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Yesterday I updated my firmware at home via the Zero app and the process went well, taking about 30 minutes to accomplish.  My BMW firmware went from revision 26 to revision 30 and my MMB firmware changed from revision 19 to revision 23.  Here are the results so far:

The only obvious change that I have noticed so far is that there was a 50 mile jump in the estimated range upon riding off with a full charge and traveling for a few miles at 25 mph. I used to see a projected range of around 160 miles, but now the range estimator said (on my first ride after the update) that I had 224 miles to empty, which dropped to 140 miles once I hit the freeway and started traveling at 65 mph. Upon arriving home, after traveling 38 miles, about 20 miles of which were on the freeway, the projected range was still 100 miles.

The updated BMS firmware seems to have resulted in a slight improvement to the battery power capacity, also. After a full charge, my app is showing a battery capacity of 15.312 kWh, compared with 15.138, previously.  The app continues to show 132 AH capacity and voltage remains at 116 volts. Also when I pulled my charger cord the charging light and display went blank, instead of staying on continuously as it had done before. So that is a real plus for me, if it continues to do so.

On a ride today I noticed another small improvement as the result of the MMB firmware update:  Previously, when in eco mode and braking, the regen power indicator at the lower right hand section of the screen display, would show less than the the full regen braking that I would see when using my custom mode, which I had set at 100% braking regen.  However, with the latest update, I am receiving 100% regen upon braking in eco mode. So that is another minor plus. 

Congrats on the new bike Richard.  Are you also in the ZMOG facebook group?  I think theres someone on there that has mentioned a 2018S+PT recently. 

Anyway, your particular bike setup is interesting to me, because I have a 2016SR (13Kwh same battery as 2018S) and I was interested in installing the new 3.6Kwh powertank which would be practically identical to the battery chemistry config of your '18S and powertank.  I say I was interested, past tense because Ive recently decided to upgrade to a 2018SR because of the cautionary tales on the FB page regarding mixing 29ah and 32ah battery cells.  My main take away is that it would have been necessary to let the main pack and PT balance after a long ride by either plugging in for at least 5-10 minutes or by leaving the bike powered on for the same amount of time before riding again, there again waiting on balance.  My question to you is, have you experinced any issues where you stopped after a long ride, shut the bike off and upon power on the bike wont go?  Basically, this would potentially be caused by a battery imbalance, that self corrects once the contactor closes, but isnt an instantanious process.

I have my dear 2016SR for about one and half year now. It's been running great. I haven't had any real issue with it, and I have driven so far about 14.000km. I have just replaced the tires a second time, so they are pretty new now.

Now, I got a very good deal on a 2017SR, which was used as a demonstration bike and which my dealer must get rid of (registered for about half a year now). It has run only 23km so far, and is thus in perfect shape, of course.

My question to you, guys, is: What would you do?

a.) keep my good old 2016SR and sell the 2017SR unused in spring for probably about 1000 € profit?
b.) switch to the new 2017SR and sell my 2016SR in spring, probably paying in the end about 1000-1500€ for the upgrade?

In the end that comes down to the question: Take a used 2016SR in great shape or 2000-2500€ more for a brand new 2017SR?

What would you do?

Did you already buy the 2017?  If not, keep the '16 , the '17 isnt that much better to justify the cost.  I have a '16 SR and Im holding out for a '19 or '20 model.  I hope to be able to trade in, because selling an electric motorcycle is like selling a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves, unless you live in CA, which I dont.

Should the battery be fully charged on 16 SR while PT is being installed to ensure cell balance?

Quote from: ZeroPointZero on October 17, 2017, 10:14:52 PM

Quote from: Doctorbass on October 17, 2017, 09:48:40 PM

I think the answer for the non compatibility of the 3.6kWh new power tank to the 2017 and previous bike is due to the new technology of the cells.

I think the new 2018  31Ah cells have new technology with much lower internal resistance ( higher power capability). The current sharing between all the battery brick must be equal the most as possible in a bike battery system. When you mix up some brick with different internal resistance the current will not flow equally over all these brick and will create problem. Normally while you are riding your bike, if the total current draw is 150A, then all battery brick must have the same current.. ex, if you have 3 brick then the current on each must be around 50A..

If you put a power tank with new technology and lower internal resistance there will be more current draw from that power tank than on the other brick of the main pack itself  and that's a problem.. cell might age differently, the SOC estimation might be tricky to calculate due  to rebalancing current flow between the bricks during power variations.. etc..


Doc

It looks like the new 3.6 Powertank is backwards compatible according to Zeros website.  If it is added to an older bike, would it just be a matter of basic cell imbalance and discharge of the 3.6KW PT 31Ah cells first before the 29Ah cells due to the lower resistance?

It is not a matter of cell imbalance but a matter of discharge current imbalance (from one brick compare to  another brick connected in parallel to it)  I dont think a powertank (regular not long brick) could supply alone the entire current for the bike.. it have to be helped by the main pack monolith...  so i dont think it switch between one to two source... like the FX does depending of the SOC when added onthe fly

Thanks for the reply, do you think there are any long term battery health issues if the new 3.6KW PT were to be combined with the older monolith in terms of cell imbalance and charging?  I figure if Zero says the new PT is backwards compatible they are willing to warranty the dissemilar battery configuration.

Are these compatible with the 29Ah cells in the Zero?

I think the answer for the non compatibility of the 3.6kWh new power tank to the 2017 and previous bike is due to the new technology of the cells.

I think the new 2018  31Ah cells have new technology with much lower internal resistance ( higher power capability). The current sharing between all the battery brick must be equal the most as possible in a bike battery system. When you mix up some brick with different internal resistance the current will not flow equally over all these brick and will create problem. Normally while you are riding your bike, if the total current draw is 150A, then all battery brick must have the same current.. ex, if you have 3 brick then the current on each must be around 50A..

If you put a power tank with new technology and lower internal resistance there will be more current draw from that power tank than on the other brick of the main pack itself  and that's a problem.. cell might age differently, the SOC estimation might be tricky to calculate due  to rebalancing current flow between the bricks during power variations.. etc..


Doc

It looks like the new 3.6 Powertank is backwards compatible according to Zeros website.  If it is added to an older bike, would it just be a matter of basic cell imbalance and discharge of the 3.6KW PT 31Ah cells first before the 29Ah cells due to the lower resistance?

Here's a few things I learned about the '18 models. They're changing the colors on some of the models. The motor power stays the same as '17. Battery capacity is up from 13.0 to 14.4, 7.2 for FX, and 3.6 for power tank. Charge tank goes from 3hr to 2hr charge time (stock charger stays the same). No new models for '18. I'm sure there's more but this should keep us busy until the full public announcement is made.

14.4?     lame. Was hoping for 15 i guees that will wait for 2019...  16.4 in 2020??

3.3kw is disappointing.

How so? Do you have one, if so what additional range do you see?