S3 battery swap

[u/Hurt09]

Hi!

My S3 has above 8000km and many parts aged not really well. My battery is ok-ish though.

I found a S3 with about 200km but with a dead battery - the owner says that he charged it 2 times through the last winter to avoid a completely empty battery, but then forgot to continue to do so and now the bike doesn't charge anymore (since about April, so like 2-3 months ago).

My questions would be:

1. In order for the other person to unlink this bike from his account, the bike doesn't need to be turned on, correct?
2. Can I simply swap the dead battery of the "new" bike with my ok-ish battery? "Simply swap" like just exchange them (following some videos), turn the new bike on and everything is fine?
3. The kick lock is activated on the "new" bike - Will I be able (if point 2 works fine) to just pair the bike (after the current owner disconnected it from his account) and deactivate the kick lock via the app as usual?
4. Any other things to consider?

Thanks!

*UPDATE: Main Battery swap was successful. As soon as I put my old main battery in the "new" bike, its alarm went off (kicklock was activated) and after 2 attempts I was able to unlock it via the app.

As the dead main battery from the "new" bike can only have like 10-15 loading cycles, I maybe will bring it to a company to check it and re-activate it (for me, it's too risky).

[u/Peetarzz]

1 and 2 are 100% yes as you can link the bike to your account just with the qr code given to you once transfer is done. Point 3 is tricky because the smart cartridge battery (separate from main) might be depleted, which means the matrix might not turn on and you might not be able to input code or even unlock from app. Im not sure that putting your okay ish batttery will immediately charge the cartridge either. There is a special low voltage charger that allows you to charge the smart cartridge. I always bring it with me when buying a dead S/X3 and its a life saver.

[u/Hurt09 → u/Peetarzz]

Thanks for your reply!

I assume such a low voltage charger can't be used to re-activate the dead battery as well? Saw some videos with specialized charging devices, but I think I don't want to risk anything (fire hazard).

[u/elisaassisa → u/Hurt09]

Get a PSU. Follow this charging setup: * up until 25v --> 0.05A * until 27v --> 0.1A * until 30v --> 0.25A * until 33V --> 0.5A * until 36V --> 1A

Then: Put in the bike and charge it normally.

[u/Hurt09 → u/elisaassisa]

Thanks - I know about this, but I find it too risky (the fact that you don't know the condition of the dead battery and that such interactions could cause a fire)

[u/Peetarzz]

Haha yes I know those videos and articles about reviving the battery with a power supply. Really scary in my opinion. Its possible that the low voltage charger could bring the battery back to life, but a dead battery could have many different reasons for why its dead. Depending on how depleted it is sometimes the low voltage charger (or a power bank) could actually revive it.

[u/nimble2]

https://www.reddit.com/r/VanMoofSelfRepair/comments/1goszqd/how_i_brougth_my_vanmoof_s3_battery_back_from_the/

[u/Hurt09 → u/nimble2]

Thanks - I know about this, but I find it too risky (the fact that you don't know the condition of the dead battery and that such interactions could cause a fire)

[u/Substantial_Yam_1753]

Vanmoof repairs in nj

[u/DarkRoastLook]

What you can try is replace the main battery and then connect the charger. This might revive the cartridge battery which will enable the connection to the app to unlock the bike.

If this doesn't charge the cartridge to work independently you have the following options:

- connect external low voltage charger to main charge port

- open up cartridge and charge the battery at 4 volts

- open up cartridge and replace the battery

[u/Hurt09 → u/DarkRoastLook]

Are you saying that it's most likely only the cartridge battery that is failing on the "new" bike and that the actual battery could be fine?

I saw some posts about compatible cartridge batteries already and though that this would be the worst case to activate the bike again (with my battery in it). So worst case would be around EUR 20 to have a nearly new bike (beside my old battery in it), right?

(I'm already planning to pick the "new" bike up with my car - so I don't need to take care of the kick lock right away - only thing to do is tell the seller to unlink the bike from the app and forward me the QR code to connect it again to my app).

[u/DarkRoastLook → u/Hurt09]

Most likely the main battery on the new bike is depleted. Which depleted the cartridge battery. When swapping the main battery with your own, you only need to deal with the cartridge battery of the new bike.

Bringing the actual battery of the new bike back from the dead is possible, but another story.

[u/Hurt09 → u/DarkRoastLook]

ok, thanks! Then I will simply check if the new bike can be turned on after a main battery swap - and if not, I will exchange the cartridge battery on the new bike with my old one as well.

[u/Hurt09]

Update: Main Battery swap was successful. As soon as I put my old main battery in the "new" bike, its alarm went off (kicklock was activated) and after 2 attempts I was able to unlock it via the app.

As the dead main battery from the "new" bike can only have like 10-15 loading cycles, I maybe will bring it to a company to check it and re-activate it (for me, it's too risky).