How to Properly Troubleshoot Your E-bike's Battery

Everyone knows that electric bikes are already popular in Europe, and they are quickly growing in popularity worldwide. The e-bike’s ease and usability are appealing, but it's not without its faults. An e-bike battery needs constant care, and battery-related issues are one of the most prevalent issues that e-bike owners face.

The e-bike’s battery is usually the most expensive part of the e-bike, and it’s something that needs to be replaced quite often. But just because the battery needs to be replaced often doesn’t mean that you have to spend a lot of money on a new one.

In this article, we'll help you troubleshoot your e-bike's battery. Read on below to get started.

Charge Your E-bike Battery First

Before you begin the troubleshooting process, make sure the battery on your e-bike is fully charged. If you’ve left your battery to charge for an extended period of time, such as after it was drained entirely, or if you haven’t charged it in some time, allow it to charge for about eight hours.

Use the Correct Charger

If your e-bike’s battery doesn’t charge properly, you may have a charger problem. Make sure you’re using the correct charger and not a third-party model. This is especially important if you know your e-bike’s original manufacturer doesn’t sell direct (which means it could have come with another brand’s charger) or if the e-bike has been used for a few years. Third-party chargers can be faulty and permanently ruin the battery if you keep using them.

Testing Your Battery Charger

To test your e-bike's battery charger, simply plug the battery charger into an electrical outlet, and watch to see if the power indicator lights up. A broken charger's indicator light will not glow or blink even when a battery is connected. If you have a multimeter or voltmeter, you can use it to test the charger's output voltage. A faulty charger will have zero volts or less than the rated output voltage.

Look for Any Loose Connections

A loose connection will impair the flow of electricity and prevent the battery from receiving a charge. Custom bike kits can be problematic in this way. That’s because many of the parts that come in the kit are manufactured individually before being put together by the customer. Leeds Bikes recommends referring to the owner’s manual and looking for loose wiring before reconnecting if needed.

Find Out When the Battery Was Last Used

If the battery has been left uncharged for more than 6 months, you may have difficulty riding your electric bike. On the other hand, your battery should still be in working order if used only in the last 6 months or less.

Check the Battery Management System

If your battery or charger is working correctly, it might be a problem with the battery management system (BMS). The system regulates the balance of cells in the battery during charging and discharging and manages power transport to the motor. It ensures that the battery does not overheat, thus protecting you and the battery.

The battery management system is responsible for balancing the voltage of each cell on the battery during charging and discharging. The BMS also manages power distribution to the motor. When the BMS is working, it ensures that the battery does not overheat and endanger the rider, nor does it cause damage to its integrity. If there is damage to the BMS, you will have to buy a new battery, as this cannot be repaired.

E-bike Battery Maintenance

To maintain the condition of your e-bike’s battery, the easiest way is to not let your bike’s battery dip below 10%. This wears down the battery more quickly, and it’s recommended that you charge it when it’s between 40 to 80%.

Another essential maintenance step is to avoid extreme temperatures, which means too hot or too cold. Extreme temperatures also contribute to a faster rate of wearing down. It’s recommended that you charge your bike in a dry area at room temperature.

Conclusion

E-bikes are a highly beneficial mode of transportation, so it’s only fitting that you take care of its battery to ensure top performance. The information noted above will help you, so you simply need to follow everything.

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