Shocke Bikes Spark - battery problems and company out of business

[Sleuth]

Ughh. I guess this is the problem with being an early adopter... I bought a Shocke Bikes Spark and it looks like the company has gone out of business.

I just started having a problem with my battery/power. I charged the battery to a full charge. The battery has a button to light some LEDs on it to see the power level. Pushing the button when the battery is out of the bike shows a full charge. When I insert the battery into the bike however, I get no power at all. If I push the button when it's installed, I do not get any LEDs lighting up at all. Does anyone have any thoughts on a possible fix?

This is their battery - (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
Any chance of finding a replacement?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ebikemom]

Can you test the voltage on that charged battery with a voltage meter? I'm wondering if it might also be a problem with battery-to-controller communication ...

 

[Deleted member 4210]

Am I "Shocked" another on-line ebike company goes out of business ? Yet another risk of buying on-line, or buying from these newer small start ups.

It could be a software issue within the battery. Have seen this same situation on Smart Motion Catalysts. One long shot you could try - with the Bosch battery its called a hard reset. That same button you pressed try holding it down for 15 seconds. Then release. Unfortunately that battery casing is more than likely designed specifically for the Shocke bike. You could try a battery rebuilder, and see if they can install a new BMS for you, or solve whatever the underlying issue is. Worse case, they can simply do an entire re-build in that same casing. Might cost several hundred, but may be worth it if you want to use the ebike again.

 

[Deleted member 4210]

here is one rebuilder. Not endorsing them or anything like that. just saying they do exist and may be able to get you up running again. https://ebikemarketplace.com/pages/rebuild

 

[pnop]

Can you test the voltage on that charged battery with a voltage meter? I'm wondering if it might also be a problem with battery-to-controller communication ...

Before spending a bunch of money you need to start here. Get a cheap tester and see if there is voltage. That won't rule out a bad battery but it will give you a place to start. I've not seen replacement batteries that look like that one.

 

[Deleted member 4210]

NB Power makes that same ebike frame. Odds are the battery is the same form factor. There are a number of these Asian based firms that make the same ebike, and firms like Shocke 'white label' as being their own.

You could send these folks some pictures, see if they have the battery, and would be willing to sell you one.

http://www.nbpowers.com/goods_show.aspx?id=122

[email protected]

These guys also sell ebike products on Amazon, and kits, so you might get lucky enough to get a battery that will fit yours. You could also ask them if they happened to be the supplier to Shocke ?

 

[jazz]

If you want to have someone take a look at it, I recommend John Nethers - https://netherswholesale.com/. Does great work, reasonably priced for troubleshooting and rebuilding of all types of lithium batteries.

 

[rich c]

As mentioned. start checking the system. Some battery packs have a fuse, and it is not in the LED circuit showing charge level. It's in the output circuit of the battery pack. Also make sure the contacts on the bike are clean and are making good contact with the battery terminals.

 

[Mikey-]

I saved Shocke's original crowd funding video, as I was forecasting they would go out of business for one reason or another. Now I can start mentioning them as an example of risk in the eBike world.

Sorry 'bout your battery. I would go perusing through Alibaba or Ali express; there's a good chance that's where the Shocke staff got the bikes from in the first place.

 

[Sleuth]

As mentioned. start checking the system. Some battery packs have a fuse, and it is not in the LED circuit showing charge level. It's in the output circuit of the battery pack. Also make sure the contacts on the bike are clean and are making good contact with the battery terminals.

This battery pack does have a fuse, so I opened it and it looks like it's empty to me? Am I missing something?

 

[Sleuth]

Can you test the voltage on that charged battery with a voltage meter? I'm wondering if it might also be a problem with battery-to-controller communication ...

Tested the voltage using my dusted-off multimeter. It's reading 41.5v. Not sure what it should be?

 

[Mikey-]

Tested the voltage using my dusted-off multimeter. It's reading 41.5v. Not sure what it should be?

If the battery is sold as a 36v, then 41.5 is AOK; it's charged up ready to go.

If the battery is sold as a 48v battery, then it's below operating voltage, and must be charged with a variable charger to get it back to 'dead' in order for the stock charger to recognize it again.

 

[Mikey-]

This battery pack does have a fuse, so I opened it and it looks like it's empty to me? Am I missing something?

And yeah, it looks like there's a fuse missing. Even if you have a tiny one to toss in there, that could prove the theory of the busted fuse.

 

[Sleuth]

If the battery is sold as a 36v, then 41.5 is AOK; it's charged up ready to go.

If the battery is sold as a 48v battery, then it's below operating voltage, and must be charged with a variable charger to get it back to 'dead' in order for the stock charger to recognize it again.

It's a 36V.

And yeah, it looks like there's a fuse missing. Even if you have a tiny one to toss in there, that could prove the theory of the busted fuse.

There definitely was not a fuse in there. Plus, I'm getting a strong readout from the connectors (41.9v now). Maybe they simply never used it?

 

[rich c]

See where else you have current. Check at the controller. I'm guessing you have a connector or wiring problem.

 

[Deleted member 4210]

NBPower confirmed in an email last night, they are the builder of that ebike.

 

[Deleted member 4210]

I saved Shocke's original crowd funding video, as I was forecasting they would go out of business for one reason or another. Now I can start mentioning them as an example of risk in the eBike world.

Sorry 'bout your battery. I would go perusing through Alibaba or Ali express; there's a good chance that's where the Shocke staff got the bikes from in the first place.

The whole crowd funding thing, allows people like them to mis-represent what is essentially a white labeled product already being manufactured in China, as something they somehow 'designed'. Its truly sad this is allowed to occur by Indiegogo, or Kickstarter. NBPower is the builder of this Spark. They confirmed in an email to me last night. The Wave ebike was this same white label scenario. (the firm building the Wave tried to recruit me to sell the models they had built up for Wave, but no longer had that channel since Wave went belly up. I said no for various reasons.) I really wouldn't be surprised to now see a lot more of this occur over the next couple of years, as the extra 25% tariffs will have an impact mostly on the firms too small to absorb that kind of a hit, and with their entire biz model being based purely on low price. It will be healthy for the future ebike consumer when this 'shake out' occurs, as the legitimate players and those with appropriate financial resources, and solid business plans, will survive, and thus the consumer will be (hopefully) assured of a better quality product, or a more financially viable ebike Distributor to make it through to the longer term. There are never any guarantees but going with a larger more established company with a big name in the bike industry, while charging a premium, would seem to reduce the odds of this sort of situation happening (i.e. no support for a non-working battery, and no obvious source to replace it due to the unusual form factor).

 

[pnop]

Interesting info on the crowd funding thing. (I do not believe the tariffs will last long).

That said .....you now need to go further along and check the wiring and controller. It seems your battery should be good. Make sure the connections at the battery are good and clean. Obvious stuff but...........

 

[Sleuth]

Thanks for all the advice. I dropped the bike off at my local bike shop today as I'm a bit out of my element. Will post an update when I hear back.

 

[Esteban]

I'm not sure if you rectified the battery issue on the Shocke but I recently had my bike liberated and they didn't to take the charger and battery pack. If you want a new battery & spare charger I have one available. Let me know.