How To Store E-bike Battery For Winter Like A Professional
While temperatures continue to fall, proper storage of electric bikes is critical to increasing their longevity and performance. Especially in cold winters, it becomes a challenge for riders to keep their battery safe. Today, I am going to advise you with all the techniques you should follow in the winter to keep your battery safe.
How To Store E-bike Battery For Winter
Electrical devices and components in e-bikes are temperature sensitive. Ideally, you should keep your e-bike in a cool, dry place away from high humidity, such as a garage or, depending on where you live, an outdoor shed. So, how do you ensure that your e-bike battery lasts all winter?
1. Keep the battery indoors.
Most experts recommend storing the battery at room temperature. According to Juiced Bikes, you should also charge it on the inside.
2. Charge your battery properly.
If at all possible, keep your battery charged between 30% and 80% to extend the life of your e-bike battery.
3. Don’t let it get wet.
According to Bosch, getting a neoprene cover for your e-bike battery can help keep it dry.
4. Use a backup battery.
A second battery is a good investment if you don’t have time for longer charging times or want to travel farther.
How to Charge Batteries During the Cold Months
Living in areas where temperatures can drop below freezing for weeks and where most people store their bikes for months has many people wondering whether they should bring their electric bike’s battery inside and charge it regularly during the winter.
You don’t want to enter your chilly garage and plug in the charger under the mistaken impression that you are helping your bike. One thing is that a battery may not even charge or may only charge very slowly in extremely cold temperatures. In fact, doing this could harm the battery.
Remember before heading out on a bike ride that our batteries are less effective in cold weather. It’s possible that your battery won’t last as long as you’re used to and that you’ll need to charge it more frequently than usual.
To avoid condensation, you should let the battery warm up before charging. Condensation might obstruct or, worse, harm the charge cycle.
If you’ve just returned from a chilly ride, give the battery time to rest inside for several hours before plugging it in.
How Long Do E-bike Batteries Last If Not Used?
The good news is that, provided it is properly maintained, the new battery can remain unused for up to four years without losing performance. Three major factors influence the battery life of an e-bike:
- How many times the battery has been charged throughout its life.
- The type and brand of the battery at hand.
- The age of the battery
A single e-bike battery can be charged thousands of times before requiring replacement, with each charge covering 100 to 120 kilometers on a standard electric bike.
Can E-bike Batteries Freeze?
We all know that for batteries to work properly in cold weather, they must be kept warm. Since the battery is a crucial part of the electric drive, this is equally important for e-bikes, if not more so. So, can e-bike batteries freeze?
They can freeze, that’s much true. You can take some steps to help stop this from happening, though. Before taking it outside into the cold, make sure the battery is fully charged. The longer it stays warm, the better.
Tips for Storing Batteries Safely
You need your battery to last because replacing cells is so expensive—likely more expensive than replacing a laptop or smartphone. Because of this, taking care is crucial. Knowing how to store the cell when you aren’t using it for a while is a necessary part of this. Here are some of our storage tips.
Never wait until your battery is completely discharged before charging it. Keep it going. If you wait until empty before charging it, its holding capacity will be reduced. Which is why, even if you are going for a short ride, it is recommended that you keep the cell almost fully charged.
Cleaning a battery may not appear to be a necessary procedure, but it is one that you should consider. You can keep your bike in a clean, dry place. This storage could be in your garage or in an enclosed area outside your home.
Keeping a fully or nearly fully charged cell in the sun or in hot weather can drastically shorten its life. After you’ve charged it, you need to find a cool place to store it. Avoid at all costs spending time in hot spaces like a hot water closet, sunroom, or conservatory.
Tips for Keeping Your Battery Healthy During Winter
These tips will help you get your e-bike battery through the winter.
E-bike owners who believe it is too cold to ride in the winter should keep the battery between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius and the charge level between 50% and 80% to avoid going into deep sleep mode. Some e-bike batteries include a “Storage level” mode that can be selected from the e-bike menu.
There are various levels of assistance on an e-bike. In the winter, the higher modes, in particular, should be used. Because more assistance is provided to the motor, a higher discharge current heats up the battery. The more we move in cold weather, the warmer we become.
A cold battery charges at a glacial pace. It is preferable to bring the battery inside and charge it at room temperature. To avoid condensation, allow the battery to warm up before charging. Condensation has the potential to disrupt or damage the charge cycle.
Some manufacturers provide neoprene suits for their batteries to allow them to cool down more slowly. If you have any questions, please contact your specialist dealer.
The proper tire pressure and a well-oiled chain reduce the burden on the battery. Low tire pressure causes more abrasion on hard surfaces, which slows you down. On paved surfaces, more effort is required to reach the desired speed, but the exact opposite is true when using a mountain bike. Perform your winter inspection in the fall or schedule a visit with your specialized dealer.
Bringing Your E-bike battery out of storage
You want to put your battery back to work after storing it for a long time during the winter. You will need to take some precautions to ensure you don’t damage your battery.
Even though we advise charging the battery before it falls below 20%, there are times when you are forced to let it run out on the way home. To keep your battery in good shape, try to avoid completely draining it.
It can be challenging to manage batteries in areas with extreme temperatures because they don’t like it when they get too hot or cold. But you can store your bicycle in a cool, dry location, preferably with good ventilation.
Stay away from routine high-voltage DC charging. Even though it’s acceptable for recharging during infrequent long-distance trips or for emergency charging needs, frequent use will harm your battery over time.
FAQ
Does cold affect e-bike batteries?
Definitely yes. As the temperature falls below 60º F, you’ll notice that the battery drains more quickly.
Should e-bike batteries be stored fully charged?
No. Never store the battery fully charged or fully discharged. Both put a strain on the battery and shorten its life.
Is it okay to use car batteries in my e-bike?
An electric bike cannot be powered by a car battery. Too much voltage is produced by car batteries.
Where should e-bike batteries be stored?
If possible, keep the battery inside your house or in an insulated garage where it won’t be subjected to extreme heat or cold.
What temperature should e-bike batteries be stored at?
Locate a temperature range of 0 to 20 degrees Celsius (68 °F). Anything in between will suffice for your battery.
Can I store electric bike outside in winter?
No. If left outside, electrical components will eventually become wet and soggy.
Conclusion
Riding in the winter is more joyous to most of the riders. However, if you don’t keep an eye on storing your bike battery then you will ruin it. So remember my suggestions and follow them carefully to make sure it stays in good health.
