DIY: Range extender for Levo (and Kenevo)

casco

Member
Mar 4, 2020
19
9
arouca
stth3010pi-diodo-ultrafast-30a-1000v-42ns-to-220.jpg

STTH3010PI - Diodo Ultrafast 30A 1000V 42NS TO-220

I have my project stopped .... the battery has been in use for over a month but the diodes are delayed due to covid19. wonder if I can use the attached diode with heatsink at home battery?

thank you
 

casco

Member
Mar 4, 2020
19
9
arouca

casco

Member
Mar 4, 2020
19
9
arouca
Good Morning,

the diodes have arrived ... I've already assembled and tested ... everything's ok ...

2 x ideal 50A diode and I applied an aluminum heat sink to each one ... I had to remove the connection accessories that came with the diodes, there was no room for such a big thing ... I isolated them against moisture and made the connections ...

the installation part went very well ... I went to test and here my doubts begin ...

1st how do I know the external battery is wearing out?
on the display, the battery charge lowers normally (should the two whales connected not take longer to lower?)

2nd, should I disconnect the 2nd battery and only connect when the original battery is low?

3rd will it be that it will only load cargo to the 2nd beriaria when the original one has the same load level?

someone with more experience than a tip ... :)

Thank you

20200529_103808.jpg


20200529_103824.jpg


20200528_100614.jpg


20200528_100603.jpg


20200527_203026.jpg


diodo 50a.JPG


IMG_20200527_000124_809.jpg
 

nyx

New Member
Oct 10, 2019
25
60
France
Nice job !

Excuse my bad english for this explanation. You need to imagine 2 water bucket as your batteries. One bigger than the other, just like your two batteries.
When during your biking, the bike will pull some energy (water in your bucket), and it will always keep the water level identical in the two bucket.
So it will pull from both, but a bit more in the bigger one as the level descrease slower than in the smaller one.

so for replying to your questions. As long as you extender as the same or higher voltage than the main batterie, your pull some energy from it.

2nd. no you shouldnt. because the "software" is in the main battery, once this one is empty, the motor will be shutted down even if your extender is full… knowing that you should use the extender from the beginning.

3nd, I don't really understand your question, but to clarify, if one battery is more charged than the other, the motor will pull it's energy in the most charged one, as long as it's voltage is higher than the other one. Once the voltage reach the same value of the second battery, then both batteries provide energy in same time.

hope it's clear :)
 

casco

Member
Mar 4, 2020
19
9
arouca
Nice job !

Excuse my bad english for this explanation. You need to imagine 2 water bucket as your batteries. One bigger than the other, just like your two batteries.
When during your biking, the bike will pull some energy (water in your bucket), and it will always keep the water level identical in the two bucket.
So it will pull from both, but a bit more in the bigger one as the level descrease slower than in the smaller one.

so for replying to your questions. As long as you extender as the same or higher voltage than the main batterie, your pull some energy from it.

2nd. no you shouldnt. because the "software" is in the main battery, once this one is empty, the motor will be shutted down even if your extender is full… knowing that you should use the extender from the beginning.

3nd, I don't really understand your question, but to clarify, if one battery is more charged than the other, the motor will pull it's energy in the most charged one, as long as it's voltage is higher than the other one. Once the voltage reach the same value of the second battery, then both batteries provide energy in same time.

hope it's clear :)



I think I already realized ...

I'm asking these questions because I haven't had time to test this application for several hours, so these are my doubts ...

one more doubt:

practical case:

- I slide the external battery and use only the main battery until I have only 20% charge, at that time I still have the external battery, I ask: will I be able to roll until the external battery and 20% of the main battery are used up?


as I said I will do these and other tests ... but I didn’t want to walk on the hill with 23kg to ride without an engine ... :)

thank you
 

casco

Member
Mar 4, 2020
19
9
arouca
Hello!

1st test to go ... 51km under 37º in a mountainous area with a very hard rating ... I got home with 31% battery (original + extra) or measured on the specialized display ...
I followed the temperature of the diodes (I know where they are and put my hand in the area where they were and nothing more than the ambient temperature ...)

therefore, very pleased with the expansion of Turbo Levo autonomy :)
I resorted to the "turbo mode" many times, because it was really tough ... :( and still there was still battery left ...

for those who are thinking about expanding ... here is my testimony ... it is very good and cheap ...

material:
1 x 252wh Bottle 205.00 €
2 x 50A ideal diode 39.00 € Warranty: 3 years
DIY service

:)
 

bronces

Member
Sep 11, 2019
22
10
France
Hi, very interesting and challenging topic.

When I read the web sites of Levorex or Levo Range Extender they precised that devices are connected by a plug and ride system composed of Ideal diodes and realized with the MOSFET technology. What’s is MOSFET Technology?

In the same way the electonic schemes proposed in this forum seams quite different for a non technician i.e. the first one in this topic (page1) , and the last one just above (page3).

Thank's for your help.
 

casco

Member
Mar 4, 2020
19
9
arouca
Hi, very interesting and challenging topic.

When I read the web sites of Levorex or Levo Range Extender they precised that devices are connected by a plug and ride system composed of Ideal diodes and realized with the MOSFET technology. What’s is MOSFET Technology?

In the same way the electonic schemes proposed in this forum seams quite different for a non technician i.e. the first one in this topic (page1) , and the last one just above (page3).

Thank's for your help.



Hello

what I used in my application were two Mosfet (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) of 50A each and I added an aluminum sink.
An ideal diode is a Mosfet.
 

bronces

Member
Sep 11, 2019
22
10
France
Thanks’ Casco for this hopeful precision.

Next. I found in this topic two types of connections . See jpg attached.
Are there equivalent?
Thanks

extender2.jpg
 

bronces

Member
Sep 11, 2019
22
10
France
Hi Casco,
One question more!
External battery exists in 2 models : 36V 7Ah or 36v 10,5Ah . I suppose that's the second one deliver more power.


But is it OK for Levo?
Thank's.
John
 

casco

Member
Mar 4, 2020
19
9
arouca
Hi Casco,
One question more!
External battery exists in 2 models : 36V 7Ah or 36v 10,5Ah . I suppose that's the second one deliver more power.


But is it OK for Levo?
Thank's.
John



Hello

I bought the 36V 7Ah, be careful, at 10.5Ah the bottle is very long and may not fit in the frame ... and the bike also starts to get very heavy ... :(

my idea has always been this: if it is for an early afternoon ... it's perfect ...
 

bronces

Member
Sep 11, 2019
22
10
France
Thank-you . Have a good day
Hello

are the same thing, I opted for scheme A. GND has no direction, so you don't need to go to the diode ...
Hi ,
Concerning this point I asked re-voltage.eu that solIdeal Diode ID80V3 module (cf above) . They said that you have also to connect the GND on the Ideal Diodes to the negative supply. This is needed to power the internal control circuit. If you don't then they will only work as ordinary diodes and will get hot.

Yours
 

casco

Member
Mar 4, 2020
19
9
arouca
Thank-you . Have a good day

Hi ,
Concerning this point I asked re-voltage.eu that solIdeal Diode ID80V3 module (cf above) . They said that you have also to connect the GND on the Ideal Diodes to the negative supply. This is needed to power the internal control circuit. If you don't then they will only work as ordinary diodes and will get hot.

Yours


it may be true ... but then why is there an ideal Diode Mosfet without GND?
the ideal diodes I bought have no GND connection and as I described with 37º of room temperature and always pulling ... they did not heat anything more than the said room temperature ...

but if you buy with input and output GND make the connection, use the other scheme ... if mine had also make the connection ...


note that the didodos that the re-voltage.eu sells only do 15A peak, mine do 50A and I even applied a heatsink ... I have no heating problems for sure ...
 

luffyxxx

New Member
Jun 22, 2020
1
2
France
Hello riders!
Finding the solutions obtained very expensive, and having found this great forum, I wonder:
Would it be possible to have a clear and detailed tutorial, with the step by step steps to mount the battery (with the photos To connect the mosfet and do something clean)? because there is nothing at all in electricity I am afraid of making mistakes and damaging my main battery.
Thanks lot :) (i'm French sorry for my aproximativ english:) )
 

TheBigBoss

New Member
Dec 18, 2019
3
3
Auckland
Hi All,
I'm super keen to make one of these for my Kenevo.
Can I use a 52v Battery pack and BMS for this Pack in conjunction with the Kenevo Battery? I'd want to use two 50a diodes as mentioned in a previous post for peace of mind.

Here is the pack I would like to use 52v Mighty Mini Cube Ebike Battery Pack -NZ

Any thoughts or advice from those pioneers who have come before me?

Cheers
Gareth
 

bronces

Member
Sep 11, 2019
22
10
France
Hi,
Concerning Mission Control, that's fine to get an overview of our bike’s system, when , I read "remaining charge 50%" , does it mean that 50% for both the internal batterie and the external one (if both batteries where full at the departure)?
Thank's
 

TheBigBoss

New Member
Dec 18, 2019
3
3
Auckland
ok, so yesterday I printed 10 tube of 21,5*72mm. So a bit larger than some 21700 Li-ion cells.
So here are my 10 cells
View attachment 19866

I can insert a first batch of 4 cells at the deeper. so they are just behind the steering column (is that the right word ? sorry for my english btw…) View attachment 19867

and then, two batch of 3 cells. I couldn't make a batch of 6 because the cells have to pass over the hole for fixing the main battery.
View attachment 19869

and finally this white thing is a block a bit larger than the BMS I am planning to use. If fit here well and there's still room everywhere for adding wires, and very important for adding rubber and foam for absorbing shocks and vibrations.
View attachment 19870

Concerning the Ideal diodes, they go near the motor.

Well, I am not yet sure of the final installation of the cells, but because they fit with a bit of margin, I'll order the stuff and go for these LG INR21700-M50T 5000mAh.
Hi

I'm wanting to do the same to my bike. Have exactly the same bike as you do and I like this integrated idea.

Can you share the links to the Battery Management System and Batteries you used?

I would really appreciate any information you can share to help me setup the same for my bike.

Cheers
Gareth
 

LucB

Member
Dec 31, 2019
6
0
Yorkshire
Hi guyS

id like to build my own range extender for my levo, i also have a mate who would like one for his shimano equipped ebikes, could anyone offer any advice on the shimano one, cant find mych information at all about range extenders for the shimano motor or any diy info. Cheers
 

artzicat1

Active member
Mar 3, 2019
65
108
israel

Manfred

Member
Aug 5, 2020
12
5
Germany

artzicat1

Active member
Mar 3, 2019
65
108
israel
hi local shop made a battery pack 250wh 36v and spliced a spare harness still missing something as it won't work .
first vid shows the moment i connect the external battery it blinks and shuts down

20200924_141719.mp4
 

artzicat1

Active member
Mar 3, 2019
65
108
israel
ROTFL, they don't know what are they doing. Of course there is a missing part. But why we have to teach a LBS how to do it?
In my opinion this forum is for DIY hobbyist and help each other for free, if some one like LBS want to do a business with DIY-Extender is better if they study how it works. IMHO

Let me guess, your bike works well without the extender?

Yes I know what is the problem and how to fix it. Sorry if I'm not polite.
yes bike works fine without the extender . i don't have the means to built a battery pack or order one online as they won't send to my location so.. this is the only way to get one .this not a business venture this is for my personal use .
the net is full if inpolitens i am used to it. sad but true
 
Last edited:

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