Very interesting, Im going to buy one of these little bikes, mostly for fun local rides and experimentation, not commuting. Its very difficult to actually get to see one but I have watched all the videos. The removable battery and the belt-drive are the deciders. Theres a used one in Edinburgh at a dealer that I may drive up in the van and collect this week or just buy a new one, they are after all, only bicycle money. I have a single 100W solar panel on the roof of the van along with 3 x 105AH batteries in parallel for storage, to supply DC to the 2KW inverter, I could therefore charge with the supplied charger via the inverter but will be enthusiastically following your developments. Love the TESLA decals. I thought of that myself but clearly you beat me to it. 73's
Hi again. Thanks for making contact. That was my exact thinking also. A cheap electric vehicle to tinker with! Sounds like you've done your research so you probably know the earlier ones had less power. So I think 2021 on would be the one to get. I like your plan with the stationary storage. I plan to do the same with some lithium ferrite cells. You may have seen the type on "The Off Grid Garage" channel. Thanks again for the encouragement. My next video should be about public charging as the solar charge controller hasn't arrived yet.
@@thecapacitator8137 Hi, picked up a May 2021 reg today with 41 miles on clock. Dealer demo, I called the importer before buying to confirm that this is the latest model, which it is. Bit pissed off to find the 10 amp charger damaged when I got home, the output wires showing, insulation pulled, one black wire is broken. Dealer of course knew nothing about it but immediately offered to order a new one,,,,Grrrrrrrrrr. Bike was the shop floor display unit, obviously somebody has tripped on the cable. I’ve not had chance to investigate. Bike is fabulous, a real hoot... I’m sure we will have much to discuss. VZZ
@@phoebelala Congratulations! Sounds perfect! Shame about the charger. You should be able to make it work. Being a ham I'm sure you've got the capability. I've got two spare Tesla stickers if you want them. I looked up your callsign in the usual place. We're pretty close. Maybe a QSO on GB3HG some time...
Hi again, yes, fixing the charger will be childishly simple. I’m hopefully going to end up with this as a spare. I cannot imagine that the importer has any electronic diagnostic capabilities so I’ll try and keep it. The charger is charging the bike, however, at 100%, it doesn’t stop. I suspect that the black wire is used for battery voltage sensing. That’s a great offer on the stickers, thanks, I’d sure like to take you up on that. Could meet for a ride on the little bikes (have a van) to facilitate, or post? Definitely on a QSO, as well as HG, I can also access IR, WF, and a simplex fusion gateway on .850. Cheers
My standard charger seems to work fine with just the big red and black main wires connected. It's only the 5A though. I wonder if you could make it to Helmsley. Big hill on the way so you may need to charge when you get there. I can only do HG and sometimes that doesn't work. Let me know when you're about. I'll give you a shout.
@@thecapacitator8137 they want the charger and battery back at VMOTO for inspection..... so I'm probably not going to score an extra charger. Grrrrrrrr It's possible to do Helmsley.....I could of course park up in the van somewhere up the hill, and spring out, thunderbird style. Then it's mostly coasting to Helmsley..... Or, I could make the round trip at moped speed I think...... I'll give you a shout here when I get radio time.... If my email addy is on the "usual" place, send me an email and we can arrange.
@@phoebelala Why would they need the battery? Sounds like they're trying to be difficult. Just spoke to Alex WUY on 2m. He reminded me the time I over heard you two talking about ebikes. So I've heard you before but not spoken as far as I remember. Can't find your email so you'll maybe have to update it.
@@thecapacitator8137 Hi, apologies for the name change, I was always phoebelala and then, for reasons unknown, I ended up as VZZ on TH-cam. A setting somewhere with google that changed everything when I got a Gmail. I’ll update the usual place to include my email addy, . Battery, why indeed? in fact yesterday I spoke directly with VMOTO and explained that I really don’t want to send this massive, expensive bit of equipment by a courier as it is going to get smashed about. Lots more was discussed but I’ll save that for email and QSO. I’ve got time this weekend to evaluate my purchase, first thoughts, @ the quoted 5KW max, we have a current from the 72V nominal, of 7OA. The females on the battery look a bit thin-walled, but must be capable. The 10A charger appears to be a balance charger, treating the modules as cells, sure yours must be too? I’ll have a watch of your vid again later to see what’s what. I often talk to Alex, but not done much radio in the last 2 months. Stand by VZZ
@@phoebelala Thanks I'll go find your email. Yeah the connector could be a bit of a weak point. I've noticed slight warming of the connector after a full throttle run. The copy I put on the DIY pack seems better. I think the BMS handles balancing not the charger. The small wires in the charger output are canbus and state of charge signal as far as I know. On my DIY battery there's no canbus connected. A separate module reads battery voltage and produces a state of charge signal. I believe the standard pack is 20 single lithium iron phosphate prismatic cells in series.
Hi really great work on your channel. Can you talk more about this system? My TC max is in a garage with no mains power and I’d love to have it on a trickle charge from solar panels. If i run the panels into a charge controller then into the bike and just leave it will that be ok?? Seems too easy! For the charge controller I need one that is at least 72v and 45a? Apologies for dumb questions I’m trying to learn all this stuff
I have a couple of other videos on this subject. This is one of them... th-cam.com/video/0P3xoAdm_P8/w-d-xo.html Maybe I need to do an update video soon.
Very interesting, Im going to buy one of these little bikes, mostly for fun local rides and experimentation, not commuting. Its very difficult to actually get to see one but I have watched all the videos. The removable battery and the belt-drive are the deciders. Theres a used one in Edinburgh at a dealer that I may drive up in the van and collect this week or just buy a new one, they are after all, only bicycle money.
I have a single 100W solar panel on the roof of the van along with 3 x 105AH batteries in parallel for storage, to supply DC to the 2KW inverter, I could therefore charge with the supplied charger via the inverter but will be enthusiastically following your developments.
Love the TESLA decals. I thought of that myself but clearly you beat me to it.
73's
Hi again. Thanks for making contact. That was my exact thinking also. A cheap electric vehicle to tinker with! Sounds like you've done your research so you probably know the earlier ones had less power. So I think 2021 on would be the one to get.
I like your plan with the stationary storage. I plan to do the same with some lithium ferrite cells. You may have seen the type on "The Off Grid Garage" channel. Thanks again for the encouragement. My next video should be about public charging as the solar charge controller hasn't arrived yet.
@@thecapacitator8137 Hi, picked up a May 2021 reg today with 41 miles on clock. Dealer demo, I called the importer before buying to confirm that this is the latest model, which it is. Bit pissed off to find the 10 amp charger damaged when I got home, the output wires showing, insulation pulled, one black wire is broken. Dealer of course knew nothing about it but immediately offered to order a new one,,,,Grrrrrrrrrr. Bike was the shop floor display unit, obviously somebody has tripped on the cable. I’ve not had chance to investigate. Bike is fabulous, a real hoot...
I’m sure we will have much to discuss.
VZZ
@@phoebelala Congratulations! Sounds perfect! Shame about the charger. You should be able to make it work. Being a ham I'm sure you've got the capability. I've got two spare Tesla stickers if you want them. I looked up your callsign in the usual place. We're pretty close. Maybe a QSO on GB3HG some time...
Hi again, yes, fixing the charger will be childishly simple. I’m hopefully going to end up with this as a spare. I cannot imagine that the importer has any electronic diagnostic capabilities so I’ll try and keep it. The charger is charging the bike, however, at 100%, it doesn’t stop. I suspect that the black wire is used for battery voltage sensing. That’s a great offer on the stickers, thanks, I’d sure like to take you up on that. Could meet for a ride on the little bikes (have a van) to facilitate, or post? Definitely on a QSO, as well as HG, I can also access IR, WF, and a simplex fusion gateway on .850.
Cheers
My standard charger seems to work fine with just the big red and black main wires connected. It's only the 5A though. I wonder if you could make it to Helmsley. Big hill on the way so you may need to charge when you get there. I can only do HG and sometimes that doesn't work. Let me know when you're about. I'll give you a shout.
@@thecapacitator8137 they want the charger and battery back at VMOTO for inspection..... so I'm probably not going to score an extra charger. Grrrrrrrr
It's possible to do Helmsley.....I could of course park up in the van somewhere up the hill, and spring out, thunderbird style. Then it's mostly coasting to Helmsley.....
Or, I could make the round trip at moped speed I think......
I'll give you a shout here when I get radio time.... If my email addy is on the "usual" place, send me an email and we can arrange.
@@phoebelala Why would they need the battery? Sounds like they're trying to be difficult. Just spoke to Alex WUY on 2m. He reminded me the time I over heard you two talking about ebikes. So I've heard you before but not spoken as far as I remember. Can't find your email so you'll maybe have to update it.
@@thecapacitator8137 Hi, apologies for the name change, I was always phoebelala and then, for reasons unknown, I ended up as VZZ on TH-cam. A setting somewhere with google that changed everything when I got a Gmail.
I’ll update the usual place to include my email addy, .
Battery, why indeed? in fact yesterday I spoke directly with VMOTO and explained that I really don’t want to send this massive, expensive bit of equipment by a courier as it is going to get smashed about. Lots more was discussed but I’ll save that for email and QSO.
I’ve got time this weekend to evaluate my purchase, first thoughts, @ the quoted 5KW max, we have a current from the 72V nominal, of 7OA. The females on the battery look a bit thin-walled, but must be capable. The 10A charger appears to be a balance charger, treating the modules as cells, sure yours must be too? I’ll have a watch of your vid again later to see what’s what. I often talk to Alex, but not done much radio in the last 2 months.
Stand by
VZZ
@@phoebelala Thanks I'll go find your email. Yeah the connector could be a bit of a weak point. I've noticed slight warming of the connector after a full throttle run. The copy I put on the DIY pack seems better.
I think the BMS handles balancing not the charger. The small wires in the charger output are canbus and state of charge signal as far as I know. On my DIY battery there's no canbus connected. A separate module reads battery voltage and produces a state of charge signal. I believe the standard pack is 20 single lithium iron phosphate prismatic cells in series.
Omad zo'r
Hi really great work on your channel. Can you talk more about this system? My TC max is in a garage with no mains power and I’d love to have it on a trickle charge from solar panels. If i run the panels into a charge controller then into the bike and just leave it will that be ok?? Seems too easy! For the charge controller I need one that is at least 72v and 45a? Apologies for dumb questions I’m trying to learn all this stuff
I have a couple of other videos on this subject. This is one of them...
th-cam.com/video/0P3xoAdm_P8/w-d-xo.html
Maybe I need to do an update video soon.
Please give costs of components as you talk about them or a total cost of components.
Have a look at my latest video. There's more info there.