All in one Test Meter for Ebike

All in one Test Meter for Ebike Brushless Motors and Controllers:
$95aud and freight

 

 

Overview

 

 

  1. to test throttle: meter will tell you if a throttle linear type hall sensor is working ( note in video below a thumb throttle is being tested), the
    brightness of the green led on the meter changes depending on how much the throttle is turned on.

 use 9v battery connected to test meter: green throttle light brightness will vary as throttle is opened closed if throttle is working

 

  1. to test controller: meter tests if mosfets are working and if 5volt power from controller to hall sensors and throttle is working

connect throttle to controller/connect hall sensor 5 pin connector from controller to meter/ connect thick  phase wires from controller to meter

      Power on controller from normal ebike battery source
     Use the throttle to start the mosfet check, 6 leds will flash in pairs ( red/green/yellow in pairs), all pairs flashing indicates mosfets are switching on/off and are ok.
Also at the end of the video you can see I point to the flashing green led which indicates that the 5volt power from the controller ( to hall sensors and motor) is working.

     

 

 

 

 

note when testing controller: rearrange the clips to the thick phase wires so that when throttle is applied two red leds flash at same time, or two green leds, or two yellow leds.

The pic below shows how the phase lights should flash in pairs, example on the pic is the two yellow leds diagonally opposite, they should flash on/off at same time, if say the green and yellow flash at the same time, then swap the alligator clips connecting the meter to the controller around until you get the combination where the same colours are flashing on/off. In a controller there are high side and low side mosfets on each phase, I'm not sure if the test meter helps identify which mosfet ( high or low side) may be damaged still need to spend more time using the meter to find that out.

 

 Its a bit hard to spot but in the movie below you can see the red pair flash at same time, but the yellow/green flash as a pair, I dont think it matters much but there maybe some use  for this but I haven't worked one out as yet, maybe useful for connecting motor to controllers if its unknown which way to combine the hall and phase wires, but I'm not sure as yet. Is best to rearrange alligator clips so that same colours flash at same time.

 

 

Use throttle to test if mosfets are all ok, all 6 leds should flash on/off

5volt light flashing red led indicates the 5 volt power source of the hall sensors is ok. Red led remaining on in video above indicates controller is 60 degree type.

 

  1.  test motor: meter will test if hall sensors in motor are working and also if the windings are ok

use 9v battery connected to test meter

connect motor hall sensors and thick phase wires to controller

rotate motor slowly ( or axle of motor) to check if hall sensors are working: flashing green light indicates hall sensors ok, green light stays on indicates bad hall sensor
Rotate the wheel quickly( or rotate axle)  and the 6 leds will all light if all windings show normal resistance

Movie below shows hall sensor all ok, they all flash on/off ( three green leds on right side of meter) one led for each hall sensor.

After zooming  in it shows Ring of 6 coloured leds on left side of meter when rotate wheel a bit faster, they all come on ( glow), if one colour does not come on there is a problem in a winding phase. Another interesting thing in the video below, you'll notice that at one time all the hall sensor lights are off at the same time and at another time all the hall sensor lights are on at the same time. This is also the time when the 60 degree led flashes on. Its one way to tell a 60 degree motor from a 120 degree motor, as a 120degree motor there will never be a time when all hall sensors are off at the same time, or a moment when all sensors are on a the same time.So the 60 degree led will not flash, indicating its a 120degree motor.
 

 

Movie below: shows one hall sensor is not working ( middle green led on right hand side of meter does not flash as motor is rotated it stays on inidicating that hall sensor has failed and needs replacement).

Additional info: test 60/120 degree: brushless motors can have the hall sensor electrical spacing ( not physical spacing) in two different arrangements 60 or 120 degree ( see link insert link later)

60 degree motor or controller the 60degree light remains on

120 degree  motor/controller 60 degree light flashes

 

Summary:

 

Right hand side three green leds for hall sensors should flash on/off when wheel rotated
If one does not flash but remains on it indicates a failed hall sensor

 

 

Test if throttle is working ( tests linear hall sensor in throttle)

 

 

5 volt power from controller is tested ( controller supplies 5volt to throttle and hall sensors in normal use)

 

 

Flashing red led indicates 60degree motor or controller , non flashing indicates 120 degree motor or controller.

 

 

 led circle : indicates mosfet in controller if working or not.
also indicates if windings in motor are ok .

 

 

 

Note : the 6 leds should operate in pairs as shown below when testing controller, if leds not flashing in pairs can change that by changing how the thick phase wires are connected to the meter via alligator clips at the back of the meter. Haven't worked out what this is useful for as yet!