Super noob questions (ping/9c build)

[john7700]

Hi folks,

Well I'm jumping in feet first on my first build. Picked up an Ebike.ca 9C 2806 kit and a ping 36v 20 amp.

I have an old 26" rigid steel frame with a U brake on rear as a donar.

My first questions are on the Battery. 1. When I put the battery on the charger the BMS got pretty warm. Not burning
to the touch but noticeably warm. Is this normal ? Second, The BMS was taped down to the battery. I assume, especially
with the heat produced. that the bms should be un-taped from the battery or do people leave them taped on for neatness?

Thirdly, When I tried to put a free wheel/cosset on, the casset tightened against the motor housing and would not spin
freely. I placed a 2MM spacer (washer) in there and it appears to work properly. Has any one else run in to this.

Well, thats my stupid questions for now, I'm sure I'll have dozens more as time goes by.

Thanks,
John

 

[neptronix]

That warmness is the BMS bleeding off capacity from a cell that is too high. it's literally turning that energy into heat, on purpose!

Brand new battery packs often need balancing from the factory, so that's pretty normal.
Leave the BMS taped, you don't want it knocking around and damaging it's balance leads ( which could lead to problems down the road )

The spacer issue is common, and the only fix is to run 1 less gear, or use a spacer.

 

[el_walto]

The BMS should be fine taped to the pack. Mine still works fine like that years later. If it is your first couple of charges the BMS might get hotter than usual while it balances all the cells. I only have the 2 amp charger. If you got the optional 5amp charger it will get even warmer.

 

[john7700]

Thanks guys.

So it seem like the BMS is operating normaly, great. I will tape it
back on to the battery tomorrow

Things seem to be OK with the shim and a six speed cassette but she
isn't up and running yet. At least I know I'm not the only one who has
had a problem with this.

I've come up with another nooob question. Does the battery need to
be moutnted upright like a car battery or can it be used in any position
like say a D-cell ? Seems like it would ride more stable if placed on
its side.

Thanks again,

John

 

[dogman dan]

Beats me why they don't send you shims with the motor. Many do. Better still if they just machined the dang motor just a tad different. :x

I live in a hot climate, so I like to tape the bms back to the battery, but with a couple of small spacers under it, so air can circulate on both sides. The bms gets hottest when charging, so it can be good to open the box when charging. I have had occasions when a bms sealed up in a hot bag would trip, and then run fine when I opened up the bag. Nowdays I run in metal boxes mostly, so I don't have that problem. I allow a vent hole in the front to push some cooling air towards the bms.

 

[john7700]

Thanks Dogman,

It does seem like a silly design on the motor cover . looks to me like the spacer will work. Hopefully, I will have the time to finish the build up after work today and give it a test ride !!!. I will put some shims under the BMS for air flow when i re-tape it to the battery. Not sure I'll need it here in the North East but why not.

Would you mind giving a quick answer to my last question (for now ) :

Does the battery need to be mounted upright like a car battery or can it be used in any position
like say a D-cell ? Seems like it would ride more stable if placed on its side.

Thanks,
John

 

[dnmun]

it will work in any orientation. the pack is made up of pouches which are pulled into a rigid pack with the tape.

dogman uses a metal sheet wrapped around his to protect it from damage in an accident, but he also lays it on the flat side of the pouches which i assume is why he has so many miles on it.

if you mount it in a bag, support it with a flat plate so the edges don't bind up and get pinched in the corners which would deform the pouch underneath and cause it to fail prematurely from damage to the corner of the outside pouch.

 

[john7700]

it will work in any orientation. the pack is made up of pouches which are pulled into a rigid pack with the tape.

dogman uses a metal sheet wrapped around his to protect it from damage in an accident, but he also lays it on the flat side of the pouches which i assume is why he has so many miles on it.

if you mount it in a bag, support it with a flat plate so the edges don't bind up and get pinched in the corners which would deform the pouch underneath and cause it to fail prematurely from damage to the corner of the outside pouch.

And yet again I say thank you Sirs.

I found a tool bag at the orange roof that has a base of 12"x7" that fits my 11"x6" 36v/20a nicely. I planned on putting a piece of 1/4" ply in the bottom to harden it in order to attach a couple of wooden rails on the under side that will help lock it in to the rack some. Sitting here typing this I'm actually thinking of making the insert more tray like with sides to offer more protection to the contents.

Thanks again for the help. I'll be back with more stupid questions later

John

 

[el_walto]

It's hot here 29C average high in July in the summer, and I charge my ping battery while it is in its enclosed ammo box. BMS still has not blow up

Actually, It turns out our city has more days where the temperature gets to above 30C than any other Canadian city:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamloops

 

[dogman dan]

Yeah, you can't armor a battery too much. My first ping, I took an aluminum cookie sheet, and by cutting the corners and folding, made a super tight metal box for 5 sides. Laying on it's side, I relocated the bms to the new "top"

The second one, I did the same thing, but with plastic. I used the top of a large plastic storage box for the sheet. Both have survived some good crashes.

The inner box, is then carried most of the time in a steel toolbox attached to the rear rack. Or occasionally just stuffed into a pannier bag.

Another way others have armored batteries is with peel and stick floor tile. Not quite as puncture resistant, but not bad. Lastly, I have also made battery protectors out of coroplast, like political signs and other stuff are made from. Folds into a box just like cardboard, but can get wet without melting.

 

[Jethro56]

Dogman you appear to like a good crash.

 

[dogman dan]

Apparently, likely to crash. Certainly do on dirt riding. I never expected to fumble a bottle into my front forks. The guy walking down the bike lane wearing all black in the dark was even more unexpected. Comes with the territory of riding hard and fast. But oddly, you can crash real good going slow too.

I do like to be on the razor edge of my ability in everything though, skis, windsurfers, rollerblades, bikes, motorcycles. On a good day, the performance envelope gets bigger than before, and the ante gets upped tomorrow.

 

[john7700]

Thanks for the tips. I will be figuring some sort of protective hard case, box, etc. soon. This bike will be for strictly road use. I've been an avid trail rider for over twenty years and have a full cush Klien for getting dirty on. So, "hopefully" this one won't be crashing but it will be ready just in case.

Dogman, lot's of coincidences here, I used to be a campus cop for UNM Albuq., my roommates boss was the President of the Albuq. Int. Balloon Fiesta and growing up we ran coon/bear dog for over twenty years.

Thanks again for the tips,

J