Motor service/repair

[Swissrider]

I recently had the pleasure of taking my motor for a service at Performance Line bearings. It was a fascinating hour or so and a pleasure to watch Peter working on my motor. I also learned a great deal and had many suspicions and thoughts about the ebike industry confirmed. Fortunately, my motor was in a pretty good state, certainly compared to the many motors waiting for repair on the shelves. This was because I only ride in the dry (in Switzerland) and never wash my bike (just brush off mud and then use a damp rag). It seems that it’s not worth manufacturers making motors that can deal with the rigors of British weather for the tiny percentage of ebike riders who put their bikes through wet and muddy conditions. Not good news for UK emountain bikers. Nevertheless, there is a lot that can be done to keep motors going: NEVER power wash your bike. Don’t submerge your motor in water, protect your motor when bike is on the back of your car, weatherproof your motor with grease, duck tape etc and protect your motor with mudguards and rubber flaps (car inner tube rubber is great for this) from mud and water ingress. With all these steps there is a good chance that your motor will last a decent amount of time and if it eventually fails at least there is performance line bearings to repair it. The fact is that ebike motors were developed from electric motors originally designed for other purposes in generally dry and clean environments. Thus, they can survive a long time in typical continental urban settings and so the chances of getting a UK proof motor maybe somewhat slim.

 

[steve_sordy]

I thought that the motors all had to be to a very specific IP rating (IP44 or IP54, I can't remember which). IP stands for Ingress Protection. The key bit is the second numeral "4" which means "protection from splashing water from any direction". The rating is not totally waterproof, as in "will work underwater" but it is pretty good. I saw a video of a motor to this rating in a glass cabinet being flooded with a lot of water from a large diameter hose for several minutes. IP55 would be even better, where the second "5" means "protection against water jets from any direction", but I guess that would make the motor even more expensive.

Common Ingress Protection (IP) Ratings for Electric Motors

A blog About Learning Electrical Engineering

www.electricalengineeringtoolbox.com

 

[Swissrider]

That’s the theory, but the reality is unless one is pretty careful and takes precautions, water does get into these motors too easily. Certainly, “protection from splashing water“ isn’t going to protect them from a power wash or even a reasonably powerful hose. The dedicated bike washers, used by some hire outfits are OK for an analogue bike (but I wouldn’t put a £6000 downhill bike in one) but not great for an ebike. They could make the motors more watertight, but that would mean tighter seals, more expense and power robbing friction, which no manufacture wants.

 

[apac]

Water is bad if it can't find a way out. if condensation keeps building inside the motor it will eventually start corroding the ferrous metal parts such as the stator and magnets. Remember that motors do get warm when in use and will dry out, but only if there is ventilation. it Would not cost much for manufacturers to put a waterproof coating on the electronic boards inside motors. A clear varnish is all that's needed.

 

[Swissrider]

BMW motorbike instruments had a goretex like membrane so water couldn’t get in but water vapour could get out. This would mean that any water that did get in would evaporate, especially when the motor got hot and the motor could dry out.

 

[apac]

BMW motorbike instruments had a goretex like membrane so water couldn’t get in but water vapour could get out. This would mean that any water that did get in would evaporate, especially when the motor got hot and the motor could dry out.

This is meant to be the case with the levo SL.

 

[The EMF]

My Whyte works under water……doesn’t it @The Hodge

 

[The Hodge]

Indeed it does ...but you..not so much ..

 

[Bearing Man]

This is meant to be the case with the levo SL.

It does have a tiny breathable hole as seen in the pic below. The purple membrane is that of a Yamaha motor. These are the only two motors I know of with this adaptation.

 

[Doug Stampfer]

And yet my septic tank submersible pump lasted 15 years...

 

[Canmore TLCC 29]

I recently had the pleasure of taking my motor for a service at Performance Line bearings. It was a fascinating hour or so and a pleasure to watch Peter working on my motor. I also learned a great deal and had many suspicions and thoughts about the ebike industry confirmed. Fortunately, my motor was in a pretty good state, certainly compared to the many motors waiting for repair on the shelves. This was because I only ride in the dry (in Switzerland) and never wash my bike (just brush off mud and then use a damp rag). It seems that it’s not worth manufacturers making motors that can deal with the rigors of British weather for the tiny percentage of ebike riders who put their bikes through wet and muddy conditions. Not good news for UK emountain bikers. Nevertheless, there is a lot that can be done to keep motors going: NEVER power wash your bike. Don’t submerge your motor in water, protect your motor when bike is on the back of your car, weatherproof your motor with grease, duck tape etc and protect your motor with mudguards and rubber flaps (car inner tube rubber is great for this) from mud and water ingress. With all these steps there is a good chance that your motor will last a decent amount of time and if it eventually fails at least there is performance line bearings to repair it. The fact is that ebike motors were developed from electric motors originally designed for other purposes in generally dry and clean environments. Thus, they can survive a long time in typical continental urban settings and so the chances of getting a UK proof motor maybe somewhat slim.

I just had my turbo levo motor replaced. It was working fine, but threw a code that the shop found and what appeared to be sloppy bearings. I learned when I picked it up that driving arou d with my bike in the back rack in winter can cause issues. The 6mm hex head bolt on the bottom if the motor cover was corroded from road salt. Lesson learned, rinse the bike iff with fresh water in the winter, and check the bolt is in good condition.

 

[taxidriver50005]

Didn't they youst to have grease nipples on old cars, you greased them up it pushes out the old grease and dirt and reseals the bearings... Couldnt this be used on ebike motors

 

[Canmore TLCC 29]

Didn't they youst to have grease nipples on old cars, you greased them up it pushes out the old grease and dirt and reseals the bearings... Couldnt this be used on ebike motors

The salt only corroded the hex head bolt that secured the cover below the motor. FYI, It is not the reason for the motor replacement.

 

[Bearing Man]

The salt only corroded the hex head bolt that secured the cover below the motor. FYI, It is not the reason for the motor replacement.

This does look like salt corrosion, but just for info, it's electrolysis that corrodes this bolt and general area. Same happens on the Shimano E8000. This area is often wet and this is also where the main power cables enter the motor.