My first brushed motor ebike controller installation.
With the contoller brushed conroller that I lost due to water. I sealed it totally with silicone. Not to my knowledge with in weeks it was full of moisture.
I had created a very dangerous situation where the controller would occasionally stick in full speed or the power would drop right our. I opened the controller and to my suprize there was significant amounts of water inside. I emptied it, and dried it in the sun, and thought, I better seal this better this time..
So I sealed it with more silicon. The same thing happened, but I had total failure.. Controller full of water but this time it had not rained at all. I though OMG how did this happen. Anyway the controller gave up the ghost and I ordered a new one and remainded none the wiser from this experience.
My first GM ebike hub.
I bought my GM hub, and when it arrived, I thought, waters going to get inside this as it isnt water tight.
I sealed the hub axel and rubbed silicon into the housing wall seats. I thought it was perfect air tight.
If you seal the axel where the wires go into the motor. Same goes with contollers. Your equipment must be able to breath but not though the GM isntalled seals As the motor cools if you leave it in the rain, water sitting rests around the hub or contoller housing seats gets sucken into the motor/controller.
Also after the rain humidty is high, after a ride the hot motor/contoller cools and air contraction causes humdity to slowy be sucked into the hub/contoller as it cools. At night the water condenses and moister and air create iron oxide to form on the steel stator and a lot the mositure is abosbed.. This cycle continues and water can present inside sealed boxes that get hot and cold, can occur over days depending on how much humidity is in the air and what circumstance occur.
I would estimate after a heavy rain and high humidty and regular riding, I had over a table spoon of water in my hub swishing around until a hall sensor failed maybe a week after the humidty and rains... I found reference to sealing ebike equipment on this and other forums, that indeed this is a fact.
Since then I leave the the gear alone and only sheild my gear from getting wet, and have ridden gauntlet runs for much needed supplies through the worst flood rains in australian history and my "GM" equipment has remained bone dry to this day. A good water resitant design is better than water proofing.
I not sure any of this applies to yourself, but needless to say my shared experiences over the years may be important for this topic.
