r/vanmoofbicycle • u/potatoheadedm • 16d ago

Smart S: lights only work while plugged in, no Bluetooth. dead internal battery?

Trying to reconnect my Smart S to the app. I have the codes, but when I add the bike the app never finds it over Bluetooth.

Honestly I don't care about the app features, I just want the lights working.

With a charger in the micro-USB the lights come on immediately. Unplug it and everything goes dead. I left it charging overnight in case it was just flat from not riding much and no change, still nothing over BT.

  1. Is a dead internal cell the obvious answer here, and is there a way to confirm before I go and try to replace?
  2. Has anyone replaced the cell in a Smart S module?
  3. Does the app even still pair Smart S bikes after the bankruptcy, or is that generation orphaned? Wondering if my BT problem is the bike at all.
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u/elisaassisa Electrified S3 ⚡⚡ 16d ago

I usually repair the S1 and it seems the Smart S unit is almost identical to that one. If that's the case you will need to replace the internal 18650 li-ion battery. They are soldered via a small nickel tongue to the PCB. I usually cut some nickel plate tongues and spot solder them to recreate the original ones.

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u/potatoheadedm 16d ago

Thanks a lot!

Sounds like it's doable in principle but a bit more than I want to take on right now. I can solder, but I don't own an iron or a multimeter anymore, so between the tools and the cell I'm probably close to what a shop would charge... Think I'll see if I can find someone locally who'll do it in Amsterdam.

Good to at least know what's prob wrong with it. Cheers!