recharging time 700 wh battery

[headbenga]

Hi everybody,

does anybody know how long it will take to recharge the 700wh battery when it is almost empty?
I´d like to set a timer to a switchable power socket so it powers off after a certain time and the battery is not "loading" all the time.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Hi everybody,

does anybody know how long it will take to recharge the 700wh battery when it is almost empty?
I´d like to set a timer to a switchable power socket so it powers off after a certain time and the battery is not "loading" all the time.

It's supposed to take approximately 6 hours to recharge from flat.

 

[DanDilla]

It also got a controller, it powers off itself when ready (battery, not charger) and is just taking as much power as it needs

 

[Zimmerframe]

It also got a controller, it powers off itself when ready (battery, not charger) and is just taking as much power as it needs

DanDilla is correct. It won't "overcharge" if that's what you're worried about. The charging circuit on the bike shuts down and the charger drops into "standby mode" - but still draws about 16w on standby.

 

[Kiwi in Wales]

I will check next time I run it near flat. It is over 5 hours but not sure how much over 5 hours.

 

[apac]

The charger should also have a cutout voltage (42v - fully charged) but the bms in the battery pack will cut first.

I think its pretty lame of specialized to only offer a 4amp charger on the 700wh battery. I need to find out what exact cells are in the levo packs to see what charge the cells can take without getting damaged. The 700wh battery is about 20ah, most lithium battery packsmade of the cells used by specialized are easily capable of being charged at half the ah rating. A 10amp charger should be fine.
Has anyone ever seen a photo of an opened up battery pack?

 

[TheBikePilot]

I’d imagine it would have something to do with battery longevity. Charging at a higher aH reduces the batteries life and most people don’t want to do that. Whilst a few would be happy to do that a 700wh battery will last you all day then I guess it’s tomorrow for the next ride.

If you want more I would say you need another battery and the only use case I have had for that in the past has been a bike park. Haibike charger is a 10A one but how long the battery is good for in terms of cycles isn’t clear. A battery is however a consumable and rated for around 1000 charges. So if you used the bike for a full two cycles every week it would last you 10 years..

I’ve never really been in a situation where I absolutely wished the charger would hurry up so as with everything on a bike it’s compromise and marketing to the masses.

I’d happily pay for another charger with a higher output for that case, as you say, but it’s a mass market case. I think they would get backlash if the ‘standard’ was 1000 cycles and they upped the charger and sacrificed the cycles. I would guess that would however open another can of cerification worms as these batteries are very hard to get through the CE process and a these batteries hate being totally flat and totally full hence the final charge or flashing light taking well over an hour and it cuts to red wayyyy before the battery is actually dead...??

 

[apac]

The new 18650 and 21700 lithium cells used in the specialized packs would not lose capacity over time by charging them at half their ah rating. However, as you say, there is no real need for quicker charging as most do this over night.

 

[apac]

I have yet to find a 18650 cell that can do 1000 full cycles. 400 maybe and then capacity on the cell will drop significantly due to internal resistance from use and age.

 

[118]

I'll let you know when it's finished charging..It was down to the final last red bar, and had been for the last 20mins of tonights ride, when i plugged her in..

*19.30 - 23.30 fully charged.

 

[TheBikePilot]

I have yet to find a 18650 cell that can do 1000 full cycles. 400 maybe and then capacity on the cell will drop significantly due to internal resistance from use and age.

Yeh no-one has really posted that the health of their battery has deteriorated significantly over time as it hasn’t been out long enough I would guess. Be interesting over the next year.

I’ve had to have a new battery due to a failure in one of the cells..

 

[apac]

I’m sure that on average packs will last for at least five years and as these cells are not high discharge and not put into any kind of sweat at all it will improve their life span. Internal resistance is often caused when cells are run too hard.
Specialized will have been wise and as you said earlier, their pre-programmed battery limits on high and low voltage will be to increase life span.
The cells can run from 4.2v - 2.5v(empty), The battery monitoring system on the pack is probably set to 4.15v - 3.0v.
Sorry,, I’m a bit of a battery nerd, and have built battery packs for electric dirt bikes that are up to 14,000w of power using upto two hundred 18650 cells. I’m no expert, just a hobbyist.

 

[DanDilla]

If you want to dig a little deeper and maybe got some other eBikes this thing could be a solution: cycle-satiator
Maybe also to find out what’s the maximum Amps the Levo bms is allowing.
would be nonsense to buy a 8a Charger when the bms is taking a maximum of 6 or sth like that as they get heavier and more expensive with more power. At some point you need active cooling.

 

[TheBikePilot]

So that Satiator is more for home brew batteries?

 

[DanDilla]

It’s an universal charger which will display the output the bike is taking.
you can program different charging patterns with a timer so for example it only gives a limited power over the last % or charge different bikes with different batteries with just one device.
you just need the right adapter and the voltage, amperage should be controlled by the bms and displayed on the satiator.
should work with most batteries on the market As there often is not much Communication between charger and battery.

 

[TheBikePilot]

Wil that bugger with the Batterie's own BMS though or supersede it? I only ask as if it wasn't ridiculous I'd get one for Bike Park days when I could use a few more Amps into the battery..

I'm sure it would invalidate the warranty!

I'm sure however it's far more sophisticated than the internals..I've used similar on Model Aircraft batteries.

 

[Kiwi in Wales]

I will check next time I run it near flat. It is over 5 hours but not sure how much over 5 hours.

Hi all, not flat but down to 11%, my 700Wh took 4 hours and 58 minutes to charge.

 

[Paul willis]

Any one ever run them dead flat I have been on the wire with red light light on but always made it home I got to 6% left with range extender but I recon it takes 5hrs + but what’s the rush