How to treat the batteries during the winter + General tips to extend their life
For easier and faster let’s will use the abbreviation *LEVs
—*LEVs – Light electric vehicles or personal electric vehicles including:
– electric skateboard, electric longboard, eboard
– electric kick scooter, electric scooter
– electric bike, electric bicycle, ebike, e-bike
– electric unicycle
After using the *LEVs outside in the winter and you get home, wait for the battery to reach room temperature before plugging it for charging.
When used, inside lithium-ion batteries undergo chemical reactions and the cold can slow or even stop these reactions.
When batteries cool down a lot, performance may change and their charge may show less than it actually is. Very low temperatures affect the ability of the batteries to store and release energy.
Let’s suppose that your battery has charge for another 15 km. When the temperatures are below zero, the battery can show that it is empty only after a few kilometers or even from the start.
In such cases, you should go inside and wait until the battery temperature normalizes, once it is not so cold anymore it should show its actual charge and be ready to use again.
GENERAL TIPS FOR EXTENDING THE BATTERY LIFE
Lithium-ion batteries used in most devices – phones, laptops, etc. as well as in electric vehicles are sensitive to:
– Usage (charging and discharging)
– How we store them when not in use
– High temperatures
– Very low temperatures
1. Usage (charging and discharging)
If we can avoid full discharge and full charge, the battery life will be extended. The most effective way is to use the batteries until they reach about 20% and then charge them to about 80%. Of course, in real life, this is not always possible, as sometimes we need 100% of the capacity, but in many cases, we can achieve this by planning how we will use the *LEV in the day. It is very important if we use and discharge the battery completely, to charge it as soon as possible.
2. Storage for longer periods
If you plan not to use your LEV for a long period of time – for example, more than two or three weeks, it is good to charge or discharge the battery to 40 – 50% and leave it like this (according to Battery University website, the optimal storage charge is 40%). The good storage temperature is about 10-15 ℃ (50-60 ℉), but room temperature is fine too (generally between 5 and 25 ℃ (40-77℉) degrees is ok) If it will be stored for a long time and if it is possible, every few weeks, up to a month it is good to turn on and spin the motor for a minute or few minutes, as well as to plug t in the socket, for example for 10-15 minutes.
— The worst thing is to keep the batteries completely empty with no charge in them. Keeping it fully charged is also bad for their life, so these scenarios should be avoided as much as possible —
3. High temperatures
Very high temperatures are bad for batteries and can even be dangerous. Do not leave your LEVs and devices in hot places, avoid direct sunlight during the hot months and never leave them inside a car parked under the sun in summer. The temperature can become over 50℃ or even over 70 ℃ (over 150°F) degrees inside a vehicle, and this is very dangerous because at such high temperatures the batteries can emit toxic gases and even catch fire.
4. Low temperatures around and below zero are not as bad as high ones, but they are also not good for the battery’s life and performance.
5. Moisture
Storing them in a dry place with good ventilation protects lithium-ion batteries from fast self-discharging and corrosion that can be caused by moisture. If possible, it is better to place them on a wooden surface instead of a metal one.
I wish you pleasant and safe rides :)))