Cyclone 360 motor lost power and surging wet?

[robb]

Hi , yesterday, my cyclone 360 motor started to lose power with occasional power surges . The red light on the throttle also came on despite an almost fully charged battery. It has been raining here the last several days and I think it has probably got water in it. The motor will also start without the throttle so I am guessing that the controller inside the motor is shorting. I have mounted it so the leads entered from the bottom but did not seal the airhole on the top, not noticing it was there. I am trying to dry it out by standing the bike upside down in the kitchen. Hoping the moisture will evaporate and that it will function OK tomorrow. I am wondering wether I should disemble it anyway and wipe it dry and then put it back together and seal the entrances to the motor with silicone including the airhole.Would that invalidate the guarantee presuming it is worth anything. The motor was from Taiwan and I bought it in May this year. Is that a simple job for a electonics simpleton like myself though I am a reasonable diy mechanic. Would spraying wd40 through the airhole do any good once it seems to have dried out or would that be pointless. Any advice? thanks Rob

 

[robb]

Just to add I don't think must water has got in the motor, assuming that is the problem, just enough to dampen the electonics. None is dripping out off the top airhole which is now underneath as I am standing the bike upside down. I have checked the airhole is not blocked with a needle.
Rob

 

[deardancer3]

Typical problem for the 360 cyclone.

Yes dis-assemble from bike and open the motor. make sure it is dry internally. use a hair dryer on no heat. Get sealant from local h/w store. Put sealant around the two parts of the casing, the grommet where the cables enter the casing, and any other openings after re-assembly.

(my cyclone works submerged in a foot of water in a bucket)

if you were in a downpour, check your throttle to be sure it is dry too.

You should be good to go.

d

 

[robb]

Thanks d , opened it up but can't get the armateur out more than 10mm or so. Is that just the force of the magnets? It seems dry inside and I don't want to risk damaging anything , so I was just going to do as you say , dry it further with the hairdryer and put it all back together with sealant. From what I can see there seems no scorching or signs of overheating inside.
Rob

 

[deardancer3]

There are some high impedance circuits on the board. Water with any contaminants would temporarily cause those circuits to work differently than designed.

I can tell you that I experienced the red light and the motor movement with no throttle after a rain storm. After getting dried and sealed, it worked find. You are not the first, nor will you be the last.

A small opening to circulate dry air is all thats needed. Just get it dry, seal, assemble and test. Hope luck is with you.

d

 

[dnmun]

just open the cover, don't try to pull it apart and take the armature out, there is a thermal switch embedded in the coils and attached to the controller with wires which keep it from opening, don't try to open it more than the 10mm, and let it dry inside before sealing it again

 

[robb]

Thanks very much for your help. Sealed and put it back together. Tried it out today. Working fine. Why don't Cyclone seal their unit properly !!
Rob

 

[kentlim26]

if you have the external controller, the connectors to the throttle also need to be silicon too. Http://www.flickr.com/photos/kentlim26 where they place need to be silicon. if water gets into the connector/ throttle side you will be introuble !! it run itself. so those area are being silicon well, no problem to run in the rain( if can avoid the rain is the best) I have run 500watts kit, it has ever lost power in the middle, maybe is the battery SLA problems. on my 900watts kit with 48v the power run throughout is solid in speed or troque. It is as good as my honda 150cc motorbike. One thing about ebike is being more flexiable in many uncountable ways. if you really like power of troque... do try out the 900watts and above. it is 100% different in the feeling.

kentlim.