of us thought about comes up.

 

[harryS]

With live contacts on the bottom of the Silverfish, you'll have to be careful where you set down the battery if you transport it. Wet surfaces, metal surfaces. anything conductive, will not be good.

 

[Ash_Syd]

With live contacts on the bottom of the Silverfish, you'll have to be careful where you set down the battery if you transport it. Wet surfaces, metal surfaces. anything conductive, will not be good.

Some good advice, thanks. I've ordered a 15A (I hope that's enough 36v - 250W motor?) flush mount button which I will install into the case to still allow the power to be cut. Essentially swapping the wires from the keyed lock to the button.