GoldenMotor.com Forum
General Category => Magic Pie & Smart Pie Discussions => Topic started by: Bikewrangler on February 24, 2020, 11:37:17 AM
-
MP5 - new controller from Gary, bike runs backwards. Checked every connection, can not fidn a short anywhere.
Even if I unplug everything except throttle and battery it still runs backwards. Any ideas? :(
-
Hi Jim,
It sounds to me like your new controller may have the wrong firmware. :-\
The Magic Pie 5, Magic Pie Edge and Smart Pie 5 all use the same controller, but the firmware is different for each of them.
I suspect that the controller you have just fitted is loaded with Smart Pie firmware and will need to be reflashed using the correct firmware in order to rectify the reversed direction of rotation.
If you have the correct USB programming cable, you should be able to simply reflash your controller with the correct firmware for the Magic Pie 5 to cure the problem.
You can download the zip file containing the flashing tool and software from goldenmotor.ca (http://www.goldenmotor.ca/MAGIC_PIE_5_BLUETOOTH_TOOL.zip), but make sure that you select the "MP5-20150702.0C8" file for the Magic Pie 5. ;)
Check out Gary's video showing how to use the flash update program (https://youtu.be/UD8_zPrg6wQ?t=268).
Alan
-
Alan my manski. In a gloomy setting I tripped over the PC with the USB cable attached and I pulled the frigging usb port plug off. So I need a new one. I suspect the battery is at fault (also). Now I get one red and one green light (dunno what that means, can not find any faq on it). I even get the same light combo when I try to recharge. Since I got the controller from Gary I just do not want to believe they managed to put the wrong firmware on it, but anything is possible. I would order a new motor with USB from china but I guess they are all at home with a virus (and I don`t want a virus arriving by mail). Used to have a full head of hair, starting to fall out over this bike. Tempted to scrap everything and buy a bfang set.
If anyone here have a MP5 controller, USB cable, blutooth dongle for sale and are willing to ship to Norway, let me know (jim@norwaysky.com) or even a complete set up that works and is not scuffed (to badly). I have paypal.
-
Here is the em3ev battery "readout", thought it might be handy for anyone else here with same type battery.
I unfortunately do not have any of the light combinations :(
-
Now I get one red and one green light (dunno what that means, can not find any faq on it). I even get the same light combo when I try to recharge.
According to the information you attached:
(https://goldenmotor.com/SMF/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=6905.0;attach=8614;image)
One red and the second green light appears to indicate low temperature protection.
Were you using and charging the battery while it was still very cold?
Alan
-
No. First off, we have the mildest winter here ever (the reason I started fixing the bike now). Second I have charged the battery in a bedroom (+20), and the temp outside is +3 to +7.
After watching Garys video on "how to reverse" (black and blue wires together), I checked and the wires are not crossed or shorted, now I also tested with another throttle, bike still runs in reverse. So in conclusion I have gotten a controller with the wrong firmware. I do not see golden motor canada offering to rectify the problem at no cost to me (not the way to do business), it is their mistake, not mine. But they seemed happy to send me a invoice for a programming cable I essentially had no need for + the hassle of fixing this. >:(
-
Hi Jim,
We were not aware that this was the issue until you emailed us. Since then we have updated the invoice and sending you the USB for Free. with the additional items you wanted to purchase.
We are more than willing to work with you on the matter. like I explained to you in the email there has been a transition in ownership of the company so we are not aware of the why the controller was sent out this way prior to the transition.
-
Hi, GMC - Thank you for your reply. I have given up. I`m a beaten man. The countless hours of fiddling and never getting a consistent result is just mindboggling. Just the fact that changing the regen setting from "closed" to "open" rendered the bike useless is beyond me. Wonder if the people making this app has ever heard of "on" & "off" (philosophy seems to be why make it understandable and easy when you can make it overly complicated and be in the need of an engineering degree and a tech translator. I was tested by Mensa in New York to 137 but at this point I feel really stooopid, doh! - The dongle was blinking like crazy and I could not make contact in any way (no speedometer and no changing settings). Turned off everything and went for a smoke to calm my nerves. An hour later I go back to try yet another time, now the dongle gave me a steady light and I could change the settings (go figure). not that it helped me in any way, still no speedometer and after changing forward and reverse speed to the lowest setting (100 & 20) and changing the acceleration to as low as possible, the wheel still took off like a bat out of hell (no change that is). Little and no consistent results. I now have 3 controllers of little and no value anymore. Would have been cheaper to go buy a electric bike in the store here in Norway, not to mention the gray hairs all the hassle has caused. I want to ride my bike or sell it and build another one, not spend most of my days googling or hoping and praying that Alan is awake and logged on (bless his soul). :'(
-
I guess an unintentional mix up with incorrect firmware could happen quite easily as the controllers are all physically identical.
It is probably impossible to say whether the mix up occured in China or Canada but there is no doubt that is has happened somewhere on its journey from production to the end customer.
Jim, I totally understand how frustrating it can be trying to set programmable parameters, as I also wasted a great deal of time (and probably lost some hair too) while trying to sort a problem with slow acceleration on a replacement vector controller I received from GM China prior to their official release back in 2014.
I initially struggled to get the original vector controller to connect to the software when I followed the instructions I was given. But after many attempts at connecting, including trying several different laptops and PCs in the process, I accidentally discovered how to make it work when a temporary battery connection fell off just at the right time, and the software instantly connected with the controller the moment I refitted the battery connection. ::)
After I was finally able to connect, I made numerous adjustments and carried out further testing of the original controller before submitting my findings to GM China, my biggest concern being the acceleration setting:
The acceleration setting is much too responsive on 100% for front wheel drive (especially on poor surfaces) and I find it too slow to respond on 80%, but unfortunately there is nothing else available in between these settings. Perhaps the programming software can be modified to give finer control of the acceleration setting?
A few weeks later, I received a revised controller for testing following my feedback, but after altering the initial settings to suit my battery voltages, I was unable to get it to accelerate at an acceptable level.
Unfortunately, GM China did not mention that the software had also been revised, which was even more frustrating because I had specifically asked, "Is there a newer version of the programming software or do I still use the LBMC_GUI_v3.1.2_GoldenMotor.exe?" and they replied, "the software is not change". ::)
I was therefore (unknowingly) using the wrong software for the new controller, which meant I was only able to input a maximum value of 5% acceleration even though it accepted the maximum 100% setting available on the original software:
With the Acceleration set at 100% (and the wheel raised off the ground) it is unbelievably slow to respond to full throttle and takes over 12 seconds to reach maximum rpm on 32V and 27 seconds on 54V.
It makes absolutely no difference whether the "Acceleration" setting is set on 20, 40, 60, 80 or 100.
I have confirmed (by powering off and reconnecting the controller) that the different “Acceleration” settings are definitely being changed within the controller, but it simply has no effect on the motor's snail-like acceleration.
After further correspondence, I was sent a link to the revised software, and was then able to set the acceleration as required in 1% increments instead of the 20% increment that the original controller accepted.
Apparently, the original controller firmware would only accept input values from 1 to 5 for the acceleration setting (equivalent to 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%) but the new controller (when used with the revised programming software) would accept values between 1 and 100% in 1% increments.
My input value of 100% (when saved with the original software) was being stored in the controller as a value of 5, but the revised controller firmware interpreted this value as being an acceleration level of just 5%, so it's no wonder it was so slow to accelerate.
I have given up. I`m a beaten man.
I think you have been very unlucky with your particular battery choice and I'm sure you would have a much different opinion of the Magic Pie if you had not experienced these unforeseen and unexpected problems.
I really don't think you should give up when you have gone this far and are now this close.
Alan
-
You are right Alan, I`m in too deep to quit. Payed last night for a new USB program cable from China, should be here feb 2 (hopefully virus free). The big problem is that I`m currently homeless, living in a camper on my brothers lawn (he is not happy about the situation, nor am I). So having my bike spread out for a long time in he`s garage is not helping. I was literally only 2min away from finishing the bike for sale (to enable me the move to the north of Norway) when I stupidly made the regen change (it`s a pain to be a perfectionist)... all the more frustrating.
I was wondering about the speed... I used to be able to set RPM to 92 (the legal 25km here in stingy Norway). Now the lowest I could go was 100 (after updating to the 1.8 app version and controller change).
If you have a link for revised anything, I`d be happy to borrow it :) or mail it to me directly (jim@norwaysky.com).
For all your help, when I get settled in the north you are welcome to come explore the northern lights, for free, food and flight you would have to cover :) - I now have a few bits and bobs for sale, where in this forum is the best place to list my stuff? Cheers.
-
As for the "easy to make mistake with sending out controllers with the wrong firmware"...
After several years from the advertising industry and a lot of experience in building a brand, I can testify that this should not happen if one correctly implement a quality control stage. This is imperative when building a brand such as Golden Motor. The amount of "heeelp!" posts in here is not great advertisement (sadly most experience this only after buying), but "word of mouth" is a very powerful thing. Quality control could be as simple as 1) read the friggin label on the controller, 2) check if it has the right firmware... Done! Ship out and have a happy customer that spread the word (not grey hairs). But since "support" for a lot of companies these days is reduced to free help via forums, I guess getting the point is a hard sell. GM should be kissing Alans ... heinie.
-
I now have a few bits and bobs for sale, where in this forum is the best place to list my stuff?
The obvious place would be in the For Sale (https://goldenmotor.com/SMF/index.php?board=28.0) section. ;)
Alan
-
Should there not be a "for sale" link here then?
-
I think it's already in the most suitable place (on the main Home (https://goldenmotor.com/SMF/index.php) Page):
(https://i.imgur.com/0wZTLog.png)
Alan
-
Wow, there is a page I`ve never seen. I guess my link only goes to the page in my pic. Gotta click more :)
-
Happy to report that the wheel now runs in the right direction (did not get the expected "one blink" on my dongle) but I have a steady light and speedometer works. Running 1.8 app on a Samsung 10S.