(Comments from Blogger)
2015-08-29 by Unknown
Hi Russell - did you manage to figure out how to wire ina standard 24v pack and if so how to do it please?
2015-08-29 by Russell Graves
Not yet. I don’t have a spare 24v pack laying around (all my other stuff is 36v). I might be able to make something out of some scrap batteries, but I haven’t done that yet.
2015-10-08 by Unknown
I will follow your blog I’m interested too in how to another 24v battery and controller thanks
2016-03-28 by Jon Winter
I BOUGHT A SCHWINN TAILWIND EBIKES FOLLOWED YOUR INSTRUCTIONS AND I GOT THE BATTERY TO START CHARGING AND TO BOOT THE BIKE UP. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. JON BURTON
2016-04-21 by Patrik Carlsson
HOW did you charged the cells? I have the same battery and an Imax but charging voltage is not close to the ca 2.8V needed in any of the settings. Charging on LiFe (3.3V) on 0,2Ah.
2016-04-21 by Russell Graves
Patrik -
I have a bench power supply I use for things like this, so I can set voltage and current limits manually.
2016-07-07 by Unknown
Hello Russell, I just purchased a Schwinn world gse,
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301987280834?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT,
which looks to have a very similar setup to the tailwind. The battery will charge to 27+v, but will not hold. I tried placing jumpers (bolts)between battery and controller with charger plugged in, read the 27v on jumper, but no indication on “power mode” feedback. I’ve scoured the net, but have not found suitable answer to, can I just purchase new battery, wire it through a rheostat(throttle control),to the hub and be happy? The bike looks to be crank sensor controlled.
Thank you, John
2016-07-07 by Russell Graves
I really have no idea about that. If the bike doesn’t power on at all with 27v on the lugs, something else is wrong. You’ve tried the key, if it has one? My Tailwind has both a power switch on the console and a key back by the battery mount.
You can’t just use a rheostat to the hub - it’s not going to work. They’re brushless motors.
2016-07-10 by Unknown
Hi there ! Call from Norway! I have just done the things you have described here on my Tailwind. This was a leftover from a local store that had “never worked” so I got it for free ! All the symtoms was yhe same as you have described on your blog. I have now charged the battery with the orginal charger, and it went from red blinking to green ! The Voltage measured out was 28.7 V. I testet the bike and it worked! Have you fonud ot if the BMS works talking about the balancing of the individual cells?
2016-07-11 by Russell Graves
I haven’t really messed with it. It seems to work fine for the little bit of riding I use it for, so I haven’t really worried about it. You could put a few cycles on it and measure per-cell voltages if you were curious.
2016-08-20 by hoot
I PUT A 24V SLA BATT ON MT TRAILWIND WORKS FINE WITH THE SAME CONTROLLER .I REMOVE TWO ALLEN SCREWS AND REPLACE THEM WITH FLAT HEAD SO THE BATT CAN FIT IN THE SAME BRACKET AND THE REAR LOCK IN THE UP POSITION WILL HOLD THE BATT IN PLACE. I WAS GETTING 6 MILES PEDDLING ON BOTH OF THE 4AM BATT THAT CAME WITH THE TAILWINDS AND NOW I GETTING 10 PEDDLING WITH THE SLA WHICH IS VERY EASY TO EXCHANGE.
2016-09-14 by gradus
Hi, what is the voltage and current of charging?
2016-09-15 by Russell Graves
Gradus: From my teardown post:
“The stock home charger is a 29.4v, 8.4A charger - so a 2C rate, with a charged voltage of over 29v.”
2016-12-16 by ollo
afox, I got 1 of these & did the by-pass end of May 2016,used regularly for last 6 mo. with no probs. 12 miles with medium assist drops battery to 1/2 charge. Most of my rides are 4-8 miles round trip. A spare battery, if cheap, is a good idea. Where are you located? I’m near Salem, Oregon. Don
2017-09-24 by One enclose bike upright
i try a kobalt 24v drill battery to the two pins on the battery receiver and in work there is a video of a person who takes five of them put them togehter and makes a 24v 10ah battery iam working on a backup battery for the schwinn when it goes out
2017-09-24 by One enclose bike upright
iam thinking of opening up the receiver box and tying in to the pins with a set of quick connects for the back up battery so when i run out of power i should be able to plug the spare in battery
2017-09-24 by One enclose bike upright
the kobalt battery i try was $ 9.00 not a sale it is a 1.5 ah 24v drill battery five will give me 7.5ah the video used 2.0 but they were $ 20.00 so bought five to start of the smaller ones one ran the bike ,so five or ten should be good, ten would give you 15ah
2017-09-24 by One enclose bike upright
if i try to by passing the receiver box and go straight to the line coming out of the back of the battery box there are three black wires and three colors ones ,the blacks ones are heavy and i assume two to be battery leads . do you have a wiring diagram by the way. i think i could tie in there too
2017-09-24 by One enclose bike upright
iam interested in one with the red handle, if you still have some
2018-05-22 by Unknown
Hi, Russell. It really works and my Tailwind is back on track. I soldered only in one place - the positive terminal of the charging connector. In other cases I used circular terminals and existing screws, replacing one of the screws near the positive pad for a longer one to use it on both sides of the board. Thank you for a great idea. With best wishes from Russia, Alexey