CA3 Display Question

[ToastHater]

I'm very new here, so not 100% sure where to post this.

I've recently started an e-bike build, and run into my first snag. So far as I can tell I have everything between CA3, the motor controller, and the hub motor connected correctly. First time I powered the system on, CA3 backlight comes on...with a blank display. Pressing and/or holding buttons does nothing. PC software recognizes it correctly. Currently running firmware version CA3-14.

About the build. I started with an Upgrade Mac Ebike Kit.
--- Mac Motor Wind 8T
--- 9 fet 3077 (36-52V, 30A)
--- Battery: 48V 14Ah (13s 3p)

A list of the connections that are currently setup on my bike.
CA3
--- Throttle Input
--- Speed Selector (Aux In)

Motor Controller
--- Motor Phase Wires
--- Motor Hall Sensor
--- Ignition
--- Cruise
--- CA-DP Plug from CA3
--- Battery

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[amberwolf]

First time I powered the system on, CA3 backlight comes on...with a blank display. Pressing and/or holding buttons does nothing. PC software recognizes it correctly.

since the pc software does talk to it, it means it is booting, adn the mcu is running. why it would not display anything if this is happening means it is likely a fault inside the ca itself, possibly a solder joint between the lcd and the ca mcu board. (everything else i can think of that would prevent lcd display would also cause the mcu to not boot and pc communication to fail)

since that is a potentially complex repair requiring disassembly of the ca, and should be covered under warranty anyway, you cna do a few things to ensure that it is not actually caused by something external first (even though i can't think of anything at the moment that would).


first, disconnect eveyrhting from the ca except for the power connection (ca-dp plug to controller in your case).

you can do this either one plug at a time, with power off, then turn power on, check display, and if still blank power off and unplug the next one, power on, etc., or unplug everything but ca-dp plug and then power on and check display.

the former shows you which plug is causing the problem, if it starts working, the latter just shows if any of them are causing it.


if it deosn't work even with only ca-dp cnnected, then unplug that too, and take two thin wires connected from the battery's output plug, to the red and black battery positive and negative input wires at one side of the ca-dp connector of the ca itself, with nothing else connected to the ca at all.

if it powers up and displays then, then something in the ca-dp connection itself is miswired either inside the controller or on the ca itself. you can then check for what that is by checking the wiring chart on the ca info page on ebikes.ca.

 

[ToastHater]

Thank you very much. Kind of feel silly. It was that easy.

First thing I unplug (while the setup is on), the throttle, and the CA3 display starts working just fine.

The throttle that came with the motor works just fine, but the one I purchased separately causes this display issue. Annoying, as the one that came with the motor has a weird orientation.

 

[danielrlee]

It's likely that you are shorting the 5V CA supply to ground with an incorrect throttle connection. Verify that the throttle wire connections are correct (they won't be) and swap them around so that they are.

 

[amberwolf]

yeah, that's probably what it is. if it helps, most throttles use red for 5v, black for grond and white or green fro signal.

purple if present as a fourth wire is usually battery volatg to a power meter, i strongly recommend never ever using those cuz water ingress can short battery power to throtle sinal or 5v and destroy throttle and controlelr or ca. wjatever it's hooked up to.

other colors vary, you would have to measure or trace out wires inside the htrottle / siwtches/ etc.


btw, what does " weird orientation" mean?

 

[ToastHater]

Yep, it looks like the throttle that caused the problem came with the black and green wires in the wrong place.

The "weird orientation"...

A normal throttle twists in the direction of the handlebar, or with the direction of the curve of the bar.

The one that came with the motor, was more like a gear shifter for a derailer. A lever that was parallel with the handlebar.

 

[amberwolf]

ah. that's probably what's called a thumb throttle. there's two kinds, one that still rotates around the circumference of the handlbar, and one that pivots parallel to the handlebar, mounted either above or below the bar. both types are in the imageslinked below.

https://www.google.com/search?q=thumb+throttle.&tbm=isch