Lowrider eBike project

[Turbotd04]

Just looked into it, could I have one super bright led (3.2v) running on the front then a normal (1.8v) running on the rear in series?

That should work great, as long as the LEDs you use are rated for the same amount of current. They'll divide up the voltage whatever way makes them use the same current. If the light circuit is 6V, make sure it won't send more current than the LEDs can withstand. If you use a USB 5V supply, a white and red LED in series should self-regulate to a reasonable current level (probably lower than their rating).

So having a little trouble trying to work this out, I got this front light with 3 "ultra light" led's in it. The advert says 2 aa battery but in fact it takes 4 aaa batteries so that would work out at 6v but not sure what current would be. It looks like I should be able to get a replacement led bulb for the rear pretty easy.

Front light:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00FN9V2PU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Would any of these bulbs work for the back to level out the current or have I got to much at the front?

 

[Turbotd04]

Cool build. I like how nicely the battery fits under the seat. Much better than on the sissy bar. I think a shorter sissy bar would look better on this build.
I also had purchased the regular BB adapters before I found the eccentric ones from Luna

Yeah I would have gone for a smaller sissy bar if I wasn't going to put the battery on it at first, something for later down the line though :thumb: Yeah im sure a lot of people fall into that trap haha

 

[Balmorhea]

So having a little trouble trying to work this out, I got this front light with 3 "ultra light" led's in it. The advert says 2 aa battery but in fact it takes 4 aaa batteries so that would work out at 6v but not sure what current would be. It looks like I should be able to get a replacement led bulb for the rear pretty easy.

Front light:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00FN9V2PU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Would any of these bulbs work for the back to level out the current or have I got to much at the front?

What I was talking about pertains to discrete LED emitters, not lights that can be powered from a battery of variable voltage. Like this, for instance, which you'd have to transplant into your light housing:

If you use a red one in series with a white one, and they both can tolerate at least the maximum current of your power supply, and that power supply is 5-6V, then you can have good efficient LED lights with no electronic drivers.

 

[thundercamel]

Do the fins get pretty hot on this? Was thinking i could buy it and take it apart and use 3 lights in the front holder I've already got and one in the rear holder I've got. Trying to keep a lowrider look to it but don't think the heat fins would fit.

No, they don't get hot, but the LED's on the circuit board do use thermal paste to draw heat to the heat sink. I would't run them without some kind of heat sink. The flat 90 degree bracket is pretty weak though, and I'm trying out this light on my new bike:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33058858090.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.399c4c4ddUKr29

 

[Turbotd04]

Have ordered these bits and going to mod the stuff ive already got and see how it goes

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32844276218.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.75b24c4dIaQaCo
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32788408042.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.75b24c4dIaQaCo
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32664722075.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.75b24c4dIaQaCo

 

[Turbotd04]

Looking for a battery pack for the bike now, anyone know of any decent sellers on aliexpress (I know its a mine field) that ship to Canada and sell good battery packs like the one below?

 

[thundercamel]

No Gimli, I would not use aliexpress for a battery pack unless I had no other choice. I would use em3ev.com with a smart BMS.

 

[E-HP]

Have ordered these bits and going to mod the stuff ive already got and see how it goes

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32844276218.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.75b24c4dIaQaCo
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32788408042.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.75b24c4dIaQaCo
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32664722075.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.75b24c4dIaQaCo

I'm assuming due to the low output (40 lumens) of the LEDs that these will be used for the rear lights. Is your plan still wire the headlight in series?

 

[Turbotd04]

No Gimli, I would not use aliexpress for a battery pack unless I had no other choice. I would use em3ev.com with a smart BMS.

I would make the battery myself, I just don't really want to invest in a spot welder i'm going to use one. Do you know of any company's that make some kind of clip together system or something that doesn't cost the earth?

Wonder if this would fit in my box
https://vruzend.com/product/vruzend_basic_kit/

 

[Turbotd04]

Have ordered these bits and going to mod the stuff ive already got and see how it goes

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32844276218.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.75b24c4dIaQaCo
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32788408042.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.75b24c4dIaQaCo
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32664722075.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.75b24c4dIaQaCo

I'm assuming due to the low output (40 lumens) of the LEDs that these will be used for the rear lights. Is your plan still wire the headlight in series?

Yeah that's for the rear, going to use the 3 LED's that are already in the front light for the front

 

[thundercamel]

No Gimli, I would not use aliexpress for a battery pack unless I had no other choice. I would use em3ev.com with a smart BMS.

I would make the battery myself, I just don't really want to invest in a spot welder i'm going to use one. Do you know of any company's that make some kind of clip together system or something that doesn't cost the earth?

Wonder if this would fit in my box
https://vruzend.com/product/vruzend_basic_kit/

I started off with the vruzend 3.5 amp caps on my wife's bike, and while they worked, they had quite a big voltage drop at my 4.3 amp per cell usage. Once I rebuilt the pack with my spot welder, the bike was noticeably faster. They do offer 20 amp caps now, which I have not tried.

Some people also use the NESE modules: https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=88051

 

[Turbotd04]

Small update, I went for a battery off Alibaba in the end as I couldn't resist the 105 CAD price tag. So far very impressed! battery come extremely fast and packaged well. Should be able to get it in and running in the next couple of days so we will see how it performs.

 

[Turbotd04]

Wirings pretty much done, would it be worth my chucking an inline fuse between the battery connector? If so what fuse would you go for?

 

[thundercamel]

For sure. I use a 30 amp fuse on my wife's 1000w kit, and a 40 amp fuse on my 1500w kit.

 

[Turbotd04]

For sure. I use a 30 amp fuse on my wife's 1000w kit, and a 40 amp fuse on my 1500w kit.

Sweet I ended up going with a 30 amp circuit breaker

 

[Turbotd04]

!!!!!!!!!!!FIRST RIDE OUT. DID NOT GO AS PLANNED!!!!!!!!!!!

Got everything ready and went out for the first time today, steering was working a lot better than I thought it would and was pulling well, all was going just dandy until a security van opened its side door and I had to brake a little harder than I wanted, only got a rear brake fitted atm and well thats where it went wrong! To be fair when I was mounting the rear brake I did think this might be a weak point so its back to the drawing board

If anyone has any suggestions on how I can try and come up with some kind of reinforcement that will fit my frame that would be great!

Heres the pictures

Disc rotor and sissy bar down but no injury's and was taking it steady so wasn't going fast anyway.

 

[thundercamel]

I'm sorry it broke, but that is kinda funny

 

[SlowCo]

Braking and breaking power is strong in this one...

 

[Turbotd04]

I'm sorry it broke, but that is kinda funny

Yeah is kinda funny, just wish I had a way I knew I could improve it, been looking at either getting a a2z adaptor and modifying it or using the same one I've got on the front and trying to make it fit on the back. The sissy bar is going to get in the way of either I recon though

 

[Turbotd04]

Looks like I might be back in the game and stronger than every! I already had one of these adaptors https://www.bicycledesigner.com/bike-parts/bicycle-brake/springer-fork-disc-brake-bracket.html to fit the front brake on but just thought I would see if it would fit the back and it seems to fit pretty well! Will be room for the sissy bar as well. Some minor adjustment needed and a new disc rotor before I can properly fit it but think were on the money here.

 

[AussieRider]

Yeah, that's the way! Sissy bar is probably only 0.5 mm wall thickness but the frame is more like 1.5 mm so won't crush or bend. Looks like the disc is bent too. Don't bother trying to true it back up. I tried a few times, it NEVER works. That sissy bar could've taken a nice padded backrest, mounted the same way you mounted the batt the first time. Did it one of my choppers & mounted my "evil eye" tail lights on it. Looked mean.
Your bike is sweet & I reckon will only get better. Keep on!

AussieRider

 

[Turbotd04]

Yeah, that's the way! Sissy bar is probably only 0.5 mm wall thickness but the frame is more like 1.5 mm so won't crush or bend. Looks like the disc is bent too. Don't bother trying to true it back up. I tried a few times, it NEVER works. That sissy bar could've taken a nice padded backrest, mounted the same way you mounted the batt the first time. Did it one of my choppers & mounted my "evil eye" tail lights on it. Looked mean.
Your bike is sweet & I reckon will only get better. Keep on!

AussieRider

Yeah if it goes now it will be the frame bending so lets hope that doesn't happen :lol: Have bent the sissy bar back and will give that a go and picked up a second hand straight rotor today.

 

[E-HP]

Yeah if it goes now it will be the frame bending so lets hope that doesn't happen :lol: Have bent the sissy bar back and will give that a go and picked up a second hand straight rotor today.

So it didn’t break when you bent it back? Is it strong enough? I was thinking that since you still have a couple of holes for seat height adjustment, that you’d cut both sides to length at the bend, flatten the tubing and drill new holes for the axle; then adjust the seat up.


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[Turbotd04]

Yeah if it goes now it will be the frame bending so lets hope that doesn't happen :lol: Have bent the sissy bar back and will give that a go and picked up a second hand straight rotor today.

So it didn’t break when you bent it back? Is it strong enough? I was thinking that since you still have a couple of holes for seat height adjustment, that you’d cut both sides to length at the bend, flatten the tubing and drill new holes for the axle; then adjust the seat up.


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I was surprised how hard it was to bend back so there is still quite a bit of strength there I recon and now I haven't got the brake pressure on it it should be ok but if not I can just get a new one. The bend is to far up to be able to cut it and still make the adjustment holes, we will see how it goes but if I start feeling flex its not the end of the world if I need to get a new one.

 

[E-HP]

I was surprised how hard it was to bend back so there is still quite a bit of strength there I recon and now I haven't got the brake pressure on it it should be ok but if not I can just get a new one. The bend is to far up to be able to cut it and still make the adjustment holes, we will see how it goes but if I start feeling flex its not the end of the world if I need to get a new one.

So that was a lot of force from the brake mount. If you're at all concerned about the frame, you could get a short piece of angle iron (3 inches) to put between the seat stay and bracket to spread the force and resist bending.