Battery charging

[Thomasz]

I have searched the forum and found some guidance, but would appreciate concise answers to the following. This is my 1st e-bike (getting old now, so replacement costs do play a role). A 2023 Turbo Levo with a 700w battery. I have a solar installation with Li-ion batteries and wonder if the same rules apply.

1. I assume it has an overcharge function? Surely I cannot be expected to check the charge level overnight and disconnect when full? Assume I ride into the early evening and want to do so again early the next morning. Should I use a timer to be safe?

2. I understand the concept of DOD. With solar batteries, one would typically limit the discharge but it charges through the day to 100%. Here I read that it may be beneficial to not charge to full. This does not make sense to me. What is the best DOD? My solar batteries can run to 0%, but have always set to a recommended 10%. The latest app update limits it to 20%. Clearly, manufacturers want to guard themselves by playing it "safe".

3. What counts as a charge cycle? Can I charge from 50 or 80%, or must I wait and plan my rides so that it gets lower before I charge? The assumption is that the number of cycles is separate from the health of the battery, i.e., I can charge as much and whenever I want without worrying about cycles when generating health reports and possible claims.

Thank you for your attention and time!

 

[Amoto65]

I would never leave a battery charging overnight or when I wasn't in the same building, unlikely it will ever happen but have you seen clips of e-bike fires, they are lethal.

 

[Thomasz]

I would never leave a battery charging overnight or when I wasn't in the same building, unlikely it will ever happen but have you seen clips of e-bike fires, they are lethal.

Yes, I get that. But with an overcharge function, I would expect it to stop charging and not explode. This is not a no-name battery?

 

[Amoto65]

Totally agree Specialized use the best cells etc but it only needs to go wrong once, regarding the battery charging cycles one complete charge is made up of a 100% charge ie if your battery is at 50% and you charge it to 100% that will only count as half a charge so twice would be one full charge and 75% to 100% x 4 would count as one charge etc etc.

 

[harryS]

All ebike batteries has a Battery Monitor System, BMS, which tries to keep the battery within safe operating conditions, It's a critical component, BMS circuits do vary in quality and reliability, and the cheaper ones will eventually wear out. .I'm sure Turbo Levo doesn't use junk parts, but if you like being careful, you don't charge a battery unsupervised.

 

[Thomasz]

All ebike batteries has a Battery Monitor System, BMS, which tries to keep the battery within safe operating conditions, It's a critical component, BMS circuits do vary in quality and reliability, and the cheaper ones will eventually wear out. .I'm sure Turbo Levo doesn't use junk parts, but if you like being careful, you don't charge a battery unsupervised.

Yes, I agree. I am careful -but I don't want to set my alarm or check the status every hour. If that is what is required, then that is fine. It just detracts from my expectations. A cell phone with a good charger can be left on charge overnight, although I am sure some will advise against it. I guess a timer is then the "safe(r)" option".

 

[Chargeride]

Quality electronics with multiple circuitry fail to safes.
My Yamaha charger is 170 quid, you can buy cheap ones for 25 quid.
I use both, never had a failure, but I wouldnt charge with the cheap one without the battery being in a remote fireproof container, thats my own failsafe, a barbecue at the bottom of the garden.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Our highly credentialed resident battery expert is @Ravi Kempaiah , owner of Zen Electric Bikes. When in doubt, do what he says. He has several definitive posts and videos on battery care.

Based on Ravi and other credible sources, I keep my battery between 80% and 20% charge whenever possible. I charge to 100% before long rides now and then but don't let the bike sit at 100% more than a day or so.

I don't charge when asleep or away from home and use only the chargers sold with the bike. Since we have 2 identical bikes except for battery capacity, I ended up with a 2A and a 4A charger. The latter's used only when I'm in a hurry.

I use a simple but reliable timer that cuts power to the charger after a set amount of time. For example, I've learned that my 2A charger adds roughly 15% per hour when my 20 Ah battery's in the 20% to 80% range. (NOT so linear outside that range.) Then I set the timer conservatively and come back to see if it needs a little more time to hit the target.

Your battery should be balanced now and then. Others can provide the details.

 

[Chargeride]

The battery explosion in a lift video is doing the rounds again, its simply terrifying.
I kind of assumed that a battery going thermal would fizz and smoke and I could quickly lash it outside.
Whatever tech was in the battery, or how it was built, its not far off a hand grenade.
The poor guy is consumed before he can react.

 

[gromike]

.... thats my own failsafe, a barbecue at the bottom of the garden.

Is that barbecue in the bushes at the bottom of the garden?

 

[fooferdoggie]

it's simple to get a timer that turns off after 6 hours or whatever simple piece of mind.

 

[Thomasz]

Our highly credentialed resident battery expert is @Ravi Kempaiah , owner of Zen Electric Bikes. When in doubt, do what he says. He has several definitive posts and videos on battery care.

Based on Ravi and other credible sources, I keep my battery between 80% and 20% charge whenever possible. I charge to 100% before long rides now and then but don't let the bike sit at 100% more than a day or so.

I don't charge when asleep or away from home and use only the chargers sold with the bike. Since we have 2 identical bikes except for battery capacity, I ended up with a 2A and a 4A charger. The latter's used only when I'm in a hurry.

I use a simple but reliable timer that cuts power to the charger after a set amount of time. For example, I've learned that my 2A charger adds roughly 15% per hour when my 20 Ah battery's in the 20% to 80% range. (NOT so linear outside that range.) Then I set the timer conservatively and come back to see if it needs a little more time to hit the target.

Your battery should be balanced now and then. Others can provide the details.

Thanks for the info Jeremy! Much appreciated. I will have a look at his posts.

 

[Thomasz]

The battery explosion in a lift video is doing the rounds again, its simply terrifying.
I kind of assumed that a battery going thermal would fizz and smoke and I could quickly lash it outside.
Whatever tech was in the battery, or how it was built, its not far off a hand grenade.
The poor guy is consumed before he can react.

Yeah, saw that - he upgraded it himself. Horrifying!

 

[greeno]

#1. Yes the charger will automatically disable the charge function when battery reaches a full charge state.
The light will go from red to green. Probably not the best to charge it overnight but it will not hurt anything.
Just a heads up the charger itself will get frikken HOT when charging as there is no internal fan to keep the temp down. Charging current is 4amps.
If you discharge battery down to 20% it will take about 4 hrs to top back up.

#2. You are perfectly fine charging your battery to 100% consistently.
Do you think the guys with the SL series bikes charge theirs to 80%?
I have battery’s that are 6 years old and they still charge at 100% capacity and work as good as the day I got them.
Your battery should last longer than you will keep your bike.
If Your bike or battery is going to sit for a while 50% charge state is the recommendation.

My wife’s bike battery which she rides 2x a year has a 52v battery and it’s been sitting in the garage for 3 mos and I just checked the voltage and it was 58.4v, I could top it off in 20 min if I needed to.

#3. A charge cycle is anytime you use the charger on it, weather it’s for 4 hrs or 10 minutes it still counts as a cycle.
Spec. doesn’t care if you charge from 10-100% or from 50-80%.
Let the bike sit for 15 minutes after finishing your ride before charging to let everything cool back down and you will be good to go.

Just got back from a 2 hr ride. Started at 100% and ended at 41% 24.2 miles a little over 2k elevation.
battery will take about 3 hrs to charge.

 

[Amoto65]

A charge cycle is not anytime you use the charger, at least not on the sl Creo

 

[Amoto65]

one charge cycle is counted when the battery accepts its entire charge capacity regardless of whether it happens in one or several charge sessions. So if you rode from full to empty, charging up to full again counts as one charge cycle, or charging a fraction of a full charge after each short ride counts as one cycle when the sum of the many charges equals the total battery capacity.

 

[Chargeride]

I wonder if the high end packs can be plugged in to find the charge cycles.

 

[Thomasz]

#3. A charge cycle is anytime you use the charger on it, weather it’s for 4 hrs or 10 minutes it still counts as a cycle.
Spec. doesn’t care if you charge from 10-100% or from 50-80%.
This appears to be accurate. Bought it with 324kms on the clock but 32 with cycles, which does not make sense.

 

[greeno]

2023 Levo Comp Carbon before ride today my app said 8 charge cycles completed.
Rode 26 miles, 2540’ elevation, 2 1/2 hrs.
Battery at 100% to start came home at 32%.
Charged back up to 100% and now charge cycles registers 9.
Actual eyeball observation.
Different model bike, different software, maybe different perameters.
3 of my buddy’s have an Expert, SL, and Sworks and they all count the partial charges the same.
Just my .02

 

[Amoto65]

Now go and ride it for 5 or 10 miles then charge it and see what it says.