Owning an e-bike these days is a privilege, but when you own something, you must maintain it, especially when it faces any problem. It is widespread for most vehicles to have issues with them sooner or later.
Going to a mechanic for every petty issue you face with your e-bike may not be an option. Also, you might not have a mechanic close by, so if you know a few things about troubleshooting your e-bike, you can make things much easier for yourself.
If you are well aware of them, it's excellent, but if not, you can learn a lot of things from this electric bike troubleshooting guide that will teach you about troubleshooting your e-bike; read through below:
Determining Issue with E-bike Battery
Sometimes when it gets impossible to start the e-bike, or it happens to be stopping right after starting back, this means that there is a problem with the battery of your e-bike and not the bike itself. In most cases, the problem persists with the battery and not the e-bike, so it is always suggested to check it out first when it comes to electric bike troubleshooting.
There are a few things that you can look into when it comes to assessing your battery for electric bike troubleshooting.
Keeping a Check on the Voltage
One of the most important things to consider is an assessment of voltage; the lights on the panel of the e-bike and LED must glow. If they are not glowing, this means that your e-bike battery's fuse has blown or is not charged properly.
If you want to assess if your battery has been damaged or not, attach a voltmeter to your bike's battery with the help of prongs, and you will be able to assess whether there is a voltage problem.
Sometimes, the battery of the e-bike runs out pretty fast, which happens because either the battery has been overcharged, undercharged, or left for more than six months without charging.
If the battery has been charged within the past six months, you can charge it back, whereas in the other case, the battery tends to be damaged. Always make sure that you don't charge the battery of your e-bike for more than 12 hours; this could lead to overcharging and hence damaging the battery of your e-bike.
Inspecting the Battery Charger
Sometimes the problem is not the battery itself but the faulty charger. Hence, as much as it is essential to inspect the battery of the e-bike, we also must assess the chargers.
Inspecting the battery charger is not a big deal; you need to plug it in and check if the light is turned on or not when the charger is being plugged to troubleshoot electric bike problems. If the light is not turning on or if it is blinking, that means the charger is faulty.
You can also assess whether or not your charger is alright by connecting it to a voltmeter. If the volts are a little higher than the one shown on the battery charger, then your charger is fine, and in case the volts are less or zero, your charger has been damaged.
Assessment of BMS
A battery management system known as BMS is responsible for controlling and preserving your battery at all times when you ride the e-bike. If your battery management system has some issues, there are chances that the e-bike will also stop functioning correctly.
There are many reasons to encounter this kind of trouble, which means that you might have to check out for the load that might have increased and is causing issues for the e-bike to work correctly. On the other hand, one of the cells from the entire battery pack sometimes gets damaged.
There are many reasons for this; sometimes the battery pack is of inferior quality and hence starts to give problems with a new e-bike. Sometimes the load on the e-bike tends to get too much, causing the e-bike to perform with hiccups. Hence, keeping an eye on the battery management system is essential, and to shed the load, make sure to use a paddle for hiking up the hills rather than pressurizing the battery with the load to avoid electric bike motor not working issues.
You can check whether your battery management system is at fault or not by connecting the battery pack to another e-bike of the same kind. If that e-bike also starts to cause trouble, the battery pack will be damaged.
Lack of Alignment in Battery Prongs
Sometimes the battery itself is alright; the lack of alignment in the battery prongs cannot let the circuit complete so the current could pass through. This is also one of the reasons e-bikes might not function. Hence, you must also check this issue, and you can quickly fix the prongs by slightly bending them back to their original position.
Assessment of Charging Port of Battery
The charging port of the battery is also a crucial consideration that needs attention when assessing the trouble with your e-bike. Sometimes if a charging port has any problem, it won't charge the battery of your e-bike, and hence, the e-bike won't start.
So, assess the charging port and plug it into the e-bike to see if the lights are illuminating; if they are, then your charging port is fine, and if not, you need to fix it.
Problem with the Brake Motor Inhibitor
Sometimes due to the negligence of the e-bike user, the e-bike falls and hits the ground. Usually, in such circumstances, the handlebars tend to get the most damage, and because of it, the brakes might be pulled back, keeping the motor inhibitor switched on.
When this switch is on, obviously, you won't be able to ride your e-bike. You can get the switch replaced in such a case, and after this, your e-bike will start working. Apart from this problem, other problems related to the brakes may also cause the e-bike to face hiccups, which could consist of worn-out or loose brake pads and their connections.
Lack of Performance of Controller
The significance of a controller in the e-bike couldn't be denied, and it serves as the central part of an e-bike that transmits power to it; hence, e-bike controller troubleshooting is crucial. To transfer this power, the controller needs to work efficiently and ensure that it senses everything correctly.
If there is a problem with the controller, like having loose wirings and connections, issues with the controller's switch, etc., these need to be fixed or replaced. Unless and until the controller does not transmit the signals correctly, the e-bike won't work as well.
Sometimes, the controller is working, but the circuit breaker and fuse, a crucial part of the control, might not show up and need to be repaired or replaced to work efficiently.
Troublesome Throttle
Throttle control of an e-bike is a vital part of its mechanism, and if you have overused the throttle control, there are chances that it will get damaged. You must limit the usage of the throttle and make sure to take appropriate care while using it.
To ensure proper usage of it, make sure not to pull and leave it suddenly, do the job gradually, and after pulling, when you release it slowly, it falls back to its original position. To assess whether it needs replacement, you must determine whether it is getting the proper power.
Adjustments to the Pedal Assist
The power cuts associated with your e-bikes could be due to the issues with the pedal assist. If the pedal assist has faced some adjustment recently or you have fixed the wheels, the alignment of the ring magnet and sensors might have suffered.
You can fix this issue with the help of a screwdriver by pushing the ring magnet closer to the sensors, and it will help the pedal assist in regaining its ability to function correctly.
Damaged or Loose Wires and Connections
The e-bike works under the entire battery pack and a battery management system. Hence many wires and connections need to be taken care of. Even If a single wire is broken or is loose, the electric bike will either won't start or will cut off now and then, causing you a lot of trouble; hence ebike troubleshooting is necessary.
So, when you are looking for a problem in your e-bike, check the connections first, look for the lost connections, and reconnect all the wires properly to ensure their functionality. Sometimes, the connections are tight, but the cables are damaged. Due to overheating, many wires end up melting, and due to this as well, the e-bike doesn't start or cut off.
So, if you have been observing any broken or damaged wires, make sure to replace them. This would resolve your problem of the e-bike not working correctly. Also, if your e-bike is old, it is common for the wires to wear out, and these worn-out wires need a replacement.
Conclusion
E-bikes have so many parts and details; even if something is wrong with one of the parts, it won't function. Hence, when you are looking to assess the problem with your e-bike and wish to resolve it on your own, make sure to start considering it from scratch.
Every part starting from the battery, brakes, wires, connections, pedals, and throttle could malfunction and might need replacement, repair, or fixation; this is essential for effective e-bike troubleshooting. So follow the above guide and quickly troubleshoot the issues with your e-bike independently.
