UniEnergy Technologies Battery » How To Charge E-Bike Battery? (8 Useful Charging Tips)

How To Charge E-Bike Battery? (8 Useful Charging Tips)

An e-bike, which is also referred to as an electric bike, is a bicycle that features an electric motor, which helps to provide some assistance to the rider when pedaling. For you to be able to use your e-bike for daily commutes or just leisure riding, you need to ensure that all its components are in perfect working condition.

One of the most important components to take care of in your e-bike is the battery. Charging your e-bike battery in the right way should be your top priority. In this article, we will be looking at the ways you can properly charge and keep your e-bike battery in good shape.

Charging Your E-bike Battery

Your electric bike battery is certainly not cheap and charging it the right way can be key to making it last up to three times longer. The way you charge your e-bike battery will depend on the manufacturer and the battery itself. However, there are still some basic guidelines to follow when charging the battery to ensure you get the best out of it.

All e-bikes ship with a battery pack, which is often taken as a battery house. In the electric bike, you will also find a port that allows you to easily connect your charger to the battery, and based on the manufacturer, this port attachment can be found in varying parts of the bike. But it is mostly placed in the middle of the electric bike or at the back of the electric bike seat.

These are some of the basic charging guidelines to follow:

  • You can charge the battery on or off the bike.
  • Ensure the charger is first plugged into the AC outlet. Avoid an inrush of current to the charger from the battery by switching on and off the switch of the outlet first.
  • Then proceed to plug the charger into the charge port of the battery.
  • A significant amount of e-bike chargers come with an LED indicator light. It would be red when your battery is charging and then switches to bright green when the battery is fully charged.
  • Unplug the battery when the indicator flashes green as the battery is no longer charging at that point.

Important Tips to Follow When Charging An E-bike Battery

Charging an electric bike battery might seem like a very straightforward process at first, and while it is, there are still some essential tips you need to follow to ensure that it is a seamless process.

1. Make Sure to Charge the New Battery For 12 Hours

If you just got your new e-bike or you bought a new battery for your e-bike, ensure that you charge it for up to 12 hours the initial time. Charging it for this long the first time will help to keep the battery in perfect condition as it comes out of the box. This will also ensure that there is enough current flowing through the battery.

Make Sure to Charge the New Battery For 12 Hours
Image Credit: cerobikes

2. Make Sure You Use the Right Charger

One of the most important tips you should follow when charging your e-bike battery is to make use of the right charger. Using the right charger for your battery ensures that you preserve the life of the battery and don’t cause any permanent damage.

Most electric bikes come with li-ion batteries that typically fall between 2-7 amperes or 36v to 48v. These types of batteries have particular chargers that require a 110v current. This is why it is important that you always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use the right charger to avoid voiding the warranty of the battery.

3. Keep Track of The Time It Takes to Fully Charge

You should keep in mind that all e-bike batteries do not come with the same battery capacity or size, which means that they will have varying durations to get fully charged. But, a great number of electric bike batteries will get fully charged within the space of 2 to 6 hours. You should always note the recharge rate of your electric bike’s battery.

A battery that has a recharging rate of 25 miles per hour charging and a 100-mile range will take about 4 hours to achieve full charge status. Also, a battery with a 30-mile range that takes around 2 hours to charge will have a recharge rate of 15 miles per hour of charging.

4. Do Not Store an Empty or Full Battery

When you are looking to store your electric bike battery because you will not be riding for some time or due to other reasons, there are some important factors to keep in mind. You need to take note of the battery charge before you store it.

It is recommended that you do not store your battery when it is at 100% charge as it has been known to degrade the overall life of the e-bike battery. If you are looking to store your bike’s battery for more than a couple of weeks, then you should aim to keep the charge between 45% to 70%.

What’s more, is that you should not store your battery when it is below 40% of full or even when it is empty. If you do this, then your battery is susceptible to losing its capacity as time goes by. If this goes on for too long and the battery falls below its low voltage, it is prone to heavy damage and might not be capable of holding a charge anymore.

Do Not Store an Empty or Full Battery
Image Credit: okai.co

5. Pay Attention to The Battery Charges

When you are charging your e-bike battery, ensure that you do not leave it unattended for a long time. You should also not keep the battery plugged in and charging for extended periods (it should not exceed 12 hours). You also need to be careful so as to avoid overcharging the battery as that is one way to damage and shorten the life of the battery.

If you need some help remembering that you need to disconnect the e-bike charger, then you can use a timer or reminder. Overcharging the battery will damage the battery as it creates a weak charging cycle since the battery self-discharges to about 95% and then recharges back to 100%. This loop goes on and on as long as you leave the battery plugged in.

6. Avoid Extreme Temperatures

It is advisable to store your battery at a moderate temperature. This is because these cool temperatures are great for your battery life and extreme temperatures can damage them. Just like how you don’t feel comfortable in hot temperatures, your e-bike battery won’t too.

So, if you want to preserve the lifespan of your e-bike battery, then you should not ride while charging or on sunny days. While you are charging, the battery should not be in an area that is too hot or too cold. Keep the temperature between 60F to 70F during charging.

7. Ensure You Charge the Battery Frequently

You will find that lithium-ion batteries are utilized by most e-bike manufacturers and with that in mind you should note that these batteries are better off with regular usage and charging. Just like you are not supposed to drain your gadgets completely before charging, you should also apply that to your e-bike. Typically, your e-bike battery will last longer if you do not allow it to drain completely before charging.

A general rule of thumb is to recharge the bike’s battery when it falls into the 30 – 60% region and make sure you are regularly using the bike. There are some experts that recommend you do a full discharge occasionally, which could be after every 30 to 40 charges. Using your e-bike regularly will also ensure that the battery charges regularly, which helps to boost its lifespan.

Ensure You Charge the Battery Frequently
Image Credit: electricbikelovers

8. Safety Considerations

When you want to charge your e-bike battery, you need to ensure that both you and the bike are safe from any kind of hazard. Make sure you charge your bike away from any flammable material and also in a properly ventilated area. You should also not leave the bike carelessly as it charges.

If you want to charge your electric bike’s battery indoors, then you should use a dedicated circuit, which is not in use by another appliance. What this does is helps prevent fire hazards, which can occur due to the overloading of a circuit. Don’t charge your bike in an area where it might be exposed to snow or rain.

When charging your bike, ensure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions and do not make any modifications to the system.

Conclusion

If you love riding around with your e-bike, then you should know the importance of keeping its battery charged. Even if you don’t have an electric bike yet and you are planning to get one, you still need to know how to charge the battery correctly.

When charging your electric bike’s battery, make sure you incorporate proper and safe practices to ensure you do not damage the battery. With the tips we have provided above, you can rest assured that your e-bike’s battery will be charged properly.

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