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[pargil]

Cruising at a lazy speed in the city, many stops and go, bike running smoothly, excellent mileage (4kw/100) range of over 200km, battery at 90% (charged at 100 % in the morning and wait until the charger stops). Wait at a traffic light, turned green, smooth acceleration and bang!! total loss of power with error code #9 displayed at the dash (motor controler error). Twist the throttle, no power at all. Had to push the bike in the next parking. Noticed strong resistance rolling the bike as if the motor bearings had partially ceased.
I still can turn on the dash and does not hear anymore the contactor clic.

I know it is hard to pinpoint the cause of this problem with this limited info, but do you think a sudden motor bearing failure would have caused the motor controler to fail and consequently this loss of power.

BTW: all firmware up to date, new dash firmware and reverse option added. 12,000 km and no problem whatsoever.

Thanks for your input.

[princec]

No, sounds more like the electronics have just suddenly gone pop. If there was an actual "bang" that would have been something shorting out catastrophically, or a capacitor going pop.

Cas

[TheRan]

A short could also result in a lot of resistance at the motor, it doesn't have to be mechanical.

[Specter]

Leave the bike OFF and try to push it,if it's still stiff then yah something seized up somewhere, however the mode of failure you described is EXTREMELY unlikely for a bearing.  They usually don't just go pop and give you plenty of warning they are going tits up.

If the field is energized the motor can offer a lot of resistance to rotation, ie being pushed, ie wow it's hard to move my new paperweight.

Until you find out exactly wtf went POP, which to me, implies electrical problem somewhere, Id be VERY cautious about energizing the bike and / or leaving it on until I figured out exactly what did that.    You don't need the thing catching fire in the middle of the night.

Aaron

[pargil]

 
The bike is now in my garage after being towed. I have an appointment with my dealer early July. Here are other observations that I noticed: the red battery icon in the dash is ON meaning that the 12 volt battery is faulty (it is not, I measured closed to 13v and I can communicate with the bike with my app)) or it is the DC-DC converter. I also have error code 31 and 34 (Battery Module Ineligible and Battery Module Connection Retries Fault).
As I said, I don't hear the contactor when I turn the key ON.  The weirdest thing is the resistance when I try to turn the rear wheel. I takes more effort to move the bike around. The very first error that I had at the dash was error 9 (motor controler fault).

I am still wondering why an electronic problem could have an impact on the motor and its normal rotation (rotates OK, no suspect sound from the bearings but this resistance..) . Is the fact that the power pack and its contactor does not turn ON  (according to the errors,) would prevent the motor to turn freely? Yeah, many questions and I just hope to have an answer soon (from Zero and the dealer).

Thanks to all for your input.

[TheRan]

When spun motors act like generators, hence you can use regen braking to slow down and recover some energy. If the motor is open circuit, as it should be when the bike is off or when pushing the bike at low speeds when regen is off, then it should turn freely with little resistance (a small amount when the bike is on as it's used to track its position). How ever if there's a short somewhere then turning the motor will be producing a current and providing resistance.

[2020_SRS_Commuter]

I am still wondering why an electronic problem could have an impact on the motor and its normal rotation (rotates OK, no suspect sound from the bearings but this resistance..) . Is the fact that the power pack and its contactor does not turn ON  (according to the errors,) would prevent the motor to turn freely?

Hi Im not a Zero scientist but I have worked in industrial support for about 30 years. Its very unlikely IMO that some fault of electronics is causing a drag. A couple questions for you to play around with. Sorry for the basic nature of them but sometimes its best to challenge assumptions
1) Do you know for sure this drag was not present previously?
2) Have you verified its the rear wheel and not the front?
3) Are the tires inflated properly?
4) Is a brake dragging?
5) is the belt tensioned properly?
6) If you establish its the rear, have you tried removing the belt to see if its the motor or the wheel?

Curious to see how your situation is resolved.

[pargil]

I wiil gladly try to respond to your question.

1) Do you know for sure this drag was not present previously?
    This bike was gliding. I was city riding, many stops and go, over 200 km autonomy, no suspect sound, no warning signs at all.

2) Have you verified its the rear wheel and not the front?
    Once back at my garage, I lifted the rear wheel and you could feel the resistance but only after 1 turn approximately. As if the motor try to apply regen even if the the key is off. The front was free running about a week ago when I lifted the front wheel.

3) Are the tires inflated properly?
    Checked weekly the pressure and all was right last time (36 psi)

4) Is a brake dragging?
    Not at all.

5) is the belt tensioned properly?
   Was also checked with Gator app and measured 65hz average.

6) If you establish its the rear, have you tried removing the belt to see if its the motor or the wheel.
    I did not,
This is really a sudden power loss with no signs of dragging. The minute before the bike was taking speed normally and after a traffic light turning green , I smoothly twisted the throttle and may be 100m later, power was lost, error 9 (motor controler fault ) popped out on the dash. Error 31 and 34  also appeared later (Battery Module Ineligible and Battery Module Connection Retries Fault).

The bike is at the dealer and I should have some feedback next week. I will keep you posted.

Thanks again

[Specter]

The motor is pretty much always going to have some residual magnetism in it.  If you spin it, it WILL create electricity, you spinning it just turned it into a generator.  If there is ANY pathway for current to flow, IT WILL, and this will immediately load the generator / motor down quite hard.  YES even at hand spin speeds.  I have a DC manta motor that you can spin very freely by hand, but the moment you short the leads and try to turn it, even just the clunk clunk as it traverses individual poles, it's about rotor locked, so yes, it could very easily be magnetically braking your motor.

Maybe you chattered a main power contactor and it arc flashed / welded and is shorted on the motor end??  just a hunch.  Some diodes blew and are not acting like  wires?  Many things could cause this.  Hopefully it's not something serious and you get back on the road soon.  Dead bikes for ANy reason,just....  suck...

aaron