Same OLD battery question

[FatMog]

Hi, I've been away from this forum for ages, but recently got inspired to roust out my sprint for a few trips. Anyhow, bought this in 2007 and used it lightly
(it's done around 300 miles total) then it had a lay-off until a few weeks ago. In the interim I charged the battery every couple of months and it was stored at cool room temp.

So of course the battery ain't what it was... I have ridden it a handful of times recently and it seems to be getting worse. Today it cut out under load (first time ever) so I'm assuming it's on it's way out? I woonder if Flecc could confirm this? It's number is JGJABB100188.

I am somewhat aghast at the price of new batteries - they were around £275 when I bought the bike. Is Ezee the only viable replacement? Any other options?

The other thing I could do, I suppose, is sell the bike. Any opinions on what it would be worth, requiring a new battery?

Thanks everyone.

 

[flecc]

Your battery was made on 22nd January 2007, and it will have had it now since they only last around two years or a little over, however lightly used, since the electrolyte chemically decays throughout their life.

I'm afraid all makes of battery are very expensive now due to current exchange rates. Here's the current prices of some leading battery types on a watt/hour capacity basis, and you'll see the eZee one is favourable, only the very big Wisper battery better priced:

Powabyke 36V 6Ah battery = £265 216Wh/265 = £1.22/Wh
Ezee 37V 10Ah battery = £395 370Wh/395 = £1.06/Wh
Kalkhoff 26V 10Ah battery = £395 260Wh/395 = £1.51/Wh
Wisper 36V 14Ah battery = £515 504Wh/515 = £1.02/Wh
Wisper 36V 8Ah battery = £315 288Wh/315 = £1.09/Wh

There isn't any readily used cheaper alternative unless you lash up three very heavy lead acid batteries and mount them on the carrier somehow.

As for the second hand value, that's harmed by the battery being at the end of life and having no value to a new owner. Your Sprint's sale value according to my second hand value calculation formula is £390. That's derived from the original price of £995 less the new battery price of £395, then 35% depreciation taken from the balance of £600 to arrive at the £390. Although the bike has been little used, it would be difficult to add a premium for that since at £390 with a new owner having to buy a new battery, the total cost to them of £785 would be fairly close to the new price originally paid.
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[FatMog]

Thanks for the prompt response Flecc. You have confirmed my worst suspicions as regards the battery! The valuation is much as I expected as well.

All I have to do now is decide whether to keep it or sell. I think I might be erring towards selling as much as I love it, I don't use it enough to justify a new battery (and £400) every couple of years - at current rate of usage my 7 mile round trip to the horse would cost me over 7 quid each time!

Blimey, writing that down clarifies things a bit for me!

Thanks again Flecc - great to see that you're still doing your guru thing here, everyone would be lost without you.

 

[flecc]

A pleasure Fatmog. At that cost per trip to the horse you could almost ride in style in a taxi!

As you say, far to expensive to keep going with that. It's the main weakness of e-bikes that they have to be very regularly used to make them economic. Once we get the newer lithium iron phosphate batteries fully developed which can last very much longer, that will change of course.
.

 

[timidtom]

Very useful post. I'm returning to pedelecs after having sold my 6Euro Powabyke a couple of years ago. I had hoped that during my absense wonders had happened - light weight, wireless technology and, most of all, huge increases in range and durability! Aw, well; it's back to Powabyke I guess. My old bike is still chugging around so I guess they've sorted out the durability and reliability. Lead acid rules OK? I don't have to carry the bike anywhere so the high weight isn't a problem and the price seems reasonable.
Any thoughts before I take the plunge?
T

 

[NRG]

Well, I'm new to e-biking and went with SLA to start with and very quickly found they are a 'false economy'. Range, voltage, weight, size all go against them. OK for messing about and experimenting with but not a patch on Lithium. I made my own pack out of RC Lipo's but I know that's not for everyone...the ping batteries get good reviews and I nearly bought one myself...I think they are worth the extra and would pay for its self quickly I would have thought.

 

[flecc]

Yes, I'd say definitely lithium for the best of everything, performance, range etc, but of course the initial price is high and only justified if a bike is used quite regularly. For a bike only used once in a while with very low mileages, SLA can still make sense.
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