Are all Panasonic batteries interchangeable

[lectureral]

My wife is thinking of getting a panasonic-powered Gitane with an 8 Ah battery - I have a Raleigh (Kalkhoff equivalent). My question is - will be able to swap batteries between the 2 bikes and use the same charger for both?

 

[flecc]

The 10 Ah and the forthcoming 12 Ah from Panasonic, plus the BMZ-Derby Cycles 8, 12 and 18 Ah batteries are all interchangeable. All the latest Panasonic 8 Ah batteries are also interchangeable, but this may not have been true of earlier ones from two or more years ago, so check with a dealer if an old Gitane.

The Panasonic 15 Ah and their forthcoming enlargement of it to 16 Ah are not. They require non reversible mods to the battery mounting and crank alterations. These are primarily used on the Flyer X bike.
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[lectureral]

Thanks Flecc - the Gitanes is new and the Raleigh is now nearing 3 years old - I forget which battery was fitted to the Raleigh - but I'm thinking that is probably a yes. Are the non-interchangeable ones physically different so that, eg, they do not fit into the charger socket?

 

[flecc]

I think their bases may fit into the charger ok but can't be certain of that, but they will definitely fit the travel charger version. The extra width means the bike mounting has to be wider and use angled cranks to give the extra width space.

The three year old Raleigh battery is definitely compatible.
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[Orraman]

lectureral,

I have had an 8Ah Gitane for 30 months and a 10Ah Technium for about 6 months (already?) and they are used interchangeably and with either charger .
I also used the Gitane to exercise the 10Ah Cyclone ( round cell) LiFeo4 from the recumbent this winter and despite the lower voltage get similar performance.

Dave

 

[lectureral]

Thanks Orraman - are you happy with the Gitane? And does the price of 1199 Euros for a pretty basic 8AH model sound ok to you?

 

[tillson]

lectureral,

I have had an 8Ah Gitane for 30 months and a 10Ah Technium for about 6 months (already?) and they are used interchangeably and with either charger .
I also used the Gitane to exercise the 10Ah Cyclone ( round cell) LiFeo4 from the recumbent this winter and despite the lower voltage get similar performance.

Dave

Have I read this correctly. Are you using a 10 Ah LiFeo4 battery with a Panasonic drive? I'm just curious, as I haven't heard of anyone using anything but the proprietory battery with this system.

 

[flecc]

Have I read this correctly. Are you using a 10 Ah LiFeo4 battery with a Panasonic drive? I'm just curious, as I haven't heard of anyone using anything but the proprietory battery with this system.

Both old and new Panasonic units will be happy with either 24 volts from NiMh/LiFePO4 or 26 volts from li-ion/polymer types. The upper and lower voltage limits of all these are very similar and don't stress the systems. In theory range will be a little shorter with LiFePO4 due to the lower voltage limits on that type meaning low voltage cutout could be 2 volts premature for that type, but in practice that might have little effect.

Member Grandad has used secondary packs of different types on his old unit Giant Lafree.
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[Orraman]

lectureral,

To put it in perspective, in the recent thread below in post # 30 I suggested that (member) 10mph consider a Monark only because the Gitane is no longer available in the uk.
In addition to that post the Shimano Automatic 3 speed hub fitted to my Gitane makes me the fastest geriatric off the mark in the UK. First gear is automatically selected every time the bike stops and when stopped waiting to turn right joining a main road I tend to stomp on the pedals to reduce my time at risk and half way across and at peak acceleration I am instantly in second gear and accelerating again.

At £1020 it could well be worth the trip across the channel.

tillson,

Just as flecc said, at switch on three lights come on the handlebar while the unit is initialising then immediately down to one light which remains steady until it flashes just before shutdown.

Dave

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/7380-should-i-consider-alterntaives-stepthru-kalkhoff-agattu-raleigh-dover-3.html

 

[lectureral]

Thanks Orraman - this one does not have the automatic gears - a 6 speed derailleur I think but thanks for your comments - glad you have found it works well for you.