ebike charging question

[CXRAndy]

So a tad more detail — as I said, I run mine down to "one bar left" then hook up the battery when I get back in. I charge it until it shows "full bars", unplug and put the battery back on the bike (it's easier for me to charge it off the bike). I usually wind up riding within about 36 hours of that, so it's not sitting fully charged for long.

I don't ride all that far, most of my trips are under 5k, so that charge could last several weeks. The pandemic has had a definite stifling effect on my riding...

That is quite a long time sat fully charged. I was talking less than a hour fully charged.
Some guys fully charge, then go for a quick ride to pull down battery charge a couple hundred millivolts so its just off peak

 

[aldus]

That's sitting for 36 hours before I ride it again... a day and a half after it topped off... it usually take about 2 hours to charge to full from 1 bar down. Sometimes, it's less than that.

 

[CXRAndy]

That's sitting for 36 hours before I ride it again... a day and a half after it topped off... it usually take about 2 hours to charge to full from 1 bar down. Sometimes, it's less than that.

Couldn't you put it on a mains timer so its fully charged just before you're are ready to use the bike?

By not allowing the battery to sit fully charged increases the times you can recharge the battery 2 to 3 fold

My EV has a timer which is set to finish charging just before I want to drive it. A tad more sophisticated, but a timer non the less. When Im not using the car its left around 50-80% charged

 

[aldus]

You seem obsessed with the fact that I may not ride my bike, after it is fully, charged for as long as 36 hours... I really don't understand what the issue is.

The battery is removed from the bike.
It's plugged in to the charger on my kitchen counter, I can clearly see the charge levels.
Once it's at 100% charge, the battery is removed from the charger and put back on the bike.
That's it. It might be a day or two before I go back and ride.

There is nothing in either the Bosch manual or the Victoria manual that says anything about this being problematic... the ONLY thing the manual says about anything vaguely related is this:

"7.2 Storing the battery
If you do not use the battery for a long period of time, please store it as follows:
- Charge the battery to about 60 to 80% of its capacity."

... and while they don't define " a long period of time" I'm reasonably confident that it's more — no, MUCH more — than 36 hours.

There's always enough charge to get me where I need to go, when I get home and the battery needs it, I'll recharge it.

 

[CXRAndy]

You seem obsessed with the fact that I may not ride my bike, after it is fully, charged for as long as 36 hours... I really don't understand what the issue is.

The battery is removed from the bike.
It's plugged in to the charger on my kitchen counter, I can clearly see the charge levels.
Once it's at 100% charge, the battery is removed from the charger and put back on the bike.
That's it. It might be a day or two before I go back and ride.

There is nothing in either the Bosch manual or the Victoria manual that says anything about this being problematic... the ONLY thing the manual says about anything vaguely related is this:

"7.2 Storing the battery
If you do not use the battery for a long period of time, please store it as follows:
- Charge the battery to about 60 to 80% of its capacity."

... and while they don't define " a long period of time" I'm reasonably confident that it's more — no, MUCH more — than 36 hours.

There's always enough charge to get me where I need to go, when I get home and the battery needs it, I'll recharge it.

Im not obsessed, if you're happy with the method you use. I was pointing out that you could potentially triple the battery life, but Im not forcing it upon you. Batteries are very expensive. Best of luck

 

[CXRAndy]

To bring this back up. An informative simple video to basic battery care


View: https://youtu.be/WVcFytLYOIQ

 

[Deleted member 26715]

What a terrible presenter, couldn't get past 2 minutes,

 

[CXRAndy]

What a terrible presenter, couldn't get past 2 minutes,

You missed the information then

 

[Deleted member 26715]

You missed the information then

Yep, just couldn't make it that far which was a shame, is he such a prat all the way through?

 

[Legomutton]

That's sitting for 36 hours before I ride it again... a day and a half after it topped off... it usually take about 2 hours to charge to full from 1 bar down. Sometimes, it's less than that.

Having 5 bars implies that 1 bar = 0-20% of available charge, 2 bars 20%-40%, and so on. Presumably if you stop charging immediately the 5th bar shows, the battery will be at ~80% charge anyway which is OK for storage and optimal for maximising life if we believe the usual advice. Only when the charger shuts off will it be at 100%. Not that the bar / percentage relationship is going to be an exact science anyway.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Yep, just couldn't make it that far which was a shame, is he such a prat all the way through?

It gets better

Ok low bar based on the start - and he is quite American and enthusiastic but he makes sense and the information matches what other people have said.
Quite useful in all
bit like a ride I do which goes past a sewage farm - put up with smell for a few minutes to where you want to go.

 

[mustang1]

i dont have n ebike but if i did, i would just charge it like my phone, in other words, whenever it needs charging, i'll charge it.

BTW OP, what bike did you get? Would you say you are slim or a heavy kind of rider? I'm the latter, and am often intrigued by e-bike mileages that people achieve as it sets me up for a possible future ebike purchase.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

As far as charge indicators are concerned I wouldn't trust them.
I find that mine starts off with 5 lights
after about 15-20 miles it drops to 4 lights
but then by the time it gets to 40 miles 3 more have gone out leaving only one left and that might start flashing any time soon.
That is based on cold windy(ish weather and riding in Tour mode but it does imply that the first light goes out after about 45% used assuming that it cuts off at about 10% to prevent damage.
I think the best idea for long term storage is what he said about fully charging it then going for a 5-10 miles ride

 

[CXRAndy]

Would you say you are slim or a heavy kind of rider? I'm the latter, and am often intrigued by e-bike mileages that people achieve as it sets me up for a possible future ebike purchase.

I'm a heavy rider too, even at my lightest I weigh 90+Kg. Mileage is very difficult to quantify, there are quite a few variables. Namely, rider weight, seating position, sit up or more aero racer position( bike dependent), tyres, knobbly or smooth road tyre, battery size is one of the most important factors. Rider fitness and pace you want to ride at, eco or sports setting.

If you want long range look at bikes with 700+Watt/hours battery. Or be able to ride above the cut-off speed most of the time. You could switch off the motor- some bikes feel ride riding in treacle when switched off.

I personally have ordered two, 840W/hr batteries for my bike, if Im going to go long distance or in sports mode for hoon-ing off road.

Finger in the air expect 25miles but could get 50miles range with eco careful riding.

 

[Pale Rider]

As far as charge indicators are concerned I wouldn't trust them.
I find that mine starts off with 5 lights
after about 15-20 miles it drops to 4 lights
but then by the time it gets to 40 miles 3 more have gone out leaving only one left and that might start flashing any time soon.
That is based on cold windy(ish weather and riding in Tour mode but it does imply that the first light goes out after about 45% used assuming that it cuts off at about 10% to prevent damage.
I think the best idea for long term storage is what he said about fully charging it then going for a 5-10 miles ride

As you say, you need to know your battery indicator, and the depletion is not linear.

I might get 15 or so miles out of the first couple of bars on my Bosch bike, but the last one may only last fewer than 10.