Roadlizzard

I decided to build an e bike. I found a 2010 Bacchetta Corsa that had just a few miles on it. I ordered a Bafang BBS02 750 watt Motor with a DPC-18 display and 48 volt Jumbo Whale Shark battery all from EBike-Essentials. I used a California E Bike motor bracket and T Cyle Fully Configurable battery mount and a Bacchetta Corsa frame clamp. I had to extend the battery cable, speed censor wire and throttle wire. I'm using Velocity 650 wheels and Terry 650x28 steel beaded tires (don't want to have tire problems at high speed). I bought an adapter from Amazon and installed a FSA 53 tooth chainring on the bafang motor. The battery lasted a few miles the quit working. I couldn't find anyone that would ship the battery plus I don't think E Bike Essentials would replace the battery without a warranty. I disassembled the battery and found 7 bad cells. I built my own battery using the good cells I built a 13x6 battery. I reprogramed the controller nine power settings. Settings one has 8% power (total 14 amps) or 11.2 amps. setting 2 has a power setting of 20%, 3 30%,4-40% up to 100%. I was really unsure of the bike with all the added weight, motor weights 9+ pounds and the battery weighs 10+ pounds. But other than being a little heavy to load on the bike rack I never noticed the extra weight while riding. In the past I had to stay in the draft when riding at any speed over 20 mph,but with this set up I can ride in the back of the pack at a safe distance and really enjoy the ride. In setting 1 (8%) power I can ride with the group on flat ground around 20-21 MPH. If there is an incline, I have to raise the power because it's a heavy bike and doesn't like to climb. I charge my battery to 80% so when I start the ride my display shows 88% power remaining. I have never had the power setting at 100% I can't spin the crank over 40MPH. I went out to test the new home-made battery and had power at 80% and averaged 35MPH for 3 miles. Where I live in Florida wwe don't have many hills but the one's we have I can climb at speed of 37MPH.When the first battery quit, I was about 20miles form my car and rode back without power no problem just had to ride at 16 or 17. Rode the other day 44 miles averaged speed 18MPH and with 450 feet of climbing top speed 30 MPH, Rode the 44 miles in level 2 when I returned to the car I had 48% of power left in the battery. The next day I rode without recharging to see when the battery or motor shut off. At a total mileage of 88 miles I had 10% power going by the display. I really didn't know what to expect before building the bike but at my age of (72) I can ride with the faster group keeping a safe distance in the back and not have my heart rate close to max all the time. If I had it to do over again, I would not purchase a battery from E Bike- Essentials and would try to change wheels and brakes to disc and wider tires.

Lastmohecken

What did you not like about dealing with E Bike-Essentials? Just trying to learn about suppliers. I have not ever bought any E Bike parts but I am considering doing a conversion.

Roadlizzard

The program on the factory controller was very bad couldn't control the speed when taking off from stop light bike would take off so fast I had trouble riding in a group. It was very jerky, so I looked up how to reprogram the controller. Later I had trouble with the battery and E Bike Essentials said I had voided the warranty which I knew I had voided the warranty on the controller not the battery. I read on their webpage they didn't take batteries back but I was going to send it back and let them test it anyway. Thats when I could' find anyone to ship the battery. I had no choice but to rebuild it myself. If you look around you can find a few battery suppliers that have a return policy. I think it's very uncommon for a battery to go bad so soon but it can happen. I know I had a $699 battery that didn't work and I couldn't return it after just a few miles.

2old

Great job rebuilding the battery and making the system viable. AFAIK, it's very difficult to ship batteries with wh>300. Essentially, you need to have a HAZMAT broker intercede or it could result in a hefty fine ($50K, I've heard).

Roadlizzard

2old, I didn't have much of a choice had never built a battery but spend a lot of time on u tube and purchased a book of battery building. I'm kind of glad it happened If I ever need a battery I can just build my own, plus if one ever goes bad I know what to check.