I have a fat tire trike I built. It is supposed to be a 24"? I purchased a front wheel drive kit from amazon , and a 48 volt battery 1000watt. I installed two batteries. I figured that would increase my ride time. Well I was very disappointed the other day I went for a long ride for me. Both battery's lasted less then 10 miles. Is that to be expected? The terrain was mostly flat. I tried to use the power vey little, costed when possible. I never used the pedals.
I Need a long lasting battery?
- Thread starter vkray
- Start date
George S.
Well-Known Member
Fat tire bikes use more power
If you go fast, you use more power per mile, wh per mile
If you never pedal you use max battery
There are no 1000 watt batteries. There are 1000 watt controllers, and 1000 wh batteries
How fast do you go? How many amp hours are the batteries you have. How far do you need to go, allowing for bad conditions like wind? These are the questions to ask and answer.
If you go fast, you use more power per mile, wh per mile
If you never pedal you use max battery
There are no 1000 watt batteries. There are 1000 watt controllers, and 1000 wh batteries
How fast do you go? How many amp hours are the batteries you have. How far do you need to go, allowing for bad conditions like wind? These are the questions to ask and answer.
George S.
Well-Known Member
Do you have a link to the batteries? Just the general info like how high quality it might be, the amp hour rating. You could also link to the motor. Are these lithium batteries, or lead acid?
If you are going slow it's probably not a big deal to find a decent battery that will get you 25 miles. Need to figure out why the packs are only giving you 10 miles, or less.
It would be good to use the batteries you have, but maybe that is not very convenient.
If you are going slow it's probably not a big deal to find a decent battery that will get you 25 miles. Need to figure out why the packs are only giving you 10 miles, or less.
It would be good to use the batteries you have, but maybe that is not very convenient.
Yes they are both lithium one is called Unit Pack the other is Bafang?
What battery can I purchase that will give me more range, miles, hours of use?
I just need something that will not quit after just 10 miles!
I am also wanting to purchase a new front wheel motor kit?
Recommendations
please.
Thank you for reading.
What battery can I purchase that will give me more range, miles, hours of use?
I just need something that will not quit after just 10 miles!
I am also wanting to purchase a new front wheel motor kit?
Recommendations
please.
Thank you for reading.
George S.
Well-Known Member
Something is sort of messed up. If you have a 13ah pack, that's around 600 wh, and you are getting maybe 9 miles. So that's 65 wh per mile. I go 25 mph and use 25 wh. In other words, that one battery, at 15 mph, would normally be good for 20 miles, at slow speeds. The trike is a little less efficient, so it's just a guess. The battery pack could be messed up, but you have two and they are both known companies. Micah Toll, on his Ebike School website, recommends UPP batteries.
You might need to put a meter like this inline with the battery connection. It's the only way to know what amps you are drawing, and how many amp hour you are using. You can also figure the real capacity of the pack.
The problem with DIY is that you have to troubleshoot (eventually) which means having a couple of tools and knowing about the amps, watts, volts, etc. It's not rocket science, but it hard to know what is going on here. It seems like the motor is working very hard and not doing much.
You might need to put a meter like this inline with the battery connection. It's the only way to know what amps you are drawing, and how many amp hour you are using. You can also figure the real capacity of the pack.
The problem with DIY is that you have to troubleshoot (eventually) which means having a couple of tools and knowing about the amps, watts, volts, etc. It's not rocket science, but it hard to know what is going on here. It seems like the motor is working very hard and not doing much.
harryS
Well-Known Member
Which would be 650 potential watt hours, but let's derate it to 500 Wh because the bike shuts off the battery when there is about 20% power left left.
For 10 miles, that's 50WH/mile, which is 30 mph territory. The numbers don't work. I don't think a trike can burn that much power. What's was the outside temperature? Cold knocks down battery life. And if you know the miles, then you probably know the speed? ARe you running super soft air pressure in those fat tires?
By the way, I have that battery 48V15WH, but haven't even charged it up yet.
Last edited:
George S.
Well-Known Member
Possibilities:
1) could be two batteries that are weak, seems unlikely
2) could be a charger set to stop charging too soon, like 50v instead of 54v
3) could be a BMS that is shutting off at 46 volts instead of 42 volts (LVC)
4) if the motor is using a lot of amps, the motor would be hot
5) something could be rubbing, but it would be hot
A meter would tell you where the battery is ending up on the charger, and the voltage when the BMS shuts everything down. An amp meter and amp hour meter would tell you how long the battery is lasting, how many amp hours it is delivering. A basic $5 voltmeter would tell you the voltage at charge and discharge.
1) could be two batteries that are weak, seems unlikely
2) could be a charger set to stop charging too soon, like 50v instead of 54v
3) could be a BMS that is shutting off at 46 volts instead of 42 volts (LVC)
4) if the motor is using a lot of amps, the motor would be hot
5) something could be rubbing, but it would be hot
A meter would tell you where the battery is ending up on the charger, and the voltage when the BMS shuts everything down. An amp meter and amp hour meter would tell you how long the battery is lasting, how many amp hours it is delivering. A basic $5 voltmeter would tell you the voltage at charge and discharge.
Mike TowpathTraveler
Well-Known Member
Tire pressures at the sidewall rated pressure? I will assume there are axle nuts that hold the axles in place on the fork and frame. Are they too tight? Check by spinning the tire(s). You should get a decent amount of rotations out of the tire before they stop. Check the axle nuts or the skewers anyway to see how tight they are. I doubt this trike has premium thru-axles, so I won't go there.
Brakes. We'll assume these are either manual or hydraulic brakes. Are the pads rubbing on the rotors?
Take some pics of this trike and post here. Detailed pics, including the battery and whatever information tag is on the battery, usually placed on the bottom side of the battery; for folks here to better help you.
Brakes. We'll assume these are either manual or hydraulic brakes. Are the pads rubbing on the rotors?
Take some pics of this trike and post here. Detailed pics, including the battery and whatever information tag is on the battery, usually placed on the bottom side of the battery; for folks here to better help you.
rich c
Well-Known Member
If the motor is bad, it won't turn. Range is a result of weight, wind speed, acceleration rate, and battery quality. On an upright trike riding position, you have the aerodynamic characteristics of a brick.
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