ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: w34p0n2m4n on September 11, 2013, 07:04:30 AM
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I was hoping someone had heard of this problem before. For no obvious reason (like any distinguishing event) my bike started ignoring the charger and just clicking non-stop.
When I plug it in the charge indicator never comes on. What happens is a lot of clicking. It sounds like maybe it's more than one thing because the clicking seems to go in and out of phase. The battery never spits out an error code, the indicators never show an error code, and the bluetooth app never pulls up an error code. It's like the bike doesn't even know it's plugged into the wall; something really early in the charging system is crapping out.
Anybody heard of anything like this?
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The idea why you here more than one clicking you have 4 chargers in your bike see attachment.
I guess they work in series so if one fails your bike never see the necessary voltage to start charging.
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My chargers click constantly once the bike is done charging. It's annoying but Zero told me just to deal with it. I'm assuming your bike still turns on and works properly? (Minus the not charging thing)
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I had a similar problem. My bike would click but the charge indicator would flash quickly. It turned out to be a faulty fuse holder.
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@DesignerDan Yeah, everything works, still drives, but it can't charge.
@BSDThw & spelunker I'm kind of assuming that something just came loose. The last problem I had was turn signals not working and the service guys said it was just a wire that disconnected itself from a relay.
Maybe if I open the bike up something will be obvious. Maybe not, but it would save a 70 mile drive to the dealer.
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I had same problem. Had to put it into the truck and drive it to the dealer, Will post what they find.
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The only recent charging issue I had since the updated firmware was one time a week ago, after a routine ride...not too long, not too hard, not too hot or cold... I plugged the bike in and instead of charging, it flashed a red warning. I just unplugged it, turned the bike on, right off again, plugged it in, and it charged fine.
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If anyone else's chargers click continuously after charging could you please post in this thread. It sounds like a contactor clicking.
I'm slightly concerned because if it's a contactor and it's just constantly clicking away for hours each day, wouldn't that drastically reduce the life of it? I will be pretty sad the day the chargers fail :(
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The only time I experienced this clicking and flashing of the charge LED and no charge taking place was when I tried to use an 850W portable generator to power the 640W charger on my 2013 FX. Apparently the charging power source wasn't recognized by the on-board charger as being sufficient (even though it should have been). Have you tried something as simple as plugging into another outlet in case there is something causing an AC voltage drop in the one you used?
Trikester
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My bike clicks after completing a full charge as well. Not nearly as loud as the contractor click when you power the bike on however. I'm not worried about it.
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Have you tried something as simple as plugging into another outlet in case there is something causing an AC voltage drop in the one you used?
Trikester
Yes, it doesn't matter what outlet it is plugged into. It will ALWAYS start clicking away non stop once the charge is complete. It's kind of funny because I'll be working in my garage and all of the sudden I hear clicking coming from the bike and I think "cool the bike's done charging".
The bike didn't used to have this condition. It started doing it seemingly out of the blue within the first month of ownership.
Like I said, I just hope (if it is a relay making the noise) that it doesn't fail prematurely. Relays are usually rated in number of times they can be clicked on and off. For several hours every night, the relay(if it is a relay) is just constantly clicking away.
It clicks every 1.5 seconds. That's 40 clicks per minute. 2400 clicks per hour. It's clicking for about 5 hours each night. That's 12,000 clicks per day.
I've had the bike for over a year and ride it everyday: That's nearly half a million clicks :-\
So if it is a relay, this is why I get a little concerned.
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OK. My bike clicks after it is fully charged too. Never noticed it before tonight, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been doing it all the time. Seems like I would have noticed it though. I was just out in the garage adjusting a chain and heard tic, tic, tic coming from my Zero.
Update: Now the ticking has stopped. The BMS is in balancing mode with the 2 green followed by a single green light if that makes any difference with the ticking/clicking but it has been fully charged for 3 hours or so with a solid green light on the display.
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No clicking on my bike, other than the contactor clicking once when plugging in the charger and clicking once when unplugging the charger. During charging, all is quiet.
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This ticking is quieter than the contactor, occurs about once every 1.2 seconds and only comes on when charging is complete. It also does not correspond with the BMS indicator lights. Concurrent with that I had the unbalanced power pack lights...green light 2 and 4 flash, followed by green light 3 flashing on the BMS lights. Then clicking stopped on mine but also only the unbalanced power pack lights flashing...no full charge indication with 1red, 2,3,4green. The manual says that pattern of lights can indicates an unbalanced power pack, so maybe that is the issue. When I did get the clicking I had run the bike pretty hard, but the clicking didn't occur until several hours later. It's a mystery what it is and why it occurs. Pretty sure it is not the contactor. Since this one episode I clicking, I have ridden and charged 3 times with no clicking and no unbalanced power pack lights showing, so if I had to guess, I would say the clicking was related to battery heat. Interesting to see what bms lights other people with clicking have.
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dealer says a new charge control board needed. Its located below the battery.
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Was your issue just the clicking bumblebee? Or was your bike having other charging issues as well?
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before this happened had to bring it in for firmware upgrade to controller. it worked fine then brought it to work pluged it in at home to charge next day was going to work in morning and noticed no green charged lamp in morning along with wird clicking pattern. I was missing only one bar so I drove it to work and when I was home plugged it never showed the green charging light again and only 2 bars left.
Zero said to check fuses(they were ok) and red L.E.D. on charge controller under seat in front of fuses. Zero said it should blink once when you plug bike in. L.E.D. never came on and I decided it needed to go back to dealer.
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Maybe the firmware dump became corrupted somewhere between Zero and your bike's brain.
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Mine started clicking too.. I'm STILL waiting for the part to arrive. I have had my bike for a couple of months now and have only really had it out one time where it ran correctly. Just sitting in my garage plugged in, I've had one batter and now the charge controller break. Ive had nothing but trouble with my 2014 FX since I've owned it.
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It appears the charge controller board has been updated.
Just got my bike back and notice no clicking sounds when bike charges. Service manager says board was replaced with what they put in 2014 models. It has a plastic cover and solid state relays. I believe old board had relays that switched across each battery cell and measured voltage of each cell. Also the relays are used to switch across each cell to charge them. Relays suck and am glad they updated the board. Happy to have bike again. ;D ;D