Just finished converting my Bridgestone MB2 mountain bike to
use the BL 36.
Took it out on a 1.5 hour ride, went about 25 miles before the batts ran out.
They are the extended range 12.5Ah SLAs.
The bike is fun.
I did pedal too, so that will explain why the batts lasted longer.
I will post some pics later, dont have time now.
Thanks to everyone for their advice.
I used hot glue to seal any parts and connections that might get wet.
I need to find a bag for the controller though, as it doesnt fit in the batt bag.
Also, will be looking to doe LiFePO4, soon.
For now I will play with the SLAs.
Oh, the Wilderness Energy instructions
had a change stapled to them, and also highlighted in pink highlighter.
The wires should come out of the wheel on the right hand side of the bike\
for the BL 36, NOT the LEFT.
If I had done it the LEFT side, the wheel would have spun backwards.
Oh, the EBAY deal was very slow, it took almost a month for me to get the BL 36 kit,
and numerous emails.
Had to ask for the shipment date, and tracking number at least 3 times.
I think they forgot to ship it, or they didnt have the kit.
The kit did ship directly from WE in LA area.
Dealer was elsewhere in CA.
I did get the kit for $399, but the wait time was really long.
I was also worried that I had been ripped off,
since I never got tracking numbers until the very end.
They shipped it on 24, and I received it on 27th of June,
but I bought the kit in first week of June.
Overvolt! Overvolt! :D
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Yes, I am tempted to go to 48 volts,
but can you still pedal ?
I do like pedalling too, so if pedalling doesnt
work with 48 volts, I may not do it.
With 36 volts, it seems that I can still pedal at top speed,
and add to the power a bit.
Um...technically you could still pedal?
Put a bigger front chainring on the bike.
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Question: I see a comment about the motor direction. I have yet to put my kit/bike together and the (altered directions suggest putting the BD36 wires out the left side.
You guys are saying this is wrong?? Now I am confused. Alaso, should I use flat washers or lock washers to fill the fork drop-out 'lips'?
Thanks ahead of time
Flip a coin and put the wheel on the bike, the chance of being right is about the same as using the directions. One of mine is a lefty and one a righty. You can then test it to see which way the wheel spins, before you wire up the whole bike. Who knows maybe by now the directions match the wheel in the box. Lock washers may be better to fill the cup on the forks. They tend to be narrower. make sure the cup is filled or filed away, one or the other. too big a washer will bend later and let the axle spin and cut the wires. If both wires cut, and it shorts, there goes the controller too.
Be the pack leader.
36 volt sla schwinn beach cruiser
36 volt lifepo4 mongoose mtb
24 volt sla + nicad EV Global
Here's a pic of my bike:
Hmm, pretty clean. Bet it's pretty well balanced with the hub on the front and the batteries on the rear.
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It's a pretty fun ride. I would like to make it lighter by getting LifePo4 batts, but that will have to wait until later this summer.
Top speed on my commute was 26mph, but downhill I think. I am averaging about 10mph. Somehow I dont trust my bike computer, as it flicks between 0mph and 20mph. I think I will try to get another bike computer.
Anyone have any reccommendations ?
Yeah, 26mph would be downhill on 36V. I could hold 27mph with 48V and flat ground.
That flicking, now that I think about it, makes me think that the magnet/sensor was placed badly. It measures how many times it goes by in a certain period of time, so if it couldn't get a consistent reading it would behave like that. Try getting the magnet and sensor closer together.
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I used a wireless Bike Computer from Sigma. The magnet and sensor was only 5 to 10mm apart. The Wheel Size I entered was 2205mm for my 700C wheel. Pedaling alone would give me a correct reading of MPH. But once I used the throttle the readings where all over the place. Not sure if the hub motor was causing interference with the wireless signal from the sensor to the handle bar receiver or the magnet to the sensor.
So, I recently purchased the Stand Alone Cycle Analyst. It has a wired sensor that attaches to the fork and a magnet that attaches to the spoke of the rim. At first, I couldn't get a reading of MPH because the sensor and magnet distance was too far apart. The only way to remedy it is put a spacer of some sort between the sensor and the fork to extend it closer to the magnet. My solution was I added another rare round magnet (stacking) on top of the existing magnet. The magnet they provide isn't that strong. The CA magnet claims it's a rare earth magnet but not as strong as the one I put on.
36 volts on flat ground = 21.8 mph
48 volts on flat ground = 26.7 mph
The difference in 5 mph is really noticeable. I feel like I'm walking with 36 volts vs. sprinting with 48 volts.
My commute to work is only 9 miles and at 22 mph (36V) I can get there in ~35 minutes vs. ~30 minutes having the extra battery and weight (48V) at 27mph.
5 minutes doesn't seem that much of a savings. However, traveling the extra 5 mph is kind of fun. But lugging the extra 12Ah SLA battery causes unnecessary weight on the back wheel and you can feel the bumpy roads and I worry that my back tire will break another spoke or pop the wheel.
48 volts is fun, but I have broke spokes carrying 36v of SLA's. They were said to weigh 25 pounds but my scale said 33! Adding another made it 44, and even for my trike it was a lot of weight when you hit potholes or big humps from street cracks. Lifepo4 made a huge difference. Definitely faster just since its lighter, and I don't even notice the weight on the seat post rack.
Be the pack leader.
36 volt sla schwinn beach cruiser
36 volt lifepo4 mongoose mtb
24 volt sla + nicad EV Global
Thanks for the magnet suggestion.
I replaced my wireless Bike Speedo with a wired one.
I also used some stronger magnets salvaged from used Sonicare toothbrush.
These helped to make the reading more consistent.
I am averaging about 19-20 mph on flat ground with 36 volts.
I will see if I can get to 48 volts too, later this summer.
I am using 4 X 36 volt Dewalts now in my BL36 kit.
They are in paralell, so approx 9.6Ah total.
Weight of the pack is 10.8 lbs. (down from the 23 lbs of the SLAs)
I am using the Dewalts anyways for power tools,
so I will also try them on my bike.
No load speed, with the front wheel off the ground was 23.0 MPH.
I made it to work 12.5 miles, with pedalling no problem.
Full out throttle.
Fairly flat, with a few downhills.
The ride home will be harder, as there will be uphills.
Well, I am now using 6 dewalts,
3 X 36 Volts in parallel
and 3 X 28 Volts in parallel
These two parrallel strings are in series,
so the total is 64 volts, 7.2 Ah
No load speed, with front wheel off the ground was 41.0 MPH.
I can easily do 29-30 mph on level ground.
I plan to ride about 25 mph,
and just save the extra speed and power for uphills.
I already easily zoomed up 2 large hills,
which I had to pedal on with 36 volts.
Having the extra speed in reserve is fun,
though I dont plan to go 30 mph too often, as it is very fast.
Ohter things I did,
was to get a gel seat, as my butt was getting sore.
I also got some handlebar mirrors and a helmet mirror.
I hope I dont fry my controller with the 64 volts, as it is just above the 63 volts of the caps.
But I dont intend to run it at full throttle, just keep the speed in reserve for the hills.
I didnt even have to pedal up the hills, and they are very steep.
Here's some pics of the batteries and packs.
I may end up going to 8 batts,
4 X 36 Volts and
4 X 28 Volts
But I need a bigger bag,
and also not sure I really need the extra 2.4Ah
to get my 12.5 miles one way.
It save me about 5 lbs, by using 6 batts instead of 8 batts.
I'd replace them caps if I was you. Hot off the charger, two DeWalts in parallel should be over 66V. And when caps go, they go with a bang. And if they blow short, it'll fry something and also turn your motor into a pretty powerful brake without warning. Caps are cheap (two cost me less than a dollar) a new controller (and potentially face) isn't.
Heh. 30mph is nuttin'. I was almost always a little above that speed on the Packcycle. I would have been going even faster, but I'd need moar voltage. :P
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The wires on my bd-36 come out on the right hand side (when sitting on the bike and looking at front wheel) I think the BL-36 is the opposite. Either that or I have a brushless. I'm still a little confused and can't quite tell brushed and brushless apart.
Brushed only has two wires coming out of the motor. Brushless has more for hall sensors.
Be the pack leader.
36 volt sla schwinn beach cruiser
36 volt lifepo4 mongoose mtb
24 volt sla + nicad EV Global