Gotway Tesla Impressions and Diary

[Rehab1]

1 hour ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

After re-examining my battery wiring, I highly recommend users double check the wiring exit point from the battery packs.  Due to the new design, the wires exit at the corner of the batteries and take a sharp bend so there is a moderate chance that the blue battery shrink wrap edge may have sliced or damaged the silicone insulator on some of the wires.  As previously mentioned, one of my wires had exposed strands, and there was evidence of other wires having sliced cuts into the insulation.

I used a sharp pair of fine scissors to trim back some of the blue shrink wrap near the area to help prevent it from slicing the wiring.  You will will notice the sharp edges of the plastic.  Be very careful not to cut into the wires if you decide to trim back the blue heat shrink.  84V is not to be messed with unless you are extremely cautious.  You need a fine pair of manicure scissors to complete this task.  Make sure you do not cut and end up with an even sharper edge.

Hopefully Gotway will be proactive on this and consider using protective wire harness tubing / heatshrink for the battery wiring bundle before shrink wrapping the blue plastic covering over the pack as the edges end up being sharp and possibly cut into the wiring.

Sharp bend on exit from pack.  I've trimmed back some of the blue plastic.

I have great faith in this type of protective wire sleeve. The sleeve offers great protection in those exposed wire situations like your’s. I would still apply some silicone over the slice and let it throughly dry before applying the sleeve. 

Also I would soften up the pack’s blue plastic near the wire bundle exit so the new protective sleeve can tuck under the plastic . You can use a hair dryer to soften the plastic and then slide the end of a spoon under the blue cover while gently lifting the plastic enough to create a void around the wire bundle to accept the new sleeve. 

 

[meepmeepmayer]

The manufacturers really need to consider assembly when designing wheels. All those new, better-designed wheels (KS, GW) cramming wires around sharp corners and into tight spaces, hot spots against each other and into narrow, random places near the board, ...

What's so hard about proper cable channels/routing? Space for cabling looks like an afterthought at best.

Edited November 9, 2017 by meepmeepmayer

[Marty Backe]

5 hours ago, KingSong69 said:

There has been two Problems with the ACM/Msuper:

First it have been the bad soldering and the to small connectors which produce resistant and so heat builded up and so the connectors melted the plastic and shorted!

Then the connectors have been made stronger and were crimped!

Then the next fault came up, like on Marty's wheel-> the wires melted, and the conclusion was that -at all- the wires are not thick enough for the produced amperage on such agressive hills!

 

But now: We have double as fat connectors, crimped adn soldered! And solid core thicker wires!

While i would still guess there is a -small- Chance to overheat the wires/connector....i guess now you must have four times the Long hill and/or much more weight on the wheel.

And i am personnaly NOT going to test something like that....who knows: perhaps now we have that solid wires that before melting the Chance of a mosfet Pop or overheat is bigger :-)

 

In the end it is quite easy-> i would have not pushed anymore on an long hill like that in Marty's Video, if i would have feeled that my wheel really got Trouble to climb it up.

So the main advise would be: Listen to your wheel :-)

Your final statement is key. For instance, I no longer ride for extended periods up very steep hills. If I feel that the wheel is struggling, after ~15 seconds I'll stop and let it rest.

It does look like the wiring is going to be less of a concern for the Tesla 

[US69]

6 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

Your final statement is key. For instance, I no longer ride for extended periods up very steep hills. If I feel that the wheel is struggling, after ~15 seconds I'll stop and let it rest.

It does look like the wiring is going to be less of a concern for the Tesla 

I think that, too!

Unfortunatly i have to delay the soft ride mode test for a day or two....on my ride home i was in a discussing with a grumpy police officer, who was -lucky enough- not working. But so your test has to follow tomorrow :-)

[Mrd777]

Can we get a confirmation on the WEIGHT of the 1020/ TESLA ?   On Youtube I see someone weighs it in @ 66.84 lbs.  This thing is HEAVY !

Jason on his ewheels website has it listed as 42 lbs.  Is it possible that it weighs more then my Monster /1600, which just got weighted in at 56.4 lbs.?

 

[US69]

4 minutes ago, Mrd777 said:

Can we get a confirmation on the WEIGHT of the 1020/ TESLA ?   On Youtube I see someone weighs it in @ 66.84 lbs.  This thing is HEAVY !

Jason on his ewheels website has it listed as 42 lbs.  Is it possible that it weighs more then my Monster /1600, which just got weighted in at 56.4 lbs.?

 

My Tesla 1020wh weighes 18,5 kg...about 41lbs, as announced!

Edited November 9, 2017 by KingSong69

[Mrd777]

3 minutes ago, KingSong69 said:

My Tesla 1020wh weighes 18,5 kg...about 41lbs, as announced!

Great thanks, the youtube guy Ron's scale must be way off !

 

[US69]

@Mrd777

I really dont know what he measured there 

But this is a scary video, also....at the end this 3 days rider, going over 30mph, pushing like crazy.....with that „gogogo“ from the car...

No clue what he is doing and how dangerous that can be!

[Marty Backe]

30 minutes ago, KingSong69 said:

I think that, too!

Unfortunatly i have to delay the soft ride mode test for a day or two....on my ride home i was in a discussing with a grumpy police officer, who was -lucky enough- not working. But so your test has to follow tomorrow :-)

No biggie  I'm just curious how the softer modes are relative to your old MSuper.

[Marty Backe]

35 minutes ago, KingSong69 said:

I think that, too!

Unfortunatly i have to delay the soft ride mode test for a day or two....on my ride home i was in a discussing with a grumpy police officer, who was -lucky enough- not working. But so your test has to follow tomorrow :-)

Wouldn't that have been horrible bad luck if they took your Tesla. Apparently there's a risk of that in Germany?

[Bambino]

19 hours ago, KingSong69 said:

. I literally HAVE to sold my V3 (67volt),

When you want to sell it, maybe i can buy it...

 

[LanghamP]

1 hour ago, Marty Backe said:

Your final statement is key. For instance, I no longer ride for extended periods up very steep hills. If I feel that the wheel is struggling, after ~15 seconds I'll stop and let it rest.

It does look like the wiring is going to be less of a concern for the Tesla 

How do you know the wheel is struggling? I cannot read any of my wheels like I could with internal combustion engines. They simply provide smooth power until they suddenly do not.

I'm still mentally recovering from the trauma of electric motors stopping without warning.

[Marty Backe]

5 minutes ago, LanghamP said:

How do you know the wheel is struggling? I cannot read any of my wheels like I could with internal combustion engines. They simply provide smooth power until they suddenly do not.

I'm still mentally recovering from the trauma of electric motors stopping without warning.

When a wheel is not struggling it goes as fast as you want. If I'm climbing a steep hill, I can lean into the hill as much as I want but the wheel will only go 3 mph. That's struggling.

[US69]

3 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

Wouldn't that have been horrible bad luck if they took your Tesla. Apparently there's a risk of that in Germany?

First:

I just did a little idling test on soft and middle...

I would say the softest mode is as soft as the hardest on V3...while still missing that play the V3 has. Even the middle mode on the Tesla is harder than the hardest setting on v3.

 

For the police: Oh boy, this guy was an asshole...he was on a e—bike, we were both standing at a light sign waiting for green....saying: „you are lucky i am out of work, otherwise you would have to walk by feet.“

So he started to talk to me from the side. Very friendly i pulled out a kindof official GoAround letter from the german police, which stated that the status of EUCs isnt decided yet....and said that his colleagues see that a bit different and that the forbidden status only goes to 2wheels!

His only reaction, without even accepting to take a look, was something like „dont talk to me...you were lucky...dont forget where we are“.

I tried 2—3 times to convince him to take a look, but he behaves the same, so in the end i said something like „you trashtalked to me from the side at first“ and go my commuting way...

A total arrogant old asshole, who has got no clue what he is talking about, and happy to trash other people! How i hate it!!!

Best is...the bicycle way, where we were going is forbidden for e-bikes over 25kmh, (and he was faster) so he is the kind of guy interpreting the law forhimself only.

 

Yes, i am trying not to confront the police...but when the time will come and they will impound my wheel for a time? (which they actually can only do if  i dont „listen to them and dont stop driving“)

I will drive my other!!!

[US69]

20 minutes ago, Bambino said:

When you want to sell it, maybe i can buy it...

 

Allread gone since 5 weeks ... .

[Marty Backe]

2 minutes ago, KingSong69 said:

First:

I just did a little idling test on soft and middle...

I would say the softest mode is as soft as the hardest on V3...while still missing that play the V3 has. Even the middle mode on the Tesla is harder than the hardest setting on v3.

 

For the police: Oh boy, this guy was an asshole...he was on a e—bike, we were both standing at a light sign waiting for green....saying: „you are lucky i am out of work, otherwise you would have to walk by feet.“

So he started to talk to me from the side. Very friendly i pulled out a kindof official GoAround letter from the german police, which stated that the status of EUCs isnt decided yet....and said that his colleagues see that a bit different and that the forbidden status only goes to 2wheels!

His only reaction, without even accepting to take a look, was something like „dont talk to me...you were lucky...dont forget where we are“.

I tried 2—3 times to convince him to take a look, but he behaves the same, so in the end i said something like „you trashtalked to me from the side at first“ and go my commuting way...

A total arrogant old asshole, who has got no clue what he is talking about, and happy to trash other people! How i hate it!!!

Best is...the bicycle way, where we were going is forbidden for e-bikes over 25kmh, (and he was faster) so he is the kind of guy interpreting the law forhimself only.

 

Yes, i am trying not to confront the police...but when the time will come and they will impound my wheel for a time? (which they actually can only do if  i dont „listen to them and dont stop driving“)

I will drive my other!!!

Sounds awful. I'm so glad that can't happen here (impounding a wheel).

Yes, best avoid police whenever possible - especially the old guys 

[Bambino]

@KingSong69 When you want to sell KS18S...

 

[Marty Backe]

7 minutes ago, KingSong69 said:

First:

I just did a little idling test on soft and middle...

I would say the softest mode is as soft as the hardest on V3...while still missing that play the V3 has. Even the middle mode on the Tesla is harder than the hardest setting on v3.

<snip>

That's kind of too bad. I do like the real soft modes for some types of riding.

Wouldn't it be great if the ride mode was user configurable?

[US69]

5 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

That's kind of too bad. I do like the real soft modes for some types of riding.

Wouldn't it be great if the ride mode was user configurable?

Actually the soft mode is good! it is quite soft...and just missing the 2—3cm play the Msuper had....

So i would guess you will like it

7 minutes ago, Bambino said:

@KingSong69 When you want to sell KS18S...

 

Hahaha...never!

[stevedig]

I guess I'm lucky... the police around where I live think it's the coolest thing they have ever seen. On foot, segway or horseback they all grin and point and most ask a few questions. 

If I did anything stupid with it that threatened pedestrians or traffic I'm sure that would quickly change bur for the most part they are into it.

[US69]

5 minutes ago, stevedig said:

I guess I'm lucky... the police around where I live think it's the coolest thing they have ever seen. On foot, segway or horseback they all grin and point and most ask a few questions. 

If I did anything stupid with it that threatened pedestrians or traffic I'm sure that would quickly change bur for the most part they are into it.

Would be nice to know where you are from...otherwise this info is useless ;-)

[stevedig]

8 minutes ago, KingSong69 said:

Would be nice to know where you are from...otherwise this info is useless ;-)

Oh yeah, I guess I don't spend my time tinkering info into my profile...

Raleigh, NC ... USA. It's the state capital but a small city all the same.

I work downtown and this is how I get around down there generally.

I've posted in the group ride section of the forum but have found no others in the area. I know of only 2 others that own wheels but the don't ride regularly. I have no one to go cruise with.  Every once in a while someone who asks me about the wheel will say they have seen someone else riding downtown but I've not had the good fortune to make acquaintance as yet.

Edited November 9, 2017 by stevedig

[Rehab1]

Here is a short video regarding my previous post about heating the battery pack's rigid blue plastic covering to enlarge the opening where the wires exit. I used an old KS14C pack for the demo. Once the opening is enlarged you can then slide a protective shield over the wires and slightly into the battery pack to prevent any future chaffing. I did not have the specific wiring shield I addressed earlier but this spaghetti shielding works pretty well. I would then apply silicone around the shield and blue plastic cover to hold everything securely.

 

[Bambino]

45 minutes ago, Rehab1 said:

Here is a short video regarding my previous post about heating the battery pack's rigid blue plastic covering to enlarge the opening where the wires exit. I used an old KS14C pack for the demo. Once the opening is enlarged you can then slide a protective shield over the wires and slightly into the battery pack to prevent any future chaffing. I did not have the specific wiring shield I addressed earlier but this spaghetti shielding works pretty well. I would then apply silicone around the shield and blue plastic cover to hold everything securely.

 

I learn a lot with all of you... 

Great video for the forum!!!

Thanks!!

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

Excellent video demo, @Rehab1!  With the Tesla packs, where the wires exit the pack on the axle cable side there is a bit more room, but the trolley handle side is really snug as you saw in my photo above.  It basically exits the pack and has to do a 90° bend to get over to the other side.  There's barely enough room for the wiring.  Maybe a thin heatshrink sleeve would work.  I think my trim should do the trick for now.  I'll likely apply some silicone to add some cushioning later and to act as a grommet in the area.

I really wish they had put some heat shrink tubing around the battery harness before they shrink wrapped the blue battery cover on.  It would have made things a lot easier and avoided the sharp edges of the blue plastic digging in at the bend.  It's probably not a huge issue as the battery is secured and there shouldn't be movement there, but you never know over time.  If one were adventurous, I guess you could cut the blue covers off, cover up the cable harness, and apply new blue plastic, but that's probably overkill.  Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill.  

Edited November 10, 2017 by Hunka Hunka Burning Love