HACKING the Cruise Control on Crystalyte Controller

[Sacman]

I haven't found an answer to this searching thru the forum so I'll ask it here... Does anyone know how to hack the Cruise Control on the Crystalyte 40A Analog Controller so you can USE IT WITHOUT the Cruise Control Unit (CCU) that mounts on the handlebar? I just want to use a simple momentary switch.

I don't like the way that CCU looks on the handlebar. I'm trying to keep my ebike stealthy looking and that It's big CCU with it's red, green, cyan, black, and takes up too much room on the handlebars and calls out unwanted attention that extra electronics have been added to the bike.

I'd rather use a simple, small, hidden, momentary lever switch that I epoxied to the underside of the handlebar (next to the brake lever) on my ebikes that use BMC controllers. When I get to speed I just tap that lever switch to set the cruise control speed. Then tap it again to release. That's all I want and need from the cruise control. I don't need the "+" and "-" controls to increment the speed up or down, and I don't need any fancy LED light telling me that the cruise control is on.

Can anyone tell me if I can use a simple momentary switch like this on the Crystalyte controller?

 

[itselectric]

I haven't found an answer to this searching thru the forum so I'll ask it here... Does anyone know how to hack the Cruise Control on the Crystalyte 40A Analog Controller so you can USE IT WITHOUT the Cruise Control Unit (CCU) that mounts on the handlebar? I just want to use a simple momentary switch.

I don't like the way that CCU looks on the handlebar. I'm trying to keep my ebike stealthy looking and that It's big CCU with it's red, green, cyan, black, and takes up too much room on the handlebars and calls out unwanted attention that extra electronics have been added to the bike.

I'd rather use a simple, small, hidden, momentary lever switch that I epoxied to the underside of the handlebar (next to the brake lever) on my ebikes that use BMC controllers. When I get to speed I just tap that lever switch to set the cruise control speed. Then tap it again to release. That's all I want and need from the cruise control. I don't need the "+" and "-" controls to increment the speed up or down, and I don't need any fancy LED light telling me that the cruise control is on.

Can anyone tell me if I can use a simple momentary switch like this on the Crystalyte controller?

Sacman:

I am not the electronic guy, but I have some knowledge of how this cruise control works. There are total 4 wire in it.
pin 1 5v+
pin 2 ground v-
pin 3 throttle signal
pin 4 ebrake signal

pin 3 is reading 0 - 5v, this act as a throttle and override your throttle signal
pin 4 when it is on, it shut down your motor as a safey

what you really want to hack is the cruise on/off switch on display, and ignore the ebrake signal
Ken

 

[Sacman]

Yes thank you Ken,

I found similar pinout informaton elsewhere and yes I agree the key is to find out how the throttle signal in pin 3 is "latched". But I don't think I can disregard the ebrake signal in pin 4 because that releases (or turns off) the cruise control doesn't it?

-Sacman

P.S. BTW thanks for your PM earlier today about the softstart throttle.

I am not the electronic guy, but I have some knowledge of how this cruise control works. There are total 4 wire in it.
pin 1 5v+
pin 2 ground v-
pin 3 throttle signal
pin 4 ebrake signal

pin 3 is reading 0 - 5v, this act as a throttle and override your throttle signal
pin 4 when it is on, it shut down your motor as a safey

what you really want to hack is the cruise on/off switch on display, and ignore the ebrake signal
Ken

 

[itselectric]

Yes thank you Ken,

I found similar pinout informaton elsewhere and yes I agree the key is to find out how the throttle signal in pin 3 is "latched". But I don't think I can disregard the ebrake signal in pin 4 because that releases (or turns off) the cruise control doesn't it?

-Sacman

I would only focus on the "Cruise" button first, that is your toggle on/off switch. If you added the ebrake signal, it is just an off switch or emergency safety off

btw, here is new cruise control that I help design, it has the extra resume button, right after you apply the brake, you hit the resume button, it reset back to your last speed. I am just waiting for prototype come back for approval.

 

[Sacman]

I really like that RESUME FUNCTION Ken. I have lots of cottontail rabbits suddenly jump out in front of me on the bike path during my morning commute to work (while it's still dark before the sun comes up). Scares me to death every time because I don't want to run over those little critters. One jumped into my front wheel spokes and caused me to lose control @ 25mph. So now every time I have to hit the brakes (and shut down the cruise control) to avoid running over those rabbits. Yes that resume function would come in very handy for me.

I still prefer to not have showy cruise control devices on my handle bars but I like the layout of your faceplate design. Will the buttons be large enough to operate by people wearing gloves in cold weather?

 

[itselectric]

I really like that RESUME FUNCTION Ken. I have lots of cottontail rabbits suddenly jump out in front of me on the bike path during my morning commute to work (while it's still dark before the sun comes up). Scares me to death every time because I don't want to run over those little critters. One jumped into my front wheel spokes and caused me to lose control @ 25mph. So now every time I have to hit the brakes (and shut down the cruise control) to avoid running over those rabbits. Yes that resume function would come in very handy for me.

I still prefer to not have showy cruise control devices on my handle bars but I like the layout of your faceplate design. Will the buttons be large enough to operate by people wearing gloves in cold weather?

Lino, what are u talking about cold weather?! You are in California my friend. You see how the design had same size of button, yes it will be very easy to operate. You can be my California beta tester when I have it produced.

Ken

 

[amberwolf]

I started working on reverse engineering this control unit a while back, but haven't had time to finish. AFAICR, the throttle output is an analog output from an MCU inside the unit, which takes over from your regular throttle. I might be misremembering.

If I'm remembering right, then the way you'd want to use that simple switch on the bars is to have it engage or disengage the control unit remotely. Put the control unit right down at your controller itself, then run wires from the Cruise switch point up to your handlebar concealed switch, so that you can engage and disengage the control unit itself.

You'll also still be able to use the unit itself to set it's cruise speed, if you wish, assuming it remembers this setting between power cycles (I don't know).