Need help rebuilding bike

[josephny]

I have a Volt bike that worked great until the battery died.

Then I had the not-so-brialliant-idea of putting a new battery in its place by just wiring it in (i.e., one that did not fit on the original battery mount and did not have matching wiring connectors).

Anyway, can someone please advise a new controller, display, remote, battery and (probably necessary) wiring that will be compatible with the motor on this bike?
It doesn't have to look all pretty -- it just needs to work.

As you can tell, I have very limited experience with ebikes (but pretty handy, and a reasonably fast learner).

 

[harryS]

If you had troubles connecting two wires from a battery, you should think a bit about rewiring the entire bike system. Did you hook it up with the wires reversed?

This appears to be an exact replacement for your Lishui controller. although it's expensive at $130 for a controller. Shouldn't have to rewire anything, The higher price may justify that. Normally, you can get the entire bike electronics for that price.

 

[josephny]

If you had troubles connecting two wires from a battery, you should think a bit about rewiring the entire bike system. Did you hook it up with the wires reversed?

This appears to be an exact replacement for your Lishui controller. although it's expensive at $130 for a controller. Shouldn't have to rewire anything, The higher price may justify that. Normally, you can get the entire bike electronics for that price.

You're assumption is reasonable, but I really am more capable that what it sounds like.

Problem is I need a new battery also.

What would you recommend if we assume the controller and battery need to be replaced?

 

[harryS]

Your bike looks like it fits a SIlverfish battery, Sometimes the sellers will reverse the position of positive/negative on the bottom connector,and this is something some usres forget to check. You can get these batteries anywhere.

I bought my last Silverfish from Unit Pack Power,which by the way has had their triangle packs banned in the US and UK for starting fires. In my opinion, most chinese batteries should be suspect, but I still think UPP is better than most. If I had to get another silverfish, I would buy these because they do use premium cells,

S004-2 48V 17.5Ah BMS30A Silverfish Bicycle lithium battery Samsung/Sanyo/LG/Chinese 3500mAh Cells for 0-1000w motor with 2A charger/Ship from China

This Item Can ship to most country. can be customized.

www.uppbattery.com

Why do you think the battery or controller are destroyed? Is there no voltage at the battery any more? Is it perhaps better to consider buying a new bike?

 

[josephny]

Your bike looks like it fits a SIlverfish battery, Sometimes the sellers will reverse the position of positive/negative on the bottom connector,and this is something some usres forget to check. You can get these batteries anywhere.

I bought my last Silverfish from Unit Pack Power,which by the way has had their triangle packs banned in the US and UK for starting fires. In my opinion, most chinese batteries should be suspect, but I still think UPP is better than most. If I had to get another silverfish, I would buy these because they do use premium cells,

S004-2 48V 17.5Ah BMS30A Silverfish Bicycle lithium battery Samsung/Sanyo/LG/Chinese 3500mAh Cells for 0-1000w motor with 2A charger/Ship from China

This Item Can ship to most country. can be customized.

www.uppbattery.com

Why do you think the battery or controller are destroyed? Is there no voltage at the battery any more? Is it perhaps better to consider buying a new bike?

I physically destroyed the battery, so I need a new one, with bracket and (quick?) connector if that's the way I'm wind up going. But, I'm not set on that.

I just want to get the bike running again as simply as possible. I can find/make/fabricate clamps for the controller and/or battery, and I don't mind replacing everything (except the rear wheel with motor, as that is beyond my capability).

 

[josephny]

I am so stuck. I can't figure out a controller, display, remote (if necessary), and battery combination to purchase that will be compatible with my motor.

 

[Tom@WashDC]

I am so stuck. I can't figure out a controller, display, remote (if necessary), and battery combination to purchase that will be compatible with my motor.

Get a KT Controller and Display with the HIGO connectors. It is bascially "Plug n' Play", with 5 minutes setting up the display programming. They will work seamlessly with the battery and or Bafang Motor, and it has numerous programmable features.

KT Display
Controller (KT Controllers will have a serial number that starts with "KT")

 

[harryS]

It seems to me that the bike was built for a silverfish pack, Buy a 48V one. Then get a controller that fits in the ready made compartment you already have under the battery, The KT 20A sinewave models should fit. You'll need a display. The KT LCD3 display can be read in bright sunlight. Shows ambient temperature, volts, watts, but there are color models too,

You can rewire your pedal sensor, throttle, and brakes to fit, but you could also buy them from the controller vendor for not much more money, If you go for the IT4 waterproof cable option, as Tom suggests above, with the new sensors/throttle, the wiring is cleaned up,.

Used to have a bike similar to the Voltbike. Controller response was poor, so I replaced it. The original battery died after two years so I replaced that too,

 

[indianajo]

Get a KT Controller and Display with the HIGO connectors. It is bascially "Plug n' Play", with 5 minutes setting up the display programming. They will work seamlessly with the battery and or Bafang Motor, and it has numerous programmable features.

Ha ha ha ha ha!. There are 2 sizes and 2 sexes of higo connector to the motor. When I bought a small higo adapter to bullet connectors for phases and the white rectangular connector for hall effect sensors, I had to wait for 2 order cycles from China. The first adapter cable I bought was the wrong sex. The motor I just installed, the round connector says Julet, not higo. Every motor or controller I buy requires different order of phase wires and sensor wires to work properly. Matching colors does not work anymore. Try swapping wire order on a higo connector! I have one motor with the bigger higo connector. I cannot use it because nothing on internet matches up.

 

[josephny]

Thank you guys very much!

Do I understand correctly that I can get a KT-LCD3 display/remote and a KT-22A controller and I would be able to use the existing wiring?

And just mount and wire in a battery like this:

Amazon.com

 

[PCeBiker]

I've got a Voltbike with a Bafang hub drive, and I'm 98% sure that a KT controller and display will plug right in to your 2018 Bafang hub motor.

I installed one on a different ebike and it wasn't too hard.
I ran into a problem with the motor cable connector on my DAS-KIT motor, but your Bafang motor should be standard.

 

[PCeBiker]

,.. Every motor or controller I buy requires different order of phase wires and sensor wires to work properly. Matching colors does not work anymore.

One thing that I'm almost positive about is that the wire color of any phase wire is paired with the same color hall sensor wire.

So if you swap a phase wire to try to change the firing order, both the phase wire and hall sensor wires must be swapped.

If the phase wires are blue, yellow, and green, then there will only be a single blue, yellow, and green hall sensor wire. (the hall sensor wires are smaller)

And when you're testing the motor to see if the wires are correct, DO NOT GIVE IT FULL THROTTLE...

That's how you burn out your hall sensors.

When I had my firing order wrong, my motor just kinda hummed and clunked and barely moved.

 

[Tom@WashDC]

Thank you guys very much!

Do I understand correctly that I can get a KT-LCD3 display/remote and a KT-22A controller and I would be able to use the existing wiring?

And just mount and wire in a battery like this:

Amazon.com

Actually, thinking about your PAS connection and motor connection, to make it easy, you should get the KT Controller with the JST connections. The batter will splice right into the controller.

KT Controller
KT Display with SM (white) connection

That will be compatable with your existing PAS/Cadence sensor and motor connection.

If it was me, I'd go with the HIGO connections as they are waterproof, but it would require a new Cadence sensor and you'd need to splice the HIGO Z910 connection to the motor.

 

[PCeBiker]

Ha ha ha ha ha!. There are 2 sizes and 2 sexes of higo connector to the motor.

The one size of Higo connector (I think the smaller one?) is compatible with a similarly pinned Julet connector.

My big motor cable connector was some Huge Julet connector that I couldn't find anywhere, so I cut the whole cable off my old controller and soldered it directly into my KT controller.

And I couldn't find brake cut-off switch connectors either.
They say Julet, but I had no luck finding them,..

And some other standard Julet connectors and there common colors,..

 

[harryS]

In josephny's case, I still suggest paying thru the nose for the original Lishui controller and I already recommeded a SIlverfish battery. All of this fits the original bike. Plug and play.

For myself, I'd be buying a KT controller. I prefer the 20A model with waterproof connectors since I know it fits in the same compartment. The 22A model may fit, but would have to check dimensions, I'd buy it with matching brake levers, pedal sensor, and throttle plus the handlebar harness. FInd a seller that offers it all as a package. Also an LCD3 or LCD8H display, It will need a short 9 pin motor extension cable to reach the motor. Probably about $150 USD instead of the $105USD they want for the original controller.

 

[josephny]

In josephny's case, I still suggest paying thru the nose for the original Lishui controller and I already recommeded a SIlverfish battery. All of this fits the original bike. Plug and play.

For myself, I'd be buying a KT controller. I prefer the 20A model with waterproof connectors since I know it fits in the same compartment. The 22A model may fit, but would have to check dimensions, I'd buy it with matching brake levers, pedal sensor, and throttle plus the handlebar harness. FInd a seller that offers it all as a package. Also an LCD3 or LCD8H display, It will need a short 9 pin motor extension cable to reach the motor. Probably about $150 USD instead of the $105USD they want for the original controller.

I think your analysis of suggesting the simplest/easiest way for me is spot-on and much appreciated.

I've been looking around and there are very many Silverfish batteries and I don't know which one to get.

Would this one be a good choice:

Amazon.com

Thank you!

 

[PCeBiker]

Would this one be a good choice:

That's not the right battery for your ebike,..

I think that you should get the battery that @harryS linked to. It's the proper battery for your ebike.
It will slide right in the slot under the seat.

The battery you linked to will have to be mounted somewhere else on your ebike.
It probably won't fit in your battery slot, and the connector plate is different than the connectors for a silverfish battery.
A silverfish battery is designed and shaped to slide vertically into the compartment under the seat, and it has a handle.
The battery that @harryS linked to is a bigger battery than you linked to (17.5ah instead of 15ah) and more amp hours always cost more.

Your best bet would be to buy the battery and original controller that @harryS linked to.

It's only a few dollars more but it's all a simple direct replacement.

I installed a KT controller and display but it ended up turning into a HUGE project, with all kinds of issues that I didn't see coming.

Save yourself all the possible problems and buy the original equipment.

A KT install may very well require a new PAS sensor, brake levers, and throttle which would probably end up costing more than an original controller and installing/replacing all that extra equipment can be a PITA as well.

 

[josephny]

Do you mean this one:

S004-2 48V 17.5Ah BMS30A Silverfish Bicycle lithium battery Samsung/Sanyo/LG/Chinese 3500mAh Cells for 0-1000w motor with 2A charger/Ship from China

This Item Can ship to most country. can be customized.

www.uppbattery.com

I looked on Amazon but could not find BMS30A and when I search for Silverfish battery I get a wide assortment of different batteries.

 

[PCeBiker]

Do you mean this one:

S004-2 48V 17.5Ah BMS30A Silverfish Bicycle lithium battery Samsung/Sanyo/LG/Chinese 3500mAh Cells for 0-1000w motor with 2A charger/Ship from China

This Item Can ship to most country. can be customized.

www.uppbattery.com

Yeah, that looks like the proper battery for your ebike.
You grab the handle and drop it vertically into your battery slot.

I looked on Amazon but could not find BMS30A

That battery is just listing some of it's specs, and it has a 30 amp BMS.
Bigger batteries generally have a bigger BMS because they can deliver more power.

and when I search for Silverfish battery I get a wide assortment of different batteries.

Just make sure that it physically looks like your original battery.
It should have a handle so you can install it vertically.

Is there some reason why you'd prefer to purchase from Amazon instead of the one @harryS linked to??

@harryS has personal experience with that particular battery so I'd trust his recommendation.

 

[PCeBiker]

I just checked Amazon.com and got a big list of silverfish batteries,..

The price goes up as the amp hour rating goes up.

The problem with ANY battery that you can buy just about anywhere, is that you don't know exactly what cells are used or if they were cutting corners making the packs.

UPP batteries have had problems with their batteries bursting into flames, but they claim to be testing all their batteries before shipping now.

Even if you end up with a crappy battery made with crappy cells, that Almost Always means that your battery will wear out in a year and be unusable.

The chances of ANY battery bursting into flames is still extremely low.

There are hundreds of millions of ebike batteries out there and Very few of them have burst into flames.


You may be able to buy a new UL listed silverfish battery which is required for use in NYC, where unlisted batteries are banned.

And coincidentally, almost EVERY ebike in NYC uses silverfish batteries, so I'm sure that there would be a UL Listed battery available for you.
It may cost 2 to 4 times as much money though?