Hi all
Have I got a problem starting with the Panasonic battery on my Kalkoff Pro Connect or did it just go into hibernation because of the cooler nights?
This morning when I went to get my Pro Connect out, no lights would light up either on the battery or on the handlebar control switch. I put it in the charger and three lights lit up which was the state I left it in 12 days ago after my last ride on it.Taking it off the charger (didn't have time to charge the battery back up) everything was normal again with three lights on the battery/ two on the handlebar and the 'cell test' returned all five lights up. I've seen that the colder weather can affect the batteries and flecc in his excellent guide notes that batteries will go into hibernation after about two weeks if they're half charged. Been out today on the bike (v minor battery use) but it's back on the charger tonight to charge it back up to full. My wife's bike was similarly left for 12 days under identical conditions but she had 5 lights on the battery and her's was normal this morning (again flecc notes an almost fully charged battery will take a lot longer to go into hibernation).
For info/interest the stats for the two batteries are
Mine - 15 months old, 17 charges (approx 1/month), 2830 miles covered, average 170 miles per charge, and for the last 8 charges I've measured the total energy put back which averages 7.8 A/hr. After the first two conditioning charges, I normally run the batteries down to 1/2 lights.
My wife's - 15 months old, 13 charges, 1850 miles covered, average 140 miles/charge, average recharge of 6.5 A/hr (Normally recharge hers with 2/3 lights as her usage is a bit less since she's only 1/2 my weight!!)
As you see we mainly use the power for hills and adverse weather (wind!!)
My main questions are:
1. Did my battery just hibernate after 12 days on 3 lights remaining?
2. If a Panasonic battery does hibernate should you charge it up fully again before use or as soon as possible?
3. Should I complete a charge/complete discharge cycle after a battery has hibernated?
4. What is the perceived wisdom for battery storage in the winter Leave it in the shed on the bike or take it indoors in the warm? Our situation is we tend to have longer resting intervals in the winter (can be 2-3 weeks if the weather's bad) than in the summer when we're out every few days.
Thanks for any replies.
Mike
Have I got a problem starting with the Panasonic battery on my Kalkoff Pro Connect or did it just go into hibernation because of the cooler nights?
This morning when I went to get my Pro Connect out, no lights would light up either on the battery or on the handlebar control switch. I put it in the charger and three lights lit up which was the state I left it in 12 days ago after my last ride on it.Taking it off the charger (didn't have time to charge the battery back up) everything was normal again with three lights on the battery/ two on the handlebar and the 'cell test' returned all five lights up. I've seen that the colder weather can affect the batteries and flecc in his excellent guide notes that batteries will go into hibernation after about two weeks if they're half charged. Been out today on the bike (v minor battery use) but it's back on the charger tonight to charge it back up to full. My wife's bike was similarly left for 12 days under identical conditions but she had 5 lights on the battery and her's was normal this morning (again flecc notes an almost fully charged battery will take a lot longer to go into hibernation).
For info/interest the stats for the two batteries are
Mine - 15 months old, 17 charges (approx 1/month), 2830 miles covered, average 170 miles per charge, and for the last 8 charges I've measured the total energy put back which averages 7.8 A/hr. After the first two conditioning charges, I normally run the batteries down to 1/2 lights.
My wife's - 15 months old, 13 charges, 1850 miles covered, average 140 miles/charge, average recharge of 6.5 A/hr (Normally recharge hers with 2/3 lights as her usage is a bit less since she's only 1/2 my weight!!)
As you see we mainly use the power for hills and adverse weather (wind!!)
My main questions are:
1. Did my battery just hibernate after 12 days on 3 lights remaining?
2. If a Panasonic battery does hibernate should you charge it up fully again before use or as soon as possible?
3. Should I complete a charge/complete discharge cycle after a battery has hibernated?
4. What is the perceived wisdom for battery storage in the winter Leave it in the shed on the bike or take it indoors in the warm? Our situation is we tend to have longer resting intervals in the winter (can be 2-3 weeks if the weather's bad) than in the summer when we're out every few days.
Thanks for any replies.
Mike
