How To Double The Life Of Your Lithium Batteries

[@EbikeSchool]

If anyone wants to follow along with their own copy of my book DIY Lithium Batteries to be ready for future videos, you can check it out here: a.co/jcc2OzV

[@BrunoPOWEEER]

EbikeSchool.com I highly recommend this book which is an AWESOME reading for any beginner to even more advanced professionals! Fantastic guide covers batteries in general (not just ebike batteries) so you can apply the same principles to any other battery projects in future!!! Not sure if Micah ever mentioned but it ships worldwide... ohh yeaahh!!!

[@tarstarkusz]

I'm really surprised you did not talk about charging speed and discharging speed, matching your WH to the motor's peak wattage (to keep the cells from discharging above 1C) and the importance of matching the motor to your needs and not spending a bunch of energy heating up a motor and the battery (and damaging the battery in the process). All of these things are going to have a bigger affect. Then there's the huge problem of Chinese logistics and making sure you have top quality genuine name brand cells.

[@KingCrabGaming1]

EbikeSchool.com I need help, the motor I want to use is 48v and 20.83amp. can anyone recommend a combination 18650 batteries that'll reach that and not be a heart breaking amount of money? I'm new to this and I can't figure out a combination for my needs

[@tarstarkusz]

What difference does that make? Rapid charging and discharging shorten cell life even inside the spec.

[@MegaMukesh27]

+Matteo Milazzo do yu hv 48 v 20ah bldc motor?

[@chefkendranguyen]

I hope all chargers come with a choice between 80 90 100 percent, per BMS that allow the option to balance that range in the near future. Thanks for another clearly explained video, Micah.

[@imperialsecuritybureau6037]

Not all chargers I think, but possibly BMS’ allow you to do that, depending on the BMS. I think you can set the maximum charging voltage, as well as minimum discharge voltage on many of the Bluetooth or programmable BMS units. As well as that you can use an adjustable charger which lets you set whatever voltage and current you like, which is ideal because not only can you under-volt, you can also stress the battery less by setting a lower current.

[@race1006]

I'm just getting into this whole e-bike thing, Been riding mountain bikes for a long time now. A hot rodder at heart, been building and racing all my life. So, yeah, I've spent a lot of time scratching my head, " What the???" I ran across your channel a couple days ago, I have to say I have learned more in two evenings than the last six months. That is something almost anyone can appreciate. Thanks again...

[@johngilbert1375]

I've been riding e-bikes for almost 20 years (and non-electrified for much longer than that). My 2 most recent are a 1000W rear motor with a 20A controller and a 58V 15AH battery on a mountain bike. It screams with a top speed of 27mph and a range of close to 100mi but it weighs 52 lbs. My other bike is a carbon road bike with a 350W front motor 36V 10.5AH battery. Total weight 35lbs! It's a very sweet ride. I get my kits from ebike solutions (gocarlite.com). Doug is a knowledgable, capable, and honest guy. I trust him implicitly. He'll lace wheels from the kits he gets. Sells only high quality components and stands behind what he sells. You can do it yourself with his kits. He provides good advice too. You can buy Doug's batteries or build your own based on info from ebikeschool.

[@kenelder9615]

Thanks for the information. I use a timer on my phone to warn me to unplug the charger, the display on my ebike shows voltage, I check the display and only charge my 36 volt battery to 39 or 40 volts instead of the 42 volts maximum charge when left charging for a long time. The battery still lasts long enough for the way I use it. A rule of thumb is two hours of charging for one hour of use. Once a month I charge maximum and then lower it the next day by riding.

[@cedricstone7306]

I've got a 1/2 dozen e.power tools with sick/dead lithium batteries? That's scared me away from DIY e.bike building and Lithium Batteries...until I watched this video. Thanks, its offered the most comprehensive information from anywhere!

[@ivermec-tin666]

This video is really eye opening and empowering. I have used these charging techniques on my cellphone for years, and they do extend battery life significantly. Thanks for this!

[@satnamsandh1228]

I am around 70 year old electronic graduate.in my spare time I teach electronics to kids. Though I am BE ,still I find your videos very very useful. Me and my students watch your videos with full interest. Wish you the best, please put more videos.

[@paulaxford6754]

Well explained, thanks. I use a second charger set to 3.90V/cell for winter when I'm only commuting short distances around town but need to have the bike ready to go at all times. Both the basic "42V" chargers I have are internally adjustable over the required range.

[@presidentpgmc4406]

Wow! Very informative, Thank you. I have been in electronics since DeVry, graduated in 1968. Things have really changed since then. Your education on lithiums is very valuable to us old timers!

[@daveb7999]

lol, I was going to say "Very informative", then saw your post and didn't want to say the same thing, so I posted here instead. This is a very helpful and "Very informative" video. I want to use the charger supplied with my etrike, and was a bit worried about fully charging, obviously I want to get the most out of my 20Ah Samsung battery (they are quite expensive). My plan, after watching this video, is to bite the bullet and purchase another 20Ah battery to alternate between the two to increase the time my batteries will last. I feel it will be worth the cost, since I can also use the second battery to extend my trip length. I think it will be worth the added cost in the long term, and I don't feel so bad about fully charging the batteries now. I already don't fully charge until I get down to ~ 30% charge. Yup, this was a great video and fully agree with your post.

[@cadude145]

What I particularly liked about your explanations is I generally can understand them. I've been watching a lot about lithium batteries on KZbin and some people get really deep into the weeds which does not do me any good at all. so I just purchased your book on DIY lithium batteries and maybe I'll get enough Base information where I can begin to understand this.

[@dougfeig7613]

Just bought two bikes for my wife and myself. Now trying to learn as much as I can to maximize their longevity. Your video came just at the right time. Turns out we bought bikes offering a special deal -- an extra battery!

[@qaz9258]

Doing some calculations based on a 1AH battery pack for simplicity @ 4.20V: 500 cycles x 100% = 500AH total life @ 4.10V: 900 cycles x _90% = 810AH total life @ 4.05V: 1500 cycles x _80% =1200AH total life What does this mean? Well if your commute on your ebike is much less than your battery range (or you use just a little more peddle power) you could potentially more than double the life of your battery. Charging once per day this would take your battery from 16.5 months (1y 4.5M) to 39.5 months ( 3Y 3.5M) Now calculate the cost of your battery to the cost of a special charger. Now include any other batteries and see your potential savings.

[@taunteratwill1787]

Q Az So you tought the vid was not clear enough about this? simplicity rulez lol

[@sammysiu3719]

Q Az $

[@bretthaldane3772]

I know next to nothing about batteries and how to keep them in the best condition for as long as you can.I really found this video worth watching!.

[@donk.5730]

Well Done Micah, found your channel by accident. Love to get your books. Your videos are clear, concise & no wasted chatter . Perfect. You are empowering people easily by these videos. Thank you, Don....looking forward to building some of these devices someday. Also, if you can mention costs involved - would be appreciated. It's great to think we can build something to help us along the EBIKE journey ! Cheers....

[@Goddess-qo7go]

I didn't have a clue before this video about battery charging. When I do get an e-bike, this info will help me with my bike's maintenance. Thank you.

[@Thek1Ly]

Hey, this doesn't only apply to e-bikes. It applies to everything that uses Li-Ion batteries like all smartphones, laptops and electric cars. Also something I think he didn't mention is that you shouldn't completely discharge a Li-Ion battery as that will shorten its life a lot. So charge it up to 80% whenever you can but only after it drops under 70%. That will maximize long-term battery health.

[@magickfighter]

I appreciate the depth you went into with the 90% vs 100% charging. This helped me decide how i want to charge my battery packs for my robotic system. I look forward to your next videos!

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

KZbin is a fountain of misinformation. It is best to really research what given battery chemistry is best for yiour application and how best to treat them. If you need exact guidance, this aint the place.

[@JustLearning]

I do have an Ebike but I watched due to the Lithium battery information. You seem like a knowledgeable and honest person. Thanks for the video. I just got started and learned about 18650 batteries and would love to make a pack of them and power something! Take care.

[@zaidoonalahmedi9977]

People don’t get excited, this is known battery OEMs and product manufacturers. They already have software in place to maximize the battery life. Just read the manual that comes with your product for long time storage and fully enjoy your product instead of enjoying 80% and saving 20% for later.

[@danfield6030]

True, yet not true 😮

[@CentralCoastBassFishing]

As a new owner of a Specialized Turbo Levo, this was a very interesting video. I’ve wondered since purchasing the bike how charging or lack thereof affects longevity, this answers my questions perfectly, thank you!

[@johnmangion2036]

This is one of the best tuitional videos i have seen. Looking forward to more issues.

[@teknofil007]

Interesting. I have my 3 electric bike now. Enduro Leili speed. Qt motor 11,000 watts 72 volts 48amp. Was told to charge up to 80 volts. 85 volts for longer trips. Before my first 2 I always charged 100%. After hearing what you say I will charge 85% and sometimes 100%. I learned a little about charging after and watching your video. Thanks!

[@bigbadboogie6842]

Good info, about the same as i read over the years. Regarding Undercharging, this is valid for SINGLE CELLS, which NO-ONE uses in PEVs. As soon as you build a pack with a BMS its more important to balance the pack than under charging. Especially in large batt pack EUCs like the 4 pack 3.2KWh 100V Sherman. "long time" Store around 40-60% charge, but not too cold or hot.

[@mikec4308]

literally says in the owners manual to store at fully charged and top off every 2 months

[@MarkLoves2Fly]

I bought your book for my current build. I took it out for its 1st run today! 2wd 2000 Watts, my guess is about 25 mph. I will verify it tomorrow. I need to add more cells to my battery, but it is running like a champ!

[@OpenmindedHusker1]

Biggest takeaway for me: Don't recharge your batter after every short ride (unless of course your next ride is going to require a full charge), and don't charge it well in advance of needing it. As always, great info., so thank you again!

[@titonothere6179]

What you mean don’t charge it well In adv of needing it? I use my Go-Ped for work so I gotta charger it half half through the day so I can make for a 12 hour shift.

[@OpenmindedHusker1]

Charging it halfway through your day so as to continue using it that same day is not what I meant by "well in advance". I was thinking about folks who charge it up all the way as soon as they return from a ride, even when they know they won't be back out for another ride for days or weeks.

[@titonothere6179]

@@OpenmindedHusker1 ohh I seee… so give the scooter some time before charging again after a day of use? So don’t charge it right away is what you’re saying? I’m a rookie scooter rider so I’m learning as I go. I already messed up my battery by letting it ride til the battery died. Lol

[@titonothere6179]

@@OpenmindedHusker1 thank for getting back to me btw.. 🤙🏽

[@OpenmindedHusker1]

@@titonothere6179 The idea is to avoid having the battery sit with a completely full charge for long periods of time, like days or weeks. There is a degenerative process that occurs, very slowly and gradually of course, when a lithium ion battery is fully charged. So, if a person knows that he or she won't be using the battery again for days or weeks, it makes sense to wait before recharging it back to a full charge.

[@augiepm4428]

Dude! This totally cured me of " range anxiety" and I would really love a copy of your DIY Ebike Guide. Just found your channel while looking for solutions for biking cargo and kids. Thx!

[@karltonrod3855]

Thanks for the explanation, also the links. Just a side remark, consider turning the volume of the music at bit down (which seems to be considered essential, for whatever reason).

[@22oob]

Too loud and repetitive for me also.

[@HEVTech1]

Fantastic explanation of lithium battery degradation. Most batteries operate with these same rules: phone, drills, electric mowers, etc. etc. You did leave only one element out, Heat...heat hurts lithium cells similar to charging and storing at full capacity.

[@RD-lf6tp]

Great information. But is there a 'best' level of discharge before recharging? I usually charge mine when there is still plenty of life left in it. Should I let it get more fully discharged or does it matter?

[@bethanychwaterford]

Thanks for clearing up my questions about what the charging of the battery is all about. Several of us on a bike ride today were talking about this exact same thing.

[@jerryhealy3962]

Excellent presentation as usual! Clear, concise and easy to follow.

[@felipevilches7128]

Thank you so much for your videos! I have just realized that i have been making a mistake...l use to leave my e bike fully charged without using it for some days... now i will correct that thing. Have a good day!

[@bobbyshobbies823]

Oh yeah did I say your the most fluent person to keep up with when you're explaining this keep up the good work

[@commonman2965]

I watch the video as I and my wife just got are first ebikes and wanted to learn more about the batteries . Very pleased with the info you shared. I would have stored my battery at full charge now I know better. Thanks.

[@MarcusYangNilsson]

Great instruction videos. What do you think of digitally regulated chargers / power supplies where you can actually set your own voltage and max current? I use a 0-62V/3A charger and a 0-32V/10A and they work great. They also have a built in volt-meter so you see both the charge voltage and the "live" voltage of your cell-pack. I use the Gopher brand.

[@jeffreykropp7664]

I have 3 separate lithium battery systems mostly charged by solar. Your discussion of charge state helped clear up conflicting advice I have been "collecting."

[@mikemiles3068]

Super video, I’ve been doing this for years! I get super life from all my batteries!

[@GregSaunders-u7c]

So very glad I found you. The battery on my Rize Mini only powers my bike for 13 miles and the it shuts off. Hopefully, when I find your book, I'll learn how to fix my battery.

[@cj10cj10]

just came across your video.. has battery technology changed over the last 4 years or is this still relevant? thank you

[@ElDocThor]

Haha me too

[@ericMT]

They are still using the same lithium ion batteries now so it’s still relevant. Same applies to electric cars since Tesla was using the same cells that ebikes used. They are just coming out with new battery technology now.

[@itzpogboy]

Only difference is for the best battery's you want them to have a density of about 200wh/kg and do the regular 20 to 80% charge and store at 40-50 and charge to 0% and 100% ever now and then

[@simonm1447]

Thx for the video, I now bought a additional charger (not a expensive intelligent one, a simple one adjusted to 4 volts cell voltage at 10S packs) to charge only 80 % for commuting. For a longer journey I can still use the other ones with 100%.

[@avaturner5056]

Ok, I’m a little confused-is there still a good chance of ~doubling/greatly extending the battery life by undercharging even if your pattern is to charge overnight and almost always ride the next day? I commute on my bike in lieu of a car.

[@brianbassett4379]

Yes. Charging to 80% even nightly will increase the number of charge cycles. That another reason why large lithium packs are more beneficial than two smaller packs. I own 3 30Ah triangle packs.

[@titonothere6179]

Gotcha! So never charge it to FULL? Also I use my Go-ped for my commute, I gotta charge my scooter 2nd in 24 hours to make it back home.. is that bad for my Lithium battery ?

[@bFlattheOriginal]

I also try to only charge to 100% when I'm going to ride the bike soon after. I have a simple e bike kit without a battery gauge, and a cheap charger, but I do have a bike computer that shows speed/miles, and after a couple of months, I now try to leave about half an hour off of full charging to charge it somewhere between 80-90% (if riding 12 miles or so takes an hour to charge to full, this time I only charge it half an hour, then next time I charge it the whole hour). Now I only need to charge it full when I will need the range. From what I hear, good quality 18650 batteries rarely get out of balance. Another great video Micah, thanks!

[@Awsomeman328]

Well I will definitely keep this in mind when charging my battery from now on.

[@donaldrobinson6502]

One good way that I use is to unplug my charger after my eBike has been charging for a couple hours so I know that it's not fully charged and when I do fully charge my battery it's no big deal because I usually take it out the same day or the next day as I ride my e-bike almost everyday but unplugging your charger before your battery is fully charged is a good idea and then every few weeks do a full charge to balance your cells in your battery.

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

Investigate what your manufacturers recommend for best cycle life. What is good for one battery pack may well not be for others.

[@davewalters41]

Thank you for answering my questions on 18650 charging parameters. Now I understand how to charge and balance for better performance on discharge without the fears associated with degradation of the cells.

[@mrdudeccs]

wow! I won! I almost fell out of my chair when you said my name. haha.

[@BrunoPOWEEER]

Micah St.Clair hahahaha... too much POWEEEEEERRR =]

[@kermets]

haha cool ..be funny if you won again

[@CalyPTratus]

Congrats!

[@robhussell]

Micah St.Clair #@

[@MakerFabio]

You are really good. Good analysis. I would like to hack my turbo levo charger with some series diode , to have aprox 38V instead of 42. And a switch in parallel to bypass when i want to go full charge. Let s see if i want to ruin it

[@Peacenet22]

Thanks sir .love your videos so much . I am an Indian and studying in 9th grade . I have many doubts after I return from school about electronics and batteries etc, my one big dream is to build an E-Bike that is so good and faster ,so I can go to school more earlier . I always watch your videos and get guide and ideas . It really helps me and understand it in a better way {the easy way}. Thanks Thanks Thanks sir . Love you from bottom of my heart.

[@EricRosel]

Great video! I'm just wondering, will Lithium batteries also last longer if you do time-based under-charging? e.g. my e-bike usually takes 5 hours to charge to 100%. If I unplug it after 4 hours, will it have the same good effect as voltage-based under-charging? Thank you!

[@mcspikesky]

Yes

[@MG-qk8tx]

Best to use voltage-based as the voltage/capacity changes over time. If charging time is not critical, I'd set the charging rate to C/3 or even C/4 & charge up to 4.0V per cell to optimize cell performance & life. Fast charging times increases the cell temperatures which is also not good.

[@kimrichmond6308]

Really educational - new to personal commuter equipment - senior citizen - never too old to pick up valuable education

[@jo19524]

Thank You for the explanation on Lithium Batteries it helped me understand them better.

[@keithjones6945]

Very good information. Very glad to see/hear both the "optimum" answer for the battery, offset by real life application advice like, "I pretty much fully charge most of the time." And thank you for the depth of technical discussion that gives me the basic concept, but didn't make the video so long I tuned out for lack of time when looking for quick info. Appreciate the video.

[@Greg-re7tr]

"" Cycling a battery at less than full discharge increases service life, and manufacturers argue that this is closer to a field representation than a full cycle because batteries are commonly recharged with some spare capacity left. There is no standard definition as to what constitutes a discharge cycle. Some cycle counters add a full count when a battery is charged. A smart battery may require a 15 percent discharge after charge to qualify for a discharge cycle; anything less is not counted as a cycle. A battery in a satellite has a typical DoD of 30-40 percent before the batteries are recharged during the satellite day. A new EV battery may only charge to 80 percent and discharge to 30 percent. This bandwidth gradually widens as the battery fades to provide identical driving distances. Avoiding full charges and discharges reduces battery stress.""

[@derykmacleod4979]

My BBSHD is sitting in it's box, my battery and charger I purchased from EM3EV should be here friday. My donor bike is a montague paratrooper. I went with a 52v 23.1 amp battery that will sit on the bike rack, but be removeable. My plan, most of my light off road biking is at 8-12 mph, I had a spinal cord injury so going fast isn't my plan any longer, I just like getting out into nature. I don't want to ride on the roads, too many distracted driver's. I also have been converting a 2010 transit connect into a little camper van, that the bike folded fit's nicely inside for when I am traveling. I went with the larger battery and the charger that will take it to 50%, 90%, or 100%. From everything I have heard, I should get a little better range at 10-15mph, and if like you, I use the bike 2 or 3 times before I charge it, and only charge it to 90% unless I am taking the bike out that day, they take it to 100%. Also heard that not running the battery till it is dead will also increase the amount of cycles...there should be a setting in the display to lowest voltage. I want to get as many cycles as I can from the battery. I also built a 200amphour LiFePo4 battery for my van, and doing the same with it. I have an on/off switch for the renogy dc to dc charger so everytime I drive it won't be trying to pack the battery full of juice. I plan on adding a 100 watt portable solar panel in the spring for when I go camping/bike trips. Eventually will add a 12 volt compressor fridge, but want to be able to charge the bike battery from the van's leisure battery in case I am somewhere interesting and enjoying the time exploring on my ebike.

[@jaymercha3859]

I use a programmable timer on my charger power cord with selectable 1hr, 2 hr, 3 hr. 4 hr countdown to undercharge my bike battery.

[@fernieandong7782]

Thank you so much for the information. Just got my first ebike. I was worried about the battery keeping it changed or not when not in use. Very helpful 👌

[@dq7143]

In other words - the best time to fully charge your battery is right before a ride.

[@brianbassett4379]

I charge to 80% capacity after returning from a ride if I need additional power I charge higher starting about an hour before I leave.

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

Possibly...IF you allow the battery pack to cool before riding.

[@ramoncardona7037]

How long for the battery to cool ? 30 min ?

[@mekkertroniker2002]

@@ramoncardona7037 think 15 is enough

[@larrybowers64]

Very informative! As a new fat tire e-bike owner, I want to soak up as much info about the hobby as possible. I’ll be watching your future videos with great interest!

[@garryhollis1386]

I wish I knew about the info you have given years ago, like 10 years ago. Very informative. keep up the great work, .

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

Garry, keep researching! This is just one generalized source. You need more to truly understand the subject.

[@billtobler7218]

Great info. Thanks! I usually only charge every 3ed or 4th ride. My rides are 3-4 miles each running my dog. Then one 10-12 mile ride 2x week. Sometimes I forget to unplug the charger overnight, which would be overcharging? You didn't mention overcharging, which can't be good. Thanks for the video. I did subscribe.

[@ahah1785]

I use a simple timer that shuts off the ordinary cheap charger after a measured amount of time when charger reaches 4.13V (in my case) THe only problem with this solution is that you have to take time with a stopwatch to see how long it takes for the battery to reach desired voltage....its a cheap metod though and it works! Dont forget to charge the battery up to full at least once a month like he says=)

[@daviferro4264]

thanks for the tip, but how can I measure the voltage of the battery to know how many time I should charge the battery?

[@RJSoftware2000]

@@daviferro4264 My Lectrix xp shows voltage readout pressing options when it's powered on.

[@fromtheflightdeck252]

@@daviferro4264 a multimeter

[@fromtheflightdeck252]

@@RJSoftware2000 or measure voltage with a multimeter when it shows 100%, 90%, 80%, 50% etc.

[@marciaz31]

HEY ....I had no idea you were the one who wrote the lithium battery book ....As soon as I saw the book in your hands in this video, I thought you were going to say you just bought it ;-) I read the entire book in a week and hope to build a battery pack based on your book ...Thank You Mark ...

[@draventannoy]

Great video! Would like to see some more review's on line about programmeble BMSes... This is the main reasons why i bought a Adaptto controller setup, the configurable BMS.

[@thomasjaszewski64]

There are so few to review, but that would be a good read!

[@alanduncan7591]

Your advice regarding long term battery storage was very useful and probably explains why my battery died after being in storage fully charged then taken for a very short ride only to die and fail to recharge - an expensive lesson

[@brianratcliffe4415]

"Hi that was a very helpful video it answered some of my questions...thank you"

[@zawest2011MoBiLe]

I understand what you're explaining, but there are some individuals that don't like to sit at home and feel like their back in school again. If an individual just wants to know what's going to be best for their type of riding, maybe comparing the riding styles in more detail would be something easier to discuss. Especially if a rider is on flatter land, hilly land or doing extreme riding.

[@GeorgeDeliaAdventureChannel]

Awesome channel ! A year ago I have my new eBike and all the information I need to know to be able to maintain my ebike is in this channel. Thanks for sharing good job.

[@JOHNMORIN100]

Your info is priceless " thanks" Like how you explain things.

[@jpbill007]

I'm very new to this... I found your videos on KZbin to be extremely helpful in understanding the principles of the ebike battery...im amazed at your knowledge and presentation abilities... thanks

[@jamesquay7399]

About once a month you should let your battery completely discharge to recalibrate the software. Also, keep in mind that when you don't fully charge a battery, you don't go as many miles as you get on a full charge. So if you get twice as many cycles from under charging, your bike won't get twice as many miles. You still get more miles by under charging though.

[@calderdash9975]

Thanks for clarify the battery charge issue, as I wasn't sure what is the best charging method. You have now made up my mind, I shall keep charging my battery to the max. And thanks again, for the tip about not leaving my bike fully charged for long periods of time.

[@EnochMorgan]

Love the channel! Decided to comment to try and win the book but now I just realized Im too impatient... I'll just go order.

[@tiloalo]

Charge to a lower voltage is something everybody talks about but charger that propose this are still incredibly rare now!

[@kenleach2516]

I agree, I would select or buy a charger to stop sooner!

[@tarstarkusz]

If you _REALLY_ want to maximize your battery life, you should do 2 things: 1) Charge it as slowly as possible. An 8 hour charge is much better than a 2 hour charge. 2) Make sure your battery is as big in watt hours as the PEAK power of your motor and for really much more life, double the peak. So if you have a 250W motor that peaks at 500W (though it usually more than double), get a 1KWH battery. Quickly charging or discharging a battery generates a LOT of heat. The heat severely degrades your battery life. Heat is your worst enemy and quickly charging or discharging your batteries will artificially age your batteries. Same with the motor. Make sure you size your motor correctly for your weight and terrain. Having your motor peak out constantly generates a lot of heat and all heat generated is lost energy. If your motor is getting very hot, you are wasting your battery's capacity by using it to heat up the motor.

[@luongmaihunggia]

Fast charging and discharging generate heat and can damage batteries. Would fast charging and discharging still be damaging to the battery if the battery has a cooling system to reduce the heat generated by fast charging and discharging?

[@antoniogalluccio4213]

So adding a mini cooling fan to a big power bank such as a laptop one could be a good idea?

[@luongmaihunggia]

@@antoniogalluccio4213 nope, I just checked, doesn't work.

[@antoniogalluccio4213]

@@luongmaihunggia so there's no way to minimize the wear apart from undercharging a bit as I understood right?

[@luongmaihunggia]

@@antoniogalluccio4213 undercharging, slow charging or use a battery that can handle more abuse.

[@RMack-hv1kt]

Hi Micah I have a 1500w Voilamart rear electric wheel You had mentioned for store bought batteries that Unit Pack Power was a good battery. I bought a 52v x 20a battery. No complaints, I believe I am getting good service from the battery. My problem is My Wheel kit didn't come with a multi purpose display. I'm buying a new more powerful controller and display bundle. I'm pleased with the wheel. They suggested a 48v x 17.5a battery. Under certain conditions I could achieve 34 mph. Well with the 52v x 20a Battery according to the GPS on My phone I can do 38 mph. That's throttle only. I haven't gotten around to installing the chain. My bike took 2 years for research and design and three months to build.. This bike is Stage One. I have spent about $1700.00 Stage Two will get a new Full suspension frame. A 1500w front Wheel and it's own 52w x 20a battery. A second matching controller/display bundle. Air suspension fork and a rear air shock. 12v lights and 190db horn. And a few things I won't say now. Stage Three is going where NO Ebike has gone before. I'm thinking about over volting both Wheels 60v x 40a batteries. Stage Two will be completely by My 72nd birthday 8-15. R. Mack

[@ZeKmiKzee]

Crystal clear and exhaustive! Keep going :)

[@TheProletariat.]

Great info! I just bought my first ebike.. a 72 volt Scrambler made by Vintage Electric barely a month ago. And then just last weekend bought my 8 year old a Fat tire ebike from Pedego.. I don't recall the voltage. But I've gotten really inquisitive about these lithium ion batteries. Yes I want the the furthest range.. but I want the longest life out of this as possible. VE says another battery is $1,000... the Pedego battery by Panasonic is around $800. So clearly battery maintenance is something to put thought into. My charger has an Amp setting and a % to charge setting.. it displays voltage as well but I don't see a way to adjust the voltage for charging. Great video!

[@MsWhateveriwant]

Great information here. First time seeing your video. I'll be looking at the others for sure!

[@michellegervol7886]

Very clear and helpful video. What to do when not able to charge bike for say six months ?

[@richardherklots9043]

Hi Mikie I love your stuff. This is Bruce from Blind Freddy Electric Bikes from Brisbane Australia. (down under) Your clip on extending battery life is brilliant. I would like to summarise your information on my website and include a link to your clip. Is this okay by you? Kind Regards Bruce

[@LightsOnMultiMediaMindArts]

This is the clearest explanation I've heard on this issue. Besides my e-Bike we own a Tesla Model 3 too and this advice applies to it as well. Thanks for this.

[@mikesmeltzer8930]

so if I build a little bigger pack I'll still have the capacity that I want🙄. Thanks

[@eideticgoone7035]

To build a pack where you draw only 80% of the energy, but still want 100% range, you need to use a pack 1.0/0.80 = 1.25 times larger. That is 25% larger. Think of it this way: if I used 50% state of change, but want to go the same distance, I would need a battery that was twice as large. or: 1.0/0.5 = 2.0

[@exgenica]

You might mention that manufacturers store and ship lithium-ion cells at about 3.6V for longer life and for safety regulations. But, I'd recommend a few cycles of full charging (4.2V) then discharging newly purchased or received cells to ensure all the cells are balanced before starting with any undercharging protocols.

[@land7776]

I thought cathodes were negative!

[@lateboomer3640]

Me too!

[@atnott]

Cathode is positive. I remember it by saying that I am positive she is a 'cat' lady.

[@AnsweringAtheism]

Wow! Great information, I charged 1.6 kwh worth of mixed cells all the way to 4.2V in the course of measuring capacities. I then grouped them physically into 26 ten-packs for an Ebike build then shelved the project ever since last fall. Sounds like I may have ruined a bunch of batteries in those 8 months.

[@MG-qk8tx]

As he said very clearly, they are not ruined. You just want get as many recharge cycles. You probably will not even notice it.

[@circletech7745]

I agree with just charging to 4.2v and calling it a day. Battery technology is moving so fast right now that in 3-4 years your battery pack will feel sluggish and outdated compared to the current offerings anyway. Second if you're like me and you build your pack out of used laptop batteries, who really cares about longevity at these price points? My ebike battery costs $30 in total anyway so when it breaks, I'll just build another $30 battery.

[@remotelytim]

Batteries are not useless after they hit their max recharge cycles. Since the degrade over time, you are likely only getting about 80% charge capacity at that point. The battery will continue to recharge but since they won't be charging up like a new battery, your expected performance will drop proportionally. If you have been getting 30 miles or so, you can expect to get 24 miles at that point and so on. You will hit a point where the drop in range will not long suit you and that is the time to replace them. I enjoy your videos, keep up the great work Mica.

[@rustyfarkel]

WOW! I had no idea that it would make that much difference leaving the battery at full charge,. From now on I will leave our two recumbent trikes slightly discharged until we are ready to ride that day. Thanks for the info....Rusty Farkel

[@benji376]

7:26 oooo, so thats why my charger has an option that says: LiPo storage.

[@juliep4193]

Just found your channel. Thank you ! I just ordered my first eBike and know nothing about them, looking forward to learning from your video’s !

[@ronbrown8611]

Nope buy a hobbyking charger dont listen to this guy. Hes endorsing big expensive products

[@Bigrignohio]

Ron Brown You can easily charge properly with a Mean Well CLG or HLG cc/cv power supply. This data still applies.

[@luongmaihunggia]

Wtf are you talking about? How is "under charging battery" an expensive product? That's isn't even a product it's an action.

[@timhoovermusicman]

@@luongmaihunggia he's referring to the brand of chargers he's recommending.

[@luongmaihunggia]

@@timhoovermusicman No, he said and I quote "Hes endorsing big expensive products" and wtf does that even mean? The guy in the video isn't even ensorsing any product, he just explainning how to extend the life of a li-ion battery by undercharging them and undercharging battery is an action not a product.

[@Brookes79]

Specialized electric bikes added a feature on their app that does exactly this, you can choose a battery saver (protector mode), that charges to 85% charge & then every 10th charge will charge to 100% to balance the cells. I feel this is a great option, especially seeing how much a premium price I had to pay for mine.

[@meerkat4]

Found your advice consistent with what a friend told me about how he charges his Tesla. I'm new to eBikes, Just purchased a BMW Cruise Pedelec. Oh what fun! Gland I know how to manage charging the 400W Bosch battery.

[@tysonbear]

I don't know if my 18650 cells are fake but I get better performance with lead acid. I would like to see you work more with lead acid.

[@LeoHeiland]

Great stuff. Before I retired I served for a time on the IEC standards committee on Li Ion batteries and this is the kind of information needed for users. It's a much different world than Lead Acid cells Always buy Li Ion batteries from established well know manufacturers. The quality control needed for Li Ion 18650 cells is critical for safety and use of this technology.

[@alanduncan7591]

very useful information - thank you - the risk of battery deterioration due to prolonged charging after even 1 short to medium ride is now obvious - so many people are charging their bikes every night [just like they do with cell phones] and they wonder why the battery does not last long - now we know - many thanks E-Bikes

[@christopherblomeley6925]

I charge to 80% and it saves me buying a new battery every 2 yrs. I bought 2 of you books totally cool...

[@sallypickering6223]

Brand New subscriber. I will be using a solar charger battery set up in a camper van I'm building out for retirement. I have four years to learn what I need to about building out the interior, adding and making functional my solar system, and gaining a little more basic car maintenance/repair knowledge. This is by far the most easy to understand video I've seen. Thank you!

[@harrrytoool1391]

Hi Micah Thanks for your valuable advice. I’ve been riding my ebike for 4 years now. I make my own batteries etc. What I think ebikers need to know is that balance charging only really works on a low current. It would be interesting to know what is the best amp charge for which size battery. Also can you recommend a good battery box and rack combo. Thanks.

[@Gallardo6669]

Excellent video, thank you so much. But I have a question: how can a bms protect from deep discharge,short circuit and over temp protection? I didn't think it actually can disconnect the battery from the circuit, as the battery is within the circuit parallel or in series and the bms is just connected in addition to each individual cell???

[@glockasauruswrex6362]

Great video, I learn something every time i click on your channel! My 1st battery (52V 30AH) is due in 2 days and I want to get the most out of it. Thanks for explaining not only the concepts but also how you apply them to your daily usage...that's priceless info.

[@Ionboys_DavionGames]

I am so into ebikes now! Glad I found your channel

[@config2000]

I have just calculated how insanely good this improvement could be. Based off charging once a week to 100% I should expect around 9 years of usage but charging to 80% this could theoretically shoot up to 28 years. Woot!

[@RonaldRivello]

Thank you for the video it was extremely informative regarding battery life. I'm super new to ebiking and this week received my VIVI ebike, haven't been able to ride that much but it is very exciting and looking forward to learning more about the whole ebike world.