Author Topic: 36V vs. 48V travel distance  (Read 6235 times)

Offline Terry

  • Confirmed
  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 25
36V vs. 48V travel distance
« on: August 07, 2012, 07:10:12 AM »
hi,,
Just wondering,, I have a MP3 kit with 48V battery.. I am not very happy with the range I get from my kit, only 25 km before I have to charge the battery. I have set the MP controller to 48V,, What happens if I set it to 36V?  Will I extend the range with less power?


/terje

Offline Andrew

  • AKA The Artful Bodger
  • Confirmed
  • PhD. Magic
  • ******
  • Posts: 717
  • I'm here to learn.
Re: 36V vs. 48V travel distance
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2012, 09:51:22 AM »
what's the AH rating of your pack? As this will give a better idea of the range available from your battery pack.

Offline Terry

  • Confirmed
  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 25
Re: 36V vs. 48V travel distance
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2012, 11:19:27 AM »
hi,,

It's an org. GM 48V 10Amp battery. Is there any changes on the controller I can do to extend the range?

/t

Offline Bikemad

  • Global Moderator
  • Professor
  • PhD. Magic
  • ******
  • Posts: 5,553
Re: 36V vs. 48V travel distance
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2012, 03:07:09 PM »

Reducing the scale speed along with the continuous and peak current should help to increase the range, but the acceleration and assistance on steep hills (and into headwinds) will obviously be reduced too.

Alan
 

Offline Andrew

  • AKA The Artful Bodger
  • Confirmed
  • PhD. Magic
  • ******
  • Posts: 717
  • I'm here to learn.
Re: 36V vs. 48V travel distance
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2012, 06:11:11 PM »
25km sounds ok for a 10ah pack.   As Bikemad has stated above you will have to restrict the current and speed setting of the controller for more range but you will lose performance.

Offline truly_bent

  • Confirmed
  • Bachelor of Magic
  • ****
  • Posts: 159
Re: 36V vs. 48V travel distance
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2012, 06:37:53 PM »
I did two identical 30km runs. The first time I let the motor do all the work and it took 8AH. The second time I pedaled a bunch and it took only 6AH. This is in south/central Ontario, which has only a few hills worth mentioning.

That's running an MPII on a 26" wheel and a 20AH battery. The only difference should be a lower voltage at the end of the run for the 10AH battery. That might translate to a slightly lower speed at the end, but probably wouldn't have any effect on distance.

And I'm no lightweight.
;)
« Last Edit: August 15, 2012, 09:19:21 AM by truly_bent »
Burley Canto recumbent w/ MP II, Lyen 18FET controller, 48V 20AH LiFeP04, Cycle Analyst, and 4 pounds of zip-ties

Offline Terry

  • Confirmed
  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 25
Re: 36V vs. 48V travel distance
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2012, 07:30:13 AM »
Thks for good advice. I am using my bike to work and back - aprox. 24 km. There are two hills on the way and normally a lot of headwind, so maybe 25km is an expected range.

Before I bought the MP3 kit I had an 250W, 36V "normal" ebike. The battery kit on this bike lasted much longer (40 km)   Now I charge the battery every night   8)

/t

Offline Morgen 3Eman

  • Confirmed
  • PhD. Magic
  • ******
  • Posts: 620
Re: 36V vs. 48V travel distance
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2012, 04:58:36 PM »
I know one sure fire way to extend your range.   Fit a limit stop to the throttle so you cannot use more than the 250 watts you had on your earlier bike. 

I have found that more powerful vehicles get used more at higher power settings, and the fuel milage reflects the higher power demanded.  And for some reason, my wife always gets better gas milage than me, no matter what car we drive.... I smiled more, tho.

TTFN 
Dennis