HELP - Specialized Vado/Como Battery motherboard replacement.

[Jeffr]

I have a low use Vado 5.0 , less than 1000 miles. Yesterday I went to charge it and a staple (the kind you use on paper) had become attached to the magnetic socket of the Rosenberger connector, and when I plugged it in there was a spark; then Battery would not take a charge. Battery turns on (3 lights of charge, 52% remaining), bike and display operate normally. Although it has low miles, it is more than 2 yrs old and 2 LBS + Spec told me replacement is the only option. (Except, get this, THERE ARE NONE IN STOCK ANYWHERE!). Charger tests normal on another bike.

So, with nothing to lose, I opened the battery case, unclipped the connectors and tested the batteries with VOM. Forunately all the cells are in perfect shape, so the BMS (Battery Management System) board did its job. Unfortunately, it sacrificed itself to protect the battery and the bike.

Now I have a $5000 bike with a dead $1000 battery and no way to repair or replace. Specialized will not sell the motherboard only, and has no idea when more batteries will be in stock.

So here's where you all come in. Someone out there has a dead battery, or a motherboard, that you can't use and I need. I'll send you $100 USD for it. Please help!

 

[kayakdave]

Hi @Jeffr. I might be able to help with your battery issue. Send me a PM if you haven't already gotten it fixed.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Marcela]

I had an issue with a controller board one time for another different application. I had another to compare it to, and found one of the diodes had failed. So being real careful, I replaced it and all was well. Something to consider if you can look for some burned connections or check diodes, etc.

 

[kayakdave]

The problem Jeff has sounds like a blown micro fuse which can be carefully replaced as well.

 

[jbshowah]

Metal bottle opener on my keychain managed to short out the charging socket while unlocking my battery. Can the charging socket be replaced or do I have to buy a new battery? Battery turns on and shows charge but cannot be charged because of the short.

 

[Jeffr]

I went through the same thing. Specialized does not support with any parts or even a circuit schematic. Nobody will work on these things. The only solution is a new battery. I sold my bike for parts $800. I am done with Specialized,

 

[XS11]

I went through the same thing. Specialized does not support with any parts or even a circuit schematic. Nobody will work on these things. The only solution is a new battery. I sold my bike for parts $800. I am done with Specialized,

Agreed. My brother-in-law and my wife's bike both developed battery issues where the bike would stop working at around 30% remaining charge. Specialized pretty much said too bad, you will need to buy a new battery. They are both VADO bikes with the same battery but one year apart. Don't buy Specialized VADO bikes...

 

[JmNBoulder]

Dammit, the same thing just happened to me.... a staple.... so there is a micro fuse I should for first, @kayakdave?

 

[Allan47.7339]

I am just guessing but that looks like a surface mounted fuse 40A by the V mark. The person you asked hasn't been on here for over a year. Let us know how it goes.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Littelfuse/0456040.DRSD?qs=T8HDo%252BTk69W72BdZTGOO3Q%3D%3D

 

[JmNBoulder]

I am just guessing but that looks like a surface mounted fuse 40A by the V mark. The person you asked hasn't been on here for over a year. Let us know how it goes.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Littelfuse/0456040.DRSD?qs=T8HDo%252BTk69W72BdZTGOO3Q%3D%3D

I checked that one and there is continuity.
I’ll poke around some more.

 

[Marcela]

Man that's a lot of electronics. So much for the simple life.

 

[JedidiahStolzfus]

That board appears to be conformal coated. If it is, replacing parts is going to be more difficult than normal. Conformal coating, if you didn't know is a layer of polyeurthane sprayed on to protect it from water and debris. You pretty much have to melt through it to remove components. You can't wick solder through it either. It's great for protecting the board, but a bitch to rework.

 

[JmNBoulder]

That board appears to be conformal coated. If it is, replacing parts is going to be more difficult than normal. Conformal coating, if you didn't know is a layer of polyeurthane sprayed on to protect it from water and debris. You pretty much have to melt through it to remove components. You can't wick solder through it either. It's great for protecting the board, but a bitch to rework.

It is coated, but I can cut through it pretty easily. More like soft plastic.

 

[JedidiahStolzfus]

It is coated, but I can cut through it pretty easily. More like soft plastic.

If it's polyeurthane, I've seen that stuff catch fire and destroy entire boards. Be careful working with it.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I agree, don't buy stuff that go's bad within months of time and which proves to be unrepairable en costly.

Any Li-Ion battery will degrade over five years, especially if the e-bike has been ridden in high assistance modes.
I would not pin that to Specialized. Do you think if you bought a Bosch E-Bike, the battery would hold forever?
During the first two years of ownership of Vado, I bought two extra batteries when I had money to spare. I knew nothing lasts forever and I wanted to own batteries I could rotate for great longevity. Now, I have a backup for several years to come.

Fancy you buy an extremely expensive electric car. I wonder how the issue of degraded batteries is handled there.

 

[mschwett]

…

Fancy you buy an extremely expensive electric car. I wonder how the issue of degraded batteries is handled there.

EVs have pretty good battery warranties, actually, and their voltage management is super sophisticated compared to bikes, often not ever using the full capacity in order to preserve longevity!

porsche offers 8 years, 100,000 miles on the taycan (increased from 8/80,000 prior to ‘23) and is very clear what level of degradation is covered :

 

[Stefan Mikes]

80% of net battery capacity for 300 charging cycles or 2 years is what Specialized warranties. We cannot compare a car with over 7,000 cells to an e-bike battery.

 

[mschwett]

80% of net battery capacity for 300 charging cycles or 2 years is what Specialized warranties. We cannot compare a car with over 7,000 cells to an e-bike battery.

lol, you’re the one who asked the question

there’s really no reason e-bike manufacturers can’t do better. 2 years / 300 cycles is sad.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

there’s really no reason e-bike manufacturers can’t do better. 2 years / 300 cycles is sad.

My original "gray" Vado battery was made in 2017, activated in November 2019, and now it is October 2023 (almost 4 years). It has over 130 charges on it and is over 90% healthy. I do not know the history of Marco's Vado.

I might be lucky. Bought my Vado at 30% discount and all the parts except the cranks and the front brake were replaced either by Specialized excellent warranty or by my own choice, and the only part I really had to pay for (unfortunately) was the motor replaced 3 years after the e-bike purchase. I need to clearly say Specialized had not only converted my Vado 5.0 from BLOKS to TCD-w for free but the brand has also almost replaced the entire e-bike as the lifetime frame warranty: I actually got a Vado 6.0 for the cost of the new motor. Perhaps I am a lucky person.

 

[MarcoVado]

I now think it is also a matter of my expectations. I am from the generation that a bike lasts a lifetime. But this is not the case for ebikes. They last on average for five years, like other electronic equipment (wenn you are lucky). Which brand cares for environment and manufactures bikes that can be repaired?