The current era of technological advancement has given us a lot of ease. Our day-to-day tasks are highly dependable on advanced gadgets and every now and then a new product is introduced in the market for our use. With more focus on sustainability of resources and less carbon footprint, environment-friendly locomotive measures are preferred such as the introduction of E-Bikes.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
The world is relying more and more on lithium batteries in most available gadgets. Lithium batteries are an excellent source of energy to power up our appliances, making them the top choice for battery-powered devices.
With such a wide scope of usage of lithium-ion batteries and lithium polymer batteries, you may be wondering about the possible downsides which are inevitable. Well, we’re focusing in this article on answering your questions. Our focus is primarily on detecting faulty batteries and preventing swollen batteries in time, particularly used in e-bikes.
Main issues of a swollen battery
Some of the main issues that you may face with your e-bike batteries may include:
- The battery of the e-bike not charging due to any reason
- Change in battery pack condition – Swelling battery
- Battery exhausting too quickly
- Startup issues due to battery voltage
- The battery does not support the speed of your e-bike
Did your lithium-ion battery get swollen?
One of the major components when deciding to go for an e-bike purchase is reliability. Imagine spending thousands on an e-bike and getting nowhere due to battery issues. While lithium batteries are built to last, like any other device, if not taken proper care of, they may shorten their lifespan.
Don’t make this mistake
One of the most common mistakes that e-bike users make is charging their e-bikes in direct sunlight. Excessive heat is an enemy of your batteries whether it’s your laptop battery or the lithium-ion battery in your e-bike. Long-time exposure to heat can even fry the charger so make sure to charge your batteries in a shade or a cool place.
The mechanism behind swollen lithium batteries
Over time, the usage of lithium batteries has impacted the position of electrodes. The nature of graphite used, the position of electrodes, excessively high temperatures, and expansion rate of electrodes may impact the condition of your lithium battery.
The nature of graphite may be the main reason for causing thickness of your e-bike lithium battery. In most cases, the thickness of the negative electrode triggers the process where the battery expands.
Gas production in batteries
When a device powered by a lithium battery is used, gas is produced internally due to impurities in electrolyte or moisture levels. Production of these toxic gases in the internal chamber is acceptable to a normal level. However, due to overcharging and other mentioned issues, if the gas production is accelerated, it adds up to the process of battery swelling and, ultimately, battery failure.
How to detect your swollen batteries timely?
The first thing from which you can have an initial idea is by inspecting the battery’s surface. Puffiness or bulging battery are the indicators that your e-bike battery may need replacement soon.
Another indicator is if your e-bike suddenly starts to deform or act irregularly. In that case, you should inspect your e-bike battery for any unusual thing to notice.
E-bike’s battery pack may show signs of a bulge which should trigger you to take precautionary actions without delay. In some e-bikes, a battery pack is placed inside the frame which makes it harder for the user to inspect and act accordingly. Make sure to disconnect the cables first.
Pre-emptive measures to avoid swollen batteries
Taking good care of your devices may result in giving your battery life a renewal. If you check all the boxes of maintaining your lithium laptop battery, it is highly unlikely that the batteries swell. Here are some tips for you to follow for the smooth running of your e-bike lithium battery and preventing battery degradation.
- Always avoid extremely high temperatures, whether humidity or heat
- Never fully discharge the battery power output
- Avoid overcharging
- Charging should be done only with the standard charger that comes with the device
- Replacement of battery should be done without delay if an issue arises
Safety first – Precautions to take
So, the question you may ask is, is a swollen battery dangerous?
Care must be taken in inspecting a swollen lithium battery and battery removal as these can be extremely dangerous in a swollen state. A swollen e-bike battery can burst or even catch fire so it must be handled cautiously and disposed of properly. A swollen battery inside has highly pressured walls. Summing up the answer to your question, yes, you should consider a swollen battery dangerous.
In this state, when a swollen battery is withheld inside battery casing walls, it may increase the pressure. Many incidents are reported where pressure created inside the lithium-ion battery releases in the form of an explosion or catches fire.
- In any case, always follow the user guide that comes from the battery manufacturer
- Never dispose off swollen batteries in a trash can
- Batteries must be disposed-off at an authorized battery disposal facility dealing with material with possible chemical reactions
Always be cautious!
Now you know
E-bikes have come a long way and are hugely impactful on the environment. Developed economies are always hunting for sustainable energy sources with little carbon footprint and lithium-ion batteries are a huge help in achieving the objective.
Gone are the days of domination when cadmium sources batteries were in play. It’s the era of lithium-ion batteries now. Lithium-ion batteries have a fair share of problems but the benefits overcome the minor issues in a major way.
You can check out products available at Tritekbattery to cater your needs. They are one of the leading reputable manufacturers of producing lev battery solutions including electric bikes and motorcycles from a multinational platform.
We hope that with the tips shared, your e-bike lithium-ion batteries will have a long run. Reminding you again not to tamper with batteries in any way as these contain volatile substances in most cases.
Stay safe!
