How sensitive are e-bike batteries to heat? Can it be removed often?

[freddiebox]

Hello people!

I live in central Sweden where the climate can be extreme. Ridiculously warm summers, and cold long winters. I read that e-bike batteries are sensitive to warm temperatures. Now we have over 30°C and my storage room where I keep my e-bike is like a greenhouse where temperatures become tropical. During winters the storage room is the same as the outside temperature plummeting down to -15-20°C. So I was wondering if I should just remove the battery after every ride and store it inside my apartment at room temperature. Obviously I don't use the bike during winters and store away the battery inside my apartment for the whole season. But autumn and spring in Sweden can be just as cold as winters and is also a time when I use the bike often.

Are there any problems with removing the battery often, or is it just up to the convenience of the user? I also remove the battery and bring it to work every day to discourage bike thieves.

 

[ebikemom]

I would absolutely remove my battery rather than keep it in a very hot or very cold location. If you have a well-made bike there should be no risk to your bike or battery in removing it and bringing it indoors. Charging also is more effective when the battery is not too hot or too cold.

 

[Figs]

Yes, take it inside. Here in Texas we have HOT summers, and it can get below freezing in winter often. I always take my battery inside for storage and charging.

 

[freddiebox]

Great! The battery is a simple unlock with key and slide system to disconnect. But well other than that avoiding to park the bike in direct sunlight or rain for long periods should suffice?

While on the topic of batteries my battery have a small power switch just next to the level indicator. I assume by holding this buttun it will turn off the indicator and cut off feed to the bike. Should leave this on or turn it off when the battery is not in use?

 

[6zfshdb]

I don't know what brand of bike / battery you own but it certainly wouldn't hurt to turn the switch off.

Some batteries have Bluetooth transmitters built in to transmit battery data to smartphones or other equipment. In the case of my Pedego batteries, leaving the switch on causes the battery to discharge very slowly since it powers one of these Bluetooth transmitters.

 

[freddiebox]

No features like bluetooth. Just a battery and a computer displaying data such as distance travelled, distance remaining, temperature, and battery level. The bike is a swedish brand Crescent Elmo 7VXL City-bike. The motor is an E-going 250W with their own E-going 36V 11AMP battery pack.

I did also read in the manual that you should never expose the battery to vibrations or shock. I facepalmed at this part because the bike is receiving vibrations and shock during normal everyday use... Curbs, cobblestone roads, damaged roads, uneven terrain, heck even riding on road markings give some serious vibrations. How is this avoidable? Do they mean vibrations and shock as in taking out the battery of its holder and throwing it high in the air and have it land on concrete? They don't make this very obvious in the manual. If they mean vibrations overall I don't think any e-bike would live every long.

 

[ebikemom]

Should leave this on or turn it off when the battery is not in use?

Turning it off will turn off the battery. Some batteries will turn themselves off after some minutes of not being used--mine turns itself off after 30 minutes.

 

[ebikemom]

Do they mean vibrations and shock as in taking out the battery of its holder and throwing it high in the air and have it land on concrete?

I think this means not to drop or abuse the battery.