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[NEW2elec]

I posted on my other heading my issues but thought I'd try a new tag line as it is new issues.  Two days ago I got the bike out and saw it only had 10 bars after being fully charged and sitting for a week. Ok no big deal just riding back roads for fun.  I noticed my regen was barely there if at all. A few miles into the ride it would catch for a short time like I was downshifting an eight speed transmission.  Later it seemed a bit soft but more regular regen.  I plugged it up (70 miles took it to 2 bars) and it started charging fine blinking green charge light. About five hours into it the charger was clicking and poppping in a rhythme five clicks pause two longer clicks. The BMS showed trying to balance 10 hours later and never did fill the last bar.  Today I took it out and put 15 miles on it, lost two bars.  Same regen issues and charging.  I had to unplug it as southeast can get thunder storms at any time.  Bike is out of warranty so I have no idea what I'm getting into.  I thought I would try getting advise here as I'm sure the dealer will be like bring it on in we'll take a look at for $55 an hour. Thanks for any help yall can give

[dkw12002]

It's normal for my 2013 S to not regen for the first mile or two after a full charge, while going down hill...which is a lot since I live on a hill. Someone said it's a protective mechanism so you won't overcharge your already fully-charged bike. None of the rest is normal for sure. About this time of year, I do run into overheated battery issues where I have to cool the bike down by waiting a long time or putting a fan on the battery after the bike is sitting in the sun or after a hard ride. Otherwise it won't charge.

[NEW2elec]

Well its been charging for about six more hours and I only have 9 bars.  The BMS is still blinking two outer green LEDs and one center LED.  If that is it trying to balance it is trying to do so without fully charging the battery first. I turn the key and do not get any red warning light blinks and yesterday it rode fine except for the regen.  Is there any way to reboot the BMS on a 2013 so it might figure out the battery isn't fully charged yet?

[Richard230]

Sometimes my 2014 S will stop bulk charging and start balancing the batteries in the pack for a few minutes, before going back to bulk charging again.  After the charge is up to 98%, it balances the batteries again for a few more minutes, before shutting off, showing a 98% charge.  24 hours later it turns back on and finishes charging to 100%.

[NEW2elec]

thanks I don't want to sound like the guy who cried wolf but this is the first time I have had this happen. We have all these pop up thunder storms and I just don't trust a surge protector, also don't know if it would allow enough amps to charge.  So leaving it plugged up for days seems dangerous.  How do all the people who ride to work every day deal with this? I have put about 1400 miles myself on the bike since December and until a few days ago I just ride, come home, plug in, give it about 8 hours and unplug it. From 8 bars to full (11.4) should only be like 5 hours at the most right? Its been like 13 hours now.  The dash shows 10 bars now but the BMS with the key on shows one red and 2 green LEDs flashing. The main green dash charge light stays solid most of the charge time with 2 quick flashes then solid again.

[Tater McTatums]

Personally, my bike is plugged in whenever I'm not using it. With the rain we've been getting, it's been sitting for a few days now.  It also spent the whole winter plugged in while in the garage and it didn't have any issues. 

As for the regen, whenever I start riding with a completely full battery, I have to switch to Sport mode, since that has the least amount of regen programmed in.  For the first couple miles, or however long it takes to get down to 99%, the regen will pulse on and off when I try to use it to slow down, its the least annoying in Sport mode. Once the battery gets down to 99% the regen works like it should and I switch back to Custom.

[trikester]

Of course the regen doesn't work when the battery is fully charged. There is no place for the regen current to go. That would be like trying to put more gas in an already full gas tank.

Trikester

[NEW2elec]

Guys thanks for the replies on the regen, which isn't talked about in the manual, but from my first post the battery wasn't full, at least according to the dash meter.  It had 10 bars not 11 so it was closer to 90%.  The real issue seems to be the charge time.  Over 13 hour to go from 8 bars to 10. The green dash charge light goes solid the bike is clicking and popping and then the light flashes 2 times real quick and goes back solid. The BMS shows the blinking 2 green one green balancing code and when I unplug everything and turn it on the BMS shows one red and 2 green LEDs. Its like it is trying to balance the battery without filling it first. I have plugged it back up for the night and will see if it hits the 11th bar tomorrow.  Anyone else have this super long balancing issue?

[NEW2elec]

I've been emailing Harlan and he has been nice enough to try and help me.  Did 20 miles this morning and came back home plugged it up and started getting a five blink warning light and the green charge light blinks so fast you can't count it. The manual says its a misc. error which does not help much other than tell me something is wrong with it.  Harlan said get a Kill A Watt wall meter and I saw the Amps go from like .24 to 8.75 to 10 but just for a sec then it cycles back through clicking and popping all the while. Not even getting a full kwh.  I have to get a phone that will take the app.  Why the app can't work on a tablet is beyond me but has to be a phone.  Anyone on the west coast try to go with Hollywood Electrics great guy.

[NEW2elec]

Well now I've talked to Zero, Harlan and WOW here in GA.  Bought a cheap smart phone downloaded the app and it worked for about five times then it wouldn't connect any more.  Uninstalled it unpaired it  reloaded and still no connection, told Zero see what they can do.  I did get a chance to email myself the bike log but I guess you have to have the Zero program to open it.  Zero guy told me to try to pull the rubber cover by the BMS window and hard reset the BMS but the 2013 DS has a plastic front splash guard cover that blocks half of it and has plastic rivets holding it to the sides I figured they would break if I tried to get them off so haven't gone that route yet.  If the problem is the BMS board looking at about $550 charge controller about $350 all without labor costs.  Have to say the promise of less maintenance cost with an E bike don't sound so cheap I mean the bike is only 2 years old.  Oh and if it is the battery itself I don't even want to think of that.

[NEW2elec]

Rode 40 miles today went from 10 bars to five. No regen until about 10 into the ride and you can really see how much those brakes suck with nothing else slowing you down.  Plugged it up and hey nice quiet 10 amp charge for about 2.5 hours got it back to 8 bars then the red 5 blinking warning light and power back down to .28 amps. So it is messing up at about the same charge point which means it is probably one of the monoliths which is $3500 which is the cost of an older ICE bike.  So 9100 miles until 80% charge not 300,000.  I may just ride it into the ground instead of paying more money waiting for one of the others to die.

[NEW2elec]

Set it up to go in for service on Tue. I'll post how it goes and I'll get an idea what Zero service really costs. I wondered what it would be before I got the bike but it looks like I get to be the lab rat see if my wallet survives.