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Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: Burton on January 13, 2016, 11:08:08 PM

Title: Joys of Winter Riding
Post by: Burton on January 13, 2016, 11:08:08 PM
Description of "fun" event:
Went to work this morning after speed charging the bike to about 85% to prewarm the battery up.

Got to work, shut off the bike, plugged it in, realized I wanted to keep my gloves warm while they sit on bike and restarted bike. This is when I saw an error on the koso display. First it was a 2 4, then a 2 3 where it stayed. And there was 0 SOC displayed even though I know I got there with 50+%.
Gloves were still getting warm so I didn't care, unplugged gloves and put them on, turned bike off and went to work figuring when the bike warms up it will be good.

Get into work and check out error codes in manual ... not good ones to have mind you. I decided to check on the bike to make sure it was charging ... and it is a good thing I did. 

I get to bike to find it still shows a solid green charging light and the 2 3 error blinking. I restart bike and try to connect through reaper dongle ... no luck. I unplug bike and restart.

Display now shows information and there doesn't appear to be an error. I plug bike back in and it starts to charge. I connect through reaper dongle and pull a dumpall then go back to work.


Reviewing the logs:
Reviewing the logs and things get interesting ... and confusing. There are several "throttle" errors but those are kind of common on my bike since I have the regen lever. Then there are lines like this.

Quote
05011                       5   BMS Throt En Wire Disable  vpack = 11619mV, thr_en = 39mV
 05012                      10   Riding                     PackTemp: h-100C, l127C, PackSOC:  0%, Vpack:  0.000V, MotAmps:   0, BattAmps:   0, Mods: 00, MotTemp:-100C, CtrlTemp:-100C, MotRPM:

This appears to have happened when I turned the bike back on after my ride to charge my gloves. I couldn't find any contactor connected line for this event either. And it is worth mentioning I don't think I heard the contactor "release" when turning it off till the 2nd or third restart when I got back to bike just moments ago to check on it.


Quote
510   OB Charger 0 Connected   
 05022                     550   Charging                   PackTemp: h-100C, l127C, PackSOC:  0%, Vpack:2147483.647V, BattAmps:   0, Mods: 00, MbbChgEn: No, BmsChgEn: No

Then we have several lines like this ... like my pack voltage? :/ The temps are way off to from the last reading before the bike acting odd.


Quote
05047                       5   BMS Throt En Wire Disable  vpack = 11619mV, thr_en = 39mV
 05048                      10   Riding                     PackTemp: h-100C, l127C, PackSOC:  0%, Vpack:  0.000V, MotAmps:   0, BattAmps:   0, Mods: 00, MotTemp:-100C, CtrlTemp:-100C, MotRPM:

Eventually we get back to where we "started" with this mess and finally the contactor shows a closed line and I get this


Quote
05073     01/13/2016 09:15:38   Riding                     PackTemp: h 19C, l 18C, PackSOC:100%, Vpack:101.792V, MotAmps:   0, BattAmps:   0, Mods: 10, MotTemp:  18C, CtrlTemp:  11C, MotRPM:   0

This is the current state of the bike but it is "charging" at -12A ... despite showing 100% SOC with 101.7 pack voltage 0_0

Quote
05096     01/13/2016 09:16:16   Charging                   PackTemp: h 19C, l 18C, PackSOC:100%, Vpack:102.136V, BattAmps: -12, Mods: 10, MbbChgEn: Yes, BmsChgEn: No

I have taken the liberty to attach a truncated log file with the relevant bits only for anyone who wishes to dive into this more than I have explained.

I still don't know what went wrong. There was no moisture in the air, it hasn't rained recently. The contactor likely didn't open when the bike shut off ... why this happened idk and I don't have a volt meter attached to the controller to verify this ... but it makes me want to now.

It was 25F if anyone is wondering ... I have ridden the bike without fairings in -10F degree weather before so :/
idk .. suggestions welcome. i hope this doesn't become a pattern. >__<
Title: Re: Joys of Winter Riding
Post by: Richard230 on January 13, 2016, 11:34:52 PM
I don't have any idea what is going on, but I bet you are riding in colder weather than the Zero engineers in Santa Cruz ever did when testing their bikes.   :o
Title: Re: Joys of Winter Riding
Post by: Burton on January 14, 2016, 12:36:17 AM
I don't have any idea what is going on, but I bet you are riding in colder weather than the Zero engineers in Santa Cruz ever did when testing their bikes.   :o

And that is exactly why I created a shroud to cover the fins on my controller during winter :D Keeps the controller warm so it doesn't turn off my throttle mid ride when it reaches <= 0C :/
Title: Re: Joys of Winter Riding
Post by: MrDude_1 on January 14, 2016, 02:17:24 AM
You may benefit from adding a heating element between the packs... just have it "on" whenever the bike is charging.
The batteries would sure be happier.
Title: Re: Joys of Winter Riding
Post by: Lipo423 on January 14, 2016, 12:41:58 PM
I would also go for the temp issue (battery?, controller?, BMS, Contactor? a combination of some of them?).
One of the issues we trend to overlook (I include myself on the list) is that our bikes have different electronic components, coming from different manufacturers -and consequently- different qualities/types/standards.

When I got my electronics degree a long time ago, we were told about special/military grade electronic components for special applications…not trying to say we would 100% need those in our bikes, but when riding in extreme high/low temperatures like some of the "brave riders do"  ;) those components make a difference.
Title: Re: Joys of Winter Riding
Post by: oobflyer on January 17, 2016, 09:24:34 AM
Did you email the bike logs to Zero? They should be able too diagnose it remotely.