Battery conditioning

murphy61

Finding my (electric) wheels
Dec 19, 2008
24
2
north coast of ireland
Can anyone enlighten me about the importance of battery conditioning? I have just bought an Agattu and I've read in various places that you should discharge the battery and charge it up again a couple of times when new, but there was nothing in the manual that came with the bike about this. Also, I'm finding it difficult to run it right down as I do a 17 mile run to work, then I feel I ought to charge it again as I don't want to run out of power half way home again. Is there a time period after which it won't be worth conditioning? I've also read that conditioning really only affects the power light readings, makes them a bit more accurate, but hasn't much to do with the battery life itself. How to prolong lithium-based batteries Is this correct?
Thanks

Andy
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,560
30,849
Some of that is old information Andy, not wholly applying to the Panasonic unit polymer battery. It's important to run the battery low a couple of times to fully condition the cells in order to get to full capacity, but thereafter avoiding full discharges wherever possible. However, it's not necessary to run it completely empty, so I'd suggest you do a couple of your runs using High Power mode all the way to empty the battery as much as possible. That should do the trick for you.

The mention of meter registration in that article is largely correct, but the meter in your battery works a little differently in some respects with additional functionality so intermittent discharging isn't particularly necessary.
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Cyclezee

Guest
Some of that is old information Andy, not wholly applying to the Panasonic unit polymer battery.
Oh my God, did I spot an error by Flecc, shouldn't it be Lithium Manganese, not Polymer:eek:

How about an annual award for spotting an error made by Flecc, how about a lifetime supply of batteries:D

J:) hn
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,560
30,849
I do make plenty of mistakes, but not this time John. :)

The Panasonic battery is both, polymer being the soft cell construction type and manganese being the cathode material. This arises from a problem with the various ways in which batteries have been identified:

By the physics: i.e. lithium-ion

by the cathode material: i.e. lithium manganese, lithium-iron, lithium cobalt

by the construction: i.e. lithium-polymer

by the cathode formula: i.e. LiFePO4 (which is lithium-iron phosphate)

and these can mix. All the batteries we are familiar with are Lithium-ion, some have compound cathodes such as cobalt and manganese together, and the polymer construction can appear in many types.

The Panasonic battery could be more fully named as Lithium-ion manganese polymer for example.
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Cyclezee

Guest
Thought it couldn't be possible:confused:

Have a nice one Tony;)

J:) hn
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,560
30,849
Thanks John, and you and your family have a great holiday too.

Plenty of e-biking fun in store for the New Year to look forward to afterwards. :)
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Alex728

Esteemed Pedelecer
Dec 16, 2008
1,109
-1
Ipswich
on the Powacycle Salisbury, I've so far used the battery once to the point where it started "running out of fuel" (i.e motor stopping and starting) after what I think is >33 miles (over two days).

Should I give this battery another long "conditioning" cycle or is one of these enough.

my daily commute is about 14 miles. So far I have been charging the battery after the daily run rather than at work (which would be only 7 miles). Is this a good idea for the long term or should I charge it after the 7 miles?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,560
30,849
Yes, a second full discharge and charge is best to achieve full capacity Alex.

Thereafter, if your full range is 33 miles, you can either charge at 7 or 14 miles, but 14 miles would probably be best since that will minimise the number of times of chemical stress at the full charge point.

Over a long period of time the battery capacity and range gradually reduces, so at some distant point when the range is down to under 20 miles, recharging at 7 miles will be better.
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Alex728

Esteemed Pedelecer
Dec 16, 2008
1,109
-1
Ipswich
many thanks :) - I'm going to ride to relatives for Christmas but might also do a long ride on Boxing day to try and condition the battery a bit better.. Was going to visit a friend in a more distant village but he's just recovering from a nasty lurgi I don't want as a Xmas present so will just explore the Suffolk villages :)

Have a good Christmas / holiday period :)
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,560
30,849
Thanks Alex, have a great time this Christmas, but keep clear of that 'flu if that was it. I had it very early at the end of November, followed by laryngitis with no voice and it was a miserable three weeks.
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IOM

Pedelecer
Dec 23, 2008
108
3
Can someone advise me on the best method for charging a lead acid battery. Full or partial discharge?

Thanks
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,560
30,849
Use by "charge cycling" is best, partially discharging and charging often, to full charge is ok.

That's what happens in cars where they last for years, constantly charging and discharging in bits at a time.
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wotwozere

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 6, 2008
280
1
Hi

I put a blanket on when charging recommeneded by Flecc it really worked.

thx

Bob
 

wotwozere

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 6, 2008
280
1
Hi

With my Battery in the cold you said wrap a blanket round it in my hall way and it will go longer and it really worked.

I like the blanket trick my kind of maintainence

thx

Bib
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,560
30,849
Keeping warmth in a battery before setting off into the cold during very cold weather is one thing Bob.

The right pattern of charging and discharging for SLA batteries is a very different thing and not connected.
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IOM

Pedelecer
Dec 23, 2008
108
3
The battery is on a new bike I purchased recently in China. Manufactured by KaiQi and powered by a 250w brushless motor with a 48v 12ah battery. Quite fast, will clock it on my GPS when I am back out next week.
It claims to have a "matching intelligent charger to give the battery all round maintenance while charging"