Everything you need to know about the bike and its battery

For the owners of e-bikes, the problems that arise with the battery can be a very frustrating thing to deal with. The issue is simple, if the battery of your e-bike works, you can go for a ride all day long, but if your battery has problems, you won’t be able to do as much. The battery might not provide power to the bike at all. So there can be an intermittent power problem in your battery. 

Do you ever think about fixing an e-bike with intermittent power? 

If you have an intermittent power problem in your ebikes, the solution for that will be to hang on to the fundamental cause of it. That can be with the battery management system (BAS), controller, speed sensor, or motor inhibitor. And also, it can only be the battery prongs that cause the problem. Let’s discuss the problem that arises in the systems mentioned above and find out how to fix an e-bike with intermittent power. 

• Battery Management System (BMS)

The BMS (Battery management system) is present in all e-bikes. It is a tiny particle in the form of a circuit board with electronic elements. As mentioned in its name, the BMS helps to manage the activities of the battery, for example, Inflow of energy when you charge the e-bike outflow of power when you use the bike. The BMS also prevents the battery from getting damaged and helps to extend the lifespan of the battery. 

How the Battery Management System Causes Intermittent Power

As we discussed above, the main purposes of a BMS are to prevent the battery from getting damaged and help to lengthen its shelf life. So this could be the reason your ebike has intermittent power. It also means that the BMS of your bike is doing its piece of work correctly. To explain this further, imagine your battery starts draining immediately at a higher rate because of over usage. So to stop that from happening, the BMS will start working and cut off the power to prevent the battery from draining.

Another reason the BMS is breaking off the power is to ensure your ebikes battery doesn’t get overheated. So as we can see, the bike’s BMS does its job precisely. The intermittent power can be a massive problem as the battery can get into a bad shape by itself. So even that could be the reason why the BMS started acting this way. Let’s see if there’s a solution to fix this problem.

How to fix This Problem 

So the primary cause for the intermittent power can be a battery failure or a malfunctioning battery management system. So you should test both the battery and the BMs and find out who the criminal is. You can check the battery using a multimeter and have a clear answer as to ‘which part causes the problem and should replace immediately. 

• Controller

As you know, every electronic device has a controller. So does your electric bike. The controller is the central part of an electronic device. As mentioned in its name, it controls everything. So basically, it is the brain of the procedure. The controller pulls together all the components needed to start the ebike. 

How the Controller Causes Intermittent Power

As we mentioned above, the controller pulls together all the components and helps to function them. That means the controller is the part that sends power everywhere needed. So there can be a issue with the controller that stops sending power to the ebike when you want to start it. So let’s see if there’s a cure for this.

How to fix This Problem?

There are some signs to know that the controller is the problem. So you have to look for it by smelling, touching, or looking at the controller carefully and closely. You will be able to pick up the sign by doing as we stated above. So if you observe that the controller is overheated, you can sniff it quickly. So if you experience any burning smells coming within the controller, it is a sign that you have a damaged controller. You can even take a close look at it and see if the parts of it have burnt or not. So if you checked all of it and discovered the problem is in the controller itself, it is the part you should replace without hesitation.

• Speed Sensor 

Typically an e-bike comes with a speed sensor. The primary purpose of it is to detect whether your bike is going above the specific speed they stated. So if you ride your bike at a higher rate, the speed sensor would detect automatically and break off the power supply. And also, if the speed sensor senses that the bike is riding at a slower speed, it will automatically supply the power you need to speed it up. That is what is done by a speed sensor in an e-bike.

How the Sensor Causes Intermittent Power

A speed sensor failure can cause so many problems. Not all electronic devices work all the time properly; there can be tiny problems in the circuits that can cause huge problems. So in the speed sensor also, sometimes the sensor can make wrong detections. As an example, imagine that it senses that your bike is overlapping the speed rate, but in reality, you ride it at a regular speed. So the mistakenly detected speed sensor can immediately cut off the power supply because it’s sensing that you’re moving way too fast even when you’re not. You might not even be able to move the bike forward when it stops the power supply.

How to fix This Problem

So you might think it is more accessible to fix than replace the sensor but trust me, it’s not. The effort and the time you’ll spend on improving it won’t make it worth it. But it’s okay if you don’t have money to replace it, so the best idea you’ve got is to fix it, but no one will guarantee it won’t fail again. So what do you think? Fixing it more than twice can be the same price as replacing it properly. So the best idea is to replace the sensor immediately. It is much easier than you think.

• Brake Motor Inhibitor

All the ebikes offer a brake motor inhibitor. The meaning of the motor inhibitor is that ‘it ceases the motor. It operates when you push the brakes while riding on your bike. So when you brake, the motor stops, and the power supply will cut off, making your ebike constant without being able to move forward. The motor inhibitor prevents the motor’s running when the brakes are still on. This feature will prevent the damages that can occur to your engine.

How the Brake Motor Inhibitor Causes Intermittent Power

As we talked about above in the previous paragraphs, electronic devices are not all perfect. So they can make mistakes too. The brake motor inhibitor in your bike can mistakenly detect that the brakes are on, even if it’s not. So when it senses like that, it breaks off the power supply that directs to the motor. So you will face intermittent power loss because of that. 

How to fix This Problem

The brake motor inhibitor comes with a sensor that can detect whether the brakes are on or not. If the sensors mistakenly sense that the brakes are applied even when it is not, they will cut off the power. So the components in the sensors, besides the motor inhibitor, can be the culprit for this problem. However, the best thing is to check the sensors to fit and replace the needed components inside it. 

•  Battery Prongs

Electronic devices can be satisfactory only when their connectors are suitable too. So the connection between the bikes and their batteries explains everything. If you’re having any problem with the power supply, you might take a good look at the batteries. The batteries can be the reason for the trouble caused. So you should check the battery prongs and make sure they are working correctly. 

How Battery Prongs Cause Intermittent Power

You must know that the battery prongs are the points where the power transfer occurs to the bike from the battery. So if you want to ensure the transferring process carried by the batteries happens smoothly, you should check whether the prongs are appropriately aligned. In order for a successful transfer, there should be nothing in their way. If your bike has intermittent power, the problem can be in the prongs. The prongs can be full of dirt or misaligned. Or else the prongs are not correctly shoved all the way into the battery. These can cause your bike to shut down entirely. Especially if you ride on uneven rough roads, you might loosen the battery prongs. That can cause power intermittently.

How to fix This Problem

Before doing anything, you should remove the battery from your bike and look closely at the battery thongs. First, ensure they’re well-cleaned and don’t have any mud or dust around the corners. Then you should inspect whether the battery prongs are loose and shaky. This can happen because of riding on bumpy roads. And secondly, make sure that they’re aligned properly inside. If it’s not, you should align it perfectly and tighten the prongs. And when you place the battery back into the bike, be careful and ensure that the prongs proceed all the way into the battery. And it should stay firmly in place when you put back the battery. It’s easier as you don’t have to replace any parts; you just have to clean and maintain the bike’s battery to avoid these types of problems.

How to take care of the battery of your e-bike?

If you want to get free from problems arising in the battery, you should maintain it properly. Safekeeping the battery of your electric bike is not as convenient as you think. Most e-bikes have lithium batteries like your laptop/ mobile phone, so you can refill them whenever possible. You can clean your battery when you’re cleaning the bike, but you should be careful not to immerse it in water. You should use a washer without much water pressure. Or you can clean it using a soft cloth, especially when you’re cleaning the electrical contacts and the frame of the battery. If you cycle in wintery, salty, and wet conditions, you should wipe the contacts with a small amount of grease. So the battery won’t corrode at all.

Does your e-bike need to be serviced often?

Of course, you must take your bike for service like any bicycle you own. But it is a vast process to keep your bike well maintained. So you might need to torture yourself with some maintenance tips. Well, maintaining your bike would expand the bike’s lifespan and help you assist with the issues that arise on your bike. So you will be able to replace or repair the parts before it becomes too pricey.

• Keep your motorcycle well-cleaned.
• Check whether you have inflated tires and if the drivetrain is lubricated.
• Checking if there are broken parts or loosened spokes and bolts.
• Keeping the battery moderately
• Storing your battery in a dry, cool place.
• Charging the battery with a correct charger
• Checking for software updates regularly.

 In conclusion, as we talked about in the previous paragraphs, intermittent power can occur to your bike because of problems in the battery management system, speed sensor failures, loose battery prongs, problematic controllers, and faults in the brake motor inhibitor. So as we discussed and found solutions for all of the problems as replacing the parts that had the problem make sure you keep your bike cleaned too. Lack of cleaning and not servicing for so long can also be the reason for these problems. So if you want to use your bike correctly, take good care of it.