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[Richard230]

While I know what an encoder does, I am curious what it looks like and where you buy them.  Are they something that comes with the motor from the manufacturer, or can you run down to Radio Shack and buy one off the shelf?  Are they made by only one manufacturer or can they be purchased from more than one source?  I am not trying to go out and buy one, I am just interested in what seems to be causing the "glitch" and I wonder if it is a physical manufacturing problem (BMW seems to have a lot of those with many of their parts that are made by outside vendors), or more of a programming issue.  Although I thought that had been resolved last year and the new firmware was supposed to compensate for wandering encoder signals.  Inquiring minds want to know.   

[WindRider]

Richard,

Having worked with encoded motors in an industrial setting the encoder is generally an integral part of the motor but sometimes it can be separate and attached to the hardware that moves from the motor drive.

I would imagine that Zero Motor encoder is quite proprietary and not readily available.   Replacing it would require recalibration of the motor/controller post replacement.

I imagine that if the causes of the glitch are well understood by Zero now they are trying any and all means to solve it with a software update as the cost of that is very low compared to having to tear into motors of hundreds of motorcycles and replace or adjust mechanical things and then recalibrate motor/encoders.   

[BSDThw]

I saw the Encoder of your Zeros it is a IC sitting at the left side of the motor in the center it will be some magnetic sensitive IC because at the end of the shaft there is a magnet fixed rotating in front of this IC.

The IC is glued / moulded you can only see the top of the IC.

BTW my dealer had to fix/glue my fan it was rattling he saw this at my inspection, since he fixed it my bike is so much more silent. The oscillation sound when I started off is completable gone!

[Richard230]

I wonder if the encoder is shifting a little in its mount when the motor gets very hot and that is causing the "glitch" to occur?  I have not had the glitch, but my motor never gets hot.  I have never run it at full throttle for more than a couple of minutes and the air temperature around here rarely gets above 70 degrees.  I have never seen the high temperature warning light, or any warning lights for that matter, during the time that I have owned my Zero.

[WindRider]

I have ridden at freeway speeds for a lot of this summer at temps 100+ and one day at 110 F.   I have seen the temp warning light once now but never had a temp shutdown. 

5300 miles now, no glitch yet.  2012 DS 9. 

[RickSteeb]

My '12DS has been at the factory for a bit, as they ponder my  glitch issues.  I was informed that they had the motor out, and had installed a new, "more robust" sensor, and performed firmware updates and much testing.  "Better weatherproofing" was mentioned, IIRC...  Wonder if another recall is pending... "weather" should not even be a consideration here in San Jose!  Hmmm....  Hope to get a more detailed briefing [and new, improved front brake caliper bolts;] next week when they deliver it back to me!

 

[ZeroSinMA]

"Better weatherproofing" was mentioned, IIRC...  Wonder if another recall is pending... "weather" should not even be a consideration here in San Jose!  Hmmm.... 

I hope that means that Zero has read my "Unified Theory of The Glitch" thread: http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=3054.0

On further investigation, looks like even you guys who live in the desert experience the conditions for condensation of water inside the motor, even in San Jose.

Check out the summary of Temperature, Dew Point, and Humidity reported here:

http://www.wunderground.com/weather-forecast/US/CA/San_Jose.html

In the wee hours, while you are sleeping, the outside temp may fall below the dew point. Dew collects on the grass and water inside your motor. But by the time you get up the dew has evaporated off the grass but it's still in your motor, messing with the encoder.

I bet better weatherproofing will indeed solve the problem. 

[RickSteeb]

"Better weatherproofing" was mentioned, IIRC...  Wonder if another recall is pending... "weather" should not even be a consideration here in San Jose!  Hmmm.... 

I hope that means that Zero has read my "Unified Theory of The Glitch" thread: http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=3054.0

On further investigation, looks like even you guys who live in the desert experience the conditions for condensation of water inside the motor, even in San Jose.

Check out the summary of Temperature, Dew Point, and Humidity reported here:

http://www.wunderground.com/weather-forecast/US/CA/San_Jose.html

In the wee hours, while you are sleeping, the outside temp may fall below the dew point. Dew collects on the grass and water inside your motor. But by the time you get up the dew has evaporated off the grass but it's still in your motor, messing with the encoder.

I bet better weatherproofing will indeed solve the problem.

Can't hurt! 

My favorite Wx site is:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mesowest/getobext.php?wfo=mtr&sid=KSJC&num=168&raw=0&dbn=m&banner=off

...showing the airport's temperature and dewpoints hourly over the past seven days...

I keep my bike inside a closed garage every night.  Only time I have ever ridden in active precip was the trip home from Scotts Valley after Glitch-fix #1!

Still patiently waiting.  Sort of...