Why is the new SmartPie cheaper than MagicPie 3 ?

[Terry]

Hi,,
I am about to order a new wheel - either a SmartPie kit or a MagicPie3 kit. What is the difference other than the price?.. The SP is definitely less bulky, but is there any other differences? What about heating on SP?

/Terry

[MAGICPIE3FOCUSPOWER]

Well it's quite simple.

Smart Pie = Shop car

Magic Pie III = Sport car

[Terry]

I have read through most of the stuff about SP here in the forum. As I already have some spare parts for the MP3, I think I go for another MP3 kit.
I have already replaced a controller on a MP3 , and after all the photo's I have seen of the SP, the controller wiring seems different than on MP3...

[atcspaul]

the Smart Pie controller does not fit in the Magic Pie III. I have both and tried. wiring is not that different. same wires except the magic you use a screw to set wires and on the smart it is a push on type connector. easy to cut of the wire or ad a connector. not sure why they are not interchangeable. they are supposed to be identical however the Smart Pie controller will not fit in the Magic Pie slot. as far as price difference their is considerable difference in the two motors. Magic Pie is faster, more torgue. the Smart Pie was made for people that do not require or want a lot of power or for the people in europe and other parts of the world where they are restricted on the wattage of their motors. both are great motors. smart is lighter and I have it on my mountain bike to play in the woods and the magic I have on a cruiser for traveling to work

[Terry]

Thxs for clearing things out.. I think I'll go for another MP3... 

[MAGICPIE3FOCUSPOWER]

Good choice, where did bought it?

[Morgen 3Eman]

Regarding the original question of one being cheaper than than the other, the SP is physically smaller than the MP, so the aluminum casting for stator and rotor require less material to build them, from the magnets to the castings to the windings to the assembly man-hours.  I suspect the electronic ckt board is one of the least expensive bits of the whole assembly. 

On second thought, I'm pretty sure the bearings are cheaper than the ckt board. 

Any pictures to share of the SP insides?  I'd love to see what it looks like.

TTFN,
Dennis

[GM Canada]

Besides the cost of making it and the physical dimensions. There is one other important point. POWER!!

The MP3 is rated as a 1000 watt motor at 48 volts and can Peak close to 1500 watts

The Smart Pie is rated at 400 watts at 48 volts. I havn't tried one yet to see what it peaks at.

Back to shoveling snow now..

Gary

[Morgen 3Eman]

Hi Gary,
I think the power should be included in value, rather than cost:)


The lower power rating means the windings can be smaller and less costly, but I'm pretty sure the power ratings are knowingly low on GM products.  We all know the "48V" battery actually puts out close to 58, and on my first builders test my 30 Amp full scale meter pegged so hard I was worried I'd broken it.  It was clearly running much closer to 2 KW, right out of the box.  I won't tell the cops if you don't...

TTFN,
Dennis

 

[GM Canada]

I guess you are right Dennis. Between the snow shoveling and the eggnog, I guess the question was a little blurred...

Gary

[Lollandster]

I got the SmartPie to run at 1000 watts just by changing the amps with the programming cable 

Since I have broken my smartPie controller for the third time now (water damage destroyed it completely the last time) I have ordered a Lyen controller and installed a NTC thermistor in the motor and I'm going see how the small SmartPie likes 74v Lipo at 30 amps (over 2000 watts). I hope it survives...

[MAGICPIE3FOCUSPOWER]

Nice please post some pictures when doing the external controller mod.

What is the factory of Lyen controller?

[Lollandster]

Nice please post some pictures when doing the external controller mod.

What is the factory of Lyen controller?

Pictures will come when I get the controller. The Lyen controller is a slightly modified Infineon controller 9Fet IRFB 4310. In the mean time you may follow some of the progress here

[MAGICPIE3FOCUSPOWER]

Thanks! So this controller is made by Infineon? Or chips are only made by Infineon?

[Lollandster]

I don't really know, but I think it is a Infineon controller (case and board) with customizations to the cables/plugs and the programming (possibly also caps and FETs). You will have to ask Edward Lyen for details.