I have a TaoTao ATE 501 electric scooter, 3 years old. Recently, after a full charge, I started over the bridge as I always do. I noticed a decrease in power and the battery gauge sank below halfway. I assumed, well it's time for new batteries. I ordered new batteries, installed them, and put them on charge. After 10 minutes the charger went green so I assumed that they were already charged. I went to ride and EXACTLY same situation as before - battery gauge sinks to below half immediately. So obviously batteries not the problem - please help! Thank you, Steve
2 chargers won't work TaoTao ATE501 scooter
- Thread starter weavey
- Start date
MadRhino
100 GW
Since you don’t seem to have any means to measure current draw, we can only guess.
I suppose that your system does pull more current than it was used to. There are many possible causes for that: mechanical resistance (brakes rubbing, etc), current loss (wiring, connections, etc)... or there could be a short.
Any excessive current draw would make heat somewhere, so that is the first thing to check. Battery heat, motor heat, controller heat, wiring and connections... it is often enough to quicky find the cause.
I suppose that your system does pull more current than it was used to. There are many possible causes for that: mechanical resistance (brakes rubbing, etc), current loss (wiring, connections, etc)... or there could be a short.
Any excessive current draw would make heat somewhere, so that is the first thing to check. Battery heat, motor heat, controller heat, wiring and connections... it is often enough to quicky find the cause.
Hello everyone. I have a Taotao ATE-501 electric scooter, app. 3 years old. I live at the beach and often go over intracoastal bridge. About 3 weeks ago, I charged scooter fully as usual. About halfway up the bridge, I felt as if I was losing power and gauge went all the way to the red zone. Immediately I thought, "Well, my batteries have finally gone out." I ordered 4 new batteries, installed, and fully charged them upon arrival. Took off to go across the bridge, and SAME SITUATION - weak power and gauge dropping to red. So the problem is obviously not batteries - what else could it be? Thanks for any insight into this - Steve
Chalo
100 TW
You still haven't eliminated the batteries as a cause, if you haven't had the batteries load tested. Just because the batteries are new, doesn't mean they're good. Go to an auto supply that can load test them for you; then you'll know.
In the meantime, look at all along the main power circuit for signs of excess resistance-- burned or melted insulation, corrosion of terminals, etc.
You can get yourself heat-recording stickers for the motor and controller to see if they're getting abnormally hot. Your controller may be capable of rolling back and/or cutting power if things overheat. Your nose might be able to tell you if this is a factor.
Lead batteries, right? If so, do yourself a favor and evict that awful junk. Lithium batteries will give you less weight, more range, better performance, much longer service life, or all the above. For a feet-forward moped, I'd look for appropriately sized cells salvaged from e-cars, then graft on a generic BMS board that matches the cells' voltage and the motor's power demand.
In the meantime, look at all along the main power circuit for signs of excess resistance-- burned or melted insulation, corrosion of terminals, etc.
You can get yourself heat-recording stickers for the motor and controller to see if they're getting abnormally hot. Your controller may be capable of rolling back and/or cutting power if things overheat. Your nose might be able to tell you if this is a factor.
Lead batteries, right? If so, do yourself a favor and evict that awful junk. Lithium batteries will give you less weight, more range, better performance, much longer service life, or all the above. For a feet-forward moped, I'd look for appropriately sized cells salvaged from e-cars, then graft on a generic BMS board that matches the cells' voltage and the motor's power demand.
Whether or not the battery is the problem can be gauged by having a voltmeter hooked up to the last point in the electrical chain. If the battery is hitting a low voltage cutoff, then you can figure out where that cutoff is at the least.
Couple possibilities here.
1) you have a bad connector somewhere. ( you can find said connector by moving the multimeter to the battery and comparing it to what the controller sees under load )
2) your battery is not up to the task of providing full power to the vehicle.
3) your battery is the wrong voltage and you are hitting a low voltage cutoff.
Couple possibilities here.
1) you have a bad connector somewhere. ( you can find said connector by moving the multimeter to the battery and comparing it to what the controller sees under load )
2) your battery is not up to the task of providing full power to the vehicle.
3) your battery is the wrong voltage and you are hitting a low voltage cutoff.
999zip999
100 TW
each battery should be charged to 13.6v before series connecting. Then hookup and charged.
dogman dan
1 PW
If you bought new lead batteries, what type did you get? Wrong type lead new will be worse under load than what it came with.
SlowCo
1 MW
Is it a series of SLA (lead acid) batteries or a Li-ion battery pack with a BMS (battery managment system)?
If SLA: check each battery for voltage and connection to the other batteries.
If Li-ion with BMS: check output voltage of pack at BMS and reset BMS.
Check all your wiring from the charger to the battery pack.
Good luck.
If SLA: check each battery for voltage and connection to the other batteries.
If Li-ion with BMS: check output voltage of pack at BMS and reset BMS.
Check all your wiring from the charger to the battery pack.
Good luck.
Sounds like you probably still have the same issue as before, which you've never replied to those helping you.
Just so you know, we can't actually help you if you won't do suggested tests and post the complete results of those, or answer questions, etc.
Just so you know, we can't actually help you if you won't do suggested tests and post the complete results of those, or answer questions, etc.
Measure the output voltage of your charger. I've heard of chargers breaking without obvious signs. What happens is the current cutoff (green light) occurs at a lower voltage than required resulting in a much lower charged battery.
The sudden fuel gauge drop could be the result of the voltage drop when riding a partially charged battery.
The sudden fuel gauge drop could be the result of the voltage drop when riding a partially charged battery.
Similar threads
