Swap Display?
- Thread starter kmccune
- Start date
I had the same question myself and this is what I've learned so far. I think LCD displays use various digital communication protocols and are paired with the controller such that it is difficult to even swap one LCD for another. The LED displays use analog signals such as 1 volt on the signal wire equals low, 2 volts equals medium, etc. The LED display reads the battery voltage directly so you have to use a 48 volt display for a 48 volt battery. So the answer is no.
kmccune
Well-Known Member
Yes, I am being led to believe the same thing,I suppose when we swap both units we are pretty well good to go,I assume some displays actually have some of them( for the want of a better word) intelligence built-in. Now what I have seen some of the "can -doers" do is build an e-bike with a lot of "Harbor freight" components, use ( dang this computer keeps "double-tapping" iPad here I come) the multimeter for voltage level a "Cats eye" for speed, what's not to like? Manual switches for light, etc, the real negative might be discharging batteries too far. I do not think I want a stereo on my bike.
kongrui1984
Member
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- Tianjin，China
I need to add somthing for you, actually some of the LED display also have the communication protocol, usually we can check from the number of the connector pins, 4pins for anolog and 5 or 6 pins for protocol . if a LCD is using the same protocol with a LED display, then they are replaceable.
kmccune
Well-Known Member
Ah ha! thank you, I figured some of these would be plug and play now it seems, bike companies are starting to do a more standard approach to builds, less confusing for us and saves them time and money.
As "Colombo" said"one other thing", I believe some of the programmings resides in some of the more complex better quality displays as well( makes sense)
AguassissiM
Well-Known Member
@kmccune
As long as the replacement display is using the same protocol as the original to communicate with the controller you can make it work, however displays using a different protocol will not be compatible.
Here is a copy and paste from Grin website talking about different protocols that are used for communication hope it helps :
Almost all ebike kits and full ebikes these days include a fairly detailed display computer to provide a dashboard to see what's going on. This is a nice enhancement from the early days of ebikes when most systems had just a few LEDs to indicate the battery level. But unlike displays for computers or televisions which have a standard protocol, the displays that connect to ebike motor controllers have no standardization at all either in function, communication bus (I2C, Canbus, LIN, UART, etc), or communication protocol. The displays are generally developed paired with a specific motor controller and for a specific set of kit functions, and it's very rare that you can switch to a different make of motor controller and have it work with your display, or conversely that you could find an alternate display for your particular controller.
As long as the replacement display is using the same protocol as the original to communicate with the controller you can make it work, however displays using a different protocol will not be compatible.
Here is a copy and paste from Grin website talking about different protocols that are used for communication hope it helps :
Almost all ebike kits and full ebikes these days include a fairly detailed display computer to provide a dashboard to see what's going on. This is a nice enhancement from the early days of ebikes when most systems had just a few LEDs to indicate the battery level. But unlike displays for computers or televisions which have a standard protocol, the displays that connect to ebike motor controllers have no standardization at all either in function, communication bus (I2C, Canbus, LIN, UART, etc), or communication protocol. The displays are generally developed paired with a specific motor controller and for a specific set of kit functions, and it's very rare that you can switch to a different make of motor controller and have it work with your display, or conversely that you could find an alternate display for your particular controller.
Last edited:
harryS
Well-Known Member
There is only one case I know of where an 810LED display has a drop-in LCD replacement. This is in an ebikeling kit I bought in 2019 which has a 5 pin digital 810LED. It swaps with his SW900 LCD, and only that LCD. I have both displays and found they swap into his current controller, and the 810 is the better performer. To further confuse things, his kits from 2015-2017 used a 5 pin analog 810LED, which is not compatible. If you look inside, it's the usual 4 pin 10LED with a dummy wire.
Meanwhile, you get the 15 dollar 4 pin 810LED in lots of other bikes and ebike kits. It is an analog device. It outputs 1V for PAS1, 2V for PAS2, 3V for PAS3, and 4V for walk mode. That all it does. A compatible controller knows how to set the PAS level for each voltage. That 810LED is hardwired for 24, 36 or 48V. I own four or five of these, and have one installed on my first ebike kit.
A typical digital LCD display has 5 pins. It uses two pins to send data back and forth, much like.a USB interface. It can send commands to set PAS level, invoke Walk mode, and receive data such as speedometer info and watts coming back from the controller. It also gets error codes from the controller. Because all of this has no standards, the displays won't work with other peoples controllers.
Displays like the SW900 and S900 look identical, but are probably copied from someone like Kingmeter. They have different firmware and won't necessarily work. .
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And since they copy each other most displays have the same pinout, so you can hook them up in different controller. They will power up, but won't work. Often they will turn on the foreign controller, but cannot talk to it. In many cases, the controller has a default PAS and throttle is enabled, so the bike kind of works. Very confusing.
Meanwhile, you get the 15 dollar 4 pin 810LED in lots of other bikes and ebike kits. It is an analog device. It outputs 1V for PAS1, 2V for PAS2, 3V for PAS3, and 4V for walk mode. That all it does. A compatible controller knows how to set the PAS level for each voltage. That 810LED is hardwired for 24, 36 or 48V. I own four or five of these, and have one installed on my first ebike kit.
A typical digital LCD display has 5 pins. It uses two pins to send data back and forth, much like.a USB interface. It can send commands to set PAS level, invoke Walk mode, and receive data such as speedometer info and watts coming back from the controller. It also gets error codes from the controller. Because all of this has no standards, the displays won't work with other peoples controllers.
Displays like the SW900 and S900 look identical, but are probably copied from someone like Kingmeter. They have different firmware and won't necessarily work. .
|
And since they copy each other most displays have the same pinout, so you can hook them up in different controller. They will power up, but won't work. Often they will turn on the foreign controller, but cannot talk to it. In many cases, the controller has a default PAS and throttle is enabled, so the bike kind of works. Very confusing.
kmccune
Well-Known Member
Rather like all those different USB types and different chargers for phones, etc.
I long for the days of "Banana plugs " and Motorola or RCA jacks.
I absolutely despise those fragile "lightning " connectors and junk.
On a lighter note I believe I may have my $1150 "Yamee slug" traded for a cheap old lawn tractor
I long for the days of "Banana plugs " and Motorola or RCA jacks.
I absolutely despise those fragile "lightning " connectors and junk.
On a lighter note I believe I may have my $1150 "Yamee slug" traded for a cheap old lawn tractor
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