Help! Bikes Not Used for Two Years

[Annied]

Hi Everyone, you gave me a lot of much appreciated help when I first purchased my bikes several years ago - I can't believe how long ago it was and how the time flies! I'm now hoping you can help me again as I'm just as ignorant as ever when it comes to anything other than just riding them.

My two bikes are actually in Germany and I wouldn't be without them when I'm there. They're safely stored in a dry cellar, in the building's basement in between visits, but for obvious reasons, I haven't been able to use them for two years now. One battery was already shot the last time I was there (August 2020), but as I didn't have any guests staying, I didn't bother to order a replacement. (A lucky decision as it's turned out.) The other battery will undoubtedly have breathed its last by now too. I'm finally (airlines permitting), heading back next month and I'm wondering if any harm is likely to have come to the motors on the bikes after not being used at all for such a long time. Ideally I'd like to order the batteries in advance so that they're waiting for me when I arrive, but would like (I hope), some reassurance of a fighting chance that, when I've charged a new battery and slotted it into the bike, it'll all work.

 

[soundwave]

what bike is it bosch ? batts can be recalled in Germany and a bit cheaper than a new one.

 

[flecc]

what bike is it bosch ? batts can be recalled in Germany and a bit cheaper than a new one.

One bike at least is a Ranis Foldy, a rear hub motor folding e-bike:

Information Link
.

 

[Annied]

Absolutely right, they're identical models, just different colours and they've been good little bikes. They were the lightest I could find at the time as I'm very petite. (Thanks to all the exercise I get when I'm away I'm now even lighter again than I was when I wrote those earlier posts that you clearly found.) I can just about drag the bikes up the steps from the basement, but my kind neighbours help me out taking them back down again!

 

[soundwave]

should be able to get that recelled easy

 

[flecc]

Absolutely right, they're identical models, just different colours and they've been good little bikes. They were the lightest I could find at the time as I'm very petite. (Thanks to all the exercise I get when I'm away I'm now even lighter again than I was when I wrote those earlier posts that you clearly found.) I can just about drag the bikes up the steps from the basement, but my kind neighbours help me out taking them back down again!

As Soundwave says, getting the batteries recelled is the easiest solution, and could be cheaper than buying new batteries. There will be services doing that in Germany.
.

 

[Annied]

I'm guessing that means doing something to it that enables me to be able to charge it again?

Thanks for the tip, inevitably, I had no idea that was possible. Who would do it? I haven't seen it mentioned on any of the bike shop's websites in the vicinity of "my" village, although doubtless it's more profitable for them to sell people new batteries, so it could be that they simply don't advertise it. Or do I have to go elsewhere?

(It could be an interesting few minutes as I attempt to explain what I'm after in German to some unsuspecting tradesman. "My battery is dead", I can manage. After that it all goes a bit hazy!)

I knew it was a good idea to come here!

Edited to add that I've just been doing some googling and if prices are similar to those in the UK, it could be more expensive than buying new!

 

[soundwave]

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBatteryDoctor/videos

Experte für E-Bike Akku Reparaturen | Liofit GmbH - Reparatur von E-Bike Akkus

Wir helfen dir weiter, wenn dein E-Bike Akku defekt ist! Einfach einsenden, wir lesen den Fehler aus und erstellen dir einen Kostenvoranschlag. Kein Sorgen, kein Aufwand für dich - wir erledigen das!

www.liofit.com

the price will depend on what brand cells you want.

 

[lightning]

The motors, speed controllers and displays will be absolutely fine after two years storage.

They would only come to grief if the bikes were stored in a damp environment.

l believe some controllers have a small backup battery (mine must have because it will still come on without the battery installed) and there's a chance that might need to be replaced.

 

[Annied]

Thanks for all the info. That's very reassuring that the bikes' motors should still be fine. That was my main concern as I didn't want to lay out a lot of money to no purpose. I'd also be lost without them. I've become very used to pedalling my way around locally and even a bit further afield from time to time.

That link was very useful soundwave, I now know Zelltausch is the word I need if I ask for the cells to be replaced, but if €350 for a cell replacement is the going rate, it's actually looking as though buying new ones for €249 apiece would be a more economical option.

 

[soundwave]

don't buy cheap crap from china you get what you pay for

 

[soundwave]

electric moped fault

Well I knew one day it would happen, But I am very lucky really, as today I was just about 500 yards from my home, when moped just cut out. like a wire had come off. no dash display nothing. so I have now decided I'm going to sell moped, and get a nice electric bike. as no way could i have...

www.pedelecs.co.uk

it always ends the same way

 

[sjpt]

That link was very useful soundwave, I now know Zelltausch is the word I need if I ask for the cells to be replaced, but if €350 for a cell replacement is the going rate, it's actually looking as though buying new ones for €249 apiece would be a more economical option.

It is often more economical to get a replacement battery than a recell when the replacement is easily available. With a recell you'll be paying German labour rates for (re)building a one-off; with a replacement you'll probably be paying Chinese labour rates for mass production. Recelling is a very valuable option for unusual batteries that are difficult to replace. Battery case and BMS are the bits that get reused in a recell; these are a relatively small part of the cost compared to cells and building.

With either a recell or a new battery you need to be really careful about what quality the cells are. Jimmy is a well reputed receller here in the UK who will always use quality cells; However, there are others whose choice of cells is dubious (at best), and battery building skills very limited. Pretty much the same goes for buying ready built batteries.

It's not easy to be sure what you'll be getting either way; but either way what appears to be a bargain will almost certainly turn out to be very poor as Soundwave says; and possibly dangerous.

 

[flecc]

it's actually looking as though buying new ones for €249 apiece would be a more economical option.

If Ranis are still able to supply new batteries at that price, given that your usage is quite light, it could well be the best option.

Recelling can be a future option if and when Ranis are no longer able to supply.
.

 

[Annied]

I'll have a trawl around online first, but I was planning to buy from the same company from whom I bought the bikes. Theirs are Samsung. (They're the company in the link I posted earlier.) The original ones that came with the bike did pretty well all things considered.

Edited to add the Samsung ones are €349 I've just discovered. I'll definitely be taking the advice here and not buying cheap and cheerful.

 

[Annied]

I've now had more of a chance to look around. I've also been on a learning curve and discovered what Ah and Wh mean. Sort of. My best bet looks to be Otto, which is a kind of German equivalent to Argos, has been around a long time and who I've used before. They have a model with Panasonic cells for €319.99. It comes without a charger, but presumably the two chargers I already have will work with it, they certainly look identical to the ones here, where you can buy both battery and charger together.

 

[Benjahmin]

Thar sounds like a goer. However, before you plug in the charger, just check the polarity og the charger output and the polarity on the charge socket. It needs to go +ve to+ve and -ve to -ve.

 

[flecc]

Same as Benjahmin says with the connections to the bike, they must be like to like too. If you connect the battery to the bike wrong way round you could seriously damage the bike's electrics.
.

 

[Annied]

Thanks for the tips.

There's only one socket on both the charger and the battery, so it should be proof even against this idiot I hope!

I went back to Elecktro-fun, the website from which I bought the bikes and batteries and the cheaper of the two replacement batteries they're selling there has the same polarity as the Otto one. There isn't a pic showing the polarity of the more expensive one, but would they not all be the same on a particular design - or is that too logical for manufacturers!

An advantage of buying from Otto is that it does include free postage for both delivery and returns if I need to send it back.

(Dear god, why is nothing simple?!!)

 

[sjpt]

There isn't a pic showing the polarity of the more expensive one, but would they not all be the same on a particular design - or is that too logical for manufacturers!

Manufacturers are reasonably consistent. However, the damage done by connecting with polarity wrong means it's always worth testing first.