You mean I can't assume that the max range is 40km and go to work for 9km, go home for 9km and charge when I get home?

If you dont mind changing out your batteries every 4 months.
You can not leave them sit in a disscharged state .
And you are going to do that every day.
A lead acid battery is very time sensitive between discharge time and recharge time.
If you can tell me how many times you already did this and how many more
times you intend on doing this i can almost tell you to the day how long your batteries
will last.
First you will notice on your last trip home that your voltage is nto as hi as it use to be .
Then, as the days of travel go by.you will notice on your way home that the bike doesn`t
go as fast .
Then once this happens, things start happening fast , less distance and speed .

BE KIND & REWIND

Denis

Hi Duc...
"What he said"...

I have never found anything definitive about how long batts might sit partially discharged before damage is done. Sulfation is normal... Converting the lead to lead sulfate is how lead acids batts work. It's when some of the sulfation becomes crystalized and does not convert back to lead when being recharged that the batts are termed "sulfated" and Ah capacity is lost. There's a whole industry out there all about battery de-sulfators. Some of the better battery chargers claim that they have extra pulse etc charging which helps to reverse or prevent permanent sulfation. I have read that sulfation can occur in as little as 24hrs or within a few days when the batts/weather is cold.

In truth I have always plugged in right away myself. Any time the vehicle was parked anywhere. I am used to carrying around little Soleil 24V 2A chargers that are no bigger than a pack of playing cards.

And BTW, that 40km range is probably attainable using a tiny Chinese person as rider, on an indoor track, going `round and `round at 10kmh. Throw in some hills, a headwind, a pack that's been cycled a hundred times, maybe tires that aren't fully inflated, and a cold ambient like March or October, and true range will likely be much less.

So yah... I see the scooter-style ebikes locked up on the sidewalks and not plugged in, and I don't feel good about it!

Tks
llOck

I have actually only gone to work once with my bike. The problem I have is the battery is like 60lbs so it is not practical to lug it all the way into the office to charge. Leaving the charger out in the middle of the street is probably not a good idea either. Hmmm I wonder what my other options are? Do the Lithium batteries have the same problem? If not, is it easy to swap out the Lead batteries with Lithium ones or it depends on the bike.

Mine is listed here: http://mobilityunlimi...

I'd look for long-term parking somewhere in the area... like underground, and heated. Just tell `em it's for a "bicycle" and you are willing to pay for "secure" parking... Bound to be some "stray" electrical outlets there. Then grab a little Soneil 48V 2A charger (weights only 500g), and install it inside the bike cargo box so that only the cord sticks out...

Thanks for the info! Will the Soneil work with my bike?

In the mean time I did the next best thing. I got a portable luggage carrier. I can take the battery out and put it on that and pull it into the office. The thing can carry easily 150lbs.

The lithium battery for my BionX weighs a bit over 8 pounds. I simply use a key to unlock it, and lift a lever to release it from it's mounting bracket. It's easy to remove and replace. There are no tools required, no cables to unhook. I can recharge the battery inside at home or work, or I can also recharge it in the car using a small power inverter if I am away on a camping trip or travelling.

Thanks for the info! Will the Soneil work with my bike?

Yes. Although at only 2A it's probably smaller (less As) than the charger supplied w/the bike. So it wouldn't charge as fast... But for a 48V charger to install onboard it is a small/light package. And the truth is, getting a high quality charger is often the best upgrade for any EV. Soneil chargers enjoy a very good reputation, and they are Canadian owned.

In the mean time I did the next best thing. I got a portable luggage carrier. I can take the battery out and put it on that and pull it into the office. The thing can carry easily 150lbs.

Aaak! Yer serious??? I suspect you will get tired of that effort pretty quick. Plus, the connectors in the pack likely aren't designed to be constantly plugged and unplugged. Ya would need to upgrade all of those I suspect. (eg to "Andersons"...)

And yah, upgrading to LiFePO4 would provide a significant weight savings for the same Ah size of pack. I am doubling my capacity to 480Wh of Lithium at 12 pounds from 240Wh of SLA at 15lbs... you do the math! What are the Ah ratings for your batts BTW? I know/expect you have 4x12V, but what size? 15Ah? 17Ah? 20Ah? Just curious!

Cheers
Lock

Nice tutorial here all about Anderson Powerpole connectors:
http://www.flyrc.com/...
tks
Lock

I heard that with lithium batteries that if you don't charge it right it can explode. Scary!