Hi PJD,
Thanks for all your advice both here and the emax site over the last couple years. I unfortunately purchased one of the last batch of their scooters and ran into the problem with the batteries having the short-range problem. My dealer sent me a set of replacement batteries last year, but until now I hadn't gotten around to replacing them.
After reading many of your comments, it sounds like the best way to go would be to install the new batteries by rewiring them in buddy pairs. I've taken a look at your wiring diagrams, but I'm planning on doing it (at least initially) without using the battery balancers. Can I just wire up my pairs as shown in your diagram, but without attaching the balancers? Or do I need to make some other modifications?
Finally, while I do have a theoretical physics background, I am a complete newbie when it comes to electrical engineering. Can you think of anything that I should pay attention to during this process that will keep me from frying either my bike or myself?
mrjake2,
Here is the wiring diagram without the PowerCheqs. You can add them later if you wish but I would advise you not wait too long, maybe 20 cycles at the most before you add the PowerCheqs.
Chas S.
My Bicycle Pages
Thanks - I'm going to give it a shot in a few days.
With regards to the PowerCheqs, would I want the 12v or 6v ones?
Finally, maybe one of the other E-Max owners can help me out with a related question. I was having the problem from the 2006 batch where I was only getting about a 5-mile range. Does anybody know if this was due to bad batteries or something else? Is it possible that rewiring those batteries in buddy pairs and applying the PowerCheqs would fix the issue?
The short range is caused by bad batteries.
The problem is, it may only be a couple bad ones. You may be able to screen out the bad ones by riding the scooter until the battery pack is down, then measure the voltage of each battery under at least some load. I've rigged a toaster-oven or other simple non-inductive appliance to one of the charging sockets - plus turn the headlight on. The bad batteries will exhibit a distinctly lower voltage.
Here's the ol' diagram:
Moderators, can you put this into any sort of e-max scrapbook you are maintaining?