To charge or not to charge ...

[danfoto]

Just moved from my 2020 Batavus pedelec to a very nice new Gazelle and wondering what current thinking is about battery charging. Top up after any significant use aiming to keep it (more or less) full? Let it run down to 25% or so then charge? Or does it make no odds ...?

 

[Laser Man]

My regime is -
Fully charge (and allow extra time for balancing) if I will be using the bike in the next few days.
~ 75% charge if I will be using the bike fairly soon and top up before going out.
~50% charge for longer term storage (and keep it as cool as possible).

I rarely get to below 25%, but when I do I put some charge in straight away.

Seems to work - the battery is over 4 yrs now and very nearly as good as it was when new.

 

[Ocsid]

Much the same, the routine being to generally keep it between 20 and 80% full, only going to 100% just prior to a significant ride.
i resist micro top ups, possibly more to get away from the hassle of forever charging, having to carefully watch how long it's on charge and attrition to the plug and socket.
I modify my charging to respond to what I plan doing, if going off grid for the next week camping, then it gets an 80% odd charge to cover being away.
Been going since 2016/17 and still registers over 100 miles range available.

 

[Nealh]

I never fully charge until a few hours before a ride or required use. I have chargers set for storage voltage at 3.8/3.85v so this is my std charge until I top off with a full charge.

 

[Laser Man]

I never fully charge until a few hours before a ride or required use. I have chargers set for storage voltage at 3.8/3.85v so this is my std charge until I top off with a full charge.

That's certainly the ideal.
Be nice if they put a charge control switch on the chargers.

 

[Andy-Mat]

That's certainly the ideal.
Be nice if they put a charge control switch on the chargers.

You are right.
But untill they do, I use a cheap 24 Hour Timer (electro/mechanical), and I wire the mains power to the synchronous motor to be after the switch, so that it switches itself off after the set time has run out! I use midnight as the start time....
Then knowing the charge time needed, I set the timer to the aproximate time required, for the charge I need.....
Check it with a voltmeter the first few times to make sure you have judged it correctly of course!
Cheap and cheerful!
regards
Andy

 

[geoff967]

You are right.
But untill they do, I use a cheap 24 Hour Timer (electro/mechanical), and I wire the mains power to the synchronous motor to be after the switch, so that it switches itself off after the set time has run out! I use midnight as the start time....
Then knowing the charge time needed, I set the timer to the aproximate time required, for the charge I need.....
Check it with a voltmeter the first few times to make sure you have judged it correctly of course!
Cheap and cheerful!
regards
Andy

 

[geoff967]

Welcome to the gazelle.I am sure you will love it .had mine for 3 years and made 12000 miles yesterday.
Battery went kaput at 11000 3 months out of warranty but lbs went to bat and got replacement of 800 pound battery in 2 days free of charge.would have paid 200 for the 11000 miles used but happy days