More Shimano problems....

[Lovely]

Well, I knew it couldn't last.

I installed my brand new Shimano E8000 Steps motor onto my Vitus E-Sommet along with the new computer.

Had a spin 2 days ago and all seemed okay, motor may have cut out once.

Had another spin yesterday and the motor kept switching off repeatedly.

I was up to 10kms into a forest road spin and it was getting dark.

The system would run for a bit, then cut out for no apparent reason.

Battery switches off and won't restart. I had left the key at home in the garage.

With a few gentle taps near the base of the battery it would eventually come on again.

I would sometimes put my feet on the pedals and immediately it would switch off again.

Other times it would continue to operate, but sometimes it felt like it wasn't giving full assist (I was using Boost to try and get home)

It turned itself off and then on again at least once whilst I was pedalling.

Eventually it worked properly long enough for me to get back to the car.

I did a small bit of research and wires from the computer and handlebar switch were suggested. I checked them today and they seem ok.

The connection from the battery mount going into the motor (the original problem on my first motor) is fine, and the wires going in to the motor from

computer and speed sensor all seem fine. The battery is fully charged and it will switch on and go off today perfectly whilst it is out of the frame.

As soon as it is mounted in the frame, it will not switch on. I have tried it with all wires connected, and with all wires disconnected. Same result.

So now I have a new motor which was working, a new computer which was working, my original battery which is fully charged but when the system is

combined it will not switch on.

Just throwing it out there in the hope that someone here has experienced and solved this issue.

I rang Chain Reaction in Belfast and they are not available to diagnose anything for the next 3 weeks, and Covid prevents me from bringing my bike up there

anyway.

I simply cannot wait to take delivery of my new Cube EMTB with Bosch system, surely it cannot be any worse than Shimano????

Louis.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Can't help but think it sounds like a problem with either the mounting or the battery cables :

 

[R120]

I would also check the spacing of the speed sensor from the magnet - I had a similar problem on one of my Vitus and it turned out to be that the magnet was at the vey limit of the range it could be from the sensor, and was solved by putting a washer behind the señor where it mount to the frame.

 

[Shjay]

I had issues with battery turning on & off whilst riding I thought it was my water bottle doing it! I have a PCE-2 cable at home plugged into motor all good plugged into computer screen all good but if did for whole bike had an issue turned out was the cable from my motor through frame to computer I was pulling cable out without using tool eventually cable broke! I have e-sommet with E7000 motor, I fitted new cable & all was good had to change routing running it round with power cable at motor end

 

[R120]

Dealer manual may be useful to you if you haven't already seen it:

https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/sm/SM-SHIMANO_STEPS_US-000.pdf

 

[Cisco]

Sorry you're still having problems.

The fact that it switches on and off by itself tells you that there is definately a power supply problem.

The most common supply problem is when the battery top mount needs adjusted down however that normally shows itself over rough ground causing intermitent on/off issue. That doesn't sound like your issue.

if it was my bike I would be replacing the bottom battery mount and supply cable.

If that didn't solve it I would be buying some rope

 

[Lovely]

Thanks Folks. I felt that the speed sensor gap shouldn't prevent the battery from actually turning on in the frame, and my battery is very solid when mounted in the frame. It may be the wire connecting the computer to the motor. Does anyone know - should the battery power on whilst frame mounted if the computer wire is disconnected?

 

[Lovely]

The bottom battery mount is also brand new, sorry, should have said that earlier....

 

[steve_sordy]

I had a similar problem when I had a new battery fitted. One of the cables to the display unit (more like a wire really) had been trapped between the battery and the frame during installation. This slight squashing of the cable had led to intermittent power. There were no half measures, it either worked properly or it was off. With it in full not-working mode I took it to the LBS and the technician said that it probably needed a reboot. He brought it back within minutes and told me it was fixed. As I grabbed the bars the power went off, I turned them back and the power came back on. "I'd better book it in" he said. A week later (waiting for the cable from Shimano), I collected the bike and was told what the problem had been. He said that the suspect cable had looked fine, but I've had no problems since and that was almost two years ago.