Update on batteries

[Old Timer]

The project using 2 SLA(sealed lead acid) batteries to make up a 24V 15Amp pack for running my wifes Cyclamatic Power Plus and our Folders is working out just fine, at this stage they are every bit as powerful and lasting as the supplied Li-ion battery.

The 36V Lipo4 pack purchased from China for £189 inc charger and P&P seems to be going from strength to strength and just today after around 12 miles round trip the lights on the handle bars were still showing all three(whilst riding), used on my Evans mounting bike with Alien converted front wheel kit.

The 13Amp Li-polymer battery(purchased from Andy of Oxygen Bikes) is being used on my Aurora and again seems to be going from strength to strength.

 

[MalcolmW]

My Chinese battery arrived today (36v 10amphr), same source.
No instructions at all and looking as if it needed unpacking. Thats after I unpacked it. A gaffer tape work of art. Quickly installed it in one of my panners and initial impressions are very positive. Starting voltage is 40 volts but the droop under load is a lot less than my aged nmhi. Only done a few hilly miles and I will report progress as it goes on. I worried about heating as I have it wrapped in an inch of foam, the original packing but it seems to stay quite cool charging and discharging.
oh!, And I did get done £15 for vat etc.

Malcolm White ezee sprint

The project using 2 SLA(sealed lead acid) batteries to make up a 24V 15Amp pack for running my wifes Cyclamatic Power Plus and our Folders is working out just fine, at this stage they are every bit as powerful and lasting as the supplied Li-ion battery.

The 36V Lipo4 pack purchased from China for £189 inc charger and P&P seems to be going from strength to strength and just today after around 12 miles round trip the lights on the handle bars were still showing all three(whilst riding), used on my Evans mounting bike with Alien converted front wheel kit.

The 13Amp Li-polymer battery(purchased from Andy of Oxygen Bikes) is being used on my Aurora and again seems to be going from strength to strength.

 

[electric_avenue]

My (cheap) bike runs on lead acids and although they're heavy they seem like a good thing as long as the bike is used regularly. After all my car battery is used every day and that's been in 4 years. Plus they are so much cheaper than the other types.

 

[Scottyf]

There's nothing wrong with using sla. Even more so if your either going to use it in frequently due to the cost aspect. However with the cheaper batteries are becoming and more wide spread availability and endless choice of cells for light weight batteries there appears to be more choice than ever.

Sla work well in panniers as long as the weight is kept low. Still there always going to be three times the weight of any equivalent lithium tech

 

[Jaunty]

Can I ask a couple of technical questions here about SLA batteries, please?

I have a lawn mower that runs very effectively for 3 hours or so on 24V from two 12v 17Ah batteries that cost me about £30 each to replace every 3-4 years. If I were to use 3 such as these in series to run a 36V ebike, I am right to assume that they could only provide 17Ah between them, aren't I? That still seems quite a lot. They are bulky and heavy (6Kg or so each I think) but I am thinking about electrifying my Trice trike so bulk is not a problem. They have Lucar spade type terminals. Would these safely carry the current necessary to run an ebike? Would the occasional high current demand cause polarisation within the batteries?

Any advice would be welcome, because it could be a practical trade-off of price/capacity against weight for some situations.

 

[NRG]

Yes, in series the sum capacity is that of the individual battery given that they are all the same. YOu would need to parallel them to gain capacity but that would reduce voltage.

Your 17Ah will work out to be nearer to 12Ah with SLA's due to something called the Peukert effect. The only reason for using SLA's is cost and availability. They are bulky, very heavy making mounting difficult and the bike difficult to manoeuvre plus they have limited cycle life in use as a bike battery, however, they can be re-cycled which cannot be said of Li-Ion.

 

[bode]

The previous owner of my "new" Ezee Sprint replaced the defunct battery with 3 12v 12Ah batteries for the grand cost of £52! I assume from what NRG has just said that I probably get less than 10Ah from them, though I am achieving about 22 miles (they are quite new), but I am looking to replace them with a Ping LiFePo4 battery quite soon, especially as I have just weighed them. The lithium battery on my other bike weighs 4.5kg, so I reckoned they would be a little more. Imagine my surprise when I found they weighed 11.5kg!

 

[banbury frank]

Hi

The battery I can recommend is from BMS china 36 volt 15 AH it is 20A continuous discharge and comes complete with charger weight off battery 4.5 kilos

Allow up to 6 weeks delivery and pay by paypal so your money is safe

About £200 including delivery

36V 15Ah Li-Ion Shrink Tube EBike Battery Pack - BMSBATTERY

Frank

 

[kitchenman]

Yes, in series the sum capacity is that of the individual battery given that they are all the same. YOu would need to parallel them to gain capacity but that would reduce voltage.

Your 17Ah will work out to be nearer to 12Ah with SLA's due to something called the Peukert effect. The only reason for using SLA's is cost and availability. They are bulky, very heavy making mounting difficult and the bike difficult to manoeuvre plus they have limited cycle life in use as a bike battery, however, they can be re-cycled which cannot be said of Li-Ion.

Do SLAs need to be used regularly? ... If someone is selling an ebike with an SLA batteries and says that it is "little used" is the battery likely to any good? ...

 

[banbury frank]

Hi SLA battery age

and go high resistance if you charge them and leave them thy will cook and over charge and start to bulge so even new unused battery's deteriorate left in storage so when you buy a used bike plan on changing the battery's not expensive about £70 for 3 12 volt 12 AH battery's


3 x RITAR 12V 12Ah / 15Ah Battery's for Electric Bikes | eBay

Frank

 

[NRG]

Alan,

They need to be fully charged regularly. If kept in a low state of charge they suffer something called Sulfation, the formation of Sulfate Crystals on the negative battery plates. This can be reversed by overcharging the battery for a day or so but if the battery was kept in a low state of charge for weeks or months then the 'damage' is permanent.

Thats why its always best to fully charge an SLA immediately after use and for longer life, limit the depth of discharge (DoD). They should also be topped up when in storage using a charger that can provide a float charge to maintain the cells...

 

[kitchenman]

Hi SLA battery age

and go high resistance if you charge them and leave them thy will cook and over charge and start to bulge so even new unused battery's deteriorate left in storage so when you buy a used bike plan on changing the battery's not expensive about £70 for 3 12 volt 12 AH battery's


3 x RITAR 12V 12Ah / 15Ah Battery's for Electric Bikes | eBay

Frank

Thanks Frank.

 

[NRG]

If you are charging them and leaving them and they subsequently 'cook' then you are using the wrong charger!