Just got a used ebike 2 weeks ago. Everything was working great up until now. Yesterday it didn't charge, even though it said it did, so I put it on the charger again and left it. Figuring it would only take about 7 hours or so, I checked up on it and the charger still stated that it was charging. So I still left it. I left it overnight and woke up this morning and yet it still said it was charging. (Usually theres a green light that tells you when the charge is complete, it was still red.) I took it off the charger and tried to take it for a spin. Upon doing so, it was chugging along and was not consistant. The level on the guage said that the battery was extremely low. I took it back home and parked it, and i took the floor mat off and noticed that there was smoke coming from the battery area. I tried to take the battery out by the two handles after unlocking the battery section and the handles both came off. So now, it is still smoking, i can't get the battery out to check what's going on, and I don't want this thing to catch fire. What do I do??

I called a few places and told them my situation. They say that I've probably overcharged the battery and will now need a new one. Just great. I'm not sure what type of battery it is, but one person suggested it's a 12 volt 20 amp battery. She mentioned something about cells as well, and each cell being about $75 each. I really don't know what the heck I'm gonna do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Watts the name on the bike? Make and model names or numbers? Can ya google a pic somewhere are post it here? The charger should have a label as well which may have specs that'd tell you a bit about the type of battery it is designed for...

This is a scooter-style ebike, correct? most probably three or four 12V sealed lead acid batteries (does the charger say 36V or 48V?)

Yer saying you see smoke EVen when the bike is not plugged into the charger???

Lock

It's a 2008 Electro Wheels E-One. I spoke to the company that built them. i fried the battery. The battery itself with 4 cells in it only have a 6 month warrenty and the guy said if it's a 2008 and the original owner didn't change the battery ever, then it lasted quite a while. I need to get a new battery for it it looks like. It's a 12v 20 amp 48v output (The charger says 48v)
It wasn't smoking when it was charging, just after when i parked it. It's not smoking anymore as it's been cooling off for the past few hours. It's going to cost me roughly $330 to get a new battery which rather sucks. That's from a company in Guelph. The one in Toronto wants to charge almost $400 including the shipping.
Puts me in a bad mood, but ah well.

Watts the name on the bike? Make and model names or numbers? Can ya google a pic somewhere are post it here? The charger should have a label as well which may have specs that'd tell you a bit about the type of battery it is designed for...

This is a scooter-style ebike, correct? most probably three or four 12V sealed lead acid batteries (does the charger say 36V or 48V?)

Yer saying you see smoke EVen when the bike is not plugged into the charger???

Lock

So E-One here:
http://www.ebikerider...

Ya might want to read this thread and give it some thought:
Using Lithium Batteries instead of Lead Acid

Lock

Unfortunately those prices are a bit out of my budget at the moment, otherwise I would do that. Maybe I will next time the battery goes, I guess.

Not sure how the heck I'm going to get my current battery out after I get the new one, because the handles came off slightly and it looks like it's impossible to get to it other than unscrewing the whole bottom panel, which I would like to avoid at all cost.

Just drill a hole in the top and screw in a big wood screw part way...

Too bad about the price of Lithium... If a Li pack lasts three times as long as lead then they are cheaper in the long run, with better performance (no voltage sag) and lighter weight to boot.
Lock

I just got off the phone with someone who sells and repairs ebikes. He says that the battery itself should've lasted about 5 years and that its possible that it could be a wire that has been corroded. He will take a look at the battery if I am able to take it out from the bike though. I'm just so confused as to what is going on, it's driving me up the wall.

I just want this darn thing working again, I use it as my only source of transportation.

It's a 2008 Electro Wheels E-One. I spoke to the company that built them. i fried the battery. The battery itself with 4 cells in it only have a 6 month warrenty and the guy said if it's a 2008 and the original owner didn't change the battery ever, then it lasted quite a while. I need to get a new battery for it it looks like. It's a 12v 20 amp 48v output (The charger says 48v)
It wasn't smoking when it was charging, just after when i parked it. It's not smoking anymore as it's been cooling off for the past few hours. It's going to cost me roughly $330 to get a new battery which rather sucks. That's from a company in Guelph. The one in Toronto wants to charge almost $400 including the shipping.
Puts me in a bad mood, but ah well.

That's really unfortunate. How much did you pay for the used bike?

$750. It only had 200 kms on it too. Now it has close to 500 as my wife and I have driven it all over town. I was able to take the top lid part off and noticed that the plastic on the battery itself is all melted and disfigured which is totally odd. It looks like it's the original battery as it has all chinese letters everywhere and its like white with green stripes where the connectors are. Couldn't actually take the battery out because the handles on the side broke off but the cover on the top I was able to take off even though I had to pry it off, and yeah it kinda broke off too. No idea what is up with it. The wires connecting the battery didn't seem corroded at all, but who knows what the other ones are like underneath.

I'll be buying a new battery on Friday it looks like, and hopefully will be able to get this back up and running by the weekend.