Howdy Folks.
I acquired an X-Treme XM-3150 about 7 months ago. Other than the DC/DC stepdown converter crapping out on me twice, it has been a pleasure to own and really added an infinite dimension to my life. I have cystic fibrosis and can't breathe well enough to get around on a regular bike. This bike has allowed me to get out of the house and live a little.
It all went to hell last week when it decided that it wanted to kill me for the second time. I was sitting on the bike to leave a friend's house... I put the key in, toe-tapped the kickstand up and just touched the throttle when it took off and slammed itself and me into a wall that had been 8 feet away. As I was going down, my death-grip on the throttle broke it and pulled it apart.
I needed a way to get home and no way to get the bike home without pushing it so I fiddled with the throttle handle a bit thinking that it looked pretty simple. I slid it together and it took off again like a dragster. After that I decided to leave it alone till I could get home and look it over.
One $75 tow truck bill later and it now sits in my driveway unable to move. AAaagh!
Here is where I'm at...
I have replaced the throttle with an OEM replacement.
When I put the key in the on/off switch and turn to the on position, there is a mild "thunk" noise in the hub-motor. The battery life gauge lights up as it should but nothing else. This was happening before I installed the new throttle/accelerator.
Here's the big question: What the heck is that thunk noise in the motor? Is there a relay or fuse that has been overloaded?
Any ideas on how to diagnose this bike to determine what is wrong or what needs to be either fixed or replaced?
I thank you genius' in advance.
Sorry to hear about your mishap. It sounds like you originally had a problem with the throttle, like the controller somehow saw a wide open signal. The throttle circuit is fairly simple - just 3 wires. The controller supplies 5 volts on the red wire and a ground on the black. The throttle returns a portion of the 5 volts on the signal return wire (usually white or sometimes blue gray or green) back to the controller. If the red and the signal wire touch, the controller will interpret this as full throttle. For a detailed discussion of the throttle, see the thread on XM-3150 throttle response. Understanding how the throttle works will help you to think up ways to troubleshoot the system.
As far as the thump you are now getting, I'm not sure what that is. Are the batteries fully charged? It could be instantly running into the LVC (low voltage cutoff) and just making a thump. Try turning off the econo switch in the storage compartment. It has three positions: I, II, & O in the middle (for off). With the bike on the centerstand (rear wheel off the ground) and the sidestand up, try the ignition briefly and see what happens. If nothing, try it again with the econo switch in "I". Try different things and see if you can get some more clues (without hurting anything). Good luck and let us know how you're doing.
This should serve as a warning to us all. Electric scooters are not like other scooters. They need to be pointed in a safe direction with a hand ready to grab the brake before turning the key.
Charles
Be careful with that center stand! Unless they've changed the design, you have to be off the bike to put it up on it, and it isn't real easy to use. I suggest a helper for at least the first time you use it. When I got my XM-3000 I was so used to my Lepton's great center stand (You just rock back while sitting on the scooter to use it) that it didn't occur to me not to get off the bike. As a result, I ended up pinned against my garage door, and will always have a scarred area just below my right knee.
Agreed that electric scooters are a different breed. There should be a FAQ for newbies here, and one of the first things it should say is to always engage at least one brake when you turn the scooter on, especially if it's new or has been damaged. That way either the brake cutoff switch will save you, or you'll at least have something resisting that 'Runaway Scooter Syndrome'...
Amen. Anyone remember this?
Inventor of the worlds fastest electric motorcycle crashes it at Wired NextFest 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o15EALghp0
Mark
Yes, this is an old issue. Always turn the bike off if you stop to talk to someone also. I've had people assume it is off and twist the grip. (and off you go) Here is an account of my experience and a few others.
http://visforvoltage.org/forum/6370-warningthrottle-brake-release
I was wondering if maybe you were unconsciously twisting the throttle a little bit when you kicked the stand up.
Not that it matters, what is done is done, but just to help to understand what happened so that it can be avoided in the future. I found recently that the problem of twisting the throttle a little while holding the brakes is much worse if you're wearing gloves. I was just test driving a friends bike and it was 37F and I had heavy gloves on and it happened a couple times with no incident, but it can startle you. I've been riding motorcycles for 40 years so It's not like I'm a beginner either.
You might follow this thread as this guys problem sounds similar. If the voltage between the white wire and the black wire coming out of the throttle is not 0v with the throttle off (and bike on) that's the problem. (if the controller sees anything but 0v at startup it will cut out for safty) With a voltmeter you should be able to watch the voltage between those two wires go from 0v gradually to 5v as you twist the throttle on. Leftybiker and Chasbro covered everything else.
mf70, I cringe every time I see that killacycle mishap. I never saw the whole thing where the interviewer asks "we arent going to have to haul you off in an ambulance are we?" I don't know if I buy that his throttle stuck. I think the tire the tire locked up and off he went, unable to let off the throttle due to the forces acting on him. Anyone know for sure. I know he was OK right?
2008 XM3500li Mods/Kelly KBL12251/84v 28cell 40AH pack/ Variable regen brake trigger on left brake handle/Givi/Cycle Analyst/Homemade BMS
KMX Typhoon Home build (recumbent pedelec) with two Astro Brushless 3220motors/twin castle Phoenix ICEHV 160/ Cycl
Forgot to leave the link to the thread that might help you. Of coarse he hasn't worked it out yet either.
Good luck let us know how it goes.
http://visforvoltage.org/forum/11733-xm-3000-dead
2008 XM3500li Mods/Kelly KBL12251/84v 28cell 40AH pack/ Variable regen brake trigger on left brake handle/Givi/Cycle Analyst/Homemade BMS
KMX Typhoon Home build (recumbent pedelec) with two Astro Brushless 3220motors/twin castle Phoenix ICEHV 160/ Cycl
Thanks all for your input.
Unfortunately, I'm a hack when it comes to electricity. I can wire a house but actual electric theory is wonky to me.
So far...
I have 65 volts at the batteries and they are fully charged. I have completely unplugged and disconnected the throttle. I have unplugged the brake handle connections. With the breaker in the off position, when I turn the key to the on position all the lights on the gauges work... no thunk from the rear wheel. Turn key off, flip breaker to on position, turn key back on... audible thunk in the rear wheel. Turn key off, flip breaker off, turn key back on... a much softer thunk and gets progressively quieter with each successive on/off of the key switch.
I have a multimeter but really don't know much about how to use it. I don't even know where to begin trying to diagnose this thing and there are no electric scooter/moped dealers anywhere near where I live who could either offer advice or service it.
Iccarus, thanks for the link to the other thread.
I just wish I knew what was not working correctly so I could just replace the part, either the hub-motor wheel or the controller. I can replace either or but I can't afford to replace both.
WAaaaaah !!!