Cannonball Builds Himself A Girly Bike

GoldenMotor.com

KCvale

Well-Known Member
Feb 28, 2010
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Phoenix,AZ
Got the R/C type watt meter installed. Interesting device. I got no instructions so have been sorting out the various readings. It of course has a volt/amp reading and watts. But what I really like and relate to is amp/hrs consumed.
What meter/analyzer did you get?
I just picked up this one new for like $25.



I have a new set of connectors coming so I can temp it in.
60V
100A (50A cont.)
6KW
 

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
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Colonial Coast USA.
KC that's an upscale unit compared to mine. Mine has nothing but read out(no buttons). It did cost only $12.99 shipped. Clears itself each time its disconnected. Funny you are changing connectors. I put XT60s on mine like yours came with. I will check out HK for an online manual. Probably does the same basic functions. That crappy looking screen is clear removable packaging protection.
 

KCvale

Well-Known Member
Feb 28, 2010
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Phoenix,AZ
Went to HK and read the online manual. Yours has some nice functions. Mine does the same basic thing. This one is small and fits nicely on the handle bar. http://www.ebay.com/itm/100A-60V-DC...Control_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f326f60e3
Spiffy analyzer for the money.
I think you will be disappointed with trying to mount it on the handlebars however.
First like mine it has no mount.

Second do you really want to run your full battery voltage and max amps up wires to the handlebars and then back down to the controller?

You are running around 15A DC, most household breakers are 15A, thats a lot of wire and putting it right in front of your face with these test systems.

I am not saying you can't do it safely, sort of, but the rule of thumb with a lot of current is keep the leads short and contained.

You are not running a lot, I am putting this bike analyzer on this build to test it but making it removable (hence the different connectors) because he don't want to advertise what he's pulling.



~57V with the controller programmed to allow well over 1KW for extended periods.

Not something to brag about in the world of high performance e-Bikes but nothing to sneeze at either and I don't want some analyzer in the way of safety, reliability, or performance ;-}
 

cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
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Colonial Coast USA.
Remember the controller and the batteries are in the handle bar mounted tool bag. The leads are around 10" max. A piece of 3M body moulding tape holds it securely. According to the hype the wires are maybe straight thru and its an inductive read? It was an alternative to a volt/ammeter that requires a shunt and a bunch of wiring. All my bikes are over volted so that I have to determine when to cut the batteries. My 62v bike runs a 48v controller that LVCs at 42v you get the idea. That's why I run meters on every thing. So far this one is the easiest and most informative for little $$. Plus its read out it totally visible in bright sun.
 

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silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
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northeastern Minnesota
Will you have a brake on your front wheel? How will you do it?

I ask in part because the front pancake wheel I'm using on the American Deluxe hybrid trike build is using an early version of the Golden Motor which had no provision for a front brake. My trike will have a heavy duty disc brake in back, but just one brake always makes me a little nervous, especially on a heavy bike/trike. I could rig up a V brake if I weren't set on using a triple tree suspension fork, but I really want to use that old Harley Davidson front end.. I'd like a disc brake if I could figure how to rig it. Must be a way...

I really like your build and think that hub is the cat's meow. Quite the stealthy ride. As long as you pretend to pedal, who would ever know it had a motor?
SB
 

BarelyAWake

New Member
Jul 21, 2009
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Remember the controller and the batteries are in the handle bar mounted tool bag. The leads are around 10" max. A piece of 3M body moulding tape holds it securely. According to the hype the wires are maybe straight thru and its an inductive read? It was an alternative to a volt/ammeter that requires a shunt and a bunch of wiring. All my bikes are over volted so that I have to determine when to cut the batteries. My 62v bike runs a 48v controller that LVCs at 42v you get the idea. That's why I run meters on every thing. So far this one is the easiest and most informative for little $$. Plus its read out it totally visible in bright sun.
I very much like it cannonball2 & thanks for the link! With "0.001 Ohms resistance and circuitry that draws only 7mA" I doubt the leads will prove much of a problem ;)
 

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
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I very much like it cannonball2 & thanks for the link! With "0.001 Ohms resistance and circuitry that draws only 7mA" I doubt the leads will prove much of a problem ;)
No problem BA. From what I was able to ascertain the wiring is straight thru. These are intended to be installed in line on R/C models to monitor electrical loading. There is a port on the side to feed the receiver to monitor any lack of operational voltage caused by excessive servo draw(causes a brownout and momentary loss of signal-bad at the wrong time!). Needs to be reliable as there are at times mucho $$$$ invested in the model.
All that said I feel its pretty safe for what we would use them for. A great tool for system analyzing. Will only extend the battery wires a few inches(ripple effect) when added in line. I add capacitors to ease this anyway.
I was able by design on this bike to permanently install it in line.
 

cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
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SB I added a good quality BMX side pull brake to the front. These or V brakes work well with the machined rims supplied on most kits these days. I had to space the shoes with two washers to clear the large tires(looks like contact in the pic but its not). For bikes not exceeding the low to mid twenties these brakes work well.
You didn't say if your hubs has the 6 bolts on one side to mount a disc, all the ones I have seen do. If so then its a simple matter to weld a couple of tabs to the fork leg to mount the caliper. I have even seen an adapter sold as a kit clamped on. All of the braking load is a straight line into the fork leg, so why not? Anyway adding a disc shouldn't be insurmountable.
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
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northeastern Minnesota
My generation of Golden Motor (around the time of WWI) came before anyone thought of that... as you say it would be a pretty simple matter then of welding caliper mounting tabs to the leg of the fork.
So that's the problem, mounting the rotor to the wheel. The large hub cap like covers on each side of the pancake motor have Allen bolts holding it to the wheel core, so my dimly lit idea is to carefully remove the cover on the side opposite where the wiring goes into the axle, pull off the lid for a peek inside and see whether or not rotor mounting holes could be drilled through for bolts and spacers to mount the rotor. I think that's my only hope if I want to use the Harley fork. Might work.
SB
 

cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
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Colonial Coast USA.
If you know some one great with a TIG would be a simple matter of making an adapter disc from thick aluminum, 1/4" or greater. and weld it to the motor cover. From what I have seen they are fairly thin. This could be done with a couple of hole saws and using the disc as a jig, drill and a tap the holes for the disc mounting bolts.
 

Lungcookie

New Member
Aug 15, 2013
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Oregon
Have you been ridding the new bike?
Impressions?
Can you pedal no motor, OK?

That's why I was going this route to have more a bicycle with a bit of assist.
Still going to fly my Pie.
Love the stealth of the mini-hubs.
I have already had some guy yell, "Cheater!" at me on the Pie.
If they only knew.
 

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
3,682
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Colonial Coast USA.
New bike is great! Love the geared motor. Absolutely NO drag when pedaling or coasting. Its pretty powerful for its size and voltage. I rode it 6 miles Saturday and consumed 2.65ah, my HK cell meter indicated the batteries at 73% makes sense with a 10ah pack. Top speed on a fresh charge is 21mph, best speed for range is 14/15mph. Im thinking/hoping 18/20mi range. With the very light motor and battery pack it rides almost exactly as a normal bike until you twist the throttle! Its super stealthy. Rode to a friends that knows I have several Ebikes. I coasted in and parked and he came over to have a look. Never guessed it was powered and I never told him. Pretty cool!
 

KCvale

Well-Known Member
Feb 28, 2010
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Phoenix,AZ
Remember the controller and the batteries are in the handle bar mounted tool bag. The leads are around 10" max.
I did forget and that's a different story, you have a perfect place for everything on a front hub motor and no analyzer issue.

Well done CB ;-}
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
CB2,
I have been much impressed with your build, particularly the stealth aspect with a hub motor no bigger than a drum brake hub and your batteries and controller stashed inside the handlebar leather tool box.

Today I was stewing over an ongoing issue I have with my Indian Hiawatha tri-car build. My legs are damaged from a lightning strike some years back and subsequently developing Guillane Barre Syndrome which has symptoms like polio and make pedaling hard for me. It is unlikely to get better and will probably get a good bit worse in years to come. It is part of the reason I'm building three wheelers in anticipation of that. Pedal starting a motor is pretty well out for me and my experience with China girl builds was less than fun. One reason for hybrid design on my delta trike is for ease in starting the gas engine... get rolling with the electric, let out the clutch and give the ice throttle once it catches. Perfect!. But the Indian Hiawatha tri-car has just the 1934 Sachs 2 stroke. I want to be able to ride it even if my legs are too weak for pedal starting, so I got to thinking about your build here.

I could also go 24 volt and have a hub motor on the rear wheel. It would just look like a drum brake in size and I already have plans for making a juice can sized cylindrical copper tool box for behind the seat. In a week or so Tinsmith is going to help me make it in his shop in Maryland. Today it occurred to me that I could put the batteries and maybe even the controller inside it, just as you did with your leather toolbox on your handlebars. Awesome! Starting the tri-car would be a breeze and I could even ride in stealth mode now and then on a bike trail.

So thank you for inadvertently giving me a solution to an ongoing problem and easing my mind that I will indeed be able to use my tri-car for years to come.

Now, for a question. What are the dimensions of your leather tool box? How wide and tall is the opening? How long and of what diameter is your battery pack? Are the cells the same size as the used laptop batteries described in yet another of your threads?

Am I barking mad or at least barking up the wrong tree or would this work?
SB
 

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
3,682
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Colonial Coast USA.
Hey SB, that sounds perfectly doable. The batteries are the R/C Lipo type. They are 5.5x1.75x1.75" and weigh about 18oz ea. One will easily fit in my shirt pocket! Cool thing if you just want to use the Hub for starting you would only need 2. That still provides you with a 5ah pack. I suspect in my area used carefully I could approach a 10mi range on the pack, so it should provide many starts per charge. Cost is good too@ around $25/battery.
You will have You use an R/C type charger but they are generally less than $40. You may also be able to charge the pack you will build with it depending on voltage and how the pack is constructed. A 24v controller is also very small so I thinking you should be able to fit it all in the can no Problem.

BTW the size of my tool bag is 9.5x6x3. And that is holding 4 batteries and the controller!
 

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
3,682
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Colonial Coast USA.
Re: Fito Modena GT with Magic Pie 3

An update. I have moved recently and the MB herd needs thinning. I have sold several ICE bikes and began taking a look at the E bikes to see if I wanted to keep all of them. The deciding factor was the Li-Ion batteries basically expired from disuse doing the turmoil of lifes last year. So that left this bike and its batteries. After sitting over 10mos the state of charge was exactly were I left them around 70% meaning they were well above cut out voltage. So with out any charging into the bike they went for a ride over to town and back, about 8 miles. They were still 2v over cut out. Lipos rule!

I know the controversy. I have used lipos in the R/C word for years and and comfortable with them. They are probably not for every body. From now own I will run nothing else in E bikes. These four batteries cost a bit over $100. The commercially produced 48v Li-ion cost $500 and failed. The question is now to scrap the other E bikes or convert them to lipos. This little bike works so well that I believe I will scrap the other ones.