Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle flickering?

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VisFORvictory
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Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle flickering?

Hi - do you know the answer to this - the Regen failed slightly as I was slowing to a T junction. Then the bike kept losing power down to a few mph (after each stop, I switched off and then on to see if it would self-correct, but to no avail). Even though it was showing 6 bars, the bike would go no further. The bike seemed capable of small amounts of forward movement (a few miles an hour). The fan whirred hard and the temperature light came on. There were a few unusual noises from inside. The orange R flashed on and off and the speed dial hand kept flickering up and down slightly.
It still does this...The orange R flashed on and off and the speed dial hand kept flickering up and down slightly.
Any views on the cause and solution?
Best regards,
Jeff

Mik
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

I think you better stop riding it for now....

Mik

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: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

Hi Jeff,

your motor controller is most likely dead, the below will help work out in what way

if you are able to lift your back wheel off the ground, and do the following:

turn the key off

while holding the right brake and the throttle at full, turn the key on

that will put the bike into a diagnostic mode - the rear wheel should turn slowly smoothly in a forward direction

if it does not, try the above procedure with the left brake instead of the right brake

regards,
Matt

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

VisFORvictory
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

Matt, I followed your instructions and this does not happen..."the rear wheel should turn slowly smoothly in a forward direction". It also did not work with the left brake. The wheel twitches a little but does not turn. The spanner light comes on. So how does this affect the diagnosis and solution? Many thanks. Jeff

antiscab
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

it means your motor controller is dead

basically starting with the right brake sets the motor controller to slowly rotate the wheel, without the use of the position encoder and a few other things.

as it cannot do this, there fault is in the controller.

you will need to remove the controller to do more testing

As a matter of practicality I do have a spare I can sell you, but your's may yet be repairable

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

VisFORvictory
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

Thanks so much!
So does that mean the encoder is not the cause (I was about to pay for a new encoder to be fitted)?
What further tests can be done after removing the controller?
Are you suggesting there might be other fault(s)? How can they be detected?
Sorry for all the questions. I have no technical knowledge (I only have an expensive bike that I cannot use!).
Many thanks!
Best regards,
Jeff

VisFORvictory
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

Thanks for your helpful advice!
So the encoder is not the problem (I was just about to pay for a new encoder to be fitted!)?
What further tests can be done after removing the controller - and what are the solutions?
Are you suggesting that there might be other faults (not just the controller)?
Sorry for all the questions. I have no technical knowledge (I only have an expensive dead Vectrix!). Many thanks!
Best regards,
Jeff

Archi13
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

Hello Jeff,

I think that you can try to reload the Mc program with scooterdiag if you can do it in using Peak USB-to-CAN adapter.

Best regard.

VisFORvictory
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

Sorry, I have no technical knowledge. Do you mean to re-load the software?

Archi13
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

Yes, but you need software and equipment and off course knowledge, if one neighbor can help you? Where you are?

antiscab
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

So the encoder is not the problem (I was just about to pay for a new encoder to be fitted!)?
What further tests can be done after removing the controller - and what are the solutions?

The encoder is not the issue - the rotating wheel test you did earlier confirmed this

you will need to do a visual inspection of the controller - mainly the 3 phase terminals, positive and negative.
Take a picture of those terminals

if they are fine we can look at testing the IGBT with a multimeter.
but easy stuff first.

If you haven't already, look up my video showing how to dis-assemble to gain access to the controller

I think that you can try to reload the Mc program with scooterdiag if you can do it in using Peak USB-to-CAN adapter.

the software being wrong is a bit of a long shot, and hard/time consuming to test

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

VisFORvictory
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

Bedford, UK.

Archi13
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

Very long way for me, Marseille in France...

VisFORvictory
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

Please send me a link to the video you mention - thank you. Jeff

MEroller
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Re: Cause of low speed, R light flashing, odometer needle ...

Please send me a link to the video you mention - thank you. Jeff

I am not antiscab, but simply insert his nick into the Youtube search box, and his very own channel will come up at the top of list ;-)

My rides:
2017 Zero S ZF6.5 11kW, erider Thunder 5kW

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