Understanding how to solve an electric bike with intermittent power can be tricky and complicated if an owner does not have knowledge about the fundamentals and the causes of this specific issue. Before looking for answers, it is always recommended to analyze the causes and prevention methods.
If you have intermittent power on your e-bike, the underlying problem will determine the answer. The energy storage system, proximity sensor, regulator, or brake engine inhibitor might all be malfunctioning. The battery prongs are sometimes the sole element that fails.
Key takeaways
- There are a total of five issues that can cost intermittent power on your e-bike – The BMS of the bike, Sensor failure, Malfunctioning controller, Loose battery prongs, and the sole brake engine inhibitor.
- The first evident issue that leads to intermittent power on your e-bike is when your bike starts making loud and unusual sounds as the motor runs.
- Secondly, you can determine if your e-bike has intermittent power if pungent or burning smells start emitting out of your e-bike.
- The core prevention method to have a sustained flow of power in your e-bike is to check the battery voltage from time to time constantly.
- Before taking your e-bike for a ride, it is always advisable to check any loose prongs, throttle, and motor connections.
How to Solve an Electric Bike with Intermittent Power?
Now that you know some of the leading causes of intermittent power on your e-bikes, let us dive into the crux of answering the most asked question among e-bike owners – How to solve an electric bike with intermittent power?
1. The Break Engine Inhibitor
A brake engine inhibitor is an in-built element of electric bikes. To clarify what that term implies, it’s a motor inhibitor (that is, it disables the motor) that is engaged when the electric bike’s brakes are used. This function helps to avoid engine damage by prohibiting the engine from operating when the brakes are applied.
The brake engine inhibitor may falsely perceive the application of the brakes. It will turn off power to an engine whenever this happens, resulting in an intermittent power loss.
Solution: Sensors in the brake engine inhibitor identify whether the brake pads are engaged. These are the pieces of the element that might be defective and need to be replaced.
2. Battery Prongs in E-Bikes
The connections of an electrical gadget are only as good as the device itself. When it comes to e-bikes and batteries, it’s really a good idea to inspect the prongs and make sure they are in excellent functioning condition. The battery prongs seem to be the specific points wherein electrical power from the batteries is delivered to the bike. Those brake prongs should be perfectly aligned to ensure that the technique runs well, and nothing should be in their path. It’s possible that the brake prongs are crooked or dusty if your bike has intermittent power. It might even be as easy as the brake prongs not really being fully plugged into the battery cells.
Solution: Disconnect the battery and examine the battery prongs closely. Make sure they are nice and clean and free of dust and dirt. After that, double-check that they are not weak or wobbly and that they are appropriately aligned. Keep in mind the prong of the battery goes entirely in, and it stays securely in place once you replace it.
3. The Malfunctioning Controller in E-Bikes
Your electric bike, like all other electrical gadgets, has a controller. The controller is the unit’s “cerebrum.” It synchronizes all the different elements that allow the e-bike to function correctly. The controller is in charge of coordinating the activities of all the electronic components on the e-bike. This also entails delivering energy to wherever it is required.
As a result, if the controller has a malfunction, it may be unable to provide power to the e-bike when it is required reliably.
Solution: There are a few telltale indications to look for to determine if the controller is the source of the problem. You can detect some of those indications by touching, smelling, and closely inspecting the controller. You could observe, for instance, that the controller is getting too hot for no obvious cause. Close your eyes and feel the scent. If you can detect burnt scents emanating from within, which is another sign that the controller is broken.
Finally, you may perform a visual check of the controller to see if any parts are burned. You will need to repair the controller once you have narrowed down the issue and determined that it is the controller’s malfunction.
4. Sensor Failure
A speed sensor is also included with electric bicycles. Its aim is simple: if it senses that your electric bike is traveling faster than a set speed, it will shut off the power source. If, on the other hand, it detects that the electric bike is moving too slowly, it will provide additional power to assist you in accelerating faster.
A faulty speed sensor might result in a slew of issues. In this scenario, though, it might be incorrectly detecting a quicker speed than it actually is. As a result, the power supply is shut off irregularly, even when the bike needs to continue ahead.
Solution: A speed sensor, for example, is often considerably cheaper to replace entirely. Attempting to repair it may not be worth the effort. You also don’t want to retake the chance of it malfunctioning. So, go out and get a new speed sensor to replace the original one.
5. The BMS of an Electric Bike
Last but not least is the BMS or battery management system of an e-bike. This could potentially be the sole reason for the question How to solve an electric bike with intermittent power, emerging on the minds of e-bike owners. A battery management system (or ‘BMS’) is standard on all electric motorcycles. The battery management system is a tiny electronic element that comes in the form of a computer chip. That element, as its name implies, aids in the management of the battery’s operations, such as the intake of charge when recharging and the outlet when riding the bike. Simply defined, the BMS serves to prevent the battery from harm while also extending its lifespan.
If your bike has inconsistent power, it might be an indication that the battery management system is not working well. For instance, the e-bike charge might be depleting at an alarming pace. To keep this from happening, the battery management system may turn off the power or start to delay down the flow. It is also conceivable that the battery management system is sometimes limiting power to prevent the battery from overheating.
In this situation, the battery management system is performing just as it should, and the inconsistent power supply is really an indication of a much larger issue. It is most likely that the battery is in poor condition, which is pushing the battery management system to respond in this manner.
Solution: A failing battery or a malfunctioning BMS is the primary reason in this case. Both of them will have to be examined, and whichever first is found to be the perpetrator will have to be replaced entirely. Using a multimeter or a different electronic bike to test the battery should reveal which component needs to be repaired.
Conclusion
If you have read the entire article, you would now have a clear picture of the different issues and how to overcome the frustrating question of How to solve an electric bike with intermittent power. There are a variety of reasons why an e-bike may encounter power outages. Because this involves the bike’s entire circuit, you should only do this if you have the requisite abilities and expertise. If you are uncertain about something, it’s always better to entrust it to a professional.
Hello, this is Evan Larry. The chief editor of this site, “eBikeBuster.” After completing my graduation in mechanical engineering, I worked for a renowned e-bike manufacturing company as a technician. I had worked there for almost six years, and later I quit the job and started my own business where I sell different types of e-bike and their tools and accessories. I created this site, eBikeBuster, to guide people, who are new to an e-bike and don’t have proper knowledge about its tools, accessories, and maintenance.