Temperature and battery ?

[Phaeton]

On a similar note I'm currently keeping my e-bike undercover outside, would it be best to remove the battery & bring it inside, or will it happily stay out there along with charging it outside?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Yes - they work best if kept in the warm
I have been keeping mine inside but in an unheated room - I have noticed that the range has dropped to 2/3 -1/2 of the normal (it is difficult to tell as it has been windy lately)
So - I'm planning on bringing them into a warmer room - which should be better for them

 

[McWobble]

What's the lowest temperature to ride, without causing damage to your battery? Is it also safe to use insulation??

Assuming it's a lithium ion battery, using it in low temperatures will not cause damage. Capacity will be reduced though. The battery management system will (or should) detect if there are any weak cells, and disconnect the battery pack before the cell voltage gets too low. A typical symptom of that is one minute the battery will show a healthy charge status, the next a low battery warning or even it cutting out. This is most likely to happen to an old battery or low quality battery in the cold. Going up a hill when it is cold is when the battery is under the most stress, and this the most likely time for an old or weak battery to fail on you. Insulation is likely to be of marginal benefit, unless it is for a short journey.

Recharging it is another matter though. Do not recharge a li-ion battery when it is below 0C. This may cause metallic lithium to plate out, which significantly destabilises the chemistry (as in: fire!). Wait until it has warmed up - and remember that though the casing may feel warm, the cells inside may still be cold.

 

[Wolfe]

 

[Zanelad]

I've noticed a shorter range now the weathers turned colder. I could squeeze 5 commutes (110 miles), but now 4 trips is the limit. The bike's kept indoors both at home and at the office.

When it gets really cold I'll be in the car.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I've noticed a shorter range now the weathers turned colder. I could squeeze 5 commutes (110 miles), but now 4 trips is the limit. The bike's kept indoors both at home and at the office.

When it gets really cold I'll be in the car.

I've noticed that as well - my normal ride can be done about 3 times on a full battery - but now it looks like 2 rides at most - if it is windy I'm getting low on charge after one trip!
I do keep the battery in the house - but the room has been quite cold until recently so I'm putting it down to temperature - but I'm not sure if it is cold when off the bike - of the cold air when I'm riding it

 

[Smudge]

I've noticed a shorter range now the weathers turned colder. I could squeeze 5 commutes (110 miles), but now 4 trips is the limit. The bike's kept indoors both at home and at the office.

When it gets really cold I'll be in the car.

I can only dream of getting that sort of range from my 11 amp/hr batt....
Always using either medium or high assistance, plus being slow so i'm almost always under the 15.5mph cut off, doesn't give me the best range. Although, i've not noticed temps making much difference to my range.

 

[confusedcyclist]

When discharging, the chemical reaction will heat the battery to an extent. If you plan ahead and take the battery directly from a warm room, fully charged, to the bike and get going quickly, you'll limit the extent that the battery can cool, and the electrolyte impedes the lithium ions, thus increasing your range. The faster you discharge your battery, the warmer it will remain, so there somewhat is a disincentive to use eco mode and/or pedal under your own steam! The good news is, if your battery gets too cold to operate, you'll stay warm keeping your 20kg bike moving up hills.