Winter is coming: how do I protect the battery?

[Stefan Mikes]

One thing I wonder is, if you say leave a battery overnight and it gets around 35 degrees but then warms up to 50, will the battery still have the range loss from the cold until charged again?

I think anything below 50 F/10 C are "cold conditions" and the range is affected.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I think anything below 50 F/10 C are "cold conditions" and the range is affected.

yes but if it warms up again will you have that range? I am asking as I ride to work when it's really cold but then my bike warms up again so do I get the range back?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

yes but if it warms up again will you have that range? I am asking as I ride to work when it's really cold but then my bike warms up again so do I get the range back?

I have no definite answer, Steve.

 

[il Munduato]

yes but if it warms up again will you have that range? I am asking as I ride to work when it's really cold but then my bike warms up again so do I get the range back?

On the cold ride out you definitely used more capacity than normal. The battery can recover some if warmed.. but won't recover all that was already lost on the cold ride out.

Batteries usually get degraded after a 5-year use.
@il Munduato: Are you from any winter state of the U.S.? Or, you are just (as always) talking?

Yes a little loss over time alone is expected... but not enough to reduce it to a total of 140 cycles before failure.. That's over a 70% loss. That's either a crap battery or abusive use. You know, like fully charging right after a ride.

I believe you allow the battery to rest after use so that all the cells equalize and then in turn accept the charge uniformly.... no matter the ambient temperature.

Ever were on a longer ride during the frost and in blizzard?

A blizzard ride. Check the temps.

No.. and never will as I have nothing to prove nor find that even remotely enjoyable. Especially on paved road.

 

[fooferdoggie]

On the cold ride out you definitely used more capacity than normal. The battery can recover some if warmed.. but won't recover all that was already lost on the cold ride out.

That's what i thought I always forgot to check and see.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Yes a little loss over time alone is expected... but not enough to reduce it to a total of 140 cycles before failure.. That's over a 70% loss. That's either a crap battery or abusive use. You know, like fully charging right after a ride.

Especially if the battery was manufactured seven years earlier, and that was a single cell that failed
Your knowledge on the battery must be learnt from your Granny who told you not to eat immediately after coming home from the playground, isn't it

No.. and never will as I have nothing to prove nor find that even remotely enjoyable. Especially on paved road.

So you do not ride during the frost and know everything of handling e-bike battery in winter conditions. (Because Granny said you should not eat before the contents of your stomach should equalize).
So you never crash but know everything about crash survival. (Because you would trust your instinct and support yourself with your hand or leg on the crash).
Peculiar.

I'd like to see an owner of an electric car who drives to the charging point and waits before he connects the charging.

 

[gromike]

Only fools ride on two wheels on ice.
The basic rule is don't charge bellow freezing. If it gets super cold bring the battery in.
I've run a battery outside in my Oslo for 3 years and have not had a problem. Our winter lows here at the 49th parallel are in mid-teens F.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Only fools ride on two wheels on ice.

I am not sure whether you are not insulting a respected forum member from Canada now. Ever heard of studded winter tyres?

The basic rule is don't charge bellow freezing.

If the battery temperature is below 0 C. It makes a difference.

I've run a battery outside in my Oslo for 3 years and have not had a problem.

How do you bring an irremovable e-bike battery in if you are not allowed to bring the e-bike in?

Our winter lows here at the 49th parallel are in mid-teens F.

A British winter is generally mild. The OP is from the UK. Yes, he wrote about some periods of frost.

 

[gromike]

Maybe brave fools....

 

[il Munduato]

Especially if the battery was manufactured seven years earlier, and that was a single cell that failed

Your knowledge on the battery must be learnt from your Granny who told you not to eat immediately after coming home from the playground, isn't it

Actually I believe it was your granny... and she taught me many things

So you do not ride during the frost

Not what I said...

and know everything of handling e-bike battery in winter conditions.

Never the less... the information is available to everyone

(Because Granny said you should not eat before the contents of your stomach should equalize).

Again this information came from your granny... She seems to know everything about swallowing.

So you never crash but know everything about crash survival. (Because you would trst your instinct and support yourself with your hand or leg on the crash).
Peculiar.

Not what I said at all... Reading comprehension?

I'd like to see an owner of an electric car who drives to the charging point and waits before he connects the charging.

A much more sophisticated battery management system with heating and cooling.

 

[Neverlost]

I leave my vacation house thermostat at 52f all winter. I take the batteries out of the bike so that there is no drain. I wonder if placing the batteries in the stove would be a good safety idea. My batteries at LG and Yamaha so they are not cheap. Thoughts?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Got a thermometer with min and max readings and it already gets below -2 in the night time.

It won't harm the battery for storage. Only do not charge it at such low temps.

Actual ambient temperature was 0 deg C. The e-bike was outside for 3 hours, of which it was ridden for 1 h 38 minutes.

The battery temperature was +12 C post ride. That's the right moment to charge it.

The mat would help the battery lose the heat slower.

One of the points I want to make is a rider should definitely use the assistance when riding at the low temps to keep the motor and especially the battery warm.