Annoying clicking noise coming from hub motor assembly...

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Bruce_Wayne
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Annoying clicking noise coming from hub motor assembly...

Can anyone maybe shed some light on this one before I get irritated enough and rip the hub assembly apart? I own a kasea ze2000 modified, the one with replacement batteries now working quite well that was documented earlier in this forum. This is the last irritation I'd like to get rid of before I consider my ev project complete.

When the back wheel is hoisted off the ground and I hit the throttle, you get the normal quiet whine of an induction motor, I'm good with that. However, when then rear wheel is on the ground and you hit the throttle there is a very annoying clicking noise, similiar to a gas engine noise. This only happens when you provide power to the motor. When just pushing the bike or moving it with your legs whilst you ride it, you don't hear it.

It's been like this since I got it. I imagine kasea put some sort of mechanism in the hub assembly to make it sound like a gas engine so people could hear you coming down the road. The
only problem with this is:

IT'S NOT A GAS POWERED SCOOTER! If I wanted to hear loud farting noises coming from my bike, I'd buy a harley. Can anyone provide any ideas about this fairly loud irritating noise? It's really getting under my skin.

jethro
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Re: Annoying clicking noise coming from hub motor assembly...

I would check you are getting enough power to the motor. On a Vectrix this is a sign that the motor controller needs replacing or that the voltage to the motor is too low. The low voltage would be more obvious under load (as is the m/c!)

antiscab
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Re: Annoying clicking noise coming from hub motor assembly...

thats one possibility,
the only time i have ever encountered this is when the controller cutting out..
this is definately not a normal mode of operation.

does your scooter do this *all* the time? or just when you are accelerating?
what battery voltage are you seeing its making this noise?

the hub motors are actually 3-ph permanent magnet synchronous motors.
induction motors aren't sufficiently torque dense enough to be used as hub motors (either too low torque, or too heavy, or both).

sychronous motors need to know motor position.
if your hall sensors are failing (as mine recently have), then they may not always be correctly reporting motor position.
This is a *very* rare failure mode, i was surprised to see mine fail.
this too causes the controller to cutout momentarily.

Matt

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

PJD
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Re: Annoying clicking noise coming from hub motor assembly...

I'm a bit confused as to what you are describing. I don't normally associate IC engine noise with clicking except for noisy valves. And, it has always made this noise, correct?

The two hub motors I own produce a bit of a noisy-jerky-torque at when just starting motion, turning into a "growl" at low RPMs/high torque situations, quieting to a barely audible whine by about 35-40 kph. The newer motor is noisier than the older motor enough to be a bit annoying when starting up a steep slope, but they both seem to be getting quieter with age.

I was thinking that it could be a loose magnet in the motor, or as Matt mentioned, a hall sensor issue.

Matt,

If you have disassembled an e-max hub motor, could you provide a description of the procedure?

antiscab
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Re: Annoying clicking noise coming from hub motor assembly...

the growl at low speeds/high torque is caused by the controller.
since changing to a 400A 72v kelly controller, this sound has gone away (and has been replaced by a hum each time i blast away from the lights).

dissasembling the hub motor is relatively straight forward,
undo each of the allen nuts, and remove the plate.
once that is clear, use a shop press to push the windings out of the hub.

Matt

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

jason
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Re: Annoying clicking noise coming from hub motor assembly...

Double check to make sure all the bolts around the motor are well tightened and the rear tire is free of obstructions. I had a similar problem that was corrected once I tightened everything up. Also, make sure the tire stem isn't rubbing against anything either.

PJD
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Re: Annoying clicking noise coming from hub motor assembly...

Jason,

It is a surprise seeing you here. Dd you ever get the scooter running again?

Paul D.

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