Bolton Ebikes 35amp controller

[lindseytim]

Installed this last weekend and this thing is legit!! The torque increase is outstanding. The color display is pretty great as well.

[Radio Runner]

Which Rad bike did you install it on? Did your distance the battery can last take a hit?

[ericwn]

Please write up some more information on this topic! What model are you riding, how easy was it to install and configure, do the PAS modes still work smoothly, what's the range now, etc...

[santacruzpaul]

Please write up some more information on this topic! What model are you riding, how easy was it to install and configure, do the PAS modes still work smoothly, what's the range now, etc...

Yes! Me too, I was thinking about upgrading when my warranty expires next month.

[Subdude]

I have the late 2018 model of Radwagon (w/ front derailleur) I have over 6500 miles when my original controller gave up the ghost.

I just installed my kit last week https://www.radowners.com/index.php?topic=138.msg10629#msg10629

Pretty straightforward install aside from programming the controller with the new motor. I am using the original battery with good results. My commute is only 6 - 18 miles each way in Seattle Washington depending on the route and I'm pretty conservative on the power usage without using the throttle at all during the ride. I also charge the battery when I'm at work.

[JimInPT]

Update 25 Apr 2022 - revised a couple of controller settings for mo-better smoothness etc - see below
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Mine has been sitting in its box since late last year, but I finally got it installed for testing today on my 2021 Mini ST2 (did the Area 13 hydraulic brake calipers this week too; they work great), leaving all the stock equipment in place, but disconnected, just to make sure the new setup works.

And man, does it ever seem to work!  Connecting all the cables under the crank was a little finicky due to the short length of some of the factory cables on the frame and stiffness of some, but it all hooked up with a little patience and a pair of pliers to firmly hold one side of the connector in a couple cases.  All the right cables you'll need on the controller are there and the pinouts correct, so just be careful to align them properly before pushing them together and it should be fine.  The current kit includes a tail/brake light connector that functions just like the factory controller, so everything back there works normally.

I have attached below a screenshot of my initial settings (far right column), derived from the kindly-provided spreadsheet from Ray StDenis here on this forum; I started with these and it works great, but I might tweak things here and there as I gain experience with it.  Note my tire diameter of 23" for the 20"-wheel bikes and the CST Big Boat tires - I still need to compare against my GPS speed to see if this needs tweaking for accuracy within the limits of update rate and data input, this is the correct size; my GPS matches the display, but note that P1 needs to be set to 103 as well for best accuracy.  Both DIM and P1 values will change with different size wheels/tires and motor design, but these work great with the Big Boats on a Mini with the stock Rad motor.

There are several new features included with the new controller, including ambient air temp (which matches my Thermoworks calibrated thermometer), cruise control which I haven't tried yet, trip timer and a GIGANTIC feature that Rad has never yet implemented - the Trip Time and Trip Distance do NOT zero out when the display is turned off!  That was one of the first things I checked because it always pissed me off to have them clear when stopping for lunch on a ride when the display timed out; now they don't zero unless/until done manually and intentionally, although the display still times out and shuts down after 5 minutes of inactivity, which is great.  Even turning on the headlight is easier; long-press the PAS-up button instead of the two buttons needed by the Rad display.  This controller has an option to display motor temperature as well, but the stock Rad motor doesn't provide that data - if you activate the setting, you'll just see a constant 59F reading, so best to just keep this setting at zero.

And holy crap, this performs as advertised - like a booster rocket's been added under my butt.  As expected without a voltage change, top speed still maxes out at around 25 mph with the motor only (the controller's limit setting is about 42 mph), but that's fine - I wanted acceleration and uphill grunt torque, not more speed.  Have only ridden a couple miles, but ran through all gears and PAS settings, taking it up to a little over 1,500w without any complaints, and it was still climbing when I ran out of road.  Such a great improvement to my bike, just what I was expecting and hoping to see.

A word of caution: this new controller pulls immediately and strongly like a farm tractor with factory parameter settings, so don't blip the throttle unless you're on the bike, the rear wheel's off the ground or you're prepared to let off the gas and hit the brakes immediately - it literally felt like it could pull right out of my hands if I hadn't been prepared to stop it.  It seems that out of the box, the controller disables the throttle in PAS 0, but that may be just when not pedaling for safety, not sure yet, and I need to review the settings to see if this is changeable.  In PAS 1 or above, it leaps instantly when standing alongside the bike at a stop.  Update: I have set C3 (power-up PAS setting) to 0, so that throttle is not available at startup, for safety.

There is a "walking mode" just like Rad's controller, activated by holding the PAS-down button for at least 3 seconds; I tried it with the rear wheel off the ground to confirm it works, but haven't tried it on pavement yet to see if it's faster or slower than Rad's (which everybody seems to think is too fast, including me).

Aside from the display being fairly dim, but still readable in direct sunlight, I have no complaints (although playing with the C6 parameter might help that - UPDATE: it did, although just slightly, and it's now 4 instead of 3) and now have a project to remove the old display and controller from the bike and get the new stuff laced up properly for the long term.  Will probably apply Flex Shot to seal the controller seams just in case, although I avoid riding in wet weather and the Mini ST has a pretty-protected controller mount location.  The box seems to have a gasket in the seam, but Bolton / Area 13 states that it is NOT advertised as waterproof.

Overall, definitely and highly recommended on first impression.

New brakes, new rocket boost, new riding season - good to go!

UPDATE: the chart below is revised - I left my initial settings from 23 April in there, so you can see the few changes I made today.  C5 is confusing, because as near as I can tell it does different things from 0-2 as it does from 3-10.  I changed it from 10 to 0, and this solved the problem I had of the throttle lighting off 100% immediately and a jumpy start; now it ramps up fairly smoothly and works a lot better from a full stop, more like a Rad controller.  It does NOT limit the power to the motor as settings 3 through 10 do - it still ramps up to 100%, just more gradually.  Setting it to 1 or 2 instead of 0 seems to ramp up faster.

I also tried messing with C14 (PAS tuning) which regulates how much "oomph" the motor will provide during pedaling.  Default is 1 (low) and I tried 2 (medium) and 3 (high), ending up leaving it at 1 to let me put some effort into it.  For those with weak legs or other problem who want to rely on the motor more, try increasing it to 2 or 3.

The full manual where I found these extra details can be found here:
https://ebikeescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Bolton_Controller_Manual_Rad_Power_Bikes.pdf

This is linked in Part 2 of the controller-upgrade vids from forum owner Ryan and his brother.... worth watching over at https://youtu.be/fsbcY91alf0

[djsplice]

Hi All,

I'm a new Rad Wagon 4 owner living in the hills of Oakland CA. With the standard controller, the bike had a hard time making it up a few steeper hills on my ride home. 

After seeing a youtube video on the 35A controller upgrade, I decided to take the plunge and make the switch.

The hardest part of the install was designing and 3D printing a bracket to mount the controller to the bike, but now I have a really clean solution. I printed it out of Carbon Fiber reinforced Nylon which is pretty tough stuff... Only time will tell how well it holds up!

Outside of that, controller installation was as easy as it gets and I found the general riding experience comparable to the stock controller - only with more torque. I can now conquer the steep hills that were a struggle before, even with the 2 kiddos on the back. There's probably some more tuning to do on the controller settings, as I've found myself using PA2 instead of PA3 that I was using before... All comes down to personal preference here.

Given that the new controller sends more power to the motor, I'm sure it will impact the battery range, however, range isn't really my main concern - getting back up those steep inclines are! - I consider it a successful upgrade.

[lindseytim]

I installed it on a Radwagon 4. 2022 model. Installation was a breeze and I'm half blind. If I can do it anyone can. No increase in top speed, but that was not my goal. I haul groceries and other things on my bike as well as travel the backroads of rural Georgia. I wanted the increase in power to get up the hills and out of the way when needed. It has not seemed to decrease battery life as I regularly travel 50 miles on a charge. I do carry a spare battery just in case. If you have any additional questions just ask. I'll try to come on here more often. Ride Rad!!

[JimInPT]

I'm a new Rad Wagon 4 owner living in the hills of Oakland CA. With the standard controller, the bike had a hard time making it up a few steeper hills on my ride home. 

That's a cool controller mount - I like it.  When I was going to engineering school at Cal a hundred years ago, I rented a house with a few friends up on Skyline, so I know that area (but I think the house may have burned in that big fire in the early '90s (?); never confirmed that though) and can imagine how beneficial an e-bike must be to conquer those hills these days.  What a great place that was to live for a college kid.

Have fun with your new ride!

[j.rohlfs@comcast.net]

Installed Bolton Bikes (Now Area 13) model 35a controller w/ Color LCD8H controller upgrade two years ago on my RadWagon 4 with great success.  Doesn't take a Star Wars mounting bracket like I've read here, just a simple piece of ply wood, painted . . .  suits the new controller just fine.  Pay attention to mounting, it makes a difference as the cable lengths are tight.

Despite what I've read here, the controller does provide higher top end speed, from 20 to 24.4 MPH (not bad for my "RadDragon/nickname" station wagon).  And I'm a Clydesdale! 

Despite what has been written, the new controller does have a tradeoff caveat (lower range as it sucks battery juice faster to service the 35 amp controllers).  I have two batteries so it's not a big issue, but caveat emptor.

Where the new controller steps up is in the bottom end torque and color display.  Factory fit RadWagon controller is undersized and a dog (understanding they want to save money). 

Bolton Bikes upgrade has beautiful low end torque to get you out of the hole much quicker, to cruising speed.  That low end torque has its advantages grinding up hills as well.  Factory fit controller is an absolute slug climbing hills, this new upgrade takes that away.  Again, there is a trade off, it sucks battery life faster for lower range.

Can't say enough about the color LCD display, very easy on the eyes and easy to navigate.

I waited two years after I procured my RadDragon to install, until the warranty went void.  Rad Power will not warrant your bike if you upgrade add ons.  Understandably.

When I installed the upgrade, Bolton Bikes had disclaimers they had not had any feedback whether this upgrade will work on RadWagon.  I can confirm that the LCD8H is a must enhancement for your ride.

I turn heads on the bike trail.  Don't know if its because I'm hauling "ars" in a station wagon, or people looking at this Clydesdale screaming past them with ease.  In either event, do yourself a favor and upgrade with this controller 1 you are certain to have fun!  That's what its all about right?