Charging question - don't overcharge?

Or just a)overbuy on the battery at the start so you have extra capacity and b)do what you can to be smart and not stupid about charging, while at the same time not letting the unquestionable reality about battery degradation harsh your buzz with regard to using your bike.

Letting a battery charge to 100% is not so much the bad thing. Its letting it SIT at 100%. So I charge to 80% and if on the day of the ride I think I need some more juice I hook it back up right before I leave. Like... when I get out of bed. Its charging while I shower, shave, poop and pack my lunch.

Don't want to use your brain? Fine just charge and when the thing dies younger than it could have, open your wallet and buy a new one. Behavior has consequences and no amount of denying they exist will change that.

On the battery charger-showing-80% thing, Luna sells them but even they acknowledge they have a hell of a time getting a reliable supplier. Follow these instructions and spend about 1/3 of what you would for a Satiator. These have MTBFs in the hundreds of thousands of hours since they are meant for commercial outdoor applications. I show them carried in pouches here, but since they are weatherproof I have them permanently mounted on some of my heavy duty bikes.

Since I started using these in 2018, I haven't had a single failure and I typically charge my daily driver twice daily.

talesontwowheels.com

An Ultra Reliable Ebike Battery Charger…

How about a charger – quickly adjustable for voltage and current – that is rated for hundreds of thousands of hours of use before it typically fails?
talesontwowheels.com talesontwowheels.com
 
Last edited:
You guys are wrong . All your over charging stats if that's what you want to call them . Really don't apply to Li-ion batteries . Ask a Guy in the Pressure washing business . They all carry deep cycle trickle charged batteries . Sure it's bad to overcharge a regular battery . But this doesn't apply with E-bike batteries . I think Specialized has a 300 cycle warranty Most E-bike batteries can take 500 Cycles .
If you take the worse case and say My bike gets 30 miles per battery cycle . At 300 cycles that's what ??? 9,000 miles at 500 it's 15000 miles . Now make it even worse and cut that in half at just 4500 miles .
I would pretty much guess most of us won't go that many miles in 5 years . Some 10 years . I know I won't . And I ride much more then my friends ride . Their idea of a ride is a weekend fun time with several couples .
SOOOOOO as to not upset the guru's of battery charging . If you want to charge your Lithium Battery to just 80% be my guest .
Or enjoy your bike . Because if you are over 65 . Your battery may live longer then you . Unless you use it and abuse it . Your health vs it's lol I've also read more then one article that state the battery quality chargers don't really charge to 100% anyway . Sorta like you gas gage at full really isn't full . The car wouldn't start . So you are essentially wasting your time .
Take the cell phone . My wife charges her's everyday . She did when it was new. I run mine until it flashes and sometimes dies . After 3 years my phone holds a charge under full use at least 3 1/2 hrs . Here's if she's on it 2 hrs it's almost done .
 
Last edited:
Jesus Christ just charge the damm bike and ride it everyone here worrying about the battery must have way too much time on their hands should be out riding instead
 
Zekeer said:
You guys are wrong . All your over charging stats if that's what you want to call them . Really don't apply to Li-ion batteries . Ask a Guy in the Pressure washing business . They all
Click to expand...
Zeeker, regarding charging, there are 2 general lines of thought.

1. Charge to 80% and ..... and..... whatever......

2. Charge the bike and ride it.

Figure out which camp suits you better, and go for it! I doubt seriously you are going to change many minds when it comes to converting somebody from one camp to the other. The term "diminishing returns" might apply here....
 
Cds36 said:
Jesus Christ just charge the damm bike and ride it everyone here worrying about the battery must have way too much time on their hands should be out riding instead
Click to expand...
Jesus Christ ?
AHicks said:
Zeeker, regarding charging, there are 2 general lines of thought.

1. Charge to 80% and ..... and..... whatever......

2. Charge the bike and ride it.

Figure out which camp suits you better, and go for it! I doubt seriously you are going to change many minds when it comes to converting somebody from one camp to the other. The term "diminishing returns" might apply here....
Click to expand...
LOL I know it ;)
 
Cds36 said:
Jesus Christ just charge the damm bike and ride it everyone here worrying about the battery must have way too much time on their hands should be out riding instead
Click to expand...
Who's worried. It seems just the inane are.
 
Last edited:
Posting again, the Battery University chart from the Cadex study. Focus on the 1000 DST cycle, unless you really plan to recharge every single day, Then 4000 cycles is over 10 years,
.
In 1000 cycles, or 5 years of riding for me, charging to 100% costs me 3% more in lost capacity than charging to 85%. That's not worth the bother to me or the loss in range.
.
Mt Hicks already pointed it out, but I will repeat. What is not shown here is the difference between leaving it stored at 100% and charging to 100% a day or two before riding. You will lose capacity leaving a battery at full charge, probably just as much as using it daily.

DST-cycles-web2.jpg
 
I'll chime in. 4000 miles on my SL. And I have/use range extender. I only charge to 100% if I'm going to ride immediately after the charge and only if I need the battery full due to really long ride. I don't charge to 100% if I know the bike will sit or I might just be doing a shorter ride where I know the bike already has enough charge. And - I don't typically let it go down under 20% and if it does I'll only charge it back up to about 80% if I'm not going to ride right away. And I never leave the bike charging after it's done - I pull the plug. All this based on what I've read about maximizing rechargeable battery life. That said, I don't ever worry about it if I don't stick to the above routine. Not worth it. Love the bike so much that if either the main or extender battery needed replaced I'd do it.
 
People think that it some kind of work or inconvenience to charge to 80%.
If you don't use/need full battery capacity for most rides it's really quite simple with zero downside. My setup allows me to charge to any level and with any desired changes made in less than 10 seconds beforehand.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Gionnirocket said:
What makes me laugh is that people think that it some kind of work or inconvenience to charge to 80%.
If you are smarter then a paper clip and don't use/need full battery capacity for most rides it's really quite simple with zero downside. My setup allows me to charge to any level and with any desired changes made in less than 10 seconds beforehand.
But I guess if the science or the practice is beyond your capabilities... Enjoy 🙃
Click to expand...
You had to buy a 350.00 charger to do it for you.otherwise 80% is mostly guesswork really.
 
fooferdoggie said:
You had to buy a 350.00 charger to do it for you.otherwise 80% is mostly guesswork really.
Click to expand...
No, but go on...
I had dozens of customers that managed it quite well within a volt or less. I don't know why it would get to be almost Religulous on both sides of the discussion.

My $300 charger does ALL 3 of my battery voltages. It tracks my batteries over their lifetime and allows me to charge at varied amps. Added to my Grinspecter battery tester I can get accurate data on battery condition and check the claimed Ah. Both tools were invaluable for someone with more eBikes than he needs and in helping customers in my support years.

I've always preferred the best in tools. I find the criticism especially odd coming from riders on $3500 PLUS proprietary bike systems locked into an LBS.

Now don't get me wrong.

I've evolved and come to appreciate Bosch systems and their utility and excellent service lengths, but that's NOT my world. Unfortunately, my experience is only predicated on what I consider good science and the sales of a thousand or so batteries over 7 years, and in doing support with hundreds of those customers. But I'll stand those anecdotes against the fellas with a couple of batteries and it seems the loudest are often the one bike wonders. Or members like "Mikes' the Ignorer".
 
It happened again last night. I accidently charged the battery to 100% and left it overnight.

If I keep doing this I'll get barely 1/3 of the charge cycles.
 
fooferdoggie said:
You had to buy a 350.00 charger to do it for you.otherwise 80% is mostly guesswork really.
Click to expand...
Nope...look back at post #43.
I can charge to any voltage down to 0.1v accuracy for less than $25 and maybe 2 hours of initial easy bench work.
It has worked flawlessly for every charge for two+ years and with 3 different chargers and 3 different batteries. It has a static memory for easily repeated charges along with being fail safe.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Gionnirocket said:
Nope...look back at post #43.
I can charge to any voltage down to 0.1v accuracy for less than $25 and maybe 2 hours of initial easy bench work.
It has worked flawlessly for every charge for two+ years and with 3 different chargers and 3 different batteries. It has a static memory for easily repeated charges along with being fail safe.
So I guess I'm smarter than the average bear, huh booboo 🙃
Click to expand...
right so you have to calculate it all out .sounds like more of a hassle then its worth I don't like to have to stress on my batteries I rather just ride. Now if I was making money with it it may be worth the time.
 
fooferdoggie said:
right so you have to calculate it all out .sounds like more of a hassle then its worth I don't like to have to stress on my batteries I rather just ride. Now if I was making money with it it may be worth the time.
Click to expand...
What are you talking about?!?!
I'm sorry if it hurts your brain but a 48v battery is very easy to chart SOC.
I've wasted 10x more time arguing with morons on here in just one day 🤣


I did this once 2 years ago in all of a minute and keep it on my phone. That said I rarely need to change my setting as my ridding time is pretty static.

40% =. 42.5V
45%. =. 43.5V
50%. = 44.5V
55% = 45.5V
60% = 46.5V
65% = 47.5V
68%. = 48V
70%. = 48.5V
75% = 49.5V
80%. = 50.5V
85%. = 51.5V
90% = 52.5V
95%. =. 53.5V
100% = 54.6v
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
LUNA 36V ADVANCED CHARGER
Replies
0
Views
382
rcdanner
R
C
Turbo Vado 5.0 Three-year review
Replies
9
Views
2K
Kayakguy
K
D
I think I killed my battery pack. Advice?
Replies
2
Views
2K
Gionnirocket
Gionnirocket
E
Bosch SmartphoneGrip wireless charger on Tero
Replies
1
Views
1K
KAMOLUS
K
S
Battery charging procedure
Replies
4
Views
884
6zfshdb
6zfshdb
Back