Interceptor - No Power!

[Ron from BC]

Pedego Interceptor 18 months old. Display works fine and battery shows charged at the back however no power to the drive, no assist nor throttle.

I followed the power cable, covered in the protective coil, from the display and throttle to it's first connection by the steering tube and it was solid. The cable then goes into the frame and when it comes out and travels to the battery housing. I did wiggle the cable by the seat tube where it seems to have a spot to be seated and the power to the drive did come back to life.

Today my wife went out for a ride and a few miles laters she called saying the power was gone again and no jiggling was bringing it back.

It will be going into the shop however as it clearly is power cable related is considered part of the 'battery components' and as such covered by the 24 month warranty?

On the battery itself there's a further question as the display showed a full charge whereas the battery meter only shows 2 bars??

Thanks for any insight.

 

[6zfshdb]

I had a similar power failure problem with my Platinum Interceptor. In my case, the cause was dirty battery contacts inside the battery housing. Most of the time, the problem could be fixed by removing the battery and re-installing it. Sometimes, this had to be done 2 or 3 times. I fixed the problem with electrical contact spray cleaner on the battery and housing connections.

There are several things that can cause this issue however. A trip to the dealer or a call to Pedego tech support would be a good idea.

BTW, the number of bars on the battery meter rarely match those on the display. This is normal.

 

[Ron from BC]

Thanks for the tip, I sprayed the male and female contacts and voila power! The shop did confirm that Battery and it's components mean everything electrical when it comes to the 24 month warranty so I will drop it in for a once over.

 

[JohnT]

Have you had the heat shrink repair done? Some bikes have had issues from moisture getting inside the LCD or throttle connectors. Sometimes, this will manifest in the manner you describe. Any dealer can do this quickly and at no charge.

My first check, when there’s LCD power but no motor power, is usually the brake cutoff. Sometimes, when a bike falls, it can bend the brake lever enough that it doesn’t move freely. It gets stuck in a slightly pulled position, which tells the bike to cut power to the motor. It’s pretty easy to bend it back.

If neither of these work, there might be a defect in the wiring. This is a bigger job.

I doubt it’s the battery contacts. It’s possible, but when they have an issue, you typically lose power to the display, too. Bending the contacts back into position is a pretty easy repair, but I suggest having it done by a dealer if that’s not too much trouble.

 

[Ron from BC]

I think you nailed it with the observation that the display IS on just now throttle not pedal assist.

I just got back from the shop and the tech did say the connections on the battery did need to be bent for more secure connection.

he asked to see if that fixes the problem and if not schedule a service as it may well be the controller in the front of the battery housing.

More to follow after road tests.....thanks

 

[Ron from BC]

Bike repaired. The tech said that if the display was left on long enough after this problem presented itself the error code E10 would become visible which is the wiring harness.

He replaced the harness and it's back to normal. Covered under warranty - Battery and all of it's components......basically all electrics on the bike.

 

[6zfshdb]

Thanks for posting the "fix".

It would be interesting to know exactly where the problem was in the wiring harness. I have had issues with water getting into the throttle and display mini connectors on my Platinum Interceptor. I carry my bikes in an open pickup where these connectors are exposed to road spray. Occasionally, the problem will show up after riding in heavy rain. The problem is usually cured by separating the connectors and blowing them out with a heat gun or hair drier. Pedego sent me the O ring and heat shrink kits to prevent this problem but they must be cut off every time the connectors need to be separated for handlebar work.

Instead of using these "permanent" shrink kits, I bought split wire loom tubing:

Amazon.com: 30FT Polypropylene Split Wire Loom Tubing Computer Cable Management Wire Cover Electrical Cord Hider Hose Protector Prevent Chewing Tube ((3/4" (17mm))): Home Improvement

Amazon.com: 30FT Polypropylene Split Wire Loom Tubing Computer Cable Management Wire Cover Electrical Cord Hider Hose Protector Prevent Chewing Tube ((3/4" (17mm))): Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

The cut lengths are held in place by zip ties and are easily removable. The tubing isn't immersion proof but it keeps rain and road spray from getting into the connectors. I've had no problems since I began using this idea a year ago.

 

[Ron from BC]

That was the exact thing I asked the tech, "where was the kink in the line that was causing the short". Unfortunately bike techs are like automotive 'mechanics' these days whereas they dont fix the problem part they just remove and replace with a new part. To be clear, the young tech was excellent, taking time to come out and answer questions I had, it's just this universal remove replace sticks in my craw not to mention the craw of the bulging landfills on the planet.

On a side note, my ebike has hydraulic disc brakes as opposed to the Interceptor's cable actuated disc......I personally don't care for the cable disc brake.

 

[6zfshdb]

That was the exact thing I asked the tech, "where was the kink in the line that was causing the short". Unfortunately bike techs are like automotive 'mechanics' these days whereas they dont fix the problem part they just remove and replace with a new part. To be clear, the young tech was excellent, taking time to come out and answer questions I had, it's just this universal remove replace sticks in my craw not to mention the craw of the bulging landfills on the planet.

On a side note, my ebike has hydraulic disc brakes as opposed to the Interceptor's cable actuated disc......I personally don't care for the cable disc brake.

Pedego's Platinum Interceptor is factory equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. It's the less expensive Interceptor (not the Platinum model) that has cable disc brakes.

I agree, hydraulic disc brakes have a more positive feel without the "spongy" effect caused by cable stretch . It's the main reason I chose the Platinum Interceptor.