Friday 1 August 2014

Battery Power

I'm not an expert when it comes to chemistry but I have a fairly good understanding of lithium ion batteries.  This is my third e-bike. From my experience these types of batteries drop the first 20% and then hold at 80% for a long period of time, then do a sudden drop at the end of the battery cycle.

I put 54v worth of batteries in, instead of the recommended 48v worth, so I can get a little more out of the motor for a slightly longer period of time.  Most e-bike motors I've come across can do a lot more then what the manufacture says it can, (example: I've over charged a 350 watt to a 750 watt and it worked fine for a year.) 

Here's what my meter reads when I first turn it on. Once the battery is reading v48 I've already been on the road for over an hour.  I've yet to drain the battery completely from use, the more I pedal the less battery I use.  One of these days, my plan is to drive as far as I can until I can't pedal anymore and my battery is dead.  Then I'll call up my wife and come get me in the mini-van.

Lessons Learned:

  • Don't be afraid to juice up your e-bike. Think it out, read about it and then do it.  Nothing more disappointing then buying a gimpy e-bike that does nothing for you, other then going from point A to point B.
  • Don't use acid batteries for an Ebike.. I know LifeP01 batteries are better then Lithium Ion, but I can't justify the extra cost.  Maybe for my next bike...  Maybe I'll just go to a Nanowire battery configuration next! :)

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