Pedelec operation device

[Tbnrider]

Golden Motor sells a pedelec attachment that senses the rotation of the pedals, and once sensed, applies full throttle to the motor system.
Does anyone know exactly how this device works?  Does it use the output of a Hall Effect sensor to set the throttle speed, in the same way a regular throttle works?

1.  The device must contain an internal switch to activate or deactivate an internal circuit that is set for full throttle.  Would it be possible to disconnect the internal  circuitry from  the rotation sensor switch  and simply use that switch to make or break connection of one of the wires of the regular throttle to prevent the throttle from working if the pedals aren't turning??

2.  If the pedelec attachment does use a Hall Effect sensor in the same manner as the one in a thumb or twist grip throttle, then could the connections to the sensor be removed and replaced by the Hall Effect connections from the regular throttle??  Thus the regular throttle would work normally as long as the pedals are turning.

Granted, as long as we continue to pedal, how could any observer tell if the operation is pedelec or not? But it seems to me that if the motor cannot be powered unless the pedals are rotating, the the system would be perfectly legal.

Roy

[Bikemad]

Hi Roy,

1. It doesn't contain a switch that applies full throttle to the motor system as the GM Pedelec sensor uses a series of magnets to produce a pulsed output.
The frequency of the pulses varies according to the pedal rpm (cadence) and the controller provides variable power to the motor based upon the actual pedal rpm:



If you slip the chain off the chainwheel (or ride in a very low gear) you can actually control the speed of the motor just by varying your cadence.

2. Although it uses a Hall sensor, the pulsed output means that it cannot be directly used to control the operation of the thumb/twist throttles.
However, it should be possible to use the output from the sensor (in conjunction with a 555 timer chip and a few other electrical components) to activate a 5V relay that would only connect the throttle signal to the controller only when the pedals were being turned:



I don't know if the above circuit will actually work, or whether it might need a diode on the Hall sensor output that would only allow the high voltage pulses to reach the 555 timer chip. 

Unfortunately, it is not quite as simple as you had originally envisaged.

Alan
 

[Tbnrider]

Hi Alan

Thank you so much for your reply.  Obviously I underestimated the complexity of the problem.
I now think a better approach might be to think about a mechanical switch that would make only when the pedals are turning.

Roy