Orbea Gain F35 battery range very low

[Gordonbp]

Bought a Gain F35 in 2019 - not been used very much. The Mahle app is now telling me that at 100% charge, the range is only 29 miles. Does this mean the battery is dead? Is there anything I can do other than get a new battery or range extender? What should the range be with a new battery?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

If you are very lucky then riding it until it is VERY close to empty (I do it by riding a loop around home) then recharging fully
and doing this several time
making sure that it is ridden within a short time of finishing charging

MIGHT just get back some of its ability to hold charge

 

[Pale Rider]

The battery management software will prevent full discharge of the battery by cutting the motor before it happens.

Thus you can simply ride it until the motor 'conks out', then recharge.

Some systems base their range predictions partly on previous journeys.

In your case there is little or no data, so the software may be giving a default lowish range.

Having said that, the battery is small capacity, so could be discharged in under 30 miles if used on the highest motor setting.

Either way, the first answer is to ride and recharge two or three times, then see where you are.

 

[Drago]

I'd take it for a good ride and see if the battery is low, or if the battery is fine and it's simply the software telling porkies.

But, as Paley rightly points out, 272w/h of the 2019 bike isn't mahoosive (presuming you have the standard battery) and its conceivable that you could genuinely empty it in 30 miles without too much effort.

 

[biggs682]

I would have thought a 29 mile range is about what you can expect

 

[youngoldbloke]

I believe the Mahle X35 battery capacity is 250w/h.
Go for a ride. Record the ride with the app. Save ride to your dashboard and look at 'Battery Details'. and 'Consumed Capacity'. Calculate the current battery capacity from the figures.
For example - on a recent ride I consumed 49.5w and 20% of capacity. 1% therefore = 2.475w . 100% = 247.5 w. I'm happy with that - the battery has lost 1% capacity over the year I've owned it.

(edited to correct figures entered)

 

[bonzobanana]

Maybe a couple of cells are starting to struggle etc and the battery pack is starting to fail. A small battery like this of 250Wh means each cell is under more stress with a higher discharge rate. As a very general rule the smaller the battery pack the shorter the life but it depends of course how much current is being discharged, if you use it in eco mode or whatever its called the lifespan will be better.

 

[youngoldbloke]

I seem to remember that an earlier version of the app showed the current actual full battery capacity, but the newest version has dropped that rather useful feature. Such is progress.

 

[youngoldbloke]

With fairly intensive use of assistance due to leg muscle issues I expect the app to predict for me a range of around 45 miles when 100% charged. I think the range prediction will change according to the individual's pattern of riding and assistance usage and the app will calculate this over a few rides.

 

[Pale Rider]

I seem to remember that an earlier version of the app showed the current actual full battery capacity, but the newest version has dropped that rather useful feature. Such is progress.

Probably inspired too many warranty claims.