Bafang smart battery + phaserunner

[Bdavis22]

Hi all, my current build ( grin phaserunner, gmac 8T, CA, and 52v 14.5 AH) works perfectly.

For reasons beyond my control, I am being required to swap out my battery and charger for one that is ul listed. Not many options available, and fewer at 52v.

So my question is this: the new f22 bafang battery ( ul 2271 compliant btw) is a smart battery that works with their mid drives. Will this battery work with the phaserunner?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[amberwolf]

If a battery requires communications with the controller to operate, then it will only work with the specific system it was designed for.

To work with a non-OEM controller with no communications with the battery, you need a non-OEM battery that requires no communications to operate.

Batteries from systems that are "smart" and require that communication, like more and more of the OEM systems are these days, will only work with those systems, if the battery itself has to be turned on by a specific data stream from the system.

If the system only *reads* data from the battery to turn itself on, and the *battery* does not receive data from the system to turn it on (it always provides ful main power at it's outputs), then the battery will work without the system, even if the system doesn't work without the battery.

The only way to know which ones work which way, if this info hasn't been posted on the internet somewhere by someone, is to get such a battery and test it.


Another option is to get a battery that has the required UL listing, even if it doesn't work without the OEM system, then replace the electronics (BMS) in it with a "standard" one like those from JBD, etc., to let it operate with your system. Unless the people checking the listing disassemble the battery and know what the original electronics looked like, they will not be able to tell this has been done (presuming the work is done correctly and neatly).

 

[Bdavis22]

Thanks for your reply and info. I suppose that was my question. I don’t know to what extent bafangs “smart” battery communicates. I thought it might be possible that it would send data to the controller that might be redundant thru the info I get to the phaserunner and on to the ca. it’s all a moot point however if the battery requires signal from the controller to even operate.

The other option you mentioned is a work around, but a rather involved one. Here in nyc the ul certified requirement was signed into law last spring and has steadily been getting enforced around the city. I suppose for now I’ll look around for other battery options. Thanks again.

 

[amberwolf]

The battery couldn't send any data to your PR or CA, it could only do that to the OEM controller it's made to work with, as that's the only one that would have the data lines to connect to it.

Have you considered "borrowing" a UL label from another device? I wouldn't normally suggest it, but if you trust the battery you already have, and it's well-built, getting one with a UL label on it isn't going to make your system any better or safer. (presuming the UL listing is even real, as there are many devices / etc that do not have an actual UL listing, just the label, or even just the advertising that they have UL/CE/etc certification when they don't actually have any of them).

 

[Bdavis22]

I have considered borrowing a label. Another route I considered was that My building just wants to document and photograph. Since all down tube batteries look mostly alike, I even considered saving some money, slapping a ul 36v 10ah battery on it and getting it registered… when this came up, I thought by now since the writing has been on the wall re ul cert requirements, there would be options on the market. Other than this bafang, and a juiced battery, I haven’t found any other 52v options.

 

[amberwolf]

If you do find a UL listed battery, get the UL number from them and look it up on the UL site. If there's no document, then it may not even be a real listing. If they can't provide a UL number....

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[Bdavis22]

Thanks for that, I will for sure.