Battery novice

[Rosie]

Got my new UM55 and done two runs about 4 miles each with one moderate hill - it is great fun - so far so good. As for charging the battery - and please be patient with me here as a newcomer - I've read that little and often is best. So, do I on that basis charge every time I use the bike? What is puzzling me is that the manual suggests that I discharge as much as possible before charging, but I've read the little and often advice on the forum.

The main thing for me is that because of my mobility issues I don't want to run out of power whilst using the bike and am therefore reluctant to ride until the battery is almost used up.

Any advice welcomed

Thanks , Rosie

 

[tillson]

If you do a very short runs out 3 or 4 miles, I would only charge every other outing. If you do longer runs 10 miles plus, it might be worth charging every time. It's difficult to put an exact figure on it due to there being so many variable factors.

If the battery is new, it will benefit from being completely duscharched to cut out level, and then fully recharged. You only need carry out this procedure once.

 

[Rosie]

Thanks Tillson, that's really helpful.

 

[Francisco Bolivar]

Li-ion charger

Can I charge a LiFePo battery using a Li-ion battery charger?

 

[NRG]

Noooooooo! The nominal cell voltages are different, 3.3v vs 3.6v

 

[aseb]

Got my new UM55 and done two runs about 4 miles each with one moderate hill - it is great fun - so far so good. As for charging the battery - and please be patient with me here as a newcomer - I've read that little and often is best. So, do I on that basis charge every time I use the bike? What is puzzling me is that the manual suggests that I discharge as much as possible before charging, but I've read the little and often advice on the forum.

The main thing for me is that because of my mobility issues I don't want to run out of power whilst using the bike and am therefore reluctant to ride until the battery is almost used up.

Any advice welcomed

Thanks , Rosie

Charging frequencies needed vary depending on the battery chemistry used. Nickel Cadmium are the ones that really need to avoid frequent part charging or they may suffer from memory effect which reduces your usable capacity. Lead batteries (car type) prefer frequent charging and last longer if not deep discharged regularly (that's why they last for a long time on cars where they are charged as soon as you are driving, they rarely go flat except for electrical problems or extreme old age). Modern battery chemistries used in newer ebykes are far less critical in this than the above two earlier technologies. I'm not sure what battery chemistry your bike uses, but if it is anything other than the above 2 types charging frequency should have a lesser effect on the battery.

 

[tillson]

I'm not sure what battery chemistry your bike uses, but if it is anything other than the above 2 types charging frequency should have a lesser effect on the battery.

To avoid confusion, Rosie's bike has a Li based battery (I looked it up on the website), so frequent charging as originally indicated should not present a problem.

 

[Rosie]

Thankyou Tillson for saving my confused blushes.