# Orbea Gain battery management



## G3CWI (24 Sep 2019)

Although the Orbea literature that comes with the bike is silent on the matter, it seems that ebikemotion recommend not charging the battery to over 80% or discharging below 20% for maximum battery life. If charge percentage maps across linearly to range (unlikely), that gives a 40% range reduction. I will be using my bike to commute as well as for leisure rides so I propose to charge up to 80% (or so) on Sunday evening and then top up starting on Tuesday morning (perhaps an hour while I get ready for work). That shouild keep me above 20% all week. Time will tell.

Weekend rides are more problematic in that the 40% range reduction makes the bike not that useful so it will have to be a full charge or perhaps get the expensive range extender. However presumably that too will only really give 60% of its full charge...


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## fossyant (24 Sep 2019)

I'd be charging up to 100% - if you don't this could well mess up the software with regards to charge left (over time). Always a good idea not to flatten a battery, but it will have a good under/over charge protection anyway, so not worth worrying.


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## Milkfloat (24 Sep 2019)

There is a huge amount of discussion in the Orbea Gain thread regarding this. My thoughts - life is too short, just charge and ride your bike.


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## G3CWI (24 Sep 2019)

Milkfloat said:


> There is a huge amount of discussion in the Orbea Gain thread regarding this. My thoughts - life is too short, just charge and ride your bike.


 
I agree - I was trying to break it out into a more focussed discussion.


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## G3CWI (24 Sep 2019)

fossyant said:


> I'd be charging up to 100% - if you don't this could well mess up the software with regards to charge left (over time). Always a good idea not to flatten a battery, but it will have a good under/over charge protection anyway, so not worth worrying.



The difficulty is the "reduction in life" through ignoring the 80-20 recommendation is unquantified. The drive system manufacturer does not suggest any problem with repeated undercharging. They should know?


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## fossyant (24 Sep 2019)

I wouldn't worry. You are more likely to get a failure of a single cell, and you can't do anything about that.

How are you going to check it's at 80% and switch off. Surely the software/protection circuit should be doing this - going to be a pain remembering to turn the charger off, rather than it auto stopping when charged.

I'd fully charge, then recharge before 20% appears. Still got many lipo cells in regular use.


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## Scaleyback (24 Sep 2019)

I mostly charge to around 80/85%. I have made a note of approx charge times and I use a digital timer to switch the charger off around the 80% mark.
I don't stress ! and every 6 or so charges I charge to 100% before riding. I do not store the bike at 100% charged for any length of time.


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## Wobblers (24 Sep 2019)

I take it they use a lithium ion battery? Lithium ion batteries tend to degrade with time as the active materials undergo undesirable side reactions with the electrolyte and other cell components. This effect is most pronounced when the battery is over 80% of full charge. A fully charged battery will permanently lose several percent of its capacity every year. This is much less at lower states of charge, which is why battery manufacturers recommend storing batteries at 50% charge.

On the other hand, Li-ion batteries can last thousands of charge/discharge cycles. It's not actually a problem to fully discharge them - _provided you recharge them as soon as possible afterwards_.The key to battery longevity is to minimise the time when the battery is at 100% charge. It's not a problem to fully charge your battery if you're planning a long trip the next day. For regular commuting, a strategy of recharging the battery once it reaches 20% is probably a good one.


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## keithmac (24 Sep 2019)

I've had my GTECH 3 years now, charge it fully up and then use it until last bar is displayed (normally a weeks worth of commuting).

So estimate at least 150 to 180 full charges and no issues. 

Some battery management systems attempt to balance the cells but they can only do that after a full charge iirc.

Same with all my phones and never had any issues with those either.


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## CXRAndy (24 Sep 2019)

Short rides do a 80-90% charge. A big ride charge 100% and ride immediately when full.


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## G3CWI (30 Sep 2019)

I'm planning to take my O-G with me on my motorhome. In this scenario the internal battery seems to be a bit of a disadvantage. I will have to charge it outside the moho and it looks like the charge port is not waterproof with the charger connected (and neither is the charger likely to be waterproof). When I'm on a hookup (electric not Tinder) I suppose I could manage somehow but it wont be pretty. 

When I'm on 12 Volts I would need an inverter but I don't know how to tell if the Orbea charger will work on a modified sine wave. Any good ideas would be welcome!


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## Scaleyback (2 Oct 2019)

G3CWI said:


> I'm planning to take my O-G with me on my motorhome. In this scenario the internal battery seems to be a bit of a disadvantage. I will have to charge it outside the moho and it looks like the charge port is not waterproof with the charger connected (and neither is the charger likely to be waterproof). When I'm on a hookup (electric not Tinder) I suppose I could manage somehow but it wont be pretty.
> 
> When I'm on 12 Volts I would need an inverter but I don't know how to tell if the Orbea charger will work on a modified sine wave. Any good ideas would be welcome!



Hmm ? Judicious use of clingfilm maybe ? Or turn the bike upside down ( stand on bars and seat) no water will run into charging port and just invert a bucket over the charger. Ducktape and an open umbrella maybe ? Hope I have helped get the ‘creative juices’ flowing. ? 😀


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