MP5 controller issue

[EBEN]

Just replaced the controller on my Magic Pie 5 after riding it for a year without issue. Can't get it past 12 mph, even at full throttle. Here's a quick video:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lqk756v9vpzxacp/20170528_230503.mp4?dl=0

As you might be able to hear, the wheel runs really rough, and the motor was extremely hot after this video. I was told in another forum that this might be a phase/hall issue, but I'm not sure what to do next. Here's a photo of the connection to the controller:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kpsyi7oifad7l3o/20170715_210551.jpg?dl=0

I also took off the non-drive side hub cover, and you'll see the housing to one of the wires is rubbed off. Not sure if that could be the cause of the issue, and don't know when this wire became exposed -- could have happened when I was trying to take off the cover.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xpqbfm6cgg419m2/20170528_232605.jpg?dl=0

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Bikemad]

Hi Eben andto the forum,

I must first point out that you do not have a Magic Pie 5 as the motor shown in your video and photos is a Smart Pie.

If you have incorrectly ordered a Magic Pie controller as a replacement, you will need to reflash it using the USB programming cable.
The flash update tool and Smart Pie firmware can be download from  here.

Check out Gary's video on how to use the perform the Flash Update.

The same controller is used for Magic Pie 5, Magic Pie Edge and Smart Pie 5 but the firmware is different for each motor, so make sure you select the "SMP5-20150702.0C8" file for your Smart Pie motor.

If you did order the correct Smart Pie controller, then the problem is likely to be an incorrect  phase wire or Hall sensor sequence.

I can clearly see the "B" next to the Blue wire's terminal, so I presume there is also a "Y" and "G" marked next to the Yellow and Green wires terminals respectively.
Check that these two wires are on the correct terminals.

The bare wire that has been chaffing against the cover on the opposite side will need to be safely insulated and the entire group of wires needs to be kept away from the cover by using a zip tie around the stator spokes, assuming there is enough clearance to fit it underneath them without rubbing against the bearing/cover assembly.

If there is not enough room for the zip tie, you will have to try and rearrange and bend the wires so that that they remain low down and close to the stator and well away from the side cover. 

Fortunately, the wire with the worn through insulation appears to be the black ground wire for the Hall sensors, which should not have caused a problem even if it had grounded out through the motor casing.

It might also be worth making sure that the hall sensor block connector has been fully inserted into the controller's socket.

Alan
 

[EBEN]

Wow, that would explain it... Could have sworn I ordered the Magic Pie, but you're definitely right -- it's the Smart Pie. I don't currently have a usb cable. Can you confirm that this is the right one to order (I clearly can't be trusted to figure this out

https://www.goldenmotor.ca/products/USB-Programming-Cable-for-Magic-Pie-VECTOR-and-Smart-Pie-VECTOR-Controllers.html

Thanks for your help!

[Bikemad]

That is definitely the correct cable for the Smart Pie 4/5, Magic Pie 4/5 and Magic Pie Edge controller.

Something was obviously wrong on your video as the controller was pulling 777 Watts with no load on the motor. 

Presumably the wheel is free and easy to turn without the motor running?

Alan
 

[EBEN]

Yes, the wheel rotates freely when not under load. Could the behavior in the video be caused by the controller programmed for the MP5 instead of the Smart pie 5?

I will add one more wrinkle -- on occasion when I'm pedaling at low speed under my own power, it does provide a lot more resistance than is typical. Once I get over 10mph under my own power the resistance usually lets up. This only happens occasionally, and started in the early spring after taking a soft turn into a muddy patch of a trail under my own power.

[Bikemad]

The wrong firmware can make the motor very noisey, run at a single fixed speed instead of being variable, and even run backwards, but I couldn't tell from your video which way the wheel was actually rotating. 

The only unusual resistance that I have encountered with my Smart Pie 4 is when I have been freewheeling at speed and then gradually apply the throttle, I often experience a very noticeable braking effect from the motor just before the power cuts in.

Alan
 

[EBEN]

Huh, really interesting. This is actually my second replacement controller. The first replacement made the wheel run backwards, so I assumed it was bad and got a replacement. I'm going to purchase the usb cable and hopefully that will resolve the issue.