Charging electric bike

Charging electric bike

Introduction

In the current era, the use of electric bikes is highly recommended for use. This is sometimes due to the variation in terrain i.e., living in hilly areas can sometimes present a challenge when it comes to cycling up a hill. Electric bikes are fragile, and there is a need for one to understand how to maintain the bike. The performance of electric bile can be affected by several factors. These factors will determine the interval of the battery life span and when there is a need to charge.

One of the critical components of an electric bike is the battery. One should consider the necessary precautions when charging and storing the battery to maintain a long life span of the battery.

Charging electric bike

Charging an electric bike battery will always vary depending on the manufacturers. However, there are similar guidelines that can be followed be followed by all to ensure safe battery charging.

The port/ bay can be placed at different points of the electric bike. This is the point where the charger is always slotted during charging. In most of these electric bikes, this bay is located just behind the main seat.

Remove the battery from the battery pack, which is always on the bike.

Before you start charging ensure the battery pack is switched off

Place the charger into the main outlet and connect it to the battery pack and then turn on the plug.

Charging electric bike battery works just the same way as the charging of laptops and mobile phones. A bike is usually delivered with a charger attached, and the battery charged to be used for about 4 to 6 hours. The battery can be charged at any time of the day.

Hibernate Mode

When you purchase a bike, it comes when it’s in hibernate mode. To check whether the battery is in hibernate mode or not, press the energy level check button. The LED light will not go up. You then need to wake up the battery from the hibernate mode by following the steps below:

• Plug an active charger into the Energy Pak to waken the battery.
• Unplug the charger from the Energy Pak
• The Energy Pak will now be out of hibernating mode after following the steps listed; hence it’s ready for riding.

Charging an electric bike is very simple. Effective charging is considered one of the critical ways of improving the life span of the battery.

Checking battery levels

Before charging the bike, one must consider the battery levels do not charge a battery that is already fully charged. The level of the battery can be checked from Two places on the electric bike

• On the handlebar’s Ride Control system. The electric bikes usually do show the charge level on the LED lights, also called the digital display. This can only be seen when one is riding.
• After removing the battery on the bike, press the button the battery; this will cause the LED lights to show indicating the battery levels.

Electric bike battery chargers

Two types of chargers can be used to charge electric bikes

Smart charger: an example of a smart charger is the 6A smart charger. Some of the advantages of the charger are that it’s compatible with the downtube energy Pak, it offers the fastest way to charge a bike, offers electric lighting results, its capable of boosting the Energy Pak to over50% of the capacity in about one and half hours. It extends the life of the battery through the usage of lower voltages.

When charging your bike at home, remove the battery from the electric bike, comment on the adapter cable to the slot on the Energy Pak battery. The extend the end of the adapter cable to your smart charger. While charging, the LED light on the charger will turn red, the lights on the Energy Pak will start blinking red. The LED light on the charger will turn green. The light on the battery will turn off completely.

Solar charging

When charging your battery using solar, the following steps need to be comprehended before the whole process begins.

Step one: understand your battery details.

Most electric bike batteries are lithium batteries with 36V. It is empirical that you understand the maximum current needed to charge the battery. This kind of information will always be available on the battery stickers.  You should also be aware of the maximum charging voltage of the battery. Most electric bikes have a charging voltage of 42- volts

Step two: Assess the Requirement of Your MPPT Charger

Most solar panels have a higher voltage compared to the battery voltage. This is advantageous in charging. In case the solar voltage is lower than the battery voltage, one should not need MTTP chargers. The only available option is to use the Genasun boost MTTP charger that can be quite expensive. Charging electric bikes on solar can be cheap compared to electricity due to no solar bills, the MTTP chargers are cheap besides the Genasun MTTP charger.

Precautionary measures when charging the battery

• When storing the bike, avoid very high temperatures. Charging the battery below 0⁰c and above 40⁰c will lead to the damage of the battery is shortening the lifespan.
• The battery should be stored in a safe and climate-controlled space. Caution should be taken not to save the battery while it is empty or has a meager charge.
• In case the electric bike will not be used for an extended period, it’s advisable to remove the battery from the bike and store the three out of the five charging LED
• During storage, the battery should be checked every month to confirm whether the LED still blinks. This is to ensure you comply with the warranty terms and conditions.
• Electric bike batteries can be charged with the various energy source. One can rely on electricity to charge, solar charging, fuel-driven generators, wind power, among other alternatives.
• The battery should not be left for long before charging once it’s depleted. It is advisable to recharge the battery as soon as it goes flat. It is also recommended to charge the battery after every ride, meaning the bike will always be ready for the next journey that should need to arise.
• Switch off the battery before charging. This is a safety and precautionary measure that will ensure the bike is not harmed in any way in case of an accident and also to avoid situations of short-circuiting.
• The battery can be charged off or on the bike. Most people are always curious about this. It creates no impact on charging the battery while it’s on the bike.
• Ensure that the battery and the charger are on non-flammable surfaces while charging. The battery bad the charger should also not be on wet. This is to avoid fire occurrences any electric shocks in case some parts of the charger are naked.
• Do not cover the battery and the charger while charging. They should be left open to allow free circulation of air and current.
• Use the charger supplied. Do not use a charger different from the one provided with the electric bike. In case of any problem with the charge i.e., when it’s lost, seek help from the manufacturer for a recommendation.
• Ensure the battery does not lie idle without being charged.

Minimizing battery risk

To mitigate any risk associated with electric bike charging at home, ensure you follow the following:

• Read the manufacturers’ manuals, stickers, and ensure the requirements listed are followed.
• Educate the family member, mostly children, and any other individual that may borrow the bile on safety and precautionary measures.
• Install precautionary fire equipment i.e., fire extinguishers and smoke alarm, to help with fire-related issues should any accident occur i.e., the battery blowing up while charging.

Most electric bikes always come with chargers consisting of power supply with slots for two cables. One outlet is for attaching the cable to the primary power source i.e., electric sockets, and the other is for connecting the cable to the electric bike’s battery. The time that it takes for the battery to charge will depend on the type and the size of the battery. Most electric bikes take about 2 to 6 hours to charge. The rate at which you recharge the battery will depend on the range at which the battery can last while you are riding your electric bike.

Some electric bikes come with features that enable you to recharge while riding. This is usually made possible through the coordination of brakes i.e., the level of brakes used can extend the battery power by about 10 to 20%. This has not been available for large scale us and is under development. Such bikes usually are more expensive compared to others and can cause the pedaling to become more hectic. This can help solve your worries about how far your battery can reach or sustain you in the course of your riding.

The lifespan of theatre is dependent on the precautionary measures taken while recharging. Following the manufactures’ manuals and instructions will make your electric bike last longer. It is advisable to keep the entire charging process out of the reach of children and any other thing that may be considered hazardous.