Grin Technologies Main9 User manual

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
The Main9
Superharness
User Manual – Rev P3
Grin Technologies Ltd.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
ph: (6 4) 569- 9 2
email: [email protected]
web: www.ebikes.ca
Copyright © 2024

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
1 Introduction....................................................................1
2 Connectors......................................................................2
2.1 Front Signal Plugs...................................................................................2
2.2 DC Light Plugs........................................................................................3
2.3 Mains Signals Plug..................................................................................3
2.4 Programming Port..................................................................................3
3 Control Functionality....................................................4
3.1 Standard Throttle...................................................................................4
3.2 Bidirectional Throttle ............................................................................5
3.3 Digital brake Control...........................................................................5
3.4 Analog brake Control..........................................................................6
4 Display Options..............................................................7
5 DC Light Ports...............................................................
5.1 Front Port.................................................................................................8
5.2 Rear Port..................................................................................................9
6 Installation...................................................................10
7 Setup and Configuration Mode...................................11
7.1 ntering Setup Mode...........................................................................11
7.2 Configuring Front Light Port..............................................................11
7.3 Configuring Rear Light Port...............................................................11
7.4 Configuring Digital brake Behavior.................................................12
Additional Details.........................................................12
8.1 Minimum Throttle Current.................................................................12
8.2 Running Without a Throttle................................................................13
8.3 Regen with Dual Throttles...................................................................13
8.4 Multiple Regen Modes..........................................................................13
8.5 L D Fault Codes...................................................................................14
9 Specifications...............................................................15
9.1 lectrical...............................................................................................15
9.2 Mechanical............................................................................................15

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
1 Introduction
Most generic ebike systems have some variation of a main cable harness.
This connects to a multi-pin plug on the motor controller on one end, and at
the other end splits out into separate throttle, ebrake, display and light ports
near the handlebars.
Grin’s Main Superharness is a device that looks similar to this for use with
our V6 Phaserunner/Baserunner controllers. Unlike conventional harnesses,
it contains an internal circuit board to provide extra functionality.
These features include:
Multiplexing various possible brake signals (digital, analog,
bidirectional throttle) into a unified regen command to the motor
controller.
Enabling high wattage front lights to be turned on and off via a
display console.
Enabling a port for the activation of rear brake lights.
Providing protection against faulty accessories.
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Figure 1: Example of a Mains Harness (Green)
Figure 2: Superharness contains active circuitry

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
2 Connectors
The Superharness uses overmolded Higo equivalent ebike connectors for all
signal lines. These plugs are waterproof and reliable when connected, but it
is possible to damage the pins by forcing them in the wrong way. Be sure to
align the arrows and double check that you are matching the same pin count
on the male and female sides.
Unlike the JST-SM and other standards, you cannot easily probe the signals
for troubleshooting.
2.1 Front Signal Plugs
The front signals are all of the female Higo MiniB standard. Not all cable
suppliers use the same colour-to-pin mapping or even the same signal
mapping. We have shown some alternate known colour standards in
brackets.
hrottle Plug (3P Higo MiniB)
The throttle hookup is a conventional 3
pin Higo standard and expects to see a
hall-effect throttle with a ~0. to 4.2V
command signal range.
Ebrake Plug (4P Higo MiniB)
The ebrake employs the seldom used 4
pin Higo plug. In addition to 5V and Gnd
pins, it has both digital and an analog
ebrake inputs for use with both
conventional cutoffs and proportional
brake levers.
-2-
Figure 3: he alignment arrows can be subtle and hard to see. Jamming
connector when missaligned can damage pins.

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
Display Plug (5P Higo MiniB)
The display plug uses a 5 pin Higo
connection* wired in one of the more
common of several known pinout
standards.
*Note, some displays are using the same 5 pin
connector but with different choice of the pin
assignments. A wrong pinout can easily fry
things. Observe that Batt+ is black.
2.2 DC Light Plugs
5.5 x 2.1mm DC Plugs
The front and rear power ports use 5.5 x
2.1mm DC jacks and present full battery
voltage on the pins when enabled.
These use low side MOSFET switches, VBatt
remains connected when the power port is off.
2.3 Mains Signals Plug
9 Pin Mains (Male Cusmade 1109)
The pin main hookup to the
Phaserunner or Baserunner
controller uses a male Cusmade
110 connector. The Tx and Rx lines
pass through to the display.
The controller turns on when Key+ is
shorted to Batt+ via the display. Note
that the throttle output of the
Superharness goes to the blue wire
(called Analog Input 2/Brake1) of the
controller.
2.4 Programming Port
<Diagram>
RRS Programming port
Finally a TRRS jack is used for firmware
programming and debugging purposes during
development. This is a factory connection only.
-3-
1 - N/C (Grey)
2 - 5V (Brown)
3 - Rx (Purple)
4 - N/C (Green)
5 - Throttle (Blue)
6 - Batt+ (Red)
7 - Key+ (Orange)
8 - Gnd (Black)
- Tx (White)
1
23
4
5
6
7
8

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
3 Control Functionality
The Superharness is able to combine the signals coming in from throttle and
ebrake devices into a single voltage output to the motor controller. That
output signal floats at 0. 5V, increasing to 3.6V for maximum power, and
decreasing to 0.0V for maximum regenerative braking.
3.1 Standard Throttle
A standard hall-effect ebike throttle plugs into the 3 pin yellow Higo
connector. This signal is expected to sit at around 0. V with throttle off and
increase to 4.1-4.2V at full throttle engagement.
-4-
Figure 4: Single throttle output voltage of Superharness controls both power
and regenerative braking in Phaserunner/Baserunner controllers.
Figure 5: Signal output of a typical throttle. Green LED increases in brightness
with throttle position. Pinout shows male throttle side Higo connector.

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
When the throttle is activated, the green LED will change in brightness from
a low dim colour to full intensity allowing you to verify correct throttle
operation.
3.2 Bidirectional Throttle
The bidirectional throttles (sometimes called wig-wag throttles) also plug into
the yellow 3pin Higo plug. These throttles supplied by Grin sit at 0. V by
default, increasing to 4.1V in the forwards direction and dropping down to
0.0V in the regen direction.
With forwards motion the green LED will increase in brightness just like a
standard throttle. In the regen direction, the yellow LED will glow as well.
*Note: Other vendors of bidirectional throttles will often sit at 2.5V at rest
instead of 0. V. These throttles naturally will not work as their resting
voltage is indistinguishable from a valid throttle. Contact Grin about potential
modification options for compatibility.
3.3 Digital E rake Control
Almost all ebrake sensors currently on the market are digital, either with a
magnet and reed switch, a mechanical limit switch, or a powered hall sensor
switch. The digital ebrake is activated by shorting pins 1 (Digital Signal -
Yellow) and 2 (Gnd - Black) of the 4 pin ebrake plug.
-5-
Figure 6: Bidirectional throttles have mid point, allowing both forward and backward
twisting. In neutral position signal should sit at ~0.9V. wo-way throttles with 2.5V
midpoint are not compatible.

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
The red LED will illuminate at full brightness whenever the digital ebrake is
pressed, and the output behaviour can be customized (see section 7.4). By
default it is shipped so that when the ebrake is active, the superharness
outputs 0.6V to the motor controller, equivalent to 25% regen. If the throttle
is engaged at the same time, green LED will light up with increasing intensity
and the output signal will decrease all the way to 0.0V to provide maximum
regen.
3.4 Analog E rake Control
The analog ebrake is also hooked up to the 4 pin Higo plug but uses the pin
3 (blue) to provide a ~1V - 4V proportional braking signal. When the analog
brake is engaged, the red LED will light up and increase in brightness as the
lever is depressed.
As the brake signal increases from 1V to 4V, the throttle output to the
controller decreases in proportion from 0.8V down to 0.0V, providing 0 to
100% regen control from initial movement of the brake lever. Continued
application of the brake lever will engage the mechanical brakes while regen
remains at 100%.
-6-
Figure 7: Most Ebrakes are switches that connect the ebrake signal line to ground when
the brake lever is pressed. Pinout shown is from male connector perspective.
Figure 8: When throttle is engaged at the same time as digital brake cutoff, it controls the
regen intensity by modulating output down to 0.0V

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
We recommend having just one analog brake lever hooked up to the
harness. That way it is possible to employ the mechanical brakes without
any regen as well by using the other lever.
4 Display Options
An ebike display is required on the 5 pin plug both to turn the system on and
off, and to regulate the assist level from the motor. Grin offers several vetted
display models to choose from of different sizes and form factors.
These displays all operate on the KM5s protocol and the Superharness
monitors the controller to display communication.
KM5s is one of several limited function UART protocols that has spread in
the world of generic Chinese ebike systems, and a number of potential
displays can work in some capacity. However there is no simple way to
-7-
Figure 9: he analog brake lever has the same 1V - 4V nominal ouput as a throttle. he
Superharness remaps this into a 0.8V - 0.0V regen command.
Figure 10: Small displays are available with integrated buttons (left), while larger central
displays have separate handlebar switch. Male side display pinout shown. System only
powers on when Key+ is switched to Batt+.

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
know what communication protocol is programmed on a given device and
Grin cannot offer any assistance for hooking up and troubleshooting other
displays beyond what is documented in this manual.
Our system prominently features regenerative braking which results in
negative current and negative wattage on the display, and our displays have
been customized to handle signed values and show this properly.
5 DC Light Ports
The two 5.5 x 2.1mm DC jacks are
primarily intended to power front and rear
bike lights, but they can also be used
more generally to run other accessories
like USB phone chargers, sound
systems, handgrip heaters etc.
Each port has self resetting short circuit
and overcurrent protections and can
handle 1.5 amps - about 50 watts with a
36V battery pack. Internal polyfuses
inside the controller will limit the total
combined draw.
The devices plugged into this port must
be rated to run at the full ebike battery
voltage. 12V devices will need to be run
from a DC-DC converter.
The functionality of these DC power jacks can be customized depending on
the usage needs.
5.1 Front Port
The front light port is configurable in one of two modes
1. Always On: Power to the front light port is activated whenever the
Superharness is turned on. This would be the typical mode for
running accessories or front lights that have their own on/off switch.
2. Controlled by Display: Power to the front light port is activated by
the display. The display light function is activated by holding the “up”
assist button for several seconds. This mode is ideal for front lights
or other accessories that don’t have an on/off switch.
-8-
Figure 11: 5.5 x 2.1mm jacks provide
convenient access to DC battery power
for accessories.

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
5.2 Rear Port
The rear DC power port can be setup in one of five possible modes
depending on the desired behavior
1. Always On: Power to the rear light port is activated whenever the
Superharness is turned on.
2. Controlled by Display: Power to the rear light port is activated by
the display’s light control.
3. Brake Light: Power to the rear light is turned on whenever the rider
is actively braking, whether using the digital brake cutoff, the analog
brake levers, or bidirectional throttle engagement. This behavior is
active regardless of the display’s light control. It is ideal for systems
running a separate brake light from their regular rear light.
4. Blinking + Solid Brake Light: The rear light runs at a 2 Hz blinking
mode when the display's light control is on and converts to a steady
light whenever the brakes are engaged. This mode allows the same
light to serve as both a regular rear indicator light and as a brake
light. This mode is best for simple lights without switches and mode
control. Not all models of ebike light appreciate being strobed
externally.
5. Solid + Blinking Brake Light: This final mode is an inversion of #4,
namely the rear light will be on steady whenever the display lighting
is turned on, and it will switch to a blinking light when braking is
engaged.
-9-
Figure 12: he rear light port can be used as a brake indicator in modes 3, 4, and 5.

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
6 Installation
The Superharness is designed to mount beside the stem of the bicycle with
the LEDs visible to the user. A tilting mounting bracket is supplied to secure
it in place with two cable ties. The pin cable runs backwards on the
downtube to the Baserunner or Phaserunners motor controller, while the
signal cables face forward in front of the handelbar.
A 1.5m length of spiral wrap and a velcro sleeve is also included to tidy all
electrical cables. In most setups, the neatest installation is achieved by
having the ebrake and throttle cables follow parallel with the existing shifter
or brake housings. The spiral wrap holds these together and eliminates the
need for any cable ties.
Where the brake/shifter housing approaches the bike frame, the electical
cable can split upwards and connect with the Superharness plug.
This 'S' shaped configuration provides the flexibility for one standard cable
length to fit neatly with a range of bike hardware. The velcro sleeve can
then be used to wrap around all the connectors, and any excess cable (say
for the front lights) can be bundled up inside this sleeve.
-10-
Figure 13: Recommended wire management strategy that eliminates need to bundle excess
cable. Wires (shown red) should follow existing shifter/brake cable housings (black). Multiple
short pieces of spiral wrap is easier to handle than one long length.

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
7 etup and Configuration Mode
The behavior of the front light port, rear port and the digital brake input can
be customized via a setup process that uses the brake lever as a button.
7.1 Entering Setup Mode
Power on the device while the ebrake lever is depressed to access the setup
mode. The yellow LED will blink rapidly to indicate that setup is active.
Note that if at any point the throttle is engaged, the device will exit setup
menu and switch to normal operation. That way if the lever is accidentally
pressed when the bike was powered up it will still run as expected once the
user touches the throttle.
7.2 Configuring Front Light Port
On releasing the lever, the green LED will blink in a
flash pattern to indicate the selected control mode:
1 Blink = Always On
2 Blinks = Controlled By Display
Tap the ebrake lever to switch modes. Hold the ebrake
lever for 3 seconds to select the current front mode
(yellow LED will glow bright once it is saved).
7.3 Configuring Rear Light Port
After the front light mode is saved, then the red LED will blink to indicate the
rear port control mode:
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Figure 14: Accessing the setup mode. Yellow LED will strobe.
Figure 15: Front Port

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
1 Blink = Always On
2 Blinks = Controlled By Display
3 Blinks = Brake Light
4 Blinks = Blinking Rear + Steady Brake Light
5 Blinks = Steady Rear + Blinking Brake Light
Tap the lever to select the desired behavior, and then press
and hold the ebrake lever for 3 seconds to save it.
7.4 Configuring Digital E rake Behavior
After the rear light mode is configured in the setup menu, both
the red and green LEDs will blink together to indicate the selected behavior
for the digital brake input.
1 Blink = Ebrake Cutoff Only, No Regen
2 Binks = .6 V (25%) Baseline Regen, Increases to
1 % With Throttle
3 Blinks = .4 V (5 %) Baseline Regen, Increases to
1 % With Throttle
Pressing the brake lever toggles between the three
options and holding the lever for 3 seconds will save it to
to the device and exit the setup mode.
8 Additional Details
8.1 Minimum Throttle Current
Conventional throttles can have a problematic failure mode if there is a
break in the throttle’s ground connection. With only 5V and Signal lines
connected, the signal voltage will often sit between 3.6-4.2V,
indistinguishable from an actual full throttle.
In order to detect this rare fault condition, the Superharness measures the
current flowing to the throttle and only responds if at least 2mA is being
drawn. If the current is below this threshold and a signal voltage is present it
will blink a throttle fault condition (see 8.5).
If the throttle input is controlled with a potentiometer or other voltage source
instead of a hall effect throttle, an additional resistor between 5V and Gnd of
the throttle plug may be required to draw the necessary current.
-12-
Figure 16: Rear
Port Setup
Figure 17: Ebrake
Setup

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
8.2 Running Without a Throttle
Grin always recommends having a throttle on the ebike even if the primary
control mode is with a PAS or Torque sensor. There is no downside to
having a throttle available and it can be an invaluable backup if there are
ever problems with the pedal sensor or drivertrain.
That said, the Superharness will function just fine without a throttle attached.
The digital ebrake will provide a modest braking force, while the analog
ebrake will allow full zero to maximum regen brake control.
8.3 Regen with Dual Throttles
The signal range for the analog brake sensor is identical to a regular hall
effect throttle, allowing for interchangeable use of a throttle device instead of
a proportional brake lever. A short 4 pin to 3 pin Higo adapter cable can be
used for plug and play hookup of a secondary throttle device to control
regenerative braking.
This mode is especially useful on systems with hydraulic brakes where there
are few options to add a linear sensor to the existing brake lever hardware.
8.4 Multiple Regen Modes
Most users are expected to use just one of the three possible regen control
modes based on the hardware that works best for their system; either a
digital brake cutoff with throttle modulation, an analog brake sensor, or a
bidirectional throttle. But it is possible to have two or even all three of these
inputs hooked up at the same time.
If there are multiple regen signals active simultaneously, the Superharness
will prioritize the proportional analog brake signal over the other modes.
-13-
Figure 18: A regular throttle may be used as proportional regen control

Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
8.5 LED Fault Codes
The embedded red, yellow and green LEDs do not need to be seen in
normal operation but they provide useful feedback about the state of the
Superharness and associated peripherals for setup and troubleshooting.
These are discussed in section 3 Control Functionality and summarized in
the table below
able 1: LED Control Mode
Yellow LED Pulsing Standby heartbeat mode. Device is behaving
normally without any active signals
Green LED Varying Throttle is active ( 1.1V)
Red LED Varying Analog ebrake is active ( 1.1V)
Red LED On Full Digital ebrake is active
Red + Green Varying
Digital ebrake active with throttle modulation
Yellow + Green Varying
Bidirectional throttle
in regen mode (< 0.8V)
As well, there are a blinking modes to indicate fault conditions. In all blinking
fault condition, the throttle output will not exceed 1.0V to prevent driving the
motor.
able 2: LED Fault Flash Codes
Blinking Green Throttle Fault – Throttle signal was active
during power on. Clears automatically when
throttle goes low
Blinking Green + Yellow Throttle Fault – Active throttle signal with
insufficient throttle quiescent current.(eg,
disconnected throttle Ground)
Blinking Red + Yellow Low Voltage (<4.5V) on 5V Bus
Blinking Red Firmware CRC Fault - Contact Grin
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Superharness User Manual
Rev P3
9 pecifications
9.1 Electrical
Voltage Range 12V- 0V
Front DC Port Over-Current Trip 2.0 A +- 10%
Rear DC Port Over-Current Trip 2.0 A +- 10%
Minimum Throttle Current 2.5 mA
Maximum current from 5V 30mA
Quiescent Current when On 5-8mA plus accessories
Quiescent Current when Off Depends on display. 0 mA from
superharness
Communication Protocol KM5s
9.2 Mechanical
Dimensions LxWxH 64 x 20 x 11 mm
Weight 74g
Main9 Cable Length 83 cm
Front Higo Cable Lengths 10 cm
Waterproofing Fully encapsulated electronics. Fine to use in
the rain, not for submerged applications.
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