How do I setup my KT display settings?

[PCeBiker]

Does anyone know how to decipher the C4 settings?

These are the instructions,..

^^^ I don't understand what this is saying.

 

[harryS]

P1 and P2 are motor specific. You use what's in the users manual,
.
C4 can be set to 4 for throttle always ON, but I like it off unless PAS is enabled.
C5 is 10 for max current, but can be set for lower values. Sometimes useful if your bike runs faster than your partners.
C14 sets pedal assist level 1-mild, 3-strongest
.
Nothing else matters to me.

 

[PCeBiker]

P1 and P2 are motor specific. You use what's in the users manual,

Unfortunately my motor is an unlabeled Das-Kit motor and I don't know how many magnets it has or the gear ratio.
Apparently MXUS makes the motors for Das-Kit, and I found a couple of MXUS fat bike geared hub motors, and they both had a 5:1 gear ratio and 8 magnets, so I entered 40 for P1.

P2 is the number of speed pulses per revolution, and I just guessed at that.
6 seems too many, and the wheel appears to be spinning slower than the actual speed.

I've only had the wheel in the air, and the speedometer is off.
I need to figure out how to use GPS on my phone to get an accurate reading of my speed to calibrate my Display.
(I have to download an app or something I guess?)

.
C4 can be set to 4 for throttle always ON, but I like it off unless PAS is enabled.

I didn't hook up my PAS sensor, so I am strictly throttle.
It appears that I can use Throttle modes like PAS modes and my throttle has 5 speed settings.

C5 is 10 for max current, but can be set for lower values. Sometimes useful if your bike runs faster than your partners.

I cut my Controller power in half in an effort to maximize my range.
It's a 25 amp controller that's set to a maximum of 12.5 amps now.
I'm going to see what that's like, but I may be able to set it to 10 and use my throttle gears to limit power?
I can then turn my throttle gear to 5 when I want full power and keep in mind that I've only got about 20 seconds of full power before I start to overheat my motor, controller, wires, connectors, and maybe even my battery.

It looks like I can adjust the power in C4 between 20% and 60%, but I don't know if that applies to all the 5 throttle gears, and I don't know if that's 20%-60% of the maximum current that I have cut in half, so maybe 10%-30%?
Or if the current is limited to the first 4 throttle gears and 5th gear is maximum?

C14 sets pedal assist level 1-mild, 3-strongest

I don't have my PAS sensor/cadence sensor hooked up so that probably doesn't apply to me.

.
Nothing else matters to me.

I don't like PAS or sensors or computerized ebikes.
If I had my way, my ebike would be nothing more than a battery, a motor, and a big rhehostat controlled by a regular motorcycle throttle.

 

[PCeBiker]

I must have read this 3 dozen times, and I have no idea what the hell they're talking about.


" (UP) button or (DOWN) button for short to make selection, and the default value is 20. When C4 = 4 is confirmed, the "percentage value of the first gear speed accounts for its full speed" of the power assist gear flashes, press (UP) button or (DOWN) button for short to make selection, and the default value is 50%. The percentage values of other gears divide automatically in equal. "

Maybe @AHicks can translate that into English for me.
He may speak Chinesium?

 

[AHicks]

Perhaps if you had ridden a KT equipped bike that's been set up properly, with NO shortcuts (successful or attempted), you might change your mind?
"I don't like PAS or sensors or computerized ebikes.
If I had my way, my ebike would be nothing more than a battery, a motor, and a big rhehostat controlled by a regular motorcycle throttle."

I think your understanding of a lot of this will be MUCH clearer once you are able to actually ride the bike and try some of the setting. That's how I learned it.

In your red circle, when set at 4, the bike throttle functions like a motorcycle throttle (not limited by PAS setting). Then they complicate this with a second option while you're here, to cut wide open throttle to a percentage. That's a new feature that's only on the LCD8. I've never messed with that, as it would make little sense for my purposes, though it might be tempting if I were setting a bike up for a youngin that I thought might need a little reigning in.....

 

[PCeBiker]

.., though it might be tempting if I were setting a bike up for a youngin that I thought might need a little reigning in.....

That's kinda what I want to do.
I want to turn my bikes power down to as little as possible to get my maximum range.

If I can use throttle speeds 1-4 and not have to worry about overheating or over-amping anything, then I can just ride full throttle if I want?

Then, if I wanna give er poop, I can hit 5th gear and get the full 25 amps to my motor and that's when I have to pay attention to how long I run it full throttle.


Oh, by the way,..
I went back to that forest trail and I could easily travel along slowly without power surging.
I need to go at least 7 kph to set the cruise and that worked well.
(Although I don't know exactly how fast I was going, but I was slow enough that it was difficult to not fall over. I was almost stalled and locked in with cruise control. )

 

[PCeBiker]

I think your understanding of a lot of this will be MUCH clearer once you are able to actually ride the bike and try some of the setting. That's how I learned it.

Yeah, that's what I have started doing.
I kept stopping in the forest and adjusting the display to see what happens.
I've only riden it once since I installed my KT controller/display.

I'll start with getting my speedometer correct.
I have to download a GPS app or something, then try to figure that out.

 

[AHicks]

Yeah, that's what I have started doing.
I kept stopping in the forest and adjusting the display to see what happens.
I've only riden it once since I installed my KT controller/display.

I'll start with getting my speedometer correct.
I have to download a GPS app or something, then try to figure that out.

Nice thing about riding with a partner. You can sort of pace him to get an idea of where you are at. I don't need or care about anything too exact. Close is good enough here... -Al

 

[m@Robertson]

That KT manual you are using is old. I can tell because the C5 settings list the slow-start modes as undefined. C5=0 is hugely helpful as it is full power and slow-start with the gentlest curve. Very handy if you have a powerful motor/controller combo.

Here is a copy of the most recent LCD-8H manual I know of, which is newer than yours.

KT-LCD8H-1-0.pdf

drive.google.com

And here is an LCD3 manual that is NOT a horrid translation. This was done by a native English speaker for an Australian company. Much clearer explanations of everything, and the LCD3 has the same settings as the LCD8H with the exception of the C4=2 percentage bit, and the low voltage stuff at the end. So for the most part you can use the Dillinger manual to give you better explanations to the same settings.

KT-LCD3-Dillenger.pdf

drive.google.com

 

[PCeBiker]

Nice thing about riding with a partner. You can sort of pace him to get an idea of where you are at. I don't need or care about anything too exact. Close is good enough here... -Al

I do want to know when I'm going 32 kph.
My brother-in-law was talking to a cop that has handed out a bunch of $5,000 fines.
The moment I go over 32 kph, I am an unlicensed, uninsured motorcycle.

 

[PCeBiker]

That KT manual you are using is old. I can tell because the C5 settings list the slow-start modes as undefined. C5=0 is hugely helpful as it is full power and slow-start with the gentlest curve. Very handy if you have a powerful motor/controller combo.

Here is a copy of the most recent LCD-8H manual I know of, which is newer than yours.

KT-LCD8H-1-0.pdf

drive.google.com

And here is an LCD3 manual that is NOT a horrid translation. This was done by a native English speaker for an Australian company. Much clearer explanations of everything, and the LCD3 has the same settings as the LCD8H with the exception of the C4=2 percentage bit, and the low voltage stuff at the end. So for the most part you can use the Dillinger manual to give you better explanations to the same settings.

KT-LCD3-Dillenger.pdf

drive.google.com

Thanks @m@Robertson.
I've been using both manuals trying to compare between them.
Your LCD-8H manual version appears to be what I have, but I wasn't sure if my LCD-8H display was different than the LCD3 display.

I have my C5 set to 3 to cut my power in half to try and improve my MPG, but I think that I can set it to 10 then set my C4 to 4 and manually adjust the power for each Throttle Gear?

I think that would be similar to slow speed start? I can set first gear to 20%, second gear to 30%, and up to 100% for 5th gear?

That would be cool!!
I can have a slow speed start with an adjustable power curve as I run through the gears.

My original Das-Kit Controller was a 22 amp controller for the US market, while the same motor and controller is used in Canada but the controller is limited to 18 amps.
The European market has the controller limited to 15 amps.

I should be fine running 25 amps to my motor, so I shouldn't have to turn down my maximum power, but I'll have to keep the "20 second rule" in mind when I'm in 5th gear at 100% power.

 

[harryS]

P2 = 1 for almost all hub motors that have internal sensors., or for external speed sensor on wheel.
P2 = 6 for most Bafang motors
.
Adjust P1 up or down if indicated speed is wrong, Or adjust it so that no load speed (wheel in air) maxes out.

 

[PCeBiker]

P2 = 1 for almost all hub motors that have internal sensors., or for external speed sensor on wheel.
P2 = 6 for most Bafang motors
.
Adjust P1 up or down if indicated speed is wrong, Or adjust it so that no load speed (wheel in air) maxes out.

Thanks harry.
I guess I'll start with trying to figure out GPS on my phone.
It would be nice to have throttle gear #4 adjusted to 32 kph max.
I think that I might be able to do that.

All the lower gears are for more range, and fifth gear is for running from the cops

 

[PCeBiker]

I guess I'll start with trying to figure out GPS on my phone.

Well, that was easy,..

A simple speedometer app downloaded to my phone.

And I don't have to mount my phone to my handlebars because it records maximum speed, so I can keep it in my pocket and just pull over to check it and reset it while I adjust my display settings.

I might go for a ride today. It's supposed to be sunny and warm without too much wind to mess up my readings.

 

[6zfshdb]

I've only had the wheel in the air, and the speedometer is off.
I need to figure out how to use GPS on my phone to get an accurate reading of my speed to calibrate my Display.
(I have to download an app or something I guess?)

Be careful using GPS to calibrate speed and distance. The accuracy can vary quite a bit depending on satellite signal strength. It can be affected by terrain, buildings, foliage and cloud cover. The most accurate way is to measure the rolling wheel circumference and use a measured course.

 

[PCeBiker]

I went out for a ride and figured out a few things.
My speedometer appeared to be dead on with P1 set at 40 and P2 set at 6, but my bike would only go 28.8 kph then I could feel the power cut in and out to keep the speed there.
When I set P2 to 1 the same thing happened but the speed was reading triple or quadruple but I could feel the power cutting in and out at the same speed.

I didn't play with P1 to see if that affected my actual top speed.

I messed up my button pushing and rubbed out my trip meter but my speedometer app saved the data.

I've gotta play with my battery graph algorithm settings, because apparently my battery is dead at 47 volts, but my battery was still reading 2 of 4 bars.

I did raise my low voltage cuttoff to 41.5 volts but I don't think that should matter?

Then I realized that I was riding with a tail wind so I decided to head back.

I was about ½ mile from home when I got into mushy ground, and I guess my voltage took a dump and my battery cut out and the bar graph started to flash.
My voltage was about 43 but I couldn't snap a picture while I was moving.

This is a ½ minute later after my voltage recovered and my battery turned back on.

But as soon as I hit the throttle it cut out again and the flashing continued.
After a while the flashing stopped and I had power again, so I just lightly touched the throttle and managed to set my cruise at 8.3 kph and snap a picture.

As soon as I went over about 100 Watts, the flashing started again, lasted longer then the power came back.

This was my display after I got home and my battery had a few minutes to recover.

I had a fun ride. No peddling and no hands for ⅓ of the trip.
It was warm and sunny with about a 10 mph wind.
I spent more time enjoying the ride than playing with the settings.

 

[PCeBiker]

Be careful using GPS to calibrate speed and distance. The accuracy can vary quite a bit depending on satellite signal strength. It can be affected by terrain, buildings, foliage and cloud cover. The most accurate way is to measure the rolling wheel circumference and use a measured course.

I'm pretty sure it was accurate.
The land around here is almost perfectly flat with almost no buildings or even trees (it's all farm land) and it was a bright sunny day.

I'm actually OK with going 28.8 kph.
I'm using less power, the ride is more comfortable, and I don't have to worry about getting stopped by the cops.

I'll probably play with the parameters just to figure them out, but I'm thinking maybe the controller/display is limited to 32 kph?

Changing the wheel size might affect top speed?

I forgot to take a picture of the settings screen but the top speed was set at 72 kph, but it wouldn't even try to go that fast. It's not it ran out of power, it just stopped st 28.8 kph.
I dunno?

 

[PCeBiker]

I let the battery sit a while longer and got this voltage reading,..

Then I removed my battery from the bike and checked the voltage with my voltmeter,..

So a bit of a discrepancy but not toooo significant.

I plugged in the battery and got this, and still one bar on the battery,..

I charged for almost 3 hours when the fourth battery segment went solid at ~76% charge and 15 minutes later the battery was at 80% charge (51.5v), so I unplugged it.

The voltage settled in at 50.9v a few minutes later and I put it back in the bike and got this,..

I'm going to lower my low voltage cut-off point from 41.5v to the default 40.0v because the controller cut out way too early.
I'll change the battery bar graph calibration to try to get it reading more accurately.

 

[AguassissiM]

These were my settings last summer and if I remember correctly they worked well for my riding style

 

[AHicks]

These were my settings last summer and if I remember correctly they worked well for my riding style

That's what needs to be kept in mind - riding style! The beauty of some of these settings is they let the controller be set up for a wide variety of riders.

The only way you're going to know what your riding style is, is to ride the bike.

I would suggest anyone starting out find a set of settings that will let you do that (ride), then start riding the bike. Not for 15 minutes, but maybe a couple of outings. Enjoy the ride, and pay attention to what the bike is doing, especially under changing conditions. THEN make 1 change and ride it again, long/far enough to accurately judge that change (better? worse? no difference?).

Avoid the knee jerk reactions. They generally are hard to keep track of, and very often, you loose track of what's been changed which can really screw you (and the controller) up. That means a total reset - and you get to start all over again......