Author Topic: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets  (Read 234319 times)

Sebastian

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1290 on: January 16, 2025, 05:50:21 AM »
The battery status in the app was pretty accurate for me at least after one or two charges. The low battery warning on the head unit however is a well documented bug that hasn’t been fixed yet. It happened on my Wahoo, too. The only way to stop it is to disconnect the groupset  from the head unit.

amacal1

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1291 on: January 16, 2025, 08:22:08 AM »
Guys, running ERX for 4 month now, so far working but with annoying message from Garmin everytime that the shifter battery is low.
I run into issues with wet weather and cold temperatures. Battery died quickly, although the App/Derailleur shows that the battery is fully charged.

It seems that using the App leads to incorrect charging, so do not try to read the battery status with the App. Just plug the cable into the RD and let it charge.

Did the battery die to the point that it couldn't shift? Or, were you just using the head unit's warning as the indicator that it died?

All of the Ltwoo groupsets seem to report bad battery data to the head units, but for me the app has never indicated anything other than reality. What the app says is true, what the head unit says is likely not.

crazycat

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1292 on: January 16, 2025, 04:25:06 PM »
Sorry for the lack of clarity!

@jonathanf2: I’m aware that the warning from the head unit is a bug; I just wanted to mention it.
@amalcal1: My battery dies suddenly, and I couldn’t shift.

Let me explain the issue in more detail:

It first started when I wanted to ride home, but the battery was dead. This was surprising because just a few hours earlier, I finished a ride without any problems.

I charged the battery, and the solid green lights appeared very quickly. That’s when I started checking with the app.
The app showed the battery at 100%, but when I disconnected and reconnected the app (without the charging cable), it dropped to about 8%.
When I reattached the cable, the solid green light came back quickly, and the app again showed 100%.

It got so bad that I could only shift gears once or twice before it stopped working, even though the charging cable had shown a solid green light.
So, I left the app closed, attached the cable after the rear derailleur went idle, and it started blinking green. However, whenever I opened the app, the green light turned solid again.

After charging (attach the charging cable when the derailleur is in idle mode) without opening the app, the green light stayed blinking and only turned solid after 2-3 hours.

This is why I suspect there might also be an issue with the app.

amacal1

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1293 on: January 16, 2025, 09:33:42 PM »
Sorry for the lack of clarity!

@jonathanf2: I’m aware that the warning from the head unit is a bug; I just wanted to mention it.
@amalcal1: My battery dies suddenly, and I couldn’t shift.

Let me explain the issue in more detail:

It first started when I wanted to ride home, but the battery was dead. This was surprising because just a few hours earlier, I finished a ride without any problems.

I charged the battery, and the solid green lights appeared very quickly. That’s when I started checking with the app.
The app showed the battery at 100%, but when I disconnected and reconnected the app (without the charging cable), it dropped to about 8%.
When I reattached the cable, the solid green light came back quickly, and the app again showed 100%.

It got so bad that I could only shift gears once or twice before it stopped working, even though the charging cable had shown a solid green light.
So, I left the app closed, attached the cable after the rear derailleur went idle, and it started blinking green. However, whenever I opened the app, the green light turned solid again.

After charging (attach the charging cable when the derailleur is in idle mode) without opening the app, the green light stayed blinking and only turned solid after 2-3 hours.

This is why I suspect there might also be an issue with the app.

Any chance you have a bad battery / cell? Any way you could pull them out and check them with a battery tester or multimeter?

Serge_K

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1294 on: January 17, 2025, 02:22:05 AM »
FWIW, having broken too many ER9 to keep count, i can recommend https://eu.nkon.nl/rechargeable/li-ion/14500-16340/size/14500.html as a source for batteries. I bought several pairs of "EagleTac 14500 750mAh - 2A", and they are so much better than the batteries i had originally. I have never used the original ltwoo batteries.
These batteries hold their charge soooooo much longer, it's day and night. they were ~5 eur each, and shipping was ~10 eur, so ideally, you have friends who need batteries too to avoid paying 20 eur for 2 small batteries.
Now, these batteries dont prevent RDs from self destructing for no reason (aka "the ltwoo guarantee"), but your group is much less likely to die mid ride because the batteries dont hold a charge well, and shifting is more reliable, crisper, because the battery isn't $hit.


Fast on the flat. And nowhere else.

Sebastian

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1295 on: January 17, 2025, 02:34:26 AM »
From my experience there’s basically three sources of battery problems:

1. The batteries themselves obviously which can only really be verified with a testing unit. I bought a testing/charging device and all my batteries turned out to be well within spec.
2. Connectivity issues between the charging port and charging cable. Clean that port on the RD well with alcohol. Any dirt and contact issues can lead to weird behaviour upon charging. I even had the battery discharge instead of charge when the connection was less than perfect.
3. If none of that is an issue and all the cables are perfectly attached, no moisture or water ingress, then the RD is probably to blame. Because it’s the brain of the whole system and manages charging.

Ok. That was more than three problems. But you get the idea.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2025, 02:36:51 AM by Sebastian »

crazycat

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1296 on: January 18, 2025, 01:12:56 PM »
Its either the battery or the RD. I didn't do a capacity test, but when the app tells that the battery is full, I measured the voltage and it was 4.1 for each cell.
Again, brought back bike after 5km only today, put cable on and removed it after green light came up continuously. Then open the app, and status was 86%.
If I attach the cable again (RD didn't go into idle), green light appears continuously (battery full).
But after I wait until RD goes into idle and then attach the cable, it is blinking and charging further for a while.

Anyway, I don't bother to debug anymore, will replace it with Shimano soon.

mrpercussive

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1297 on: January 19, 2025, 04:57:50 AM »
Any chance it could be a phantom drain? Mine did that and it turned out the rear derailleur wouldnt sleep or something and kept draining the battery. Got it warrantied and 80 Designer Store sent me a new derailleur

crazycat

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1298 on: January 20, 2025, 03:43:09 PM »
Probably both, IdK. Today it starts to flashing red and green, and when attaching the charger it turns into a solid green. No description of those alternative flashing between red and green can be found in the manual...
But all points to battery, bc this behavior happens when I come back from outside... in the morning, when the bike stays in the warmth overnight it starts the charge again.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2025, 03:49:39 PM by crazycat »

mrpercussive

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1299 on: January 20, 2025, 08:21:04 PM »
Probably both, IdK. Today it starts to flashing red and green, and when attaching the charger it turns into a solid green. No description of those alternative flashing between red and green can be found in the manual...
But all points to battery, bc this behavior happens when I come back from outside... in the morning, when the bike stays in the warmth overnight it starts the charge again.

Have you tried cleaning the port? Like both the charger and where the thing clips on. Alcohol lens wipe? When mine got a little dirty it didn't want to be charged. I just cleaned it and it was all good. Yea not having any kind of rubber dirt cover was an oversight

jonathanf2

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1300 on: January 21, 2025, 09:41:08 AM »
Anyone receive the TT trigger updates for the app? I've been cruising Chinese social media and it looks like the LTwoo TT equipment will launch very soon (or maybe it has already) and so will the new ER9/X groupset as well. Having compared the EGR and the original ER9, the small improvements with the EGR are noticeable. More recessed RD port for better water sealing, better brake caliper performance, better shifting haptics and slightly longer shift levers at the ends (maybe 1cm longer).

I'm also interested in the new FD design. The original ER9 FD works, but it's still not as good as a Shimano FD. Plus I wonder if Shimano has a patent on FD plastic skid plates? My ER9 FDs are starting to brass. Compared to my Shimano FDs with skid plates, they still look practically brand new.

jonathanf2

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1301 on: January 21, 2025, 12:56:46 PM »
Has anyone swapped out their 12t/11t jockey wheels for Ultegra 11t/11t wheels on their ER9? I'm running one of my ER9 setups with 50-34/11-34t and I've been getting chain drops with this setup on 50km/30mph plus bumpy downhills. On my other ER9 52-36/11-32t setup, this isn't an issue. I'm guessing this is why 11-32t is the official in-spec max cassette size. I wanted to see if going down to 11t on the lower jockey wheel might help mitigate the chain drop issue by allowing me to move the cage closer to the cassette. I'll report back if this might help.

BTW - I'm staying with the ER9 reversed lower/upper jockey wheel configuration (compared to Shimano). I'm not sure why LTwoo does it this way. Even the EGR has this configuration, but it seems to shift fine.

I'm just quoting myself here, but I did switch out my jockey wheels and eventually went with the appropriate Shimano Ultegra upper and lower jockey wheel configuration. I was able to place my ER9 RD cage as low as possible and I did notice slightly better chain stability on fast/bumpy downhill descents with no chain drops. It was an issue previously using the stock 12t lower and 11t upper LTwoo jockey wheels. On my other ER9 52-36t/11-32t setup, chain drops isn't an issue on very bumpy terrain. This is why it had me wondering what could possibly be the difference between the two configurations and I figured it probably had something to do with the cage setup. I'd highly recommend switching to an 11/11t jockey wheel configuration using an 11-34t cassette to get the closest optimal performance.

jonathanf2

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1302 on: January 24, 2025, 09:38:09 AM »
Just found more pics of the ER9 TT setup and a close-up of the USB-C FD charging port. Looks like ZRace might also be supplying their new XG4 4 piston calipers with the new TT groupset.

toxin

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1303 on: January 24, 2025, 10:36:21 AM »
no shifting buttons on the brake units, big miss

jonathanf2

Re: LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets
« Reply #1304 on: January 24, 2025, 11:33:49 AM »
no shifting buttons on the brake units, big miss

I don't do TT so I wouldn't