Easy Motion Street: System Power Cuts Out

[Jack Tyler]

I'd suggest a 'dry film' spray, @WelshBazinNZ . CRC makes one. Definitely not WD40, which is more a solvent than a lubricant and will help collect dust moreso than lubricate.

 

[JJBJ]

Bought this bike new in Washington, D.C. 2 months ago. Will not turn on sometimes and quite often will just turn off while riding. When power cuts you are not in a sympathetic gear so you will lose control. This has been very dangerous in Washington traffic. If I take It somewhere I can not trust I can get back. The electronic control seem very cheap and after research online I have found many comments about same problem. This bike is heavy and very hard to ride with the power out. If you are stuck miles from home you can not leave a 3000 dollar bike chained up in any part of town.

 

[irenewg13]

Hello Electric Bike Review Forum,

I have found the information provided on this site very useful. A few months ago, I upgraded from my $699, 250W front wheel ebike kit, which I had placed on my 20 yr old Mt. bike for commuting, to the $2999 BH East Motion Street. The ebike kit, while somewhat minimalist, has had no problems since day one. In contrast, the BH Easy Motion Street, while feature rich, and ideal for my commute, has been in the shop where I purchased it in SF for a total time of approximately 1 month. Unfortunately, it still suffers from an intermittent System Power Loss issue.

The Street ran fine for about 50 miles. It then began intermittent episodes of sudden System Power Loss. System power loss would result in the display screen going blank with simultaneous loss of power at the motor, when in motion. In theses cases, the system would not power back on when the power button was pressed. In other cases, the unit worked fine up to my destination, however, it would not power on when I wanted to depart. In some cases, it worked fine transporting me to work or home, but would not power on after work or the following day. Sometimes, removing the battery and replacing it would eliminate the problem. However, in several cases, the battery had to be removed and replaced multiple times. In one case this did not work, and the bike would not power on, despite multiple battery remove/install cycles and I ended up taking it to the shop, since it would not power on for several days.

During the first visit to the shop, the shop personnel suggested that the battery was not making contact with the electrical contacts on the frame and that I should use Velcro to hold the battery firmly to the frame. This theory was disproven by lifting the battery several mm from the frame, which did not result in power loss. The shop inserted a piece of foam into the frame above the battery. The problem persisted.

During the second visit to the shop, the shop personnel replaced the wiring harness and controller. They informed me that the problem persisted intermitedly after this. The shop personnel, in consultation with the BH Easy Motion technical service representative, decided to replace the controller again and replace the old style display with the updated display. Subsequent to this, I rode the bike for ~10 miles in SF with no issues. However, when I rode the bike to work, it lost system power twice on the way home, once while in motion on a slight upgrade and another time after trying to power on after removing the bike from The BART train.

I really like the features of the BH Easy Motion Street bike. However, I mainly use my old ebike-kit retrofitted Mt. Bike, as the BH Easy Motion Street has either been in the shop, would not power on, or does not provide engender confidence that I will be able to get where I need to go in a timely manner. I am also concerned about the safety of a bike that suffers from intermittent system power loss, as I often rely on the ebike power to quickly cross busy intersections during my commute.

Any suggestions on how to proceed? Is System Power Loss a known Problem with the BH Easy Motion system? It seems the shop has replaced all system components except battery, torque sensor and motor.

Use your warrenty. If they have taken this long, maybe it should go to EZ. I would contact EZ, asap
inmho.

 

[Mtnm]

Bought this bike new in Washington, D.C. 2 months ago. Will not turn on sometimes and quite often will just turn off while riding. When power cuts you are not in a sympathetic gear so you will lose control. This has been very dangerous in Washington traffic. If I take It somewhere I can not trust I can get back. The electronic control seem very cheap and after research online I have found many comments about same problem. This bike is heavy and very hard to ride with the power out. If you are stuck miles from home you can not leave a 3000 dollar bike chained up in any part of town.

I do hope you are able to solve your problem. The dealer should be able to solve the problem and create a more reliable bike. I have found BH willing to stand behind their warranty and solve problems.
The display can be an area of concern. Too tight of a mounting screw will distort the connection. At times when I've had a shut down removing the display and wiping contacts with my leather riding gloves has solved the problem, being sure to pop down on the little roller contacts. I also notice the screw on connection between the display and down tube is very sensitive, so just readjusting the position while coasting restores the connection (sometimes this fixes my error 13 or error 5 message, or the hollow battery blink, or just the full shut-down).
I greatly enjoy the full suspension of my NeoJumper, and am willing to put up with continued development of the e-bike.
I've also found myself making some rather long granny-gear return trips when things go wrong.

Best of luck in solving your problems.

 

[vincent]

hope the dealer or BH gets this fixed for you

please post back with the resolution

 

[jeza]

It can be frustrating to have a bike that loses power unexpectedly and even more so to have multiple trips to the bike shop result in no improvement. In my case, I contacted the BH Technical Service department by phone and after I indicated That I wanted to return the bike, they offered to ship a new battery to the shop. BH also stated that if the battery didn't fix the bike, they would exchange the bike for a new one. The battery did fix the problem, so they did not replace the bike. The controller, wiring harness and display were also replaced prior to the battery (controller replaced twice). However, these components had no effect on the power loss and were needlessly changed out.

Based upon the information you posted, there appears up be a relationship between the power loss and high ambient temp combined with increased load (which also likely increases the temperature in both the controlled and motor). The code 12 seems to confirm the bike is overheating. I wonder if code 12 is triggered by a temperature sensor in the motor or in the controller. Is the motor or frame adjacent to the controller very hot to the touch when the power cuts out?

My experience has been that the troubleshooting performed by the bike shop was not based upon symptoms, trouble codes from the controller or component testing. Rather the approach used was to replace components, one by one (5 components were replaced in my case).

It seems like it would be useful for bike shops that sell ebikes to have diagnostic tools to trouble shoot such issues, or, the bikes could come with these tools built in. For example, if the display or an add on display were able to show the motor and/ or controller temp under load, you could use this information to compare between bikes, identify under which conditions the power loss occurred and hopefully identify the faulty component.

Just having a similar journey with a 29 we. One shop patch repair ( loose wire ) and now at distributors with no answer after 2 weeks - will push them towards this forum as clearly a build/ design problem that BH must be aware off by now

 

[Easymotion]

Easy Motion should replace the bike - it is a lemon. Or the bike shop doesn't have the skill to fix the bike. This should not be your headache.

I had intermittent power loss that appeared to be related to the torque sensor.

My bike went back to manufacture they replaced rear wheel/motor and programmed batery what ever that means and I did only 21miles yesterday and it cut out 5 times nothing happend when I removed the display but when I removed battery and replaced it it came back but not for long so it could be that will try and relocate battery today !

 

[Easymotion]

I had this problem with my Neo Race. Did you try using a different battery? My problem turned out to be an internal wire in the battery.

Hi ,sorry to take so long to reply, the bike went back had new back wheel/motor and the reprogram battery what ever that means but yet it cut out 5times yesterday day and twice this time I had code 9 but took of pressure on pedals and all came back but the cut out and screen going blank I had to remove battery although it did not last long will try and re seat battery today before I take it back tomorrow (Monday)

 

[Ebike Commuter]

Hello @Easymotion, the symptoms sound exactly like the issue that my bike had. The bike shop tried to fix the issue: first by suggesting I place a strap around the battery to hold it in place, then they replaced the display and controller. Since nothing worked and they had not identified the root cause, I requested a replacement for the bike. They agreed, but Easymotion requested to try a new battery as a last attempt to fix the bike, which worked. Zero issues with the replacement battery. I was told that the batteries have the capability to enter a "deep sleep mode," and the electronics within the BMS were at fault for shutting the battery down under conditions when it should not have done so.

 

[Easymotion]

Thanks for that I reseated the battrey today went out on a 17mile ride no problem with shutting down but erra code 9 came up something to do with motor/talk for just a split second happend twice so it will be a trip back to the bike shop tomorrow. I had a new motor and they re programmed the battery hopefully I can get this sorted soon.

 

[J.R.]

Thanks for that I reseated the battrey today went out on a 17mile ride no problem with shutting down but erra code 9 came up something to do with motor/talk for just a split second happend twice so it will be a trip back to the bike shop tomorrow. I had a new motor and they re programmed the battery hopefully I can get this sorted soon.

Error code #9 in BH's Easy Motion manual specifically states: "Motor Blocked - Motor stopped due to accident. Motor off." I don't know what BH's specific fix for this error is, but it sounds as though the motor is stopped suddenly (by an accident or by operator) and power continued to flow momentarily until the motor shut down. Error #9 is not one of the controller noted errors, nor is it a communication or torque sensor noted error. Since the dealer replaced the motor and repaired or replaced the battery, it might be prudent for you to contact BH directly.

Your bike's symptoms appear to be different than other power losses I've read about. Are you sure you're not just out of power, with the Neo's 317 watt hour battery after 21 or 17 miles?

EDIT: 317 watt hour battery divided by 21 miles is 15 watt hour per mile. That's an okay average, especially for a 2-3 year old battery.

 

[Easymotion]

Hi there returned bike this morning was not please that manufacture did not check the torque before it was returned,I picked it up this afternoon and he re torqued it. Will have a test run tomorrow fingers crossed. Will keep you posted.

 

[Joergen8]

Error 9 can be something as simple as holding the wheels against a wall, curb, deep sand / snow, and adding any pressure through the pedals without holding the brake motor cutoff. The rear wheel isnt turning while the motor is trying to (slightly), which brings up the motor blocked error, as if there were something jamming the rear wheel.

 

[HaveBlue]

Error 9 can be something as simple as holding the wheels against a wall, curb, deep sand / snow, and adding any pressure through the pedals without holding the brake motor cutoff. The rear wheel isnt turning while the motor is trying to (slightly), which brings up the motor blocked error, as if there were something jamming the rear wheel.

I have had a couple similar problems with the power cutting out on my Neo Race and Neo Carbon. The first time it turned out to be the battery itself. I had a computer repair guy re-solder some wires and voila, it worked.
My Neo-Carbon started cutting out intermittently. After a few hours of diagnosis by changing batteries, wheel/motor set, and displays, the culprit turned out to be the wire that connects the controller to the display. Replaced the wire, voila. It works.

 

[Easymotion]

Thanks for that new controller on its way

 

[HaveBlue]

Thanks for that new controller on its way

Mine wasn't the controller. We changed it. But it didn't fix the problem. It was just a bad wire from the controller to the display.

 

[Easymotion]

I'm still waiting, had a 22 mile ride today and it was fine no cut out at all useley it cuts out 4/5 times .

 

[larry desaules]

On mine I found the throttle cable screw connections loos - the ones near the throttle.
Also this from Eric Vo, tech support.
Larry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first step would be the clean the torque sensor from any dust or dirt.
The best option is to have them clean it and reset the torque on the screws.
I’ve attached the instructions if you would to try this on your own.


1) Make sure the axle nuts/QR levers are tight.

2) Try this:

- Remove the TMM cover plate. This is the 2 x M3 screws.

- This will expose the TMM. Using a small flat head screw driver, work around the top and side perimeter of the TMM and make it loose.

- You may use light compressed air and a dry lube to clean the torque sensor.

- Re-install the cover plate and torque to 1nm. (snug and then another 1/8 of a turn)

Keep me updated.
Best,
Eric

Eric Vo| Technical Advisor
949-206-8151 x135
866-752-4872
[email protected]

 

[Mtnm]

The connection between the display and cable going to the downtube has been a problem for me.
Currently I'm using small elastic in a figure 8 to secure the connection. It seems to have a solved
the connection problem for this summer. Hope this picture shows what I did.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

 

[bob armani]

For those having issues with your bikes shutting down, I think I found the issue. I purchased a Neo Cross and later an Evo Snow and would like to share an experience I had with the Evo Snow.

Pop off your handle bar controller and check the height of the silver pins sticking out of the underside (four upper and two lower). They should all be the same height.

The next time a shut down happens, pull over to a safe spot on the side of the road or trail. DON'T attempt to restart the bike. Slide your handle bar controller off and check the height of the pins. Looking at the controller I found on mine that the right lower pin was stuck inside the unit and one of the upper ones was half-way down. Rubbing my thumb over the lower, it eventually popped up completely. I placed it back on the bike and it fired right up. It shut down again when I changed the power level (pressing plus, +). After sliding the controller off to check the pins, again the one was stuck down. I did the same thing as before and the bike restarted fine.

Pressing the minus (-) button was no problem. Only when I pressed the (+) button did the bike shut down. I believe there was just enough torsion/flex in the controller to lift the controller pin off the contact of the harness while it was stuck inside the controller. That cuts the control or power and shuts the bike down. When the controller is on the bike, the lower pin and plus (+) button are opposite one another both vertically and horizontally so it's kind of like a see-saw when sitting on the harness.

My solution for the pin? I removed the lead from a mechanical pencil thinking that the barrel is small enough to not go over the pin and the rim would balance/seat the barrel right on top of it. So I used that to work the pin up and down in the controller being ever so careful to not push the top of the pin lower than the housing of the controller. The pin was very sluggish at first but then eventually started moving almost as freely as the other ones after 10 or 15 times. I did the same with the other 'half-way down' pin and it seem to completely free itself.

One extra step I did with the 'problem' pin was use a can of compressed air while holding the pin down. That seem to do the trick and it was just as 'springy' as the others.

Since doing this I have not had a shut down since - about 10 rides now. I hope this helps. Ravi, your input would be appreciated.

Hello Eric H.-

I have the BH Evo Jet and I also had power shutdowns exactly as you have described above, only after riding 50 miles in from brand new. I was fortunate to speak to the BH tech at the Ebike Expo and he mentioned to rotate the controller in a horizontal position, or keep an eye on the spring loaded pins.
(I was unable to move the controller very much in the horizontal position due to the shifters being obstructed).
I would get power downs along with codes 13 and 03 which are Comm errors and TMM4 sensor errors. This would happen when switching between PAS levels on a frequent basis using (+) and (-).
My first adjustment was on the harness. The two controller screws reaching them underneath. The platform of the controller may not be flush causing a bad connection on the spring loaded pins. I found that they needed to be tightened down a bit. I have also worked the pins gently making sure the springs remain at the same level. This has resolved my issue thus far. No more power downs or Comm error codes. I also no longer switch PAS levels as frequently as before to ensure no more uneven connection points on the controller. After that being said, I make sure the pins are always in the 'up' position and protruding out across like the others.
I recently had another issue I was able to resolve. When I would stop pedaling, the motor would start shutting on and off in short spurts, causing the bike to lunge forward. I pulled over and powered the system down, and inspected the TMM4 torque sensor. I found there was a buildup of black dust on it. I went ahead and wiped it down with a soft cloth and powered the bike back up and that also resolved the issue. (Not sure if it was the power down or the cleaning of the sensor though). All of the posts has helped immensely with diagnosing the little quirks, but overall, I have had great uninterrupted rides during this season.

BTW-The dealer you mentioned above is the place of choice for me as well!