Maybe a dumb question but...

[PCeBiker]

I just opened up my Das-Kit charger and turned it down to 53.0 Volts.
That's as far as I could turn it down.
I could turn it up to 56.4 Volts maximum.

I'm pretty sure that the charger will Never put out more than 53.0 Volts now, even if it fails (like the fan dies and it overheats), unless the trim pot is turned.

It is UL listed which to me means that it will fail safely (at 53.0 V) and just shut off.

 

[PCeBiker]

I am reminded of the guy who invented the zip tie throttle. He locked the throttle to always full power and would regulate it with the brake cutouts. He thought it was brilliant. Then we never heard from him again.

I do something similar and I use it all the time.

I loosened up the throttle housing a bit so I can rotate the housing until it hits the shifter lever to set any speed.
That's how I ride no hands without pedaling.
I rode 65 km today and I was no hands with the throttle locked for half the ride.
My motorcycle had a throttle lock too.
You just need to get used to it.

 

[PCeBiker]

For me, I've been using the HLGs for years and they have a perfect record. The ELG might be good enough but the HLG ain't broke.

I have no immediate plans to buy a MeanWell Driver just yet. I do have three chargers and the Power Supply, but if and when the Power Supply craps out on me I'll get the HLG 185.

It's got more power at 3.45 amps, and I can turn it down to about 2.5 amps to not stress it and get it as hot.

It's about the same price as my Power Supply but it's a MeanWell.

I could probably mount it under my bottom bracket where it could double as a skid plate.

 

[m@Robertson]

Dang you are getting hosed being up north of the border. A 185 here is about 2/3 the cost of a Wanptek.

My daughter has similar issues living in Belgium. Electronics of all sorts are astronomically expensive compared to here in the States. 'electronics' includes countertop and handheld kitchen appliances, oddly. She has a lot of USA-version stuff with power adapters and has saved a small fortune that way.

 

[PedalUma]

I asked him if duct tape would be less Hee Haw than a zip tie. And, I mentioned the Darwin Awards.

 

[PCeBiker]

Duct tape comes in a vast assortment of different colors,..

I think I see Toyota Blue in the stack??

 

[PCeBiker]

Dang you are getting hosed being up north of the border. A 185 here is about 2/3 the cost of a Wanptek.

I smoked a Vado and ended up surfing through the Digikey website for 5+ hours.

There's over 2,700 MeanWell LED drivers to sort through.

But I did find the MeanWell Driver that I want to get,..

It's got the perfect amperage output range for me,..

I didn't compare all the specs, but the HLG-240H-54A costs more.

I figure the only real difference is that the pots are on the bottom but I don't care about that.
It's still a MeanWell.

AND!! I found an even Better version.
(must be cuz it costs more. )

I also found these 320 Watt versions, but the ELG series doesn't come in a version over 240 Watts,..

And the even better version,..

I also found a normal 48 Volt lithium battery charger, but it's a MeanWell !!

You might need a different connector plug or an adapter though.
It doesn't come with a common barrel plug.

 

[PedalUma]

A hardware store close to a dollar store sells a UL certified bag of zip ties for $6.50. The non-certified ones at the dollar store a $1.25 for the same dimensions and size package.

 

[PCeBiker]

I couldn't find extra long zip ties at the dollar or hardware stores, so I bought mine on AliExpress.

I hate joining zip ties together.
Too many damn nubs.

It's a good thing my e-bike isn't Toyota Blue.
I don't think they make Blue zip ties.

 

[PCeBiker]

I got the super heavy duty 32" zip ties at the dollar store.

I used them to install my controller.

One of the straps snapped after a few months.
It's supposed to be good for 80 kg.
I may have overtightened it, but it didn't break when I installed it.

I don't think all "nylon zip ties" are equal.
If I could find OEM zip ties for the automotive industry, I'm sure it wouldn't fail.
I've got OEM installed zip ties on my car. They get hot AF and vibrate like crazy. They lasted more than 20 years.

 

[PedalUma]

Toyota Blue

I have a drawer full of different colors of nail polish to touch up bikes. Sometimes I will mix up to five colors to match paint. I have been know to paint zip ties if I can't go through frame.

 

[PCeBiker]

I tried to buy touch up paint for my car but I couldn't find the exact color.
I unbolted my gas cap cover from my car and brought it into the store with me to eye it up with the spray bomb lids.
I bought at least 3 cans of paint.
They all looked right in the store but not on my car.

I finally took the gas cap cover into Dollarama and found red nail polish that was an exact match.
It was good for a half a year or so then faded and you could see it.
I neglected to clear coat it.

Then I figured out that Napa can mix up paint in a spray bomb based on your color code.

Then I went ahead and painted the rear wind deflector on my car,..
Clear coat and everything.
A month later,..

I don't care if it's ugly, and when I do care, and do something about it, I make it uglier.

I'm thinking of taking 2 dozen of my extra long zip ties, and joining them all together to make a single 300 mm zip tie.
It'll be all ugly and nubby and I'll call it art and strap it to my wrist.

 

[PCeBiker]

I've been using White-Out lately to mark stuff,..

It's more removable and dries faster.
(and it's from the Dollar Store. )

 

[PedalUma]

to mark stuff

I use white nail polish on the black arrows on connectors before I take stuff apart. It is so dumb to put black markings on black stuff. I also use a yellow ink-pen.
Oh, it took me hours to get on a solid scooter tire today. I had to microwave it and lube the hub. Then it took three sets of six differently long screws with four spacers. First I got the long screws in. Then ones spacer each. Then progressively more spacers each for each round, up to four. Then medium screws and finally the standard screws. You can't remove the wheel without removing and redoing the brakes.
Oh, if the zip tie throttle guy purchased a Tesla truck he wouldn't need a zip tie.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I tried to buy touch up paint for my car but I couldn't find the exact color.
I unbolted my gas cap cover from my car and brought it into the store with me to eye it up with the spray bomb lids.
I bought at least 3 cans of paint.
They all looked right in the store but not on my car.

I finally took the gas cap cover into Dollarama and found red nail polish that was an exact match.
It was good for a half a year or so then faded and you could see it.
I neglected to clear coat it.

Then I figured out that Napa can mix up paint in a spray bomb based on your color code.

View attachment 174340

Then I went ahead and painted the rear wind deflector on my car,..
Clear coat and everything.
A month later,..

View attachment 174341

I don't care if it's ugly, and when I do care, and do something about it, I make it uglier.

I'm thinking of taking 2 dozen of my extra long zip ties, and joining them all together to make a single 300 mm zip tie.
It'll be all ugly and nubby and I'll call it art and strap it to my wrist.

One of my first jobs was as an electricians helper at Precision Valve... the inventor/original maker of the Preval Sprayer.... that was many vado ago.

 

[PCeBiker]

I use white nail polish on the black arrows on connectors before I take stuff apart. It is so dumb to put black markings on black stuff. I also use a yellow ink-pen.

I can easily mark a white ebike with a Black Permanent Magic Marker, but why the hell can't I mark a black ebike with a White Permanant Magic Marker ??

Why can't I buy a White Magic Marker?

Paint and nail polish are not the same, they are watery and run and apply in a sloppy way.
Grease pencils are gooey and smudge.

I did try gold and silver gell markers from U NO Where with limited success. It flaked off.

Is it simply not possible to make a white colored magic marker that works in the the exact same way as a black magic marker?

Is there some weird physics involved?
Light refraction or something?

I bin smokin the Vado.

 

[PCeBiker]

Oh, if the zip tie throttle guy purchased a Tesla truck he wouldn't need a zip tie.

I Always keep at least one spare zip tie on my ebike.
I never know when my throttle might try to get away from me, and I need to tie it down.

 

[PCeBiker]

One of my first jobs was as an electricians helper at Precision Valve... the inventor/original maker of the Preval Sprayer.... that was many vado ago.

That's Fricken cool, and so was my Preval Sprayer !!

I did manage to spray my car with pretty good results,..

I remember that I forgot that I wasn't supposed tilt the sprayer too far sideways.
I turned the sprayer upside-down to spray up, and paint spilled out the breather hole and my hand was covered in red paint.

 

[PCeBiker]

Oh, it took me hours to get on a solid scooter tire today. I had to microwave it and lube the hub.

I did much the same thing with my wheel bearings.

I didn't want to take my steering knuckles to the machine shop to have the old bearing pressed out and the new bearing pressed in, so I pounded the old bearing out with a sledge hammer.
Then I put my new bearing in the freezer and the steering knuckle in the oven.

The cold bearing just fell right into the hot knuckle.

Then I put the knuckle with the new bearing back in the oven, and the spindle in the freezer,..

Then the spindle just slid right into the knuckle,..

I still use the roasting pan.

Mostly for chicken and pork now.
No more car parts.
I don't drive anymore.
Maybe I'll cook some e-bike parts.

 

[PCeBiker]

One of my first jobs was as an electricians helper at Precision Valve... the inventor/original maker of the Preval Sprayer.... that was many vado ago.

I remember inventing my own sprayer by drilling a hole in the bottom of a spray can like WD-40 then I soldered a metal bicycle tube stem into the hole.
I was going to put some oil in the can then pump it up with my tire pump.

I don't remember if it worked because I don't remember ever spraying anything with it?

And speaking of sprayer nozzles, these spray bomb nozzles are the bomb.

The paint sprays out in a fan pattern as shown on the square red dial,..

You can change the spray fan orientation by rotating the tiny red dial,..
You can spray a fan left or right or up and down or anything in between.


And for anyone that doesn't know,..
The black dot on the spray can crimp is showing you where the hose in the can is touching the bottom.

Nozzle pointing towards the dot, you tip the can forward.
Away from the dot you tip the can backwards.