Topic: Intermittent problem with second battery pack

[kamilb1998]

Hi guys,

I have an intermittent problem with my new battery pack. The first time I connected it yesterday, the POD lit up but all I got was a 'relay click' from the control box when pressing the GO button - lights working fine. I turned the key on and off a couple of times and the motor eventually worked properly.

Today, I covered 8 miles on my old battery, got home, put it on charge & swapped in my new battery pack and went for another ride. I covered 5 miles - losing 1 green light on the POD - before it suddenly went to the first green light on the POD and the motor gradually got slower & slower. I pulled over to investigate, fiddled around with the keyswitch and checked connections but to no avail. It still wouldn't work properly.

I called Home to bring my other battery pack and I plugged this in and it worked perfectly straight away. When I got home I swapped the new battery pack in again and it worked perfectly too.

I have never had this or any other problem with my old battery pack and don't know why the new pack is doing this. Any ideas?

[kamilb1998]

I took it out again after it had fully charged and I only got 5 miles before it did the same thing again - still only lost one green light on the POD though. I don't know what this could be, the POD reads the battery as nearly full but it will suddenly start slowing down as if the battery is empty.

It's a calcium battery, if that makes any difference? The POD indicates the state of the Yuasa battery fine.

[rafarestaura]

Hi Kamil, it looks like battery fail  . You can charge it to the top but the charge don´t remains into the battery. The car batteries usually have six departments isolated to keep the voltage and charge and looks like one is defective so, in a few minutes, voltage drop below 11 volts and system fall. Try to use a voltmeter and check when the battery fall, if volts are under 11 you have the test done.

For next pack try one of this or similar:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-34amp-AGM-Battery-/330635248935?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Mobility_Disability_Medical_ET&hash=item4cfb658527#ht_499wt_922

There is no lead or calcium, acid is in a fiberglass mat, works well and the price isn´t too big, I have several more tan two years of heavy use and changing from one to another vehicle and everything is ok.

Regards, Rafael

[Lancealot]

I had a similar problem with a leasure 85Ahr battery it just did not perform. I stick with Bosch S5 batteries appart from a Varta that I got from a friend for £10. Some cheaper batteries just don't perform.

Lance

[kamilb1998]

I guess I'll have to make up a story to get a refund on this battery then. What sort of range did you get from those batteries, Rafael?

Lancealot - I believe this to be a pretty crap make but this was all they had in stock. The Yuasa battery I got from them several months back worked well, but this one really doesn't.

[rafarestaura]

Well, if the battery is defective and is almost new the seller might refund you the money with no many stories  , I think, that´s the reason of the warranty, of course.

The range is always very variable but, in my case, a heavy 220 pounds weight mate  , when I use the 12 volt 36 amps pack I get about 15 - 20 miles, with a lot of pedalling and no many hills, a few less with the trailer and the crew on my back. With your weight (perhaps 115 pounds?) and same pedalling conditions you must "fly" 25 - 30 miles at least, how far is your school from home?.

This is the same kind of battery I use, in a pack of three in paralel mounting:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-12Ah-Sealed-Lead-Acid-Battery-Fresh-Stock-/230752448958?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item35b9eaf1be#ht_775wt_902

You must remember you must charge the batteries using a 10% of the nominal power, so if you have a 12 volts, 36 amp pack you must charge it at no more of 3,6 amps/hour, more means reduce of life of the battery because it get hot and acid blows, fast charges are death for a battery.

Ok, I hope this will be useful for you, regards, Rafael 

[Lancealot]

Hi try looking at this link http://c5alive.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,410.msg2779.html#msg2779

This topic may help. Sometimes don't rush into getting a battery....................

Lance

[kamilb1998]

Well, if the battery is defective and is almost new the seller might refund you the money with no many stories  , I think, that´s the reason of the warranty, of course.

The range is always very variable but, in my case, a heavy 220 pounds weight mate  , when I use the 12 volt 36 amps pack I get about 15 - 20 miles, with a lot of pedalling and no many hills, a few less with the trailer and the crew on my back. With your weight (perhaps 115 pounds?) and same pedalling conditions you must "fly" 25 - 30 miles at least, how far is your school from home?.

This is the same kind of battery I use, in a pack of three in paralel mounting:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-12Ah-Sealed-Lead-Acid-Battery-Fresh-Stock-/230752448958?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item35b9eaf1be#ht_775wt_902

You must remember you must charge the batteries using a 10% of the nominal power, so if you have a 12 volts, 36 amp pack you must charge it at no more of 3,6 amps/hour, more means reduce of life of the battery because it get hot and acid blows, fast charges are death for a battery.

Ok, I hope this will be useful for you, regards, Rafael 

My school is around 2.5 miles each way. I think I will try and get a refund on this one and go out and buy another Yuasa 038 battery. My old one gave me a range of 12 miles on a mild day so two of them should, hopefully, return a range of at least 20 miles.

[kamilb1998]

Hi try looking at this link http://c5alive.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,410.msg2779.html#msg2779

This topic may help. Sometimes don't rush into getting a battery....................

Lance

I have seen that thread before. As I said in my previous post I will try to get a refund on this and get a Yuasa 038 (which will fit within the battery top). I have read somewhere that the Halfords batteries are manifactured by Yuasa.

[kamilb1998]

Returned the battery with no troubles today and they gave me a new Yuasa 038 one.

[Lancealot]

Top result..............

Lance

[Karl]

Glad to hear it is all sorted mate