Satiator vs Luna Advanced charger

[gkgeiger]

Tell me why I need the $299 vs the $85 charger? Do I need either one? Here's what Luna says:


So, you want your battery to last a long time?…remember that most people will not ride their ebike 500 times in their lifetime. Maybe hard to believe, but 500 charges is the typical lifespan of a 18650-cell ebike battery. And, 500 charges will take nearly anyone a long time to get through. So our first advice is not to worry about it and ride it like you stole it. By the time your ebike battery is used up, there will probably be some amazing technology around and you will want to replace your old clunky battery anyway. Also, most people will damage their ebike battery from abuse (dropping etc) way before they use it up from natural wear and tear.

 

[WilliamT]

I thought about getting a Satiator a few years back, as I have different voltage batteries. These days I just use what came with the battery or get some of those Luna advance chargers. They work great even on batteries that have been abused; run down completely. In those cases, the cheap standard chargers won't charge those.

What Luna says sounds right. For me, having more Luna chargers is better than having a single Satiator.

 

[GypsyTreker]

I totally agree with and appreciate Luna being up front about something they could profit from. The same way location, location, location applies to housing, need, need, need applies to so much available in EB's, RV's, Boating etc.

 

[jimmyhat1978]

I agree that the Luna charger would make the most sense if a smart charger is what you think you need. I wonder what connectors would be required to use that charger with the 52V 19.2A batteries coming on the Juiced CCX. Any ideas? I don't see alot of options on the Luna site for adapters.

 

[indianajo]

I built a charger out of surplus parts so I could charge my battery to 80 or 90% to make it last as long as possible. Every charger for sale in 2017 was 100% charge. The one I built is 16"x5"x4" and weighs 6 lb.
Now you can buy the Luna advanced with a 80% 90% 100% switch. It is 2"x2"x6" and weighs a pound. I could take that on an overnight trip with me and not have to leave my change of clothes at home. I bought one.
BTW there is no way I'm going to drop my battery. More likely to have it destroyed in a car wreck than drop it. It's bolted on; I don't have to take it off to charge it and I don't have to take it off when I leave the bike cabled to a pole on the street. BTW the battery mount was hit by one car already. Geezer turning right on red while looking left, ran right into me stopped in the crosswalk. Had to replace the angle aluminum the battery was mounted on.
I made an adapter from the X60 connector Luna is using to the insulated spade lugs I use. My luna battery had XT60 but the one I soldered on the 100% charger I keep at the summer camp fell off. No 150 W soldering iron out there and the wind was high in my face, so I cut the XT60 off the Luna battery & the charger and put crimp insulated spade lugs on, which I do have out there. If you use insulated spade terminals, reverse the sex for + and - so you don't plug it in backwards.

 

[Browneye]

My new Trance comes with a 6ah 'smart charger' with a button that shuts it off at 60%. Charge to storage level in under an hour.

 

[gkgeiger]

Who's comparing them. My question was do I need one? I've made my decision.

 

[Ebiker01]

You don't know the benefits that's why you are asking.
But even if we present them , it is still not the same as having one and learning through using it.


Ex:

I carry the Grin for road charging, need a fill up, i stop , 7.2amps rate in 20minutes about 200wh.
Is set for 54.6v , max. rate on road.

Luna stays @home for slow battery charge- 5amps and is set for 90% top.

If i had 2 Lunas , but no Grin, is 7.2amps vs 5amps charge rate which in my case is imp.
Less wait to charge.

Plus i use Grin to charge 36v and other batteries with different chemistry.

Luna is vastly inferior in many regards, has no settings, no Usb to Pc connection for cell level history and other parameters.

 

[Ebiker01]

Tell me why I need the $299 vs the $85 charger? Do I need either one? Here's what Luna says:


So, you want your battery to last a long time?…remember that most people will not ride their ebike 500 times in their lifetime. Maybe hard to believe, but 500 charges is the typical lifespan of a 18650-cell ebike battery. And, 500 charges will take nearly anyone a long time to get through. So our first advice is not to worry about it and ride it like you stole it. By the time your ebike battery is used up, there will probably be some amazing technology around and you will want to replace your old clunky battery anyway. Also, most people will damage their ebike battery from abuse (dropping etc) way before they use it up from natural wear and tear.

so many FAKE assumption and lies here:


- 500charges DOES NOT MEAN 500rides. If charging on the go 2x or 3x you already have 3charges ...


- an 18650 battery LAST LONGER THEN 500cycles. If you charge to 90% and use to 20% , IT CAN LAST 2-3000 cycles !!!

- AND NO, MOST PEOPLE ARE VERY CAREFULL WITH THEIR EBIKE AND THE BATTERY.


- OLD BAT. CAN HAVE NEW CELLS . NO NEED TO THROW IT OUT !!!
18650 cells out, 21700in and so. on..

What a disaster of spreading panic is the above post... i'm disappointed in Luna.

 

[Browneye]

Ya, luna makes more sense for me. Ill be lucky if I get a couple dozen cycles in a year. Battery packs are the least of my worries. Tires are of much greater concern.

If I had a commuter that got ridden every day, that would be a whole 'nother ballgame.

 

[indianajo]

Luna is vastly inferior in many regards, has no settings, no Usb to Pc connection for cell level history and other parameters.

there are hundreds of thousands of products that interface with PC or cell phone: windows or apple or android only.
there are tens of millions of people that have had their windows op system PC hacked or damaged. Android makes the news for hacks 2 or 3 times a year. Apple, a few times.
I use linux op system on my PC, and have had one virus in 16 years. No virus scan fees. No automatic updates when I turn the computer on. That is worth it to not have the fanciest of products that interface with windows.
My home computer is doing better than professionally managed ones at Anthem, US government, and a credit bureau: that were hacked and spread my personal information all over the universe.
Linux is used by poor people. Not businesses. Not worth hacking.

 

[linklemming]

As I recall, there are quite alot of reported Luna failures on endless sphere.

I found this out while researching why my new Luna charger would only trickle charge. Luna promptly replaced it, no issues.

I originally selected the Luna over the satiator.

I now own a satiator, not even a comparison in quality/capability/versatility.

 

[harryS]

i can't speak to its reliability, but luna sells a charger with decent specs. one can select 80/90/100% and also adjust the current level, and it has an LCD display for voltage. I've had their 52V unit, which is selectable 80/90/100%, but no LCD or current options. I got that in January of 2017 so it's lasted 3 years. The 48V model, currently on sale for $85, must be what gkgeiger is looking at.

I would think the chargers that are coming with his two Ride-1Up's will be enough, but if he wants to use the luna charger, why not.

 

[tomjasz]

Ya, luna makes more sense for me.

Akin to using JAWA parts on a BMW R1200GS.

 

[gkgeiger]

Akin to using JAWA parts on a BMW R1200GS.

Do you work for them?

 

[smorgasbord]

Comparing the Luna to a Satiator is nonsense.

The Satiator is $350 USD. The Luna chargers are $85 - $100. You can go through 3 Luna chargers and not spend as much as one Satiator. As for quality, the ones you have experience with were from almost 5 years ago.

There are two functions many people want, and Luna's chargers have them both:
1) The ability to charge faster than the standard 2 amp chargers that come with most bikes.
2) The ability to charge to only 80% or 90% full, as well as 100%.

Note that almost all batteries that use the 5.5mm barrel connector should not be charged faster than 5 amps anyway. I wonder who really takes advantage of the advanced programming the Satiator offers.

If you need to carry your charger with you, or for some reason want a single charger to also charge your ten year old drill's NiMH batteries or your lead acid car battery, it may be worth spending hundreds of dollars more to get the Satiator. OTOH, if you and your spouse ride together, spending $700 on chargers so you can both charge at the same time is a pricey way to go.

 

[smorgasbord]

Here's what Luna says:
...

Is that really what they say? Here's what I found on their web site:

"A quality battery pack made from authentic name-brand 18650-format cells should last for over 1000 charge and dis-charge cycles. If you drain your battery pack once a week, then your pack should last over 3 years. However, you might be able to more than double the battery packs life by charging it at a lower (slower) charge rate (3A instead of the faster 5A or 7A), and also if you only charge the pack to 80% of its maximum voltage."

Your quote is from 2016, and not within lunacycle.com that I could find.

 

[smorgasbord]

Also on their site,
"This site and the materials and products on this site are provided "as is" ...

To continue beyond your ellipses:

"Luna Cycle LLC does not represent or warrant that the functions contained in the site will be uninterrupted or error-free, that the defects will be corrected, or that this site or the server that makes the site available are free of viruses or other harmful components. Luna Cycle LLC does not make any warrantees or representations regarding the use of the materials in this site in terms of their correctness, accuracy, adequacy, usefulness, timeliness, reliability or otherwise. "

You're worried about a warranty on the web site now?

 

[gkgeiger]

no but I road JAWA and BMW.

I was talking about Satiator. LOL

 

[GypsyTreker]

I think the Luna, for my needs, will suffice. Something I can keep in my rack bag in case I miscalculated on a one battery ride.