Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

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SimpleLife
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Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

I am having an issue with my 2007 VX-1 where the bike reboots every minute or so when attempting to charge it. So it charges for 1 to 2 minutes (time seems to vary), shuts off, "reboots", starts charging again, etc. Any idea how to fix this? The battery is charged to ~3/4 capacity so I do not think the battery is under voltage. I washed it a while back, and may have got some electrical component wet. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

pyjohnson
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

Are the battery and temp lights flashing on the dashboard?

If so sounds like the temperature sensors got wet while you washed it. Just leave it to dry for a few days (depending on ambient temps)

I think most of us have done that.

If it keeps happening it might be a good idea to seal the temp sensor boards. There is a few posts in the forum about this. Also the front sensor board could be exposed if two holes have not been taped up, there is info about these too, somewhere.

Regards,
Peter

-----------------------------------------------------------
Central Scotland

SimpleLife
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

Hi Peter, thanks for your reply.

The battery and temp lights are not flashing.

The display shows nothing abnormal when charging is taking place. The scooter completely shuts down (the display goes completely dark, the fan goes off) after 1-2 minutes of charging. About 30 seconds later the bike power powers back up into charging mode, acting like it has just been plugged in for charging. This cycle repeats indefinitely, so it is possible to charge the bike by leaving it to charge, shut down, restart charging, shut down...

I did wash the bike, but it was several months ago. I hoped the problem would go away once dry, but it did not help. I am guessing that a hard reset (disconnecting the power from the electronics briefly, then reconnecting) may help, so I am looking for guidance on how to do that.

SimpleLife
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

P.S. I am an electrical engineer and understand safety precautions when working with high voltages. But I would love to hear from someone who has done this hard reset, including which connectors to unplug and any current limiting tools they may have used.

Mik
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

Could it be the electrical (grid) power supply shutting down and then re-starting due to overload?

I'd try a different power outlet or check if the grid power is still on just after the Vectrix has stopped charging.

This information may be used entirely at your own risk.

There is always a way if there is no other way!

SimpleLife
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

Hi Mik, Love your slogan "There is always a way if there is no other way!"

I did check the grid power, no problem there.

On further research it appears that the two connectors I am looking for are those shown in the attached photograph. So I am making progress! At this point my question is: should the connectors be disconnected at point "1" or point "2" to disconnect power from the electronics?

connections.jpg

SimpleLife
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

Is an inrush current limiter required to charge the capacitors if the connectors are only unplugged for a few seconds?

BLUESTREAK
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

HI SIMPLELIFE:Yes AN INRUSH LIMITER IS NEEDED (ENDLESS SPHERE.COM) AND LOOK AT THE ELECTRIC SCOOTER SECTION AND READ (OATNET GOES VECTRIX) AND YOU WILL SEE WHICH CONNECTORS TO DISCONNECT AND WHAT TO USE FOR A CURRANT LIMITER.I DON'T THINK THE PICTURE THAT YOU SHOW ARE THE RIGHT CONNECTORS TO DISCONNECT.HOPE THIS HELP.S

robert93
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

Browsing the Vectrix Collaborative Handbook may give you more than enough info for this
http://visforvoltage.org/book/ev-collaborative-hand-books/6146

I also found a useful video that shows the process of using lightbulbs to do the job...

antiscab
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

On further research it appears that the two connectors I am looking for are those shown in the attached photograph. So I am making progress! At this point my question is: should the connectors be disconnected at point "1" or point "2" to disconnect power from the electronics?

connections.jpg

yep, those are the ones to reset the charger, both will need to be disconnected.

The chargers output capacitors are only connected to the battery while charging, so no need for precharge when re-connecting

you could also undo the blue andersons in the battery box, but thats a bit more work and does require pre-charging.

Matt

Daily Ride:
2007 Vectrix, modified with 42 x Thundersky 60Ah in July 2010. Done 194'000km

Mik
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??
...

connections.jpg

yep, those are the ones to reset the charger, both will need to be disconnected.

...

Matt

Are the cables in the connectors "live" when the charger is not charging, or does the charger close the connection by activating a relay on the motor controller?

This information may be used entirely at your own risk.

There is always a way if there is no other way!

Aircon
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

Browsing the Vectrix Collaborative Handbook may give you more than enough info for this
http://visforvoltage.org/book/ev-collaborative-hand-books/6146

I also found a useful video that shows the process of using lightbulbs to do the job...

That's interesting. What's the problem with just plugging them together without the bulb? That's what the Vectrix Australia rep did with mine. Made a sparking noise though.

SimpleLife
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

Thanks for all the responses - they are very helpful!

So it sounds like if I unplug/replug the connectors I have photographed (as opposed to the blue ones) I should be able to do the hard reset without a current limiter.

In my photo, are these connectors detached at point "1" or point "2"?connections.jpg

robert93
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

"Just plugging in" can be quite a jolt to the system, and damage either fuse or Controller board components. The upgraded fuses might be fine with this, but its not the only consideration. If you wish more details, please consult the collaborative handbook sticky for more data than I could post here. Many people have done much more research on this than I could begin to repost here.

To be clear, the anderson connectors in the video I posted are for the battery pack itself, and would cause a reboot of the bike. The connectors near the charger, do these cause just a charger reboot, or full bike reboot? Or, are both necessary to reset everything?

robert93
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

Previous post was in response to Aircom.... "That's interesting. What's the problem with just plugging them together without the bulb? That's what the Vectrix Australia rep did with mine. Made a sparking noise though."

antiscab
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

That's interesting. What's the problem with just plugging them together without the bulb? That's what the Vectrix Australia rep did with mine. Made a sparking noise though.

Your Motor controller has some very impressive low resistance (unobtainium) capacitors that are wired in parrallel with the battery.

If you hook the battery up without charging those up first, you have a ~1 in 20 chance of those caps exploding (literally), or a 1 in 10 chance of one of the caps fuses blowing.

There is also the possibility of the contacts on those Anderson connectors being compromised

I've hooked up the battery without precharging a couple of times on my own bike, and its survived, but its not good practice.

re the charger,
as far as I know the wires that plug into the charger are always live, however, you are unlikely to shock yourself with them as they are the female end

Matt

Daily Ride:
2007 Vectrix, modified with 42 x Thundersky 60Ah in July 2010. Done 194'000km

R
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

Is an inrush current limiter required to charge the capacitors if the connectors are only unplugged for a few seconds?

To my knowledge, nope, it is not necessary. The inrush current limiter is required if the motorcontroller is disconnected from the battery (blue Anderson connector). With those plugs you just disconnect de charger from the grid, and from the battery. You'll only do a hard reset to the charger.
Mik
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

...
...
as far as I know the wires that plug into the charger are always live, however, you are unlikely to shock yourself with them as they are the female end

Matt

In that case, a deeply discharged battery could be revived without taking the cover off: Just connect a "Special Freddy" or other power supply to the chargers connectors for a few minutes to bring the voltage back up so it's high enough for the stock charger to take over again.

Is it correct when I assume that you have been using chargers through these connectors that do not communicate through the Canbus and had no other connection to the scooter than just the 2 battery poles?

This information may be used entirely at your own risk.

There is always a way if there is no other way!

antiscab
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Re: Reboot During Charging - How to Fix??

Is it correct when I assume that you have been using chargers through these connectors that do not communicate through the Canbus and had no other connection to the scooter than just the 2 battery poles?

Not really, I plan to in the future, but haven't quite got around to it

My Elcon charger is connected directly to the battery with its own wires

It's mounted between my legs:
Vectrix 60Ah.JPG

Matt

Daily Ride:
2007 Vectrix, modified with 42 x Thundersky 60Ah in July 2010. Done 194'000km

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