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[Kocho]

Doesn't the Zero phone app record the ambient, motor, controller, and battery temp. while in use? Or get into the logs after the ride?

As for the temperature "sensors", does anyone know if they are simple $0.30 thermistors ($3 delivered) like the ones on the battery on a  Vectrix, for instance? These can be out of range easily and can confuse the computer in thinking there is overheating when there is none. The ones in the Vectrix can be replaced easily by those comfortable taking things apart and soldering a tiny surface-mount part, and even more easily if the whole part is replaced (the sensor with the little 1cm^2 board it is mounted on the Vectrix).

[Lecram]

This is strange. My DS is in the garage since last week Thursday and the temp there is about 13-15 degrees. The engine temperature is with 29C higher than the battery and controller temperature. After a few days of not riding, the engine temperature should be the same as the ambient temperature. Is this a defective temp sensor?

[Doug S]

Is this a defective temp sensor?

It seems quite common for the motor temp sensor to read high at ambient -- mine certainly does. Someone contacted Zero about it and they said not to be concerned about it, it only matters if it's accurate near cutout temperatures.

My guess is they use a cheap thermistor for sensing motor temp, with a single-point calibration somewhere near the 212F point. Yes, it's probably adequate since that's the only area that really matters, but it hardly boosts confidence to have it read high at ambient. Type J thermocouples are pretty cheap and much more accurate than garden-variety thermistors.

[CScalpeL]

I heard that from Zero as well but frankly I don't buy it. It looks like there are motors that are more susceptible to overheating and those that are less so. From our small stastical sample it seems there is a good correlation between the overheaters and high ambient readers. Maybe I should start a poll to get a bigger sample size...

[Doug S]

I think what you'd really be polling about is riding style. My '14 SR occasionally flashes the red light at me, but only on triple-digit socal summer days when I'm riding faster than I should be. The only time it happened on a cooler day was when a guy pulled up next to me at a light, hollered at me about "is it electric??" and then bugged me into drag-racing him through the next few lights (for some reason traffic was really light). After about four one-block races the overtemp light started blinking and I started acting my age.

But even on those 100+ days, if I keep the speed down to ~75 on the freeway and don't behave like an idiot, the motor doesn't overheat. And mine is one of the ones that shows a dozen degrees or more high at ambient temperature.

[rotoiti]

I am in the Bay Area myself and I regularly get the overheat warning on my 2014 Zero SR during the northbound climb on I-280 from (California 92 intersection to California 35 Skyline Blvd exit). Just doing highway speeds (75-80 mph), pretty much at any ambient temperature. This is a demanding climb at those speeds, so I am not very surprised.

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

I am in the Bay Area myself and I regularly get the overheat warning on my 2014 Zero SR during the northbound climb on I-280 from (California 92 intersection to California 35 Skyline Blvd exit). Just doing highway speeds (75-80 mph), pretty much at any ambient temperature. This is a demanding climb at those speeds, so I am not very surprised.

Yes, that area is exactly where I get the warning blink as well. (Hello from Oakland)

[SteveInNC]

My '15 SR hits safe mode most every time that I ride. Admittedly I ride fairly "spirited" but, I'm not barreling down straights either. Yesterday the temps were pretty mild here in WNC and it still got me by the time I reached the top of both 226A and Hwy 80. Mildly irritating. The bike's overall fun factor certainly overshadows the heat issue though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Killroy]

I'm not an owner yet, so is it just me or are all the heat sink fins in the draft of air flow?

The controller and the motor are in the draft of the battery.

Is there any attempt to duct the air to these locations by the body work?

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

I'm not an owner yet, so is it just me or are all the heat sink fins in the draft of air flow?

The controller and the motor are in the draft of the battery.

Is there any attempt to duct the air to these locations by the body work?

Yeah, the fins are not exposed very well. The side panel ducts to direct air inward towards the motor, but that's it.

[ctrlburn]

Thermistor is integrated into the motor... so it was a long repair.  KTY84  NXP Semiconductor  (the connector is on left side under the seat "two yellow wires") or you can find it at the Sevcom... I lost my PIN notes)

"Temp" read on right flat face of motor IR thermometer (highest temp found just front of center).
"Bluetooth" readings from Application.

After a test ride "pre-repair state"

Temp     Bluetooth
84F         115F
83F         109F
79F         97F


Long since fixed.
Just now walked out and took the motor temp (3 hours since ride 73F controller 93F battery - still charging)
Temp  Bluetooth
75F     84F


My main point is just because you experience a thermal cut-out or warning doesn't mean you've reached temp.

Just confirm the temps indicate such an event is reasonable before accepting, even if the logs or application show you hit temp, make reasonably sure with a thermometer.

[Cortezdtv]

the outside of the motor will always be cooler, than the windings, so the ir thermometer IMO is not going to be 100% accurate.




commenting about the direction of the fins
If the fins were placed elongated around the motor there would be much less surface area to "cool" by placing the fins across the motor there is a ton more surface area for the air to hit.

[RickSteeb]

Not so much "at speed", as in maintaining 75-80MPH on a freeway, but I very often see the thermometer light up on my '14 SR when riding briskly along twisty back roads.  With Custom mode set to max regen when brake applied, and riding it like I did while putting 50k miles on my '88 Magna 750, it's a common sight.  I don't know how much modification it takes to get to Pike's Peak status...

[Richard230]

the outside of the motor will always be cooler, than the windings, so the ir thermometer IMO is not going to be 100% accurate.




commenting about the direction of the fins
If the fins were placed elongated around the motor there would be much less surface area to "cool" by placing the fins across the motor there is a ton more surface area for the air to hit.

While that makes a lot of sense, it doesn't explain why there is a 20 degree F description between the motor temperature and the air temperature after the bike has been sitting in the garage for a day or more.     However, you could argue that what difference does the temperature reading make?  All you really have to know is at what temperature on the gauge does the controller start cutting back on the power on your particular Zero. After all, the temperature gauge is not supposed to be measuring the ambient air temperature, just the temperature inside the motor. 

In any case, for me, overheating isn't an issue as I use my Zero just for transportation, not for sport riding.  For that, I will use one of my IC motorcycles as they all handle and ride much better than my Zero (thank you Fast Ace) and I prefer going around tight curves to going fast in a straight line.

[Cortezdtv]

120F for the battery (bms on a fx)
170 F Controller
180-200 F MOTOR   IIRC off the top of my head.....


going downstairs to check motor temps....



Results: ambiant temp from floor 72F
IR result from Outside motor 71F

APP
Motor 80F
controller 70F
battery 69F


the difference of 6F is completely negligible once the temp goes above 120, all thermometers have a range, including IR ones, when they arnt calibrated they will be slightly off at the opposite end of the spectrum. Hence why the motor thermisters read higher. That way they can give a more accurate reading when they are in their calibrated zone... 



and MY IR reading is from the INSIDE of the motor....I have giant breather holes in the case like Burtons "ventilated" motor