EMS NATIVE Z-6 (now Z-6000) intermittent non-starting, anybody else fix theirs?

[NonPolluter]

I'm wondering if anybody else had an intermittent non-starting symptom with their Z-6 or Z-6000 electric scooter. All the other 12V electricals are working, and the contactor makes the usual sound.

The "usual suspects" could include the on/off "starter" rocker switch; the kickstand-up switch (doesn't make any clicking noise), the controller; loose connections (but why intermittent).

Sometimes the throttle won't go after a charge. Sometimes the throttle won't go after a short run, sometimes after a long run; sometimes, after rolling the throttle for a few minutes, it will start suddenly. As long as you don't shut the ignition key off, it's ok, although I haven't tried moving the kickstand up/down when it is in "working" mode. The humidity is over 90% and the temperature is 16 Celcius. Roads are dry.

When it runs, it runs smoothly; an earlier problem with loose motor nuts came with stop-go motion under 15MPH.

All the battery terminals and most connections are held (in addition) by hot melt glue and painted/sprayed 2X a year with Deoxit and MG Chemicals Super Contact Cleaner.

Our group has owned over 30 electric bikes, scooters --- this is only the second one with intermittent problems similar to this. (The first one was a Scooter-X from 1998 which would run wild on an intermittent basis when the moisture in the air was near 100%, or the road was wet.)

[NonPolluter]

Z-6 UPDATE - Switches are working

I can hear a faint high-pitched whine when the electronics are "on". Based on this whine, I would guesstimate that ignition rocker switch and the kickstand switch are working.

When the Z-6 won't run, after a wait, with everything on "on", of 3 to 6 minutes, it usually runs again.

BTW, this is a brushed motor with less than 900 miles on the odometer.

[teddillard]

It's definitely the BMS. :eek: lol

[harlan]

Have you checked the brake switches are working properly and not disabling your throttle?

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[Richard230]

I had (and still had before the batteries died) a similar problem with my EMS GPR-S. The bike would randomly stall when I closed the throttle every few miles. I bought a controller programmer and it told me that I had a "contactor fault" when this occurred. Apparently the Sevcon controller contains a fail-safe system that shuts off the power to the motor for (a long) three minutes or so, before it will turn the power back on. I sort of traced the problem to the stop light circuit. When I disconnected the stop light (which also activated the regen circuit), the stalling seemed to stop. But the batteries died on the bike before I could finally track down what was causing the contactor fault and I never did solve the problem. My suggestion would be to purchase a programmer for the scooter's controller - if you can find one.

[NonPolluter]

Thanks for your suggestion.

However, I don't think that the brake (lever) switches are the problem because the "non starting problem" only happens 1X per ignition-on. What I mean is that this problem doesn't appear after stopping at a stop light.

Once the Z-6 scooter starts, then it is fine until the ignition key is turned off; after which, it is a gamble as to whether it will start up, or need a 3-6 minute wait.

I found another Z-6 (Native Z-6000) owner with a similar problem in visforvoltage, and his problem became progressively worse until it the controller was replaced.

If my problem also requires a controller replacement, then the total cost, per mile, to ride this "hobby scooter" is $3/mile.

Which means that I may not fix it, given that this is a relatively very inefficient brushed chain-driven escooter, and brushless hub motor scooters are now on the market that have 5-10 year durability.

The only reason to like this scooter, given its numerous flaws, is the ride quality because of the long-travel shocks (which needed adjustment by a Japanese motorcycle specialist mechanic.)

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