Stromer battery maintenance

[Operator7]

What is the way to optimize battery life and performance? I have heard a few different things on when to re-charge, and such. When do you recharge your battery, and what other things should be known about when and how much to charge it?

 

[stevenast]

Try not to let it run way down, although its management system will prevent it from running it all the way out. Don't drop it - avoid impacts. Definitely don't puncture it, unless you want to risk an explosion and/or fire. Don't let it get too hot, like letting it bake in the sun. Once you are charging, you might as well charge it all the way up, because it doesn't have a "memory".

 

[Lenny]

What is the way to optimize battery life and performance? I have heard a few different things on when to re-charge, and such. When do you recharge your battery, and what other things should be known about when and how much to charge it?

Charge after every ride.
Take the charger with you if you're going more than 30 miles or get a second charger if you're going to commute on your bike.

 

[Operator7]

Thanks guys! I thought I read somewhere that these batteries have a certain amount of charges in a lifetime... is that true? If so, if I ride the bike only a short ways, should I wait on charging back up again?

Also, does anyone have any feedback about having an 11.5 AH battery as a back-up for the Platinum? This is the smaller battery that comes with the Elite, but supposedly either battery can be used in either bike, from what I've read.

 

[Sina]

I believe the recommendation is to charge after every ride so it is full for the next ride. I translate that to mean if it's below 90% charge it.

Yes I bought an elite battery and use it in the platinum to keep from having to wait for a charge.

 

[Deleted member 803]

Thanks guys! I thought I read somewhere that these batteries have a certain amount of charges in a lifetime... is that true? If so, if I ride the bike only a short ways, should I wait on charging back up again?

Also, does anyone have any feedback about having an 11.5 AH battery as a back-up for the Platinum? This is the smaller battery that comes with the Elite, but supposedly either battery can be used in either bike, from what I've read.

When a vendor quotes charge cycles for the life of the battery they refer to full charges. If you ride and use 10% of your batteries capacity, then charge the bike to full, you have used 10% of one charge cycle. This is NOT an exact science and battery life is dependent upon storage/use temperature, and age. Even dense lithium ion batteries will lose capacity over time. I tell folks that a simple calculation is to find the manufacturer's recommended charge cycles, and determine an 80% range for a full charge. If a battery has 1000 charge cycles and you get 30 miles to a full charge/discharge, then your battery will provide approx. 30K miles. Not exactly accurate as batteries do deteriorate, but you get the idea. For most folks, I tell them that when a fully charged battery does not provide a minimum fail safe range (that you set arbitrarily), its time for a new battery.

For me that range is 30 miles. So, if I fully charge a battery and can't make 30 miles over a familiar route, I go buy a new battery.