Battery use in snow temperatures

[Altop1]

Hi just wondering if using our bikes in low temps damages battery s long term.If your commuting then maybe you have no choice.Were told to store batterys at a reasonable temp any thoughts please.

 

[Nicholas Lea-Trengrouse]

Hi just wondering if using our bikes in low temps damages battery s long term.If your commuting then maybe you have no choice.Were told to store batterys at a reasonable temp any thoughts please.

I was wondering this too. I've seen some people post pics of them riding through pretty bad snow so I would say it's ok, as long as it's not for an extended amount of time maybe

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

 

[flecc]

Don't worry, especially if you are regularly using the bike. In use like all electrical devices the battery generates heat, warming itself up inside.

Therefore it's a good idea in very cold weather to recharge after use, rather than waiting until the battery gets very cold which impedes the charge and does the battery no good.

Bear in mind that we have members in some very cold countries, including right up next to the arctic circle in Norway, using the same bikes and batteries that we have.

Just look at these two Norwegian members in our cycling map, riding e-bikes up at the northern tip, even north of Murmansk in Russia! Click on them for IDs.
.

 

[danielrlee]

Just to expand on what flecc said....

Storage temperature is not a problem, with as cold as -20C being okay.

Usage temperature is very important though. Lithium batteries should be neither charged nor discharged when 0C or less. This refers to the battery temperature, not ambient. There's no problem using a warm battery in cold weather.

 

[Altop1]

Right might get the bike out if i get snowed off tomorrow.

 

[Nealh]

Batteries generate heat so will soon be above freezing, my soft packs were comfortably warm in my top rack bag recently following a ride, Don't charge them if they have been stored in freezing conditions as they don't hold the charge well bring them indoors to metaphorically thaw, then charge them. Storing though in the cold is good for the cells when not in use.

 

[jfak76]

Just to add a little more. Here are my tips for battery use in snow temperatures:
1. Don't leave the alithium battery outside in the cold. When it gets cold you just won't get a good performance of it.
2. Don't charge your battery when it's too cold.Especially not below freezing, because it can degrate the quality of your battery overtime.
3. When your battrey gets colder on your bike it's not gonna be able to deliver as much usable energy.
I always clean my bike after riding, because there is a lot of salt on roads in winter and that is a real problem for steal on your bike. Dry off your bike when you done using it.

 

[EddiePJ]

On the rare occasions that the South East gets snow, I never give the battery a second thought.

More of an issue for me is the freezing of components such as gear cables, calipers, and even the front forks collapsing when the internal valves freeze solid.

All good fun though.

 

[vfr400]

That's really nice photo.

 

[Nealh]

As nearly are all of EPJ's.