wisper 705SE ebike repair

[adamrosenbach]

Topic: electric bike repair problems



Last year I bought an electric bike from an elder couple in a village near York. It's the Wisper 705SE, step through model. The couple bought it new in 2012, looked really well after it and used it very little (750 miles). They had charged the battery about 20 times.

I used it on sightseeing trips, and charged the battery 6 times. Last May, on a ride uphill at full power a fault happened. The handlebar controller was blinking, and there was no connection to the power.

I took the bike to Shannon Cycles, a Wisper dealer in York, on May 27th, with the battery fully charged. I did not bring the charger, as I thought it won't be necessary. They said this was a rare problem they had not seen before, and consulted Wisper. They acted at WIsper's instructions.
On Friday June 22nd , I have been asked to bring the charger. I brought it on Monday June 25th. Since then, nothing.

Not once have they contacted me to let me know what is happening. I had to chase after them all that time, and finally got weary of it. They said if I am unhappy with how they conduct the repair I could collect the bike, but I will have to pay for the time they spent on it.

So last week I called Wisper, and spoke to one of the directors, Mr. David Miall. . He wrote to me, requesting few details, which I did provide. He wrote back and promised to call Shannon, and also explained that they are an excellent shop and “at this time of year, all bike shops are absolutely flat out so it can take longer to get resolution to complicated technical problems”.

Today, 11 July I took the bike to another shop.

[hemo]

David Miall is usually well and truly on the ball and is very proactive about his bike brand.

I suspect the battery charger was required to check it's voltage input and output which is easily done at home with a volt meter to ensure all is well. Although you say the battery is fully charged sometimes it does pay to confirm this by checking with said volt meter

[adamrosenbach]

It was required because using the trial and error method to find out the fault ( the handle bar controller is blinking and there is no connection with the motor) they emptied the battery.

[hemo]

Seems a bit strange as a Wisper dealer I would have thought they must have suitable charger lying a round.
The handle bar display lights indicate to me a possible battery issue so being six years old , battery diagnosis would be my first port of call,, a weak cell group in particular. If voltage on one cell group collapses under load then that would give an instant result of a battery on it's way out or it could be a battery out of balance. Dealers aren't equipped to repair batteries and doing so isn't cost effective for them and also false economy to replace just a few cells. So if the issue lies there they will offer you a new one or contact David Miall again and his tech guy Claud can recell it for you, price will cheaper then a new battery.

Fault finding an ebike isn't straight forward and several potential gremlins can cause an error, a lot of dealers haven't clue how to fault find and will sometimes just swap out components to find the answer.
Generally an hour or two with a digital volt meter to check various items of wiring and the controller can often locate the answer if the battery plays out ok.
This is where your shed or garage diy kit ebike converter has the edge and will often know more then most about how ebike electrics tick.
The handle bar display isn't user friendly to repair being sealed against the rain and if at fault is a simple swap out.

Hopefully you will have more luck from the other dealer to fault find.

[adamrosenbach]

Hi, thanks so much for that.

The battery charges normally to full, and the elder couple followed the instructions to the letter of how to charge it when not in use for more than 2 months.
Shannon did test the battery, and said it does give out the right voltage. But, like you say, it still can be at fault, and hope Cycle Street bikes can spot the problem out. If not, it will have to go to Wisper for them to strip it out..However, being out of warranty, I don't know what can they offer as an alternative...

[adamrosenbach]

P.S. You seem to know Wisper company and some of its people. Have you had any dealings with them?

[hemo]

No dealings personally.
David Miall is as you say Director/MD, owner the boss. He is a regular contributor on Pedelecs UK forum and takes the success of his business seriously. He is always there to help Wisper users out, including buyers of used Wisper bikes. He carries spares for all models including older spec models .

[adamrosenbach]

It had to go back to Wisper.. A bike very little used. Bad luck or what...?

[hemo]

Generally with little use with e - bikes it tends to always be a battery issue. The batteries aren't designed to be left sitting doing little, they are best used regularly and often. Also bad for them is to be left in a fully charged state for months on end, it is always best when not in use regularly to leave battery at a storage mode charge of 38 - 38.5 v for 10s/36v or 3.8 - 3.85v per cell what ever the series configuration is.

let us know the outcome as would be interested in knowing the fault .

[adamrosenbach]

I will of course let you know what the fault was.

[adamrosenbach]

Still no reply from Wisper.

[adamrosenbach]

It's been now more than three months since the problem occured....still nothing from Wisper...I have never received so many excuses, and such poor service in my life.

[adamrosenbach]

FInally the veredict. It's the motor..! COst of repair 360 pounds, plus 60 pounds shipment...420 in total..

[Cunobelin]

Seems a bit strange as a Wisper dealer I would have thought they must have suitable charger lying a round.
The handle bar display lights indicate to me a possible battery issue so being six years old , battery diagnosis would be my first port of call,, a weak cell group in particular. If voltage on one cell group collapses under load then that would give an instant result of a battery on it's way out or it could be a battery out of balance. Dealers aren't equipped to repair batteries and doing so isn't cost effective for them and also false economy to replace just a few cells. So if the issue lies there they will offer you a new one or contact David Miall again and his tech guy Claud can recell it for you, price will cheaper then a new battery.

Fault finding an ebike isn't straight forward and several potential gremlins can cause an error, a lot of dealers haven't clue how to fault find and will sometimes just swap out components to find the answer.
Generally an hour or two with a digital volt meter to check various items of wiring and the controller can often locate the answer if the battery plays out ok.
This is where your shed or garage diy kit ebike converter has the edge and will often know more then most about how ebike electrics tick.
The handle bar display isn't user friendly to repair being sealed against the rain and if at fault is a simple swap out.

Hopefully you will have more luck from the other dealer to fault find.

If GE charger is faulty, and they had not checked it, then spent lots of time trying to trace a fault on the bike, then it is an unnecessary effort and cost

[Cunobelin]

Seems a bit strange as a Wisper dealer I would have thought they must have suitable charger lying a round.
The handle bar display lights indicate to me a possible battery issue so being six years old , battery diagnosis would be my first port of call,, a weak cell group in particular. If voltage on one cell group collapses under load then that would give an instant result of a battery on it's way out or it could be a battery out of balance. Dealers aren't equipped to repair batteries and doing so isn't cost effective for them and also false economy to replace just a few cells. So if the issue lies there they will offer you a new one or contact David Miall again and his tech guy Claud can recell it for you, price will cheaper then a new battery.

Fault finding an ebike isn't straight forward and several potential gremlins can cause an error, a lot of dealers haven't clue how to fault find and will sometimes just swap out components to find the answer.
Generally an hour or two with a digital volt meter to check various items of wiring and the controller can often locate the answer if the battery plays out ok.
This is where your shed or garage diy kit ebike converter has the edge and will often know more then most about how ebike electrics tick.
The handle bar display isn't user friendly to repair being sealed against the rain and if at fault is a simple swap out.

Hopefully you will have more luck from the other dealer to fault find.

If GE charger is faulty, and they had not checked it, then spent lots of time trying to trace a fault on the bike, then it is an unnecessary effort and cost