Battery best practices

[Kathy Smith]

After my round trip commute I'm finding myself with about 40% or sometimes 50% of battery left. What's the best way to maximize battery life? Do I charge it up to 100% after my commute so I have it ready for next day? Do I not charge it but bring the charger with me and charge it when I get to work, I'll probably have 20% left by then or so, do I charge it just a little bit after my commute just so I have enough for another round trio, or do I run it till it reaches 0% (but that would suck if I'm in the middle of my commute).

Thanks!

 

[jazz]

To maximize life, I use a plug in timer (like - https://www.amazon.com/Century-Plug...?ie=UTF8&qid=1524843329&sr=8-8&keywords=timer) and charge up to 80-85% under normal use. You can estimate roughly what that would be based on how long it takes to fully charge your battery.

If I am going to use it immediately or need more juice for a long trip, I may do 100% now and then. If storing battery for weeks or longer, I do it between 40-60%. Under normal use, I rarely let it go below 20%

 

[Kathy Smith]

To maximize life, I use a plug in timer (like - https://www.amazon.com/Century-Plug...?ie=UTF8&qid=1524843329&sr=8-8&keywords=timer) and charge up to 80-85% under normal use. You can estimate roughly what that would be based on how long it takes to fully charge your battery.

If I am going to use it immediately or need more juice for a long trip, I may do 100% now and then. If storing battery for weeks or longer, I do it between 40-60%. Under normal use, I rarely let it go below 20%

Is 80-85% charge optimal? I hear different opinions

 

[philerooski]

I'm copying and pasting this reply by @Tora Harris to a related thread:

Partial charging is not as harmful as full charging. Deep discharging and full charging decreases cycle life. High discharge and high charge rate also decrease charge cycles.

In a nutshell, use the middle part of the pack unless you need extra capacity, in which case charge it all they way up.

 

[Asher]

Is 80-85% charge optimal? I hear different opinions

70-75% is ideal, but 80% is most of the benefit, and means you have power for longer (battery power flow declines as the charge level declines).

See this thread: https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/how-to-best-charge-battery-for-longest-life.14791/

I use the Century timer linked by Jazz, it's great. My goal voltage is around 51V on my ebike, and each pin on the timer is 15 minutes, and raises the voltage by about 0.3-0.4. So I calculate the number of pins needed - so if the display reads 48V, I need 3 more volts, so that's 9-10 pins (3V / 0.3 Volts per pin), or 2-2.5 hours.

If you know you're going on a longer ride, depending on your battery and fuel economy (25+ miles for me), you charge more.

 

[Kathy Smith]

Great thanks. I read the reviews of that Century timer and people say it's loud. Is that the case for you?

 

[Asher]

I can't say I've ever heard any noise from it. I charge my bike in my garage, far from my bedroom anyhow. Noise isn't going to be an issue unless youre charging next to your bed, when I'm sure you have other places you can charge.

 

[jazz]

Is 80-85% charge optimal? I hear different opinions

I have a pack that I do this with religiously that is 5 years old and voltage still reading near optimal despite hundreds of charges

 

[MisterM]

Luna sells some chargers that let you select 80/90/100% charge and also select the amps you want to use https://lunacycle.com/batteries/chargers/

 

[Kathy Smith]

I can't say I've ever heard any noise from it. I charge my bike in my garage, far from my bedroom anyhow. Noise isn't going to be an issue unless youre charging next to your bed, when I'm sure you have other places you can charge.

I'm in tiny apartment so it might be an issues. It's cheap enough so I will just get it.

 

[Kathy Smith]

I have a pack that I do this with religiously that is 5 years old and voltage still reading near optimal despite hundreds of charges

So ideally when the battery drops to 20% charge it up to 80%. Is that it? Do other batteries work the same way? Like cellphone battery?

 

[Asher]

So ideally when the battery drops to 20% charge it up to 80%. Is that it? Do other batteries work the same way? Like cellphone battery?

For all lithium ion batteries, yes. Your phone as well, but your phone's battery probably costs $10-20.

 

[Kathy Smith]

For all lithium ion batteries, yes. Your phone as well, but your phone's battery probably costs $10-20.

Yes the phone battery is probably cheap, but to replace it (with labor) it's over $100

 

[larry-new]

With a ten dollar timer, you can precharge back to 80% whenever, then go to 100 % just before riding...the battery just doesn't want to sit for any time outside of the 20-80% optimum range.

Elsewhere here is a definitive battery tutorial, which I was lucky to find and read...wonder just where it is...try the Juiced site...How to Maximize Battery Life...

The absolute worst condition is to run to zero, I remember reading.

 

[paraganek]

Luna sells some chargers that let you select 80/90/100% charge and also select the amps you want to use https://lunacycle.com/batteries/chargers/

Those Luna chargers look interesting. I am thinking about getting one for charging my Bosch PowerPack 500. Is anyone using Luna chargers to charge Bosch batteries?

 

[MadManMark]

To maximize life, I use a plug in timer (like - https://www.amazon.com/Century-Plug...?ie=UTF8&qid=1524843329&sr=8-8&keywords=timer) and charge up to 80-85% under normal use.

I have used that style of charger for decades & they are great for things like Christmas lights etc, that you want to go on & off on a schedule automatically. But for purposes of something you just want to control how many hours or minutes it is on, and you'd start at varying time of day each time, something like this would be more convenient: https://smile.amazon.com/Century-Mechanical-Countdown-Timer-Grounded/dp/B00MVDTEXS

 

[ebikemom]

BTW, just met a guy who says he has 20,000 miles on his ORIGINAL battery. I asked about how he charges. He takes lots of short rides, and keeps his bike plugged in in his shop (he runs a Sea Kayaking business) when he isn't using it. He uses it only during kayaking season, and then it sits till the next season. Certainly not "best practices" but he's gotten a lot of life out of that battery!

 

[Trail Cruiser]

Having 3 batteries and 2 chargers, sometimes it becomes chaotic keeping track on all of them. I also have a habit of forgetting to unplug the charger for few days. There were also times that I went out with a half charged battery since it was standing for a long time and it slowly self discharged.

After seeing this thread about "Poor man's battery saver" ,
https://electricbikereview.com/foru...ttery-saver-satiator-a-10-outlet-timer.22564/ , I purchased 2 timers (one for each charger. Itched a marker at the 3 hour position for quick reference (at a glance) when turning the knob.



I only charge halfway (2-3 hours) whenever I come back from the trail. And then charge again to full capacity before heading for another ride.

I don't even unplug it from the wall anymore since it has an "off" position already.

 

[larry-new]

Having 3 batteries and 2 chargers, sometimes it becomes chaotic keeping track on all of them. I also have a habit of forgetting to unplug the charger for few days. There were also times that I went out with a half charged battery since it was standing for a long time and it slowly self discharged.

After seeing this thread about "Poor man's battery saver" ,
https://electricbikereview.com/foru...ttery-saver-satiator-a-10-outlet-timer.22564/ , I purchased 2 timers (one for each charger. Itched a marker at the 3 hour position for quick reference (at a glance) when turning the knob.

View attachment 25581

I only charge halfway (2-3 hours) whenever I come back from the trail. And then charge again to full capacity before leaving for another ride.

i don't even unplug it from the wall anymore since it has an "off" position already.

Got the same one and I do just the same...get it up to 80%, then top it off just before riding.

It's worth noting:

1. We battery types are a subset, the vast majority is not concerned, and Rad Bikes simply says...Around 800 cycles..use, recharge.

2. Since this thread started, the Samsung 35E 18650 batteries are now being used...a denser, longer lasting cell, so most early comments are for the previous generation.

 

[larry-new]

BTW, just met a guy who says he has 20,000 miles on his ORIGINAL battery. I asked about how he charges. He takes lots of short rides, and keeps his bike plugged in in his shop (he runs a Sea Kayaking business) when he isn't using it. He uses it only during kayaking season, and then it sits till the next season. Certainly not "best practices" but he's gotten a lot of life out of that battery!

Wow.