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Welcome to the forums @Rad rider 
Thank youWelcome to the forums @Rad rider
Smaug
Active member
Late to the party, but I think the reason they bury the fuse is to discourage experimenting, modding and other tinkering, then trying to make a warranty claim because the modding didn't go well.
When designing, they figured "This fuse will NEVER blow unless the bike is modified, in which case warranty is void, so this is an easy way to detect modding before having to pay out warranty repairs."
Their logic is not 100% accurate, as we can see here, but we can see why they do it this way. Hoggdoc, for example, was doing some stuff not authorized by the manufacturer. They don't want to be liable for that stuff, in case someone is hurt and/or their house burnt down as a result.
When designing, they figured "This fuse will NEVER blow unless the bike is modified, in which case warranty is void, so this is an easy way to detect modding before having to pay out warranty repairs."
Their logic is not 100% accurate, as we can see here, but we can see why they do it this way. Hoggdoc, for example, was doing some stuff not authorized by the manufacturer. They don't want to be liable for that stuff, in case someone is hurt and/or their house burnt down as a result.
I watched a you tube video the disassembled my battery expecting to find the easily accessible, readily visible red 10a fuse. It’s not there. Following other recommendations, I took the entire battery assembly out of the case. Still no easily identifiable fuse. Can anyone help me locate it?
Rad Rover 6 + that I got mid year 2022.
I am an Electrical Engineer with 45 years of experience. I've designed and and tested EVs. What RAD did with putting the fuse inside the battery is not only dangerous, stupid, and incompetent, but may violate many regulations by SAE and OSHA.
Furthermore, the coax connector used for power carries 55V at up to 10A, or nearly 600W. This connector is commonly used in portable electronics. It should never be used for this purpose.
What were they thinking? Forcing semi-skilled people to replace the fuse is akin to defusing a bomb. Will it take a Li-Ion discharge that blinds some unfortunate soul to force them to do the right thing?
Rad needs to issue an immediate recall on all their semi-integrated batteries and chargers. Else they're looking at a possible class action lawsuit.
Furthermore, the coax connector used for power carries 55V at up to 10A, or nearly 600W. This connector is commonly used in portable electronics. It should never be used for this purpose.
What were they thinking? Forcing semi-skilled people to replace the fuse is akin to defusing a bomb. Will it take a Li-Ion discharge that blinds some unfortunate soul to force them to do the right thing?
Rad needs to issue an immediate recall on all their semi-integrated batteries and chargers. Else they're looking at a possible class action lawsuit.
Click on Rad Power and you get a "404 Page Not Found" error. Guess they stopped supporting them.
I own two RadCity Plus 5 step-thru bikes. Both battery packs blew their fuses. The first time, my wife stuck the charger plug into the batter key lock (seems to be a common mistake). This not only blew the fuse, but damaged the charger. So when I tried this charger on my bike, a huge spark and loud bang occurred, blew a hole in the connector, and blew the fuse. Scared the s**t out of me. It even burnt the paint.
I was able to repair the battery but wasn't easy. The aforementioned video is more or less correct but a bit dated as Rad changed the design slightly. The fuse is not accessible as it sits too far back to grab. You need to remove both ends of the battery pack and carefully cut the black silicon RTV that holds the battery in place using a sharp knife or paint scraper. Then you need to push the battery out so that you can access the fuse. I did this by clamping the battery pack in a padded vice and gently tapping on the other end with a 1x1 or 2x2 piece of wood and a rubber mallet so as not to puncture the battery. Once pushed out about 2-3cm, I carefully cut the area around the fuse and was able to replace it. I then covered it with Kapton tape (electrical tape is OK), pushed it back into the tube, attached the ends and now I have a battery that can be charged. Next I need to do the same for the other battery.
My previous E-bike had an external fuse holder that allows you to change out the fuse using a screwdriver. And it used a round power cable connector similar to what you'd find on a trailer that is designed to handle 10 amps. Looking at the Rad battery, there is enough room to hold these components.
I was able to repair the battery but wasn't easy. The aforementioned video is more or less correct but a bit dated as Rad changed the design slightly. The fuse is not accessible as it sits too far back to grab. You need to remove both ends of the battery pack and carefully cut the black silicon RTV that holds the battery in place using a sharp knife or paint scraper. Then you need to push the battery out so that you can access the fuse. I did this by clamping the battery pack in a padded vice and gently tapping on the other end with a 1x1 or 2x2 piece of wood and a rubber mallet so as not to puncture the battery. Once pushed out about 2-3cm, I carefully cut the area around the fuse and was able to replace it. I then covered it with Kapton tape (electrical tape is OK), pushed it back into the tube, attached the ends and now I have a battery that can be charged. Next I need to do the same for the other battery.
My previous E-bike had an external fuse holder that allows you to change out the fuse using a screwdriver. And it used a round power cable connector similar to what you'd find on a trailer that is designed to handle 10 amps. Looking at the Rad battery, there is enough room to hold these components.
Riding Rad
New member
My battery just failed after having it for 4 months. only recharged about 4 times. I did not stick a key in the charging port and always changed it per the manual. It was working and the LED light lit up (4 bars) prior to charging. After removing the battery, (after unplugging it) is when it failed. I also noticed that this battery is a separate purchase from when I bought the bike. The out recovery looks just a little bit different it looks more rough and not smooth and shiny. I'm thinking this is either a second or third generation version of this particular battery. I sent a repair ticket notice through their website and I'm waiting for a response.
I did all that you mentioned in your post (removed the entire battery assembly from the case), but still can not identify the fuse. There doesn’t appear to be a fuse, and everything is coated in some sort of hardened plastic material. Any idea where it is (or did you happen to take any pictures as you were doing to repair?
My bike is pretty new, so I think they upgraded the battery (again), seemingly to make it even more difficult to DIY-repair.
