Electric motorcycles are quickly becoming a more popular vehicle for people who want to get around town without all the hassles of driving. Riding an e-motorcycle battery is one of the most exciting and eco-friendly ways to get around. With a fully charged battery, motorcycles can go for over 100 miles before they need to be plugged in again.
However, whether you are from an e-motorcycle company or an end user you should know that electric motorcycles require special care to keep their batteries running for longer. To help you extend the life of your e-motorcycle battery, we’ve compiled 7 ways you can do it!
Why do you need to extend the life of the e-motorcycle battery?
As an e-motorcycle owner or e-motorcycle supplier, battery life is a concern that you should pay attention to. The longer life span of an e-motorcycle battery will drastically improve the performance of your motorcycle. If you ever skimp on charging your motorcycle, it could result in a big problem and significantly reduce the life span of the battery.
Battery lifespan is often measured in Depth of Discharge (DoD). It can be used to determine how much energy you will need to recharge the battery.
For example, if your electric motorcycle has a range of 60 km at 80% DoD then it would give 48km at 100%. The deeper the cycle goes down, the more stress it puts on battery cells and how soon they are expected to fail.
Once again why should you care about e-motorcycle batteries? Because this determines their performance as well as battery lifespan! Now that’s something to think about… but don’t worry because here comes some great news for all-electric motorcycles out there: with proper care and charging habits not only will these batteries last longer, but they will also charge faster.
Discover more about how to choose the right e-motorcycle battery.
In the end, e-motorcycle battery lifespan is a big concern for many people and you should pay attention to it to get the full performance of your electric motorcycle.
Keep your lithium battery clean and dry
Wet electric motorcycle batteries will rust – even the new ones. If your battery gets wet, dry it off with a paper towel. You can use an air compressor if you have one available but be careful not to blow too much moisture into the area around the cells where you don’t want it.
We usually offer our clients to get a waterproof battery. Getting an e-motorcycle battery with good ingress protection will help you to have a longer life and not be afraid to destroy your battery during rain.
Discover more about our e-motorcycle battery solutions
After drying make sure that all electrical connections are clean and tight including cables, connectors, and terminals. Use compressed air again if necessary to remove dirt from these areas before reassembling everything back together in its original configuration (minus any corrosion).
Do not use a wet battery in an emergency because it could get damaged if water enters through the charging port and causes problems with electronic components internally.
It can also short-circuit when exposed to liquids which will then lead to irreparable corrosion changes within the electrical system, or BMS (Battery Management System) over time once dry again – especially around the positive (+) terminal area where hydrogen gas may accumulate leading to potential sources (see pictures below).
If you are unsure about how to keep the battery clean and dry, take it to a professional automotive technician for help. They will be able to inspect the battery and determine if there is any damage that has been done as well as offer suggestions on how to properly care for your battery in the future.
Make sure the terminals are clean and free of corrosion.
It’s a good idea to clean the terminals of your battery with a wire brush now and then. This will help remove any corrosion that may have built up over time and ensure good contact between the battery and whatever you’re using it for.
Do not handle damaged batteries; if there is evidence of corrosion on battery terminals this indicates that the electrolyte has escaped. Dispose of it promptly – do not attempt to recharge! Batteries should be stored fully charged (but well-ventilated) until required for installation into your equipment. Make sure both units are disconnected before changing over leads between units.
Do not connect the batteries quickly after removing them from their storage area.
If you must connect them immediately, make sure they are stored in a safe place for at least three minutes before use. This allows any remaining current to dissipate and stops either of the terminals or case from becoming live due to contact with metal objects which may have picked up charge during shipping.
Don’t overcharge your e-motorcycle battery
There are a few dangers to overcharging your e-motorcycle battery. Make sure you don’t overcharge your electric motorcycle battery; it could lead to damage to the BMS.
One of the main hazards of overcharging a battery is that it can damage the battery, potentially causing it to explode or catch on fire.
Another problem is lithium batteries leaking. If the electrolyte fluid in the battery leaks, it can cause corrosion and damage to the surrounding areas.
Overcharging an e-motorcycle battery can also decrease its life expectancy because it causes swelling within the cells.
Short circuits from bad wiring connections are another common way batteries can be damaged. If you do happen to overcharge your battery, make sure you have a quality charger on hand that is specifically designed for lithium-ion applications – chargers like this are typically more expensive, but they’re worth the investment in order to protect your battery.
Avoid leaving your battery discharged for long periods.
If you are storing the battery for an extended period of time, make sure to charge it every 3 months to prevent any damage.
Do not leave your bicycle parked with the engine running; this will drain the battery unnecessarily.
Store your battery in a cool, dry place
A battery that is stored in a hot, humid environment can lose up to half of its capacity. A battery that is stored in a cold, dry environment can lose up to 15% of its capacity.
Batteries should also be kept out of direct sunlight. Sunlight can cause the battery to overheat and may reduce its life span. If you need to store your battery for an extended period, consider using a storage case or bag designed specifically for batteries. This will help protect the battery from moisture and dust particles.
- Lithium batteries are generally required to be stored in a dry and cool environment at 15-30 degrees; humidity requirements are 65±20%.
- It is strictly forbidden to mix lithium batteries with metal objects, so as to avoid metal objects touching the positive and negative terminals of the battery, causing a short circuit and damaging the battery or even causing danger.
- Lithium batteries should be kept at 50% to 80% of the power level for a long time, and charged every 3 months to avoid excessive storage time, resulting in low battery power due to self-discharge, resulting in irreversible capacity loss.
Use the correct charger for your e-motorcycle battery
When choosing a charger, keep in mind the type of battery you have and how many amp-hours it is capable of holding.
If unsure about your battery, contact a professional to inspect it for you so that they may recommend an appropriate charger.
It really depends on what kind of charger you have. A cheap charger that outputs high currents may destroy your battery pack and set fire to your motorcycle in less than a minute because its circuits work at a low level of power efficiency and produces heat as well as harmful effects on batteries.
Do you want to turn your ideas into perfect products?
Tritek Battery is committed to providing the most professional lev battery solutions. We have worked closely with leading manufacturers of electric drive systems, electric bicycles, and electric motorcycles from the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and the United States.
The team has more than 12 years of expertise in design, R&D, and sales in the field of LEV batteries. Tritek battery is the best choice for your electric vehicle. If you want to buy a 36-72V intelligent battery pack, TRITEK has what you need. Contact us today so we can turn your ideas into perfect products!
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