Focus Jam2 LTD Charging problem

[Tatty_dubs]

You do have to wonder if Focus actually know what they are doing with E-MTBs or, if they make things as difficult as possible, you will sort it out yourself. Which it seems you did.

Mine is back with the dealer again.

I had a warrenty case open with rutland for quite a while about it, everytime I spoke to them explained the problem but still focus wanted the bike back to warranty the battery. I wonder if they will try to push the blame onto shimano? Or whoever makes the battery packs.

In the end I got in contact with the ebike warranty manager at rutland, I told him I would take the bike myself to the store and show them the problem, he agreed and said i would need to tell him a date i would be there so he can contact the store and arrange a charger to be there, I went the day I told him and low and behold he never contacted the store to tell them I was coming. But the manager of the store was brilliant, within 10mins I'd got a new charger (even threw in the UK lead as i had an EU one) and I was on my way home.

 

[simtee]

I have the same issue with my charger on 2019 Jam2. However, dealer was aware of this issue and is waiting for a new batch of chargers from the vendor. My charger will be replaced as soon as dealer has new ones to deliver.

 

[pegnose]

I honestly think they just try to avoid admitting a categorical issue with these chargers. They would have to recall them. Many people don't run their batteries dry and won't run into the problem.

We also don't know the exact reason of the fault we observe. There might be some unexpected quality variance in charger and/or battery so that some people encounter the problem while others don't.

 

[Stanny_uk]

OK.. So I'm in this now. Went degla yesterday.. Ran her just onto red.. Put her in my integral garage 6pm..put on charge.. Came out to check on it 10.30..charger had gone off.. So got hump went work.. Had a read.. Came home am.. Washed it.. Brought charger inside... Just got up brought bike inside.. Attached charger... Click/doh.. Green light out no good.. So tried the switch off power thing at click1 of charger... Worked first time..!!now been charging 30mins with no issue!! So is it warm bike/warm charger.. Or bollox charger ya have to bluff with a cheat when batt dead/cold. Rang rutland.. Looking into it.

 

[Stanny_uk]

Simtee who's ya dealer

 

[simtee]

Simtee who's ya dealer

bike-components | bicycle parts, accessories & apparel

 

[pegnose]

@Stanny_uk
If it is a voltage thing, warming up the battery might just lift your bike over the threshold (voltage can increase with temperature, see smartphone batteries in cold winter). However, I had a completely drained bike and it was sitting in my 20+°C basement compartment. Needed to re-plug the charger ~30 times before it charged properly. Each of these retries puts a tiny amount of power into the battery, lifts it above the threshold. Sort of a working theory in this thread.

 

[sdcoffeeroaster]

I'm in the States and have a 2018 Jam2 C. I've only drained the battery completely once and didn't have any issue charging with the 4.5 A charger. I'm very reluctant to run the battery down again because of what I've read in this thread. I usually only ride about 25 miles and 2000 feet of climbing and have about 2 bars left when I charge. I'm at the 6 months point where the manual says to run the battery down to zero but scared to do that. Support here from Derby is not all that positive. The bike and battery are stored and charged in the house and in SoCal the inside rarely dips below 19 C so maybe I'll be OK. I've looked around online for a Jam2 4 amp charger but have not found any source yet.

 

[Stanny_uk]

Mines fully charged n ready again.. Moved into one on/off at first charger click off she went... Pewhhhh dealer aware and finding out bout alleged new batch of chargers

 

[pegnose]

Good to hear!

 

[Peaky Rider]

All last winter I wheeled my Jam2 into the hallway, leant it up against a radiator and after a couple of hours all was well. Oh! and I have the 4.5.

Not this winter though. Bought a Spectral On 6, in their sale, with a detachable battery. Wish I had bought one of these in the first place. Not as aesthetically pleasing as the Jam2 but so much more practical in many ways and just the same to ride (Spectral slightly better if anything).

 

[steve_sordy]

Low charge + kit below 11degC + faulty 4.5Amp charger = charging problem

Fix any one of the above and the problem goes away.

 

[sdcoffeeroaster]

Low charge + kit below 11degC + faulty 4.5Amp charger = charging problem

Fix any one of the above and the problem goes away.

My dealer just told me they have not seen this issue in SoCal so the temperature is one of those 3 and maybe our 4.5 amp chargers are not defective...who knows but good news so far.

 

[pegnose]

I had the thing at 20+°C.

 

[rootsmanoeuver]

Just a quick update for anyone still following this thread.
I'm still on the 4.5amp charger (dealer advises no older 4.0amp available anymore) and now the weather has started getting cold (oct19) the charger has failed again when trying to charge a depleted battery, (bike/battery has now done approx 500 miles since purchase new in May 2019).
The issue is absolutely with the charger, as it also fails on the TechPack.

I have found that keeping the charger in the house or warming in on a radiator for half an hour, before charging resolves the issue. It does not seem to matter that the battery is cold (after a cold ride).

I'm no expert but it looks like there must be an issue with a trickle charge component in the charger that only activates when the battery is very low or depleted; essentially this is the second click you should hear when the charger is working properly, or not hear when it fails and stops flashing (charging).
Hope this is of use to those experiencing the same issues as myself!!

 

[Stanny_uk]

All last winter I wheeled my Jam2 into the hallway, leant it up against a radiator and after a couple of hours all was well. Oh! and I have the 4.5.

Not this winter though. Bought a Spectral On 6, in their sale, with a detachable battery. Wish I had bought one of these in the first place. Not as aesthetically pleasing as the Jam2 but so much more practical in many ways and just the same to ride (Spectral slightly better if anything).

Does this theory work every time bud.. I did it today for 1st time.. All was well again

 

[Peaky Rider]

Low charge + kit below 11degC + faulty 4.5Amp charger = charging problem

Fix any one of the above and the problem goes away.

But why is there a problem in the first place? Or more importantly, why don't Focus accept their is a problem and sort it or at least tell you not to take their bikes out in the cold?

 

[Peaky Rider]

Just a quick update for anyone still following this thread.
I'm still on the 4.5amp charger (dealer advises no older 4.0amp available anymore) and now the weather has started getting cold (oct19) the charger has failed again when trying to charge a depleted battery, (bike/battery has now done approx 500 miles since purchase new in May 2019).
The issue is absolutely with the charger, as it also fails on the TechPack.

I have found that keeping the charger in the house or warming in on a radiator for half an hour, before charging resolves the issue. It does not seem to matter that the battery is cold (after a cold ride).

I'm no expert but it looks like there must be an issue with a trickle charge component in the charger that only activates when the battery is very low or depleted; essentially this is the second click you should hear when the charger is working properly, or not hear when it fails and stops flashing (charging).
Hope this is of use to those experiencing the same issues as myself!!

 

[Peaky Rider]

Always keep my charger in the house, makes no difference. If the battery is cold, it will not take a charge.

Last year it had to be pretty cold (5 degrees and less). This year it all started going wrong in the middle of October at 12 degrees.

Guess there is not one simple answer.

 

[rootsmanoeuver]

Always keep my charger in the house, makes no difference. If the battery is cold, it will not take a charge.

Last year it had to be pretty cold (5 degrees and less). This year it all started going wrong in the middle of October at 12 degrees.

Guess there is not one simple answer.

Rather than just keeping the charger in the house, I actually put mine on the radiator for approx half an hour...

 

[Stanny_uk]

OK new finding.. After othrr night of refusal to charge in cold.. Today... Battery dead as do do flat. 1m left.. 15 degrees charged piece of piss no problem

 

[steve_sordy]

Having been there, I feel your pain!

This not a Focus design or make problem, but it is their problem to address! Focus seem to be making a drama out of this when all they have to do is to own the problem and replace the chargers (or whatever it is that is at fault - everyone except Focus believe it's the chargers).
Focus should be able to push the cost of this back up the line to the charger supplier.

If they do not address this (and it may be too late to do so) then I wonder how many people are saying no to another Focus?

 

[Stanny_uk]

I'd of thaught somewhere along line there's a thermal lock out occurring in charger or somthing.. If they just turned round and said it doesn't like cold charging.. Odd.. Least I know how to get charged up now..

 

[pegnose]

As I said repeatedly, in my case it did not depend on temperature. It happened on a day with like 25+ °C outside in my basement, where also some heating pipes are. Could not have been cold there by any means. Definitely didn't feel cold when I sat there for half an hour re-plugging the darn charger.

What I believe is that this might actually be hard to diagnose for Focus. Is it the charger? The battery? An interaction? They are not making either of the two. But of course, they need to acknowledge it.

 

[Peaky Rider]

Rather than just keeping the charger in the house, I actually put mine on the radiator for approx half an hour...

I think you may be on to something here 'roots'.

Six degrees in my garage yesterday, where both my bike and charger were. The bike wouldn't charge but, remembering your post, I put my charger next to a warm radiator and an hour later, when the temperature was still six degrees in my garage, the bike charged ok.

I will be interested to see if this still works when temperatures get really low.

 

[Boyceduke]

I'm having exactly same charging problems. Put my jam2 on charge last weekend. Bike and charger in the house. 20 degrees min. Bikes battery was displaying 2 bars. Charger started flashing green, come back 5 hours later still flashing green but charger making a clicking sound every 15 to 20 seconds. Checked Battery. still not fully charged.

Decided to speak to rutland cycles. Told them the problem and asked if common fault. They said no which I now find very hard to believe after reading this post. Focus should be replacing these chargers without question. Clearly not fit for purpose.

 

[steve_sordy]

@Boyceduke Sorry to hear of yet another charging problem.
When you get this resolved, please post here so that others like you can benefit from the knowledge base that is being built up.

 

[Boyceduke]

@Boyceduke Sorry to hear of yet another charging problem.
When you get this resolved, please post here so that others like you can benefit from the knowledge base that is being built up.

Of course, I have also sent a message to focus direct. Interested to see what they say. For the sake of recalling £100 chargers it would certainly build confidence and customer satisfaction

 

[steve_sordy]

Of course, I have also sent a message to focus direct. Interested to see what they say. For the sake of recalling £100 chargers it would certainly build confidence and customer satisfaction

From my experience, their first response is to replace the battery. This is despite supporting evidence that the problem is the charger. The evidence was from me, this Forum, and also from their own dealer!
I have mixed feelings about any charging problems that occur this winter. I want to poke it up Focus, but I don't want to endure the hassle.

 

[pegnose]

Sounds like a different issue to me, still adds to the list with this generation.