First e-bike build: Need help diagnosing motor/controller problem

jimmyjams

1 µW
Joined
Oct 5, 2021
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I put this bike together five months ago and just started having serious problems with the powertrain. The motor makes noise but not the wheel is not receiving the power.

It's easiest to explain with videos, what is happening. The motor grunts but the wheel hardly moves.

Hope this works: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v2dq8mmfvuohgwp/AACJzRnzWIYQcS1aXupViOhqa?dl=0

Here’s the kit that I used:

48V 1500W Motor
●Rated Voltage (DCV): 48
●Rated Power (W): 1500
●Rated Speed(KM):45-50
●Rated Speed(rpm):414-487
●Torque(N.m): 71-74.6
●Fork size(mm):170 or 190

35A Controller
●Use For :1500W Motor
●Dimension :190*82*41 mm
●Mosfets :12 mosfets
●Maximum current :35±1A
●Speed set :1-42V
●Rated current :17A

Link to the kit I used: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002047374625.html?spm=a2g0s.12269583.0.0.6f5679cesJCVqv

It would be great if someone more experience could recommend the best steps to diagnose the problem. I am in touch with the manufacturer but they're pretty slow to reply.

Thank you!!!
 
Strange sound. The motor looks like a direct drive hub motor but sounds like a stripped gear.

Does the wheel spin freely (without power) when off the ground?

If it is a direct drive hub motor; it's likely that one of the motor's hall sensors has failed or there is a poor connection between the controller and the motor (check all the connectors). Try this: https://ebikes.ca/documents/HallSensorTestingFinal.pdf
 
Seconded re. Hall sensors. I've seen this before, if you get the halls in the wrong order or the phases in the wrong order you'll get this effect as it sets the 3 phases in the wrong state. Some combinations do nothing, some vibrate, some run really badly.

A broken hall sensor, loose wire etc can also cause this.

Have you recently removed and reassembled the wires?
 
If it's a geared hub motor and the controller is spinning it backwards, it will make noise but not drive the wheel.

Try some other hall/phase combinations. Don't give full throttle unless it sounds like it's running properly.
 
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