Batteries Charging Routine

[flecc]

they use unmarked reject cells

Another intrinsic lithium cell problem, high rejection rates have plagued their manufacture. Tesla are still currently struggling to produce consistent 4680 cells in large quantities, though hopefully Panasonic now joining them as a manufacturing partner for the 4680s will help.

At least they have at last got the message that using smaller numbers of larger cells is better practice, though even the 4680 is far too small. Having over 7000 cells with 24 cells in each module in each car's battery as they have been doing is design madness, when it only takes a single cell to create a major disaster and 44 people burnt to death so far.

I'm much happier with my car's 320 carefully made and tested much larger capacity cells, more safely separated into 8 cells per module.
.

 

[guerney]

Or how about a device which is triggered by power to the green LED on the charger, to initiate a timed shutdown of power to the charger, with push button options for 15 minutes, 1 hour, 24 hours etc?

Or how about a clockwork propelled finger turning off the power switch on the wall to the charger, after power to the green LED is detected, triggering a solenoid to unleash said finger? Time to finger power socket switchoff could be varied by number of winds of the clockwork, or increasing/decreasing the distance of the finger to the charger's socket switch, for say 1 hour extra for balance, or 15 minutes for normal charge.

 

[lenny]

At least they have at last got the message that using smaller numbers of larger cells is better practice

 

[guerney]

So what did they do to it to make it do that? Drill into it? All sensationalist BS and no scientific analysis.

That's the safest battery charging method I've ever seen. Much safer than charging overnight.


Flat is destroyed by fire after e-bike battery overheated as it was being charged

" E-bike batteries can cause catastrophic house fires by exploding when charging overnight, charity warns"

Flat is destroyed by fire after e-bike battery overheated

Firefighters were called to a residential blaze in Elswick, Newcastle, on July 11 after a lithium-ion battery on an e-bike caught fire after it was left on charge in a bedroom.

www.dailymail.co.uk

New York City Urges Regulations on E-Bike Batteries to Prevent Fires

New York City Urges Regulations on E-Bike Batteries to Prevent Fires

New York City Urges Regulations on E-Bike Batteries to Prevent Fires - EnergyPortal.eu

www.energyportal.eu

 

[Az.]

Flat is destroyed by fire after e-bike battery overheated

Firefighters were called to a residential blaze in Elswick, Newcastle, on July 11 after a lithium-ion battery on an e-bike caught fire after it was left on charge in a bedroom.

www.dailymail.co.uk

"A flat has been decimated by a fire "

A flat can be decimated? Hmmm.... I didn't know that.

 

[guerney]

Clarkeson said this, so it must be true:

“a fully charged e-bike contains the same explosive energy as six hand grenades”

Clarkson claims electric cars are ‘dangerous’ in explosive rant

Mr Clarkson's criticism comes as debate intensifies about whether electric cars are the right way forward for the UK.

www.express.co.uk

 

[Az.]

Guerney, you really need to start reading better newspapers.

 

[guerney]

Guerney, you really need to start reading better newspapers.

I couldn't bear linking Clarkeson on notsobrightbart.

 

[guerney]

Batteries do wear. One of my original batteries (2017 & about 900 cycles) lately suddenly started to give reduced range. The advice often given in this case is to plug it in overnight for a long charge . Anyhow, I was suspicious that something was wrong. When I opened battery to check, I got a very sweet smell. I checked cell voltages and 9 of the 10 cell groups were perfectly balanced. But the fifth group was about .2 volts below. Anyhow after a bit of further opening up I discovered that two cells in this group were leaking the sweet smelling stuff (electrolyte).
So in my view, be very careful about batteries, especially If they start to misbehave in any way e.g. reduced range, motor/power cutouts.
Also be careful about using chargers. For example,some 48v charger plugs will fit and charge 36v batteries but this is potentially dangerous, so there is room for improvement I presume.

Crikey. Thanks for posting that. My 36V 19.2ah (LG MH1 cells) battery is 3 years and 8 months old (at least, plus time before it's purchase as new). I will make certain to inspect the cells, to see if anything looks puffy or leaky - but that might turn out to be difficult to see, because they're tightly packed. Because my ebike isn't set up to sip power (it's pretty much a throttle-less 15A moped activated by ghost pedalling), I used to get max range of 43 miles over mixed terrain. The ODO reads 3,989km, therefore does that equate to 3989/69km = 57.8 full charge cycles? (I doubt it).

My journeys are generally less than 43 miles, and I usually top up with a full charge (except occasionally when I'm short of time). It doesn't hold it's fully charged voltage for as long as it used to, but otherwise no misbehaviours.

 

[Az.]

My 36V 19.2ah (LG MH1 cells) (...) I used to get max range of 43 miles over mixed terrain.

Only 43 miles?

 

[guerney]

Only 43 miles?

Yep, with absolutely zero effort. It's like having a throttle, but without a throttle. Pedal a tiny bit and away you go at 25km/h using 16Wh a mile. (Corrected, thanks @WheezyRider)

 

[WheezyRider]

Yep, with absolutely zero effort. It's like having a throttle, but without a throttle. Pedal a bit and away you go using 16W a mile.

Wh per mile?

 

[WheezyRider]

Is that towing 90kg trailers?

 

[guerney]

Is that towing 90kg trailers?

Just me, DSLR, two tripods, lenses, laptop, small LED photography panel, phone, paperwork etc. Loads of hills for the latter half of the journey.

 

[Az.]

absolutely zero effort.

Elsewhere you mentioned you bought another bike to get fit... perhaps it would make more sense to make more effort on your ebike?

 

[guerney]

Elsewhere you mentioned you bought another bike to get fit... perhaps it would make more sense to make more effort on your ebike?

I can't possibly do that! My ebike is to enable my arrival at work sweat free. If there's electrical assistance available, I will use it to the max. There's no such assistance available when slow jogging, at least not yet. (unless I catch an electric bus).

 

[Sturmey]

I have a rule of thumb for estimating the amount of battery I comfortably need on a journey. I need 10w per km + 30w per 100 meters altitude climbed. On windy days, I probably need a little more. On calm days, I always have power left over.
I suppose there are two motors on an pedelec, the electric motor and the legs. I reckon my old legs are only fit for about 50w continuous mechanical power output. But I do save some energy for a bit of peak power to assist the motor on the hill.
In the winter time, I tend to get better results. I think this is because I pedal more to keep warm on the bike. But during the summer, I take it easy.

 

[saneagle]

Crikey. Thanks for posting that. My 36V 19.2ah (LG MH1 cells) battery is 3 years and 8 months old (at least, plus time before it's purchase as new). I will make certain to inspect the cells, to see if anything looks puffy or leaky - but that might turn out to be difficult to see, because they're tightly packed. Because my ebike isn't set up to sip power (it's pretty much a throttle-less 15A moped activated by ghost pedalling), I used to get max range of 43 miles over mixed terrain. The ODO reads 3,989km, therefore does that equate to 3989/69km = 57.8 full charge cycles? (I doubt it).

My journeys are generally less than 43 miles, and I usually top up with a full charge (except occasionally when I'm short of time). It doesn't hold it's fully charged voltage for as long as it used to, but otherwise no misbehaviours.

LG MH1 cells don't leak. Pouch cells and very early cheap Chinese ones leak, but I've never seen any modern or branded ones do that. You have nothing to worry about.

 

[guerney]

LG MH1 cells don't leak. Pouch cells and very early cheap Chinese ones leak, but I've never seen any modern or branded ones do that. You have nothing to worry about.

Thanks, that's reassuring - glad I paid extra for LG cells!

I've taken to charging my battery on a long handled pizza paddle next to the window, so I can chuck it out at the first sign of trouble.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pizza-Peel-Paddle-Lifter-Consumables/dp/B01KVDTXTE/

 

[Az.]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pizza-Peel-Paddle-Lifter-Consumables/dp/B01KVDTXTE/

Are you being serious?