Way to test run a hub motor without the controller?

[dirtbiketoebike]

Is there a way to test run the motor without the controller without damaging the motor or test the controller? The kit is new but the motor was giving me some problems and the controller got ding up some during shipping. Got my batteries connected but nothing seems to be working. Voltage is going to the controller. I explained in detail and with pictures in a continued thread under E-Bike Technical....subject " New unused motor binding" but hasn't had a single look because I think it is seen as old thread. I may redo it under a new subject when I have more time. Thanks

 

[Hillhater]

Assuming its a brushless motor (3 wires ?) , then no, you need a controller to test run it.
But controllers are easy and cheap to get so just look through Ebay or similar for another.

 

[dirtbiketoebike]

I figured it out...I have a moving wheel! In a previous post we where trying to figure out what size controller I had. It was determined to be 48v controller but with a higher FET than normal. 18 of them with 80v caps. We figured it be ok to run 67.2 hot off the charger or 14.8v nominal. Got my lipos and hooked up my series and parallel batteries to run 59.20 volts nominal but couldn't get the kit to work. It took awhile but I figure I try to run it with 14.8v less closer to 48volts as the kit stated. It then worked. Haven't tried riding it yet,just the bike flipped over but it didn't seem it will make the 72KMH they claim. I'll give it a run and see how it feels. But looks like I may have to get a stronger controller to handle more. Wonder if the throttle control is set the same as the controller at 48 volt and if the voltage is higher than that , the kit won't work? I've heard of a low voltage cutoff in a controller,wonder if it has a high voltage cutoff as well if they even come that way. When I had it at 59.20v I could hear a small click sound in the motor but motor wasn't working. In the mean time it looks like I have an extra amp hours to the batteries with the 2 extra 4S batteries. Thanks!

 

[dirtbiketoebike]

Ok thanks,if I go with a stronger control box I'll have that test box

 

[dogman dan]

FWIW, you can get motor, controller, throttle testers dirt cheap. If you mess around with this stuff much, it's a huge time saver. Get one before you buy a second motor for sure.

There are ways to test with just a multimeter too, posted in the wiki.

 

[dnmun]

I figured it out...I have a moving wheel! In a previous post we where trying to figure out what size controller I had. It was determined to be 48v controller but with a higher FET than normal. 18 of them with 80v caps. We figured it be ok to run 67.2 hot off the charger or 14.8v nominal. Got my lipos and hooked up my series and parallel batteries to run 59.20 volts nominal but couldn't get the kit to work. It took awhile but I figure I try to run it with 14.8v less closer to 48volts as the kit stated. It then worked. Haven't tried riding it yet,just the bike flipped over but it didn't seem it will make the 72KMH they claim. I'll give it a run and see how it feels. But looks like I may have to get a stronger controller to handle more. Wonder if the throttle control is set the same as the controller at 48 volt and if the voltage is higher than that , the kit won't work? I've heard of a low voltage cutoff in a controller,wonder if it has a high voltage cutoff as well if they even come that way. When I had it at 59.20v I could hear a small click sound in the motor but motor wasn't working. In the mean time it looks like I have an extra amp hours to the batteries with the 2 extra 4S batteries. Thanks!

this did not make sense on your other thread either. if you had 59V DC on a 48V controller it should work.

 

[dirtbiketoebike]

I was hoping someone say it don't make sense. Test drove it and at 44.4v nominal the bike runs fine. ? Little slow for me but it works and will continue testing it before we spend any more. Must have tried it over a dozen times but the motor or controller don't seem to take the 59v. I hear a small sound in the motor when I throttle it but no wheel spin. IDK but I see on ebay the throttles are sold under 24,36,48,72 volts. Wonder if that matters since my throttle is likely 48v? Also the same brand is selling their controllers as 48-72 without any knobs to switch over.And another controller as you select your voltage to 48,60,72v with a knob. Wonder if its new on the market to not work if the voltage is higher than 48v so you have to buy more.still taking it in, probably a blue belt in ebikes now, lol thanks again helpful in here.

 

[dogman dan]

Some controllers will have an overvolt protection. This may be the case for you, a high voltage cutoff shutting it down. Rare, but you might have a cutoff set to 58v, if the controller was intended for 48v lead.

 

[d8veh]

All throttles work on 5v. The 24v/36v/48v etc is only for the battery indicator LEDs.

 

[dnmun]

I was hoping someone say it don't make sense. Test drove it and at 44.4v nominal the bike runs fine. ? Little slow for me but it works and will continue testing it before we spend any more. Must have tried it over a dozen times but the motor or controller don't seem to take the 59v. I hear a small sound in the motor when I throttle it but no wheel spin. IDK but I see on ebay the throttles are sold under 24,36,48,72 volts. Wonder if that matters since my throttle is likely 48v? Also the same brand is selling their controllers as 48-72 without any knobs to switch over.And another controller as you select your voltage to 48,60,72v with a knob. Wonder if its new on the market to not work if the voltage is higher than 48v so you have to buy more.still taking it in, probably a blue belt in ebikes now, lol thanks again helpful in here.

when you use the voltage numbers, did you actually measure that voltage with the voltmeter? a 48V lifepo4 battery charges to 59+ V DC when balancing.

when you said 44.4V that implies it is a 36V lifepo4 pack, not 48V.

 

[dirtbiketoebike]

Sorry my numbers might have been off, posting too late in the morning. Im using lipos, 8 turnigy hard case packs that are 4 s packs,5000 mAh each. I tried 16s 2p , 59.2v nominal, 67.2v charged. But something wasn't working. Took out 14.8v to 44.4 nominal,50.4 v charged it then worked fine. Yes ,I checked the voltage on both battery series setup with the volt meter. Still building my battery case, excited if I wanted too I have room for 24 battery packs of 4 cell in compact zippy or 13 hardcase with 3 compacts. Because of the suspension bottoming out clearance. Many cernarios. 24 batteries would be too much money. But im thinking after waiting some.. 74v nominal 3p would be a nice setup for me. With my bike frame I had to get creative...many days weeks planning it out, it changed a number of times but I finally decided on one that I can expand my batteries and or place my controller in the battery area. Never would have imagined how much time can go into a build...its fun until I run into problems that are money related.

 

[swo]

for a brushed 36v motor 2 wire
can i apply 12v directly to hzm motor just to see if it spins up or
if its the no longer made EVG controller at fault

can u take apart the hzm rear hub motor to see whats wrong?

can u run two controllers at once one just for motor
and other one to control lights horn etc?
thx

 

[Ianhill]

For a 3 phase hub motor my first check is does it spin free

If it does spin free I'll short a combination of the 3 wires together to test if there's added resistance so yellow to blue spin should have increased resistance harder to turn and then yellow to green and green to blue should feel equally harder to turn

Touching all these combinations together should give the same resistance feel when turning the shaft by hand if that seems to be true ill then short all wires together and check it's got even harder to turn again if it passes that test it's insulation is passing low level volts bengenersted by hand and chances are it will pass at 48v etc too.

 

[05silgto]

If your trying to achieve a higher top speed then your best bet is to get a 72v controller. I started with the 48v kt controller that came with my ebay kit, then I switched to a 72v kt controller and made my own 72v battery pack. Your either limited by not enough power to hit your top speed or low voltage limiting your top speed. Voltage equals max motor rotation, increasing voltage increases top speed of the motor. I hit 40mph after going to 72v at 45 amps, but this was with a fat bike with 5 inch wide tires. Didn't push it past 40mph as that was sketchy enough. I now have it set to be limited at 30 amps to be easier on the battery and 33mph is about the max I hit now, I'm limited by power now rather than max speed of the motor.
Btw, my 48v kt controller also came with 80v caps. I had 5 12v batteries connected in series making 60v 70v fully charged while I was waiting on my lithium battery to come from china. 60v worked and helped increase the top speed. After I switched to 72v my display crapped out after a while, later I bought a display rated for 72v, so if you are using a display, you should also take into consideration the power limits of the display. If you are interested in buying another 48v controller let me know, I can sell you my 48v controller for rather cheap, I've barely used it.

 

[Filekidb]

You SURE CAN. JUST piggy back off another 3 phase device, even cordless Milwaukee grinders. They're 3 phase with hall sensors. Just connect motor phase wires with the devices wires.(I'm guessing you just want to check it works?) Use a drill, hook it up like you would 2 motors on a controllers.
You can do a Mechanical 3 phase motor controller, not the pcb board type that's common.

Pictures is exactly that, a Mechanical motor controller.

 

[Kukuruku]

You better say: way to run an e-bike with no electricity! :lol: