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« on: April 10, 2022, 01:58:07 PM »
Just keeping the thread alive but, I am in process for a battery replacement on my 2020 Zero FXS.
Mileage: 12,500 ish
Some track use, offroading, stunting, but majority commuting
Never charged above 0.5C or 3.3kw
My Background:
EE student, Navy Nuclear Electronics Tech, huge electronics nerd
Used to build Hotrod skateboard, Ebikes, E-Motos back when Lukeliveforphysics had shocked endless sphere with his Deathbike
FPV drone builder and racer
General Tinkerer.
Ive played with almost all chemistries of Lithium batteries at some point.
While reading symptoms please understand I've commuted on this bike to the same place of work for 2.5 years more than 280 days a each year.
The first 8,000 miles were virtually symptom-less. No noticeable range or power loss. Performed my 20 mile daily round trip flawless.
Symptoms:
-Bike struggled to maintain 60mph at 65% or lower SOC at ambient temperatures lower than 70F
-Excessive battery sag - after 7 miles at 65 mph average, indicated SOC would drop from 65% to 10% but bounce back to 35-40% after sitting.
-Battery off charger would go from 100% to 97-98% after turning bike on.
-Battery would not regen at 98%-99%.(used to get back to 100% on the hill before my first stop light in eco mode)
-Noticeable loss in range, would estimate from experience 30 miles highway, maybe 70 city vs 45-50 miles highway 100+ city i got the first 8k miles
-Power meter capped at three bars on highway (sometimes flashing full bars every .5 to 1secs like the battery was dying)
Troubleshooting before dealer:
====================Took time to keep battery warm before riding to work at night (I work night shift sometimes)============
- helped minimize battery sag (still had 10%ish bounceback)
- range was still noticeably lower
- maintained 65mph barely
====================Tried riding during day with warmer weather (80F) ===========
- no trouble maintaining highway speeds
- battery sag reduced further
- range still reduced
====================Pulling Logs===================
- Discharge cutback occuring at SOC 75% and lower
- Pack temps are high enough to disregard ambient temps (I live in San diego CA anyway, its never that cold)
->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Pack Voltage dropping as low as 84 volts at 50-70% SOC<<<<<<<<<<<
- After my daily merge to the highway Battery Voltage would drop 10-15 volts!!!!!!
- Entire time I suspected something was wrong (3 mos) I would check cell balance via app or zero spy, and nothing was excessive)
=================Dealing with Zero Motorcycles Inc.===========================
-Knowing that the pack probably had a weak cell with excessive IR, and the BMS was limiting the pack to the weakest cell, I took it to the dealer and explained exactly "My bike struggles to maintain 60 mph on the highway, I think there is a battery issue"
- 4 business days later, Dealer calls me and tells me "Zero pulled the logs and said the battery is aging healthily, your bike is ready for pickup, please let us know if you have further issues".....lol ok
- I ride to work the next day, same issue.
- Called the dealer, after printing and outlining the battery issues to provide to Zero, a few days later I receive a call that I will be getting another battery under warranty.
TLDR;
I don't like or trust Zero for after purchase consumer friendliness, I know for a fact that Zero wouldn't have honored the warranty if I hadn't done the digging and work for them. I also know that the majority of people interested in the Electric Motorcycle market dont know how to pull the logs using the Parser online, nor would they think to.
I have no doubt in my mind that in future updates and motorcycles, that Zero will soon make it impossible for end users to pull and see the logs via encryption or updated libraries. It took me less than 20 mins and 1 beer to see that the voltage was dropping excessively, and I am no genius. Ultimately, I am receiving a replacement battery, the question is, how long would it take the average consumer to do so having no access to the logs? 2 visits to the dealer? 3 or 4? God forbid you have a motor issue....
