battery charging cycles

[IrwinJ]

Hi I've got a 2020 Specialized Turbo Levo Expert and my husband has 2020 Trek Rail 7. When we picked up his Trek today, the salesman made this claim. He said the battery has about 1000 charging cycles (and that's what I understand about my Specialized). However he said that if 30% of the battery is used and then put on the charger, that accounts for only 30% of 1 charge cycle. Is that correct and do you think same holds true for Specialized 2020 battery?

 

[salko]

Yes, 1 charge cycle is counted when you charge/use whole 100% of the battery...

 

[Flatslide]

Also, the cycle life of 1000 means that after 1000 cycles-give or take, the battery will be at 80% of its original capacity. So still working fine, just less range. Remember, 1000 cycles is charging empty to full, every day for three odd years

 

[MattyB]

...

Also, the cycle life of 1000 means that after 1000 cycles-give or take, the battery will be at 80% of its original capacity. So still working fine, just less range. Remember, 1000 cycles is charging empty to full, every day for three odd years

...except that is hugely dependent on how you store and use the pack. Personally based on a lot of experience of various types of Li packs in RC use I think these 1000 cycle estimates are hugely optimistic. YMMV.

 

[Flatslide]

...

...except that is hugely dependent on how you store and use the pack. Personally based on a lot of experience of various types of Li packs in RC use I think these 1000 cycle estimates are hugely optimistic. YMMV.

I thought RC still used Li polymer batteries? They are more suited to that type of rapid discharge than Li ion cells, one result being they don't last as long.

 

[MattyB]

I thought RC still used Li polymer batteries? They are more suited to that type of rapid discharge than Li ion cells, one result being they don't last as long.

In the main yes, but we also use LiFe too. Even so if you look at the reports on this forum many, many people are seeing faster degradation and getting warranty replacements of their batteries. I suspect a big contributor in many cases are the charging and storage patterns (I.e. storing at elevated SOC for extended periods), but obviously we’d need way more data to know that with a degree of certainty.