best temps for batteries
 

Now that it's getting colder out, would it be better to store my battery outside or inside. Until now, I have just ridden my bike into the garage, parked it, plugged in the charger & then pulled it off the charger a few hours later. In the morning, I hop on the bike & ride out the driveway. Now that it's getting colder, I am wondering if it would be better for the battery to bring it inside at night & charge it there, store it indoors and then put it in the bike right before I ride to work. The bike is a Trek FX+ & the battery is lithium ion.

Thanks in advance for any guidance you can provide.

If I remember correctly, you said that you lived in Louisiana? I wouldn't think that it would get cold enough there to cause serious issues with your battery.

Personally, I bring my batteries inside at work (and at home) if the temp is expected to be below 32 degrees F. I noticed one time last winter when it was about 0 F, that my CycleAnalyst was acting a little wonky, it appeared to be working fine, but, all the segments in the digits of the display weren't showing up.

Bring it inside at night & charge it there, store it indoors and then put it in the bike right before you ride to work. I don't believe that bringing it in would cause any harm.

Xtra,

Thanks for the reply. Actually I live in Ohio, so the temps are closer to what you experence. Thanks, I'll bring it inside @ night & put it on the bike right before I leave.

Charging gives off heat, take the battery out of the charger and theyre quite warm.
so charging in the garage is probably fine.
I got a Niterider Head trip [helmet or HB mount] a while back, battery is on a cord,

so it can Go in a pocket, perhaps under your jacket.
As Mtn climbers lights do, that is the best location for operating,
when it gets close to 0 C or below .

seems like PB 2.4v superflash 1 watt is barely adequate,
on Night ride home in dark and wet..

try the 4.8v PB 1w super spot tonight, as the field test ..

.. I may have to use the 10 watt light..

The interesting part is that batteries love warmth and electric motors love cold. (talking from 100 deg to 32 deg)
Pro's and Con's
Batteries..
warmer = more power from battery

Pro = farther distance
Con = reduces recharge life a little


Colder = less power

Pro = better recharge life
Con = slower



Motor....

Warmer

Pro = N/a
Con = possibility of over heating

Colder
Pro = longer life
Con = n/a

That would explain why my battery seems to be lasting less & less lately. I thought that perhaps I had worn it down, but in the last few weeks, it seems to be worn down an extra bar or two from where it used to be when I get to work. I've been leaving it in the garage & the temps have been in the 30's when I leave in the morning.

Thanks!

Temp outside while riding makes the difference between distance more then the temp WHILE charging..
In the summer months my bike gets 23 miles on a 15ah battery.
That same battery gets me 20 miles during winter.

My thoughts were more towards the fact that if I charge the battery indoors & put it on my bike right before I leave for work that the battery should start out warmer & theoretically stay warmer than the battery left out in the garage all night. If the battery starts @ 70 degrees & cools during the 30 minute ride to work, it should still be warmer for the duration (or at least a portion of the ride) resulting in better battery life than one that starts out @ 40 degrees (or whatever). I just wasn't sure if colder or warmer was more advantageous.

You got it pretty well.

Another question to ask yourself is which type of Lithium Ion batter do you have. There is cobalt and manganese (which is newer). It is safe to store Lithium Ion Batteries with Manganese in colder temps, but if its is Cobalt it wont hold the charge as well. Manganese batteries do better in high temps as well.

-Peter

Thank you for the heads up. I had no idea there were different versions of Lithium Ion batteries. I just checked mine & it's listed as LiMN, so I'm assuming that it the Manganese.

Cold Weather Range
 

I have noticed the same thing with my 15AH LiFePO4 packs. What I do is to stick my bike inside next to the heater after charged overnight if possible. I get better range that way!

Better in cool or cold weather apparently to bring the battery inside and let it stand for a few hours before charging it.

The core temperature of the battery will be different from the outside cells and the battery as a unit will take and hold a charge better if the whole battery is about the same temperature.

Thanks to you both for the feedback..