I can't charge the battery

[duggie]

I came back from a ride without any mishap. I knew the battery would be getting near to needing a charge, but it still had energy to do what I'd wanted when I got home. After three days i got round to charging it, but it wouldn't charge. I put it back on the bike and couldn't even get it to turn on the controller. So I have this battery and cannot charge it.

I have left it plugged into the charger for several hours but still nothing at all. On the battery, there are three leds which on pushing a button indicate the state of charge, and this shows two green, one red, so there must at least be something in it.

So, I'm stumped. I don't feel I have abused the battery in any way, so it seems unreal as this could happen to anyone/everyone very easily. Maybe the battery was flat and I should have charged it straight away, but it didn't seem 'flat'. In fact I'd have gone on another bit of a ride. I've only charged the battery twice before as it is a new bike.

Is this normal for a battery? Is there any remedy?

 

[HCooke]

I charge my batteries after each ride. Per the instruction manual that came with the bikes (Pedego)

 

[duggie]

HCooke.......yes, I think I will in future. But such an easy mistake to make, and no warning. I never received a manual. It's a Samsung battery. really, this sort of thing shouldn't be able to happen. I'd assumed that technology was advanced enough to be user friendly, which of course it is, so there is either something wrong or just a shoddy job. It happened so easily that this must be happening to many people. If the bike had shown the slightest 'weakening' of power, but it didn't. It performed perfectly well. I've run drill batteries down to where they will not do anything, but they always charge. I'd never have thought it this day and age.

 

[harryS]

Time to check with the people who sold you the bike, if it's still new.

 

[duggie]

harryS........ it's only 8 weeks old. Yes, I'll try, but it's all at a distance over the internet, no specific contact address, and via aliexpress. It's not good. I will not go that way again. It's probably just going to be another life knock, but that's the price of progress: three steps forwards; one step back. Even with a replacement there is postage, etc. But worth a try.

On the good side, I'm learning. Last week I put a bafang mid drive conversion onto my girlfriend's bike and she is delighted. Also, I've noted that a bafang 1000w mid drive has a max Nm of 160 which could sort out a steep hill problem i have. So this battery thing is just a little bump overall, so excellent are electric bikes.

 

[duggie]

STOP PRESS! Good news......it's charging! I was out of ideas, so had a good look at the battery and decided to check the fuse.....there wasn't one in! When I bought the bike i bought an extra battery, so i checked that for a fuse and there wasn't one in! But it had charged before without a fuse in, but amybe i could have done some damage, who knows. And then I pressed the little indicator led button on the battery and it showed no life at all, no led at all, yet when i had tried this with the charger in it had showed some life. Then for some strange reason I kept the button pressed and turned the charger off and then on, and it started charging. I kept my finger on the button for a minute just to keep it going and then took my finger off and it has continued to keep charging as normal. So that is worth knowing, I suppose. What a good do.

 

[duggie]

I think that has been a close shave. My lesson is to not be too worried about running the battery lowish as it's being used, but to make sure it is not left standing in that condition for any time, so to wack it on charge as soon as back at base.

 

[AHicks]

I think that has been a close shave. My lesson is to not be too worried about running the battery lowish as it's being used, but to make sure it is not left standing in that condition for any time, so to wack it on charge as soon as back at base.

Do as you like, but in the interest of max battery life, I would avoid BOTH of those situations. Running a battery down that low is really hard on them from a longevity standpoint....

 

[harryS]

Could be a charger issue. If your GF's bike uses the same voltage, try her charger next time, if it happens again.

I've got one charger that won't start if the battery level is on the low side, so if I happen to encounter that, I use another charger that will start.

There's a low voltage circuit in the bike controller, and there's a low cell limit circuit in the battery. Both will keep your battery from being discharged to unsafe levels, but neither are set to the higher levels recommended for maximum life. Of course, for max life, you would keep your battery around 40-45% charge and never use it,

 

[duggie]

AHicks and harryS............ Thanks, it's great to learn. I know so little about electronics. I really appreciate your advice. I may never be able to help you and the others here, but in my other life there may be others i can help in stuff I do know about, so I'll repay by helping then. I feel so bad, haha, but I do, pitching up here when something is wrong, just taking taking taking, haha. I smile, but it is true. Thanks

 

[AHicks]

AHicks and harryS............ Thanks, it's great to learn. I know so little about electronics. I really appreciate your advice. I may never be able to help you and the others here, but in my other life there may be others i can help in stuff I do know about, so I'll repay by helping then. I feel so bad, haha, but I do, pitching up here when something is wrong, just taking taking taking, haha. I smile, but it is true. Thanks

That's fine by me. Lending a hand where you can is an absolutely awesome plan! BRAVO!