Burning smell from Vectrix

If I remember correctly, someone already had this problem. I believe it was Mik. Check previous threads.

Check this thread:
http://visforvoltage.org/forum/3446-vectrix-not-dead-yet-smelling-funny-and-grounded

Mr. Mik

Mik,
Was there a fix for it? I am not hopeful for Vectrix fixing this.

Is this something I can reach and correct? Or does it require special skills in some specific field?

If it is the same fault, then they will have to fix it for you.

Here is how I fixed it...

They would "just" replace the motor controller board instead.

But I think my fix is better, because it permanently removes the source of the trouble.

Anyhow, lots of things could cause a smell on an electric scooter, all of them should be fixed under warranty!

The fault with my motor controller board was IMO caused by the Vectrix technician over-tightening the connector, by not using a torque wrench.
3.5Nm is a bit hard to achieve accurately by hand or with a power drill, I watched him do it...

Unfortunately the battery recall might have done more damage than good for some, because it could have offered an opportunity for poorly trained technicians to stuff things up!

I recommend you do not ride the scooter until it has been repaired; if you have to ride it, then stop after each heavy, prolonged current draw and have a sniff...it REALLY STINKS BADLY when that board bubbles! The faint smell you get at home is probably just the remnant of when it was really hot.
My Vectux stank for weeks after the board was fixed.

If it is not the "C" connector, but the "A" or "B" connector that is smoldering, then I cannot vouch for it being possible to grind away the offending part of the board without dramas. They are closer to other components than the "C" connector.

Your board might also be different.

It is a warranty issue and they will most likely fix it for you.

Let us know how it went.

How many km has your Vectrix clocked up so far?

Mr. Mik

This is actually my new Vectrix. My first one, that had the loud oscillation in the gear box, I placed on consignment and it sold at a small discount.

Did they exchange it free of cost to you under warranty?

I just got this new one that has a perfect sound in the engine. But I just detected this smell. It has about 120 miles on it. I got it with only 27 miles.

Unfortunately you never know what trouble comes with a replacement vehicle. I wish I had kept my first Vectrix and fixed it myself. The replacement one was worse in many respects.

I have ridden 6 different Vectrix scooters so far. Three owned by local riders and three that were in the local store.
Not all Vectrix scooters are created equal. One of them sounded great, but it was definitely slower on acceleration. It does reach 62 mph, but not easily.

And the same goes for the people servicing them - of course not created equal either!

The new one that I got was perfect. Great sounding engine, smooth and quiet. Great acceleration and reached max speed as fast as any of them. And it is my favorite coler red. So I picked this one. But I don't want to mess it up with this faint plastic burining smell.

Perfect is when it runs many thousand kms without trouble.
I believe that many of the common faults (blowing the main fuse for no apparent reason, charger failure, smoldering motor controller board, failing rear light/ break light, noisy gear box, poor battery capacity) either happen fairly early or not at all.
For this reason, if you have a good Vectrix that has been running for a while, it is better to repair broken parts then to replace the whole scooter.

I hope this is something that can be handled locally. I don't want to ship it back to Vectrix for a simple board replacement. Can a local technician handle this?

It depends on available equipment and expertise.
A hoist is needed to get the 47kg rear battery out. Workplace health and safety regulations will certainly prohibit this sort of lifting without equipment in most locations. Vectrix Corp. will get their backside sued off in no time (in the USA) if they let people lift the battery out by hand. Think back injury and workers compensation claims.
Other than a hoist and torque wrench nothing particularly special is needed if you have a center stand. Without a center stand the scooter also needs to be secured somehow whilst lifting the battery out. Maybe even if you have a center stand, I've never seen one yet to try it out.
I guess they replace parts with new parts so they can analyze them to improve their act in the future. Or they rework the parts in the factory at an opportune time and then put them into new production scooters (if there are in fact any being produced) or use them to replace other failing parts under warranty.

Mr. Mik

Hi Morri
Most things that could go wrong with the scooter has happened to me, but once rectified, repaired or modified is fixed for good.
Expect a few probs in the first 3000ks, (Teething problems of first issue models) but Vectrix techs with usually come out to you to sort out issues quickly. I simply got to these failures sooner than others, as I rode 500klms a week for the first six months,
Total traveled on Vectrix "scooters" 14,000klms,

Your issue is a burnt connection on the Motor controller, usually cause by OVERTIGHTENING the connection,
The Batteries aint that heavy, as I have lifted them out and in myself on occassion, (with Vec-Tech in attendance of course)
Vectrix will replace that item, on the spot. in 2 hours, and done right will not give you any more probs.

I have ridden many trouble free klms, and with total confidence.
From the coldest morning, immediate flat stick, to 1200 climbs, this scooter does it easily.

As for the gear noise there are a couple of ways to quieten them down, I can hear my high frequency motor now, my whine is so low.
only wind noise can be heard from 40kph and up.
In fact I rode with another Vextrix recently and I could only hear his whine. As Mik says "there is always a way"
Without effecting warranty! one way is by sound proofing the gearbox
There are a few product out there, exp. stickyback rubber silver coated sound proofing, or a 1/4" rubber skirt from axle to rim (press fitted with sound absorbing material underneathe)... (Take the brake disk and wheel off to do the job properly). The gearbox generates very little heat so wrapping it up wont effect it, (so get to it, start experimenting ;-))

Another subject:
Has anyone out there in cyberland come accross a 150v dc generator

Happy riding
Peter

As for the gear noise there are a couple of ways to quieten them down, I can hear my high frequency motor now, my whine is so low.
only wind noise can be heard from 40kph and up.
In fact I rode with another Vextrix recently and I could only hear his whine. As Mik says "there is always a way"
Without effecting warranty! one way is by sound proofing the gearbox
There are a few product out there, exp. stickyback rubber silver coated sound proofing, or a 1/4" rubber skirt from axle to rim (press fitted with sound absorbing material underneathe)... (Take the brake disk and wheel off to do the job properly). The gearbox generates very little heat so wrapping it up wont effect it, (so get to it, start experimenting ;-))

Hi Peter,

could you post or email any links or photos about the sound dampening, please?

I have so far assumed that the majority of the sound is caused by the hollow swing arm, being a resonator for the vibrations caused in the gear box.

But that's the trouble with assumptions...

Have you tested it?

Mr. Mik

The Vectrix service department manager called me today. They are taking care of the problem.
It is a simple fix.

He recommend for now to avoid deep discharge cycles. Don't ride it below 1/3 battery.

He said it won't harm anything to continue using the Vectrix until this is fixed.

This advice makes no sense to me at all.

Be very careful.

I would understand if they had advised you to keep the amps in the lower third or lower 2/3 by avoiding hard acceleration, steep hills and high speed riding.

Can anyone think of an electric fault that is not worsened by higher amp draw and that only happens when the battery is low?

My hypothesis:
The person who gave you this advice might erroneously believe that the battery gets drained to low voltage levels along a linear curve and that the amps linearly increase for a given power output. If that was true, which it is not, then there would be higher amps flowing at lower battery voltages.

If one of the connectors between the RGBT and your motor is smoldering, then the melting material from the PCB might get between the contact surfaces and make it worse until you get stranded with a very strong stink surrounding you....

I am aware of three different Vectrixes that had this problem of a smoldering MC board, but have never before heard of any other actual burning smell occurring.

They did of course warn about a burning smell in the battery recall explanation given by Vectrix Corp.

Mr. Mik