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BATTERY CARE & MAINTENANCE

 

1. Keep your lithium battery charged

Lithium-ion batteries are best kept fully charged. Always charge to full capacity even after short journeys. This will maintain your battery in full health and significantly improve the lifetime of your battery.

WARNING: Regularly running your battery down to nothing will significantly reduce your lithium batteries ability to hold a charge, reducing life expectancy and can affect performance. If you do ‘flatten’ your battery completely fully charge it as soon as possible.


2.  Keep your electric bike battery clean and dry

There is little danger from a wet battery and Westhill Bikes batteries are designed to cope with riding in light showers. It is not recommended ridding in heavy wet weather.

MAINTINANCE TIP: Always dry battery contacts to avoid oxidation and corrosion which could weaken the batteries ability to power the bike. Check the contacts every few months (on external batteries) and clean if necessary. You can use a fine emery cloth if there is any corrosion to gently remove it.


3. Keep your lithium batteries cool

The lithium powder inside the battery cells decreases its electrical resistance as it warms up. This means that in warmer conditions your battery will discharge more quickly and will need charging more often.

You may notice that on cold days that your battery range will depilate quicker. This is due to this same property of lithium powder - its resistance increases with colder conditions. You will achieve a greater range per charge on warmer days.

MAINTINANCE TIP: A lithium battery is best stored in cold conditions where its internal resistance is greatest and will remain fully charged for longer, so please remember to store your e-bike battery in a cool/cold place.

While storing batteries in cool conditions, it is good to always remember to warm the battery to room temperature before charging; charging from frozen can damage the battery.


4. Plan for long-term storage of your electric bike

If you are not using your battery for an extended period then it is wise to take some extra precautions.

The rate at which a lithium battery self-discharges (goes flat) is highest when fully charged and lowest when almost flat. Your battery will lose capacity at a slower rate by the battery being partly discharged, however, almost flattening a battery can damage your battery.

MAINTINANCE TIP: To reduce the loss of capacity over time yet still preserve the battery – store at approx. 80% charge. You can estimate this by riding your e-bike approx. 20% of the normal full-charge time or distance.

It's best to store the battery in the coldest convenient place you can find. If possible, give short charges every 5 to 10 weeks.


5. Never open an electric bicycle battery

There is absolutely no point in opening your e-bike's battery to examine and repair the contents. Opening a lithium battery would be very dangerous.
Lithium powder is extremely flammable and will combust on contact with oxygen, explosively. 
If you suspect your battery is faulty or has lost its capacity, please contact us immediately.