New owner with battery question
- Thread starter darksky
- Start date
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Because 48V is just a nominal value.
I love Micah's videos
As @Timpo says you likely have a 52V battery, not 48V - ie likely 14 cells in series @ nominal 3.7V/cell = 51.8V rather than 13 cells in series @ nominal 3.7V/cell = 48.1V (Micah's video explains that nominal 3.7V/cell is a bit of a stretch, and 3.6V/cell is more realistic)
But you need a 58.8V charger to charge a 14 cell 52V battery (which your bike would have come with if you have a 52V battery) to reach full charge, rather than a 54.6V charger to charge a 13 cell 48V battery.
No different to your car, which charges at 13.8V for your 12V car battery - and the charge voltage is always a smidge higher than you're likely to read on a volt meter if you disconnect the battery and measure the battery voltage.
As @Stefan Mikes says, the battery voltage is nominal - your battery voltage continuously drops from full charge to depleted - in Micah's video he shows a graphic where a "48V" battery goes from full charge at 54V to depleted at 39V...it would break the laws of physics if a battery delivered current to a load and stayed at the same voltage.
cheers
Mike
As @Timpo says you likely have a 52V battery, not 48V - ie likely 14 cells in series @ nominal 3.7V/cell = 51.8V rather than 13 cells in series @ nominal 3.7V/cell = 48.1V (Micah's video explains that nominal 3.7V/cell is a bit of a stretch, and 3.6V/cell is more realistic)
But you need a 58.8V charger to charge a 14 cell 52V battery (which your bike would have come with if you have a 52V battery) to reach full charge, rather than a 54.6V charger to charge a 13 cell 48V battery.
No different to your car, which charges at 13.8V for your 12V car battery - and the charge voltage is always a smidge higher than you're likely to read on a volt meter if you disconnect the battery and measure the battery voltage.
As @Stefan Mikes says, the battery voltage is nominal - your battery voltage continuously drops from full charge to depleted - in Micah's video he shows a graphic where a "48V" battery goes from full charge at 54V to depleted at 39V...it would break the laws of physics if a battery delivered current to a load and stayed at the same voltage.
cheers
Mike
6zfshdb
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Northeast Pennsylvania
I have five Pedego batteries identical to yours. They are in fact 52V batteries. As pointed out in the video posted by Timpo, many batteries rated at 48V by the manufacturer are in reality 52V. I found this out by accident when I bought a Grin Satiator charger. When programmed for 48V, it would only charge the Pedego battery to 78%. Reprogramming the charger for a 52V battery brings the charge up to 100%.
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have you considered only charging them to 80%?
less range but longer battery life
Mike
6zfshdb
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Northeast Pennsylvania
I store them at 80% or below but usually charge to 100% just before a ride since I need the range. I bench test the batteries occasionally and after 3 seasons, they have lost about 10% of their original capacity. It isn't clear if this loss is due to age or use.
My plan is to either replace the cells after 8 years or replace the battery with one of the new lighter weight, higher capacity units now under development. It is also possible I will want to replace the bike by then as well. I see no sense in babying a battery to the point where it outlasts the useful life of the bike or it's technology.
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