Plug shows signs of melting?

TerryV6

TerryV6

Member
My sister sent me a photo of the cable end that inserts into her battery. She said it sparks when she plugs it in and the end looks charred. What can that indicate? She has her charger powered first and then connects the charge cable to the battery, as instructed for proper sequence. ( bad cable or charger perhaps?)
IMG_7489.jpeg
 
Sparking is pretty common, but charring isnt a good sign for long term reliability.
My charger always sparks, but no damage beyond very slight arcing marks on the pins themselves.
Im simply guessing that theres poor contact on the pins causing a hot spot.
 
She lives 3 hours away. I told her to take the cable to the nearest bike shop that handles ebikes and they might be able to point her in the right direction.
 
"She has her charger powered first and then connects the charge cable to the battery, as instructed for proper sequence."

That is the opposite of how I do it but whatever......
 
JRA said:
"She has her charger powered first and then connects the charge cable to the battery, as instructed for proper sequence."

That is the opposite of how I do it but whatever......
Click to expand...

I have three Reention Dorado batteries.
Two of them are supposed to have the battery plugged in first, but I have to plug the charger in first the third battery, or I get one Hell of a Spark.

Sometimes even the e-bike manufacturer gets it wrong.
I remember a guy that had his owners manual say to plug it in one way, and the manual for the charger said the opposite.

It all depends on the charger and the BMS in the battery.
I have 3 chargers and they all have to be plugged in the right way for the battery.


I'd say that plug looks far too burnt to have been plugged in properly.

The charge port in the battery itself is probably all burnt as well, and that's not good because a new charger won't fix that and the charge port probably needs to be replaced.
 
TerryV6 said:
She lives 3 hours away. I told her to take the cable to the nearest bike shop that handles ebikes and they might be able to point her in the right direction.
Click to expand...

It's probably best to take the battery with her as well so the shop can look at it too.
If she's allowed to bring the battery into the store?
 
The manuals for all my chargers say to plug into AC first. Since I always get a spark when plugging in the battery, I reversed the process. Yeah, I get a spark at the AC outlet, but it's a whole lot easier (and cheaper) to replace an AC plug & wall socket, than a burned battery connector. I've been doing it this way for 5 years without damage to battery, charger or wall outlet.

IMO, since higher voltages are involved, charger manufacturers are recommending AC first to limit liability should someone get a shock.
 
She took her battery and charger to a bike shop. They've seen this before and suggested plugging into the battery first, otherwise they saw no major problems. She was worried about "burning down the house", so she used the outlet in the garage. No spark... Without being there, I am unable to say her other outlet is a problem and so I just said to keep charging in the garage and don't leave the general area while doing so.

The Bike store ( no names mentioned) said they don't handle bafang anymore...
 
Dear @TerryV6 please do not use any e-bike and it's related components that is not safety certified. And if it is safety certified, any field event can be reported to the certification company to investigate the manufacturer. Please ensure the system is certified. Just NYC has had 2 dozen deaths (2023 to 2024) and 250+ fires this year alone and nearly all are from uncertified e-bikes.

Sadly, this man lost his family due to an e-bike fire. If you see charring on the charger, I would not use that system (e-bike, battery, or charger). It is irresponsible and incorrect what the bike shop told you.

www.theguardian.com

Man who survived ebike fire that killed his family fights for change to UK law

Scott Peden, whose partner and two children died after battery exploded, calls for compulsory regulation
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
She continues to follow the proper plug in procedure according to her manual.. Also, there are far too many people with these bike batteries as well as the comments I see in my RC aircraft groups that leave there chargers unattended. Most importantly I think that there are proper methods of where to put your battery while charging, such as a fireproof container or even a concrete type place.
 
TerryV6 said:
\ Most importantly I think that there are proper methods of where to put your battery while charging, such as a fireproof container or even a concrete type place.
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I charge my ebike LiIon batteries outdoors. Under metal junk if it is likely to rain. Grass gets scorched? . Whoops. Suitable rain cover, tip back top from barbeque grill left on the curb
You have to ride a ***-**** mid drive with no throttle to get battery certification. I need a throttle, I'm an Army Vet and cannot walk some weeks after I twist my knee. The market leading certified mid-drive you have to spin the motor with your feet all the way home if something fails, which has happened in my last two trips. (clutch failure after 3000 miles, new motor phase wire terminal burned in two). Geared hub failure, just pedal all the way home, no drag. Mid-drive, call a tow truck, if you have cell service there.
DeWalt and Ryobi LiIon batteries have an internal temp sensor. If battery gets hot the charger shuts off. Will not charge right after hard use, temp sensor prohibits it.
 
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Someone on another site recommended this charger replacement. I’m 72, this motor kit was a gift to my sister, so I want to get it right. I know very little about volts and watts. This should work, right? Or is there a better one? The price is good. I thought these would be much more money.
 

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TerryV6 said:
Someone on another site recommended this charger replacement. I’m 72, this motor kit was a gift to my sister, so I want to get it right. I know very little about volts and watts. This should work, right? Or is there a better one? The price is good. I thought these would be much more money.
Click to expand...
If the battery is 48v, then yes. The plugs look the same.

BEFORE USE it would be a good idea to verify the polarity matches the old charger. Typically, the outer “ring/shell” is ground and the inner contact is positive.

Honestly, I like the chargers with a fan built in. I can hear the fan while charging. When I hear the fan stop, I check and view the current with my in-line watt meter.
 
Can you send the link of the system your sister purchased? Let us first verify if it’s a safety certified e-bike system.
 
It’s from bafang direct and it is a front wheel kit, includes battery, motor, charger, cables and handle bar controler.

bafangusadirect.com

Geared Front Hub Motor Kit | Ebike Essentials

Ready to electrify your cycling experience? This geared front hub motor kit is the easiest way to turn your bike into an e-bike for faster and easier riding.
bafangusadirect.com bafangusadirect.com
 
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