(I'll start off by saying that this is the new Vectrix software (68mph) that the previous owner loaded before I bought the bike used)I have been riding my used Vectrix (with 6k miles) pretty sparingly for the past 2 months, often taking it only on short 3-5 mile errand runs and I would always charge it overnight afterwards to full bars. I was away on a business trip for a week and the bike was sitting in my garage during that time, showing fully charged and with the charging cable unplugged. When I returned on Friday and turned on the bike the display had dropped 2 bars, so I plugged it in and let it charge to full bars overnight.
On Saturday night I drive her to a party 10 miles away, averaging 45mph on suburban roads. On my way home (about 5 miles from the party) at about 12am the bike began to lose power traveling uphill. If I recall the display was showing half of the bars remaining. I pulled over and did a power cycle and the red battery light came on and 0 bars were displayed. Luckily I was only about 200 feet from a gas station, and even better there were outlets outside and it was closed for the night so nobody hassled me. I plugged in and let the bike charge for an hour up to 6 bars, and thankfully that was enough to get me home.
The next morning, after leaving the bike on the charger overnight, the bike displayed 2 bars short of full. I took the bike on a 10 mile round trip and then charged again to full bars.
My questions:
1) Does this mean my batteries are failing?
2) Is there a way to prevent this from happening?
3) Is there some way to deep-discharge so I can recharge from the low point and reset my battery meter? (assuming that this is what caused it to happen)
Thanks!
Jesse in Atlanta
I think it is caused due to the lack of riding.
Indeed a deep discharge will bring it back.
If you do a deep discharge do it very carefully (extremely gentle riding) and always check the temperature. I check the temperature before and after each ride.
Make sure you use the pre cooling if the batteries are far above ambient.
If after deep discharge charging the top bars are missing this means your battery has reduced capacity. The very next charge it will display full bars but don't be fooled this means that your bottom bars are actually useless.
Make sure you don't charge straight after riding but rather the opposite: just before riding!
Once you go EV, Gas is history!
Thanks!
Jesse in Atlanta
Jesse,
I am quite certain that the bike forgot the state of charge of the battery. The only way to maintain the computer and battery in sync is to discharge o red light once a week or at least once every other week. If you don't use the bike for even a day or two, I would leave the bike parked in a discharged stage and charge the night before use. I also found that frequent short uses followed by recharges get things out of sync rather quickly. One way to ascertain whether the battery still hold a full charge is to simply discharge to red light, then charge with a kill-a-watt meter. You should draw somewhere between 4500 and 5000 watt.
Avoid riding to the red light as much as possible. The battery takes a hit every time you do so.
If you ensure to charge just before riding the gauge will be accurate the longest.
Riding it every day is even better :-) So if you ever needed an excuse to go for a ride...
Once you go EV, Gas is history!
Its ages since I last used the precooling... I suggest you upgrade your vectrix with the lairds firmware. The display gauge will be always accurate. The batteries will stay cool. And your battery will last longer. ;-)
You make it sound so easy!
With the canbus cable, a windows laptop and this forum.... it is easy and about 10 mins start to finish (taking everything absolutely step by step)
I would like to do just that. I wonder if anybody knows if this can bus adapter would work- I have access to these at work.
http://www.csielectronics.com/saint.htm
Otherwise let me know if you are in the Atlanta area and can help me flash the SW.
So there's no other way to discharge other than riding the bike? I would hate to get stuck somewhere again.
Thanks for all of your input.
Jesse
Jesse in Atlanta
Even if you have the right can bus adapter (pcan adapter http://gridconnect.com/can-usb.html ) and cable (http://gridconnect.com/obd2-cable.html) you also need the the right file loaded into the right subdirectory see message #8 http://visforvoltage.org/forum/12189-help-uploading-software-and-firmware, so I guess the Csielectronics one probably wouldn't work.
One way to drain the battery is run the scooter with the rear wheel off the ground by using a jack or something under the scooter and something to keep the handle bar throttle on like a strap. I would closely monitor it to turn it off when the red light comes on and use a large fan in the motor area so it doesn't over heat.
I forgot that you need instead the $325 CAN USB Adapter with optical isolation, to select that option click the arrow in the box under Isolation. http://gridconnect.com/can-usb.html
Correction to Post #9 above get the Gridconnect Part Number: GC-CAN-CAB-2M cable for the Vectrix, the Gridconnect cable Part Number: GC-CAN-CAB-OBD2 won't work with the Vectrix.
I've gotten the pcan adapter adapter myself and have been meaning to get a cable for it but I wasn't sure what was the right one. My guess was wrong but I was able to find the right cable here see Post #5 http://visforvoltage.org/forum/6031-can-bus?page=2 . I'am glad I double checked that or I would have ended up buying the wrong cable.