Bike seems to be dead

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dogtagstudio
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Bike seems to be dead

I put the bike up for the winter and did not charge it. So I went out to plug it in yesterday and nothing. Than about a minute later I heard a pop from the front of the bike. Any Ideas? Why is it not charging and what was that sounds? Please help

I'm new to the forum so not sure if this question was answered before.
Thanks

AndY1
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Re: Bike seems to be dead

Do you remember, at what State of Charge were the batteries when you parked it for the winter? Were they fully charged? For how was the bike left uncharged?

dogtagstudio
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Re: Bike seems to be dead

It was about a quarter charge. It's been sitting for 4 months.

volts76
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Re: Bike seems to be dead

The scooter must be fully charged before storing. It must be recharged every three months. Your battery voltage is probably too low so the BC fails to start the charge. Repair techs are advised to contact VecTech with the voltage reading measured from the BC plug to the batteries.

Mik
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Re: Bike seems to be dead

The "constant on" state of the Vectrix motor controller probably causes a higher self-discharge rate than what is normal for NiMH batteries. It will probably also continue to drain the cells no matter how low their voltage gets, until it is zero.

But what would that "POP" from the front have been? That seems to be more than just the charger not starting because of low battery voltage.

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Iccarus
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Re: Bike seems to be dead

How about a battery isolator switch for storage? or maybe just take the main terminals off. You could use a hobby trickle charger to charge the cells (individually or in groups) enough to get the main charger to go on. That pop or click if it keeps happening every time you start the charger, it probably is a switch that stops it from charging a to low battery. Just don't try to fast charge the low cells. I hope that might help.

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

Mik
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Re: Bike seems to be dead

How about a battery isolator switch for storage? or maybe just take the main terminals off. You could use a hobby trickle charger to charge the cells (individually or in groups) enough to get the main charger to go on. That pop or click if it keeps happening every time you start the charger, it probably is a switch that stops it from charging a to low battery. Just don't try to fast charge the low cells. I hope that might help.

That is all quite difficult to do. Unless the battery is taken apart to 8s and 9s module level, one would need a charger capable of producing about 70V for the rear battery, and a charger producing about 40V for the two 27s segments in the rear battery. Or of course a charger charging at 120V to 150V to charge the entire battery at once.

This information may be used entirely at your own risk.

There is always a way if there is no other way!

Mik
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Re: Bike seems to be dead

So I went out to plug it in yesterday and nothing.

What exactly do you mean with "nothing"?

No dash illumination? No headlight flashing briefly?

No noise at all until the "POP" noise?

This information may be used entirely at your own risk.

There is always a way if there is no other way!

kevin smith
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Re: Bike seems to be dead

hi just a guess but if you have .a plug timer like the micanical ones that you can flik one of the little increments .?
then set it every few hours to charge starting from 5 mins then knock off then charge up for 10 mins then knock off then 15 mins . you get the idear
well with my little experince of over 25 years with messing rechargeable batteries i have found that you can resarect a duff bat by this method ??
well it has worked for me but my be vectrix .
what i would have done if poss just have vectrix on a timer to give it a charge every other day even few hours woul do .. all best kev..

dogtagstudio
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Re: Bike seems to be dead

The scooter must be fully charged before storing. It must be recharged every three months. Your battery voltage is probably too low so the BC fails to start the charge. Repair techs are advised to contact VecTech with the voltage reading measured from the BC plug to the batteries.

So does this mean that the batteries are dead and I need to replace them? Is there any other way to may be jump start them into working again? I guess the best thing is to call the VecTech.

Thanks everyone for the info.

moccasin
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Re: Bike seems to be dead

That "click" or pop you year from the front is likely a low voltage safety cutoff which prevents the charger (located up front) from burning itself or the bike up.

My boss's Golf Cart works the same way. When she lets it sit for 6 or 8 months without use, the batteries get too low for the Cart Charger, so I have to take all the batteries (6) out and individually and rapid charge them one at a time on a shop charger to get the whole system up to the voltage level that the Cart Charger can accept. Unfortunately, this is not possible (or at least not practical or safe) to do with the Vectix. Unfortunately, you have 102 batteries in that bike, and even if you could individually charge them all, you wouldn't have the proper equipment to hook the battery pack back up to the controller without frying IT.

Unless you have extensive electronic knowledge and access to proper equipment, I'm afraid you're in for a trip to the shop. You could easily do greater damage by trying to fix it yourself, but please report back when you find out what has to be done, as I'm sure that there WILL be similar issues with any or all EVs at some point in time.

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