I don't know how cold your winters get but I've managed around -25 °C (-13 °F) with normal (albeit good) gloves. But then again, I only drive the legal 25 km/h (16 mph) so the windchill isn't as bad as with higher speeds. When it's particularly cold I might wear another pair of lighter gloves under the main ones.
To prevent moisture getting into my throttle and wiring up at the handlebars I use a Waterproof arm cast cover (for showering). It covers everything and has enough slack left to use the throttle, brake and press buttons as needed.
Im at work watching this with my ebike outside in the bike shelter. After Tip 1 i went straight out & took my battery off & brought it inside 😆 Thanks!
My number one tip for winter riding, Studded Tires, but be careful, do not be like me and get the biggest baddest you can find with the most studs, too many studs will make you slide on dry roads and should only be used off road but there are many suitable for one road use, Nokian being one the top. Dont get me wrong, the Ice Spiker Pro is a very nice tire, but unless you trail ride most of the time, it's a bit over kill for everyday road use when a tire with half that many studs will do just fine. Liquid electrical tape ( Home Depot, Canadian Tire etc... ) is very good for water proofing plugs, it goes on with a brush, on the outside where the wires go in the back of the plug, but it does take several coats to get a good application, use gloves and goggles when applying it, I get an instant headache when using it so be sure to use with good ventilation. Non-conductive electrical grease for the inside after the liquid electrical tape gives you that much more added protection as it prevents corrosion for years and does not allow any water in. It peals off very easily ( liquid tape ) if you ever need to modify or repair, in some case's you cannot get heat shrink tubing and this stuff works very well, it will eat holes in most linoleum floors and you will never get it out of clothes.... I use a variety of tools to apply it depending on my needs, from a tooth pick to a cut off pull tie, to the brush that comes with it and even very fine paint brushes to seal around the edge's of battery packs and Cycle Analyst etc.. For those of you who are not aware, not all heat shrink tubing is created equal, they do sell a " double wall, glue lined " type for automotive use, this is very good for battery and or phase wire's etc.. especially for those who a bit higher power :) like me. The " glue " or sealant makes the connection totally water proof in my opinion, much less chance of connection failure due to corrosion. Personally, in my opinion, I use a Poncho that covers me and the bike, so most rain etc.. does not hit it when I am riding, yes I ride in winter too I am a big fan of fenders and grunge guards for down tubes, so my ideology is why let the rain get to the bike in the first place, obviously, you have to use a clear one so your lights show. I buy them at the dollar store and keep them in my back pack for when I need them, the wind generally keeps the front tucked under my handle bars, so none of my electronics is really exposed and not as cumbersome as a rain suit that only covers me. I use high temp automotive silicone to seal up the wire end of a control as most have silicone gaskets for the end plates but it never hurts to add a tiny bit of liquid electrical tape around the edge of both sides of the gasket if you have it apart for other reason's. Putting a small amount of silicone ( high temp ) over the screw heads that hold the heat sink for the mosfets in place
This video was very interesting for me because this spring I am purchasing an ebike. Living in n.b. Canada the cold weather battery tips were helpful for me.
I believe it is best to cover the batteries with an electric blanket, and along with the blanket, wire in a switch for it, and a temperature sensor. So the batteries can always be at or near, their optimum temperature during winter. Or maybe something like an Arduino, to turn the blanket on & off, to maintain a set battery temperature. And I would use dielectric grease, to protect all electrical connections from moisture & liquid water, to prevent corrosion, short circuits, and maybe even shocks.
Great tips,here in the UK fenders or mudguards as we say are essential.Especially this time of year.Using a 'drip loop' on any external wiring is always a good idea.
I live in AZ... we have real "beautiful winters" - no snow :D It does get below 50 F in winter, so thanks for the battery tips - this is my first "winter" with an e bike.
Thank you for the idea of lowering the seat! I recently suffered a shoulder separation Eibike riding. Even though I have awesome Studded Avalanche tires, I hit some slush and went down hard! Having my feet closer to the ground might have helped. As far as clothing, I dress like I am going skiing. Helmet, goggles, and full ski bibs and jackets. I live at 7000ft in Idaho. So there is no other way if you really want to winter ride.
The thrifty man solutions for winterization. 1 a pair of bread bags around your battery for insulation from wet and cold. 2 a chemical had warmer pack included next to the battery. Just monitor the heat levels. This is for more intense cold. I usually just bundle it around my chest or stomach for fairly decent results. Tucked into a shirt sweatshirt or jacket for a spell will do a lot
All good advice thanks, I am enjoying a rare UK hot summer, but the bike will spend many months in the garage in winter, so battery indoors, and 50% charge is the way. Thanks for the video.
I've got a DIY battery pack that I only carry in my backpack so the cold weather battery problems are pretty much solved by default. It's very well insulated and the heat of my body plus the heat from the cells keep it at pretty much the optimal temperature. It's only a 500 Wh pack so it's no big deal to carry it on my back. Besides when I have my ebike out I'm usually going somewhere I need a bag anyway. The battery seems solid but keeping it away from the harsh vibrations of the bike frame adds that extra bit of confidence knowing the welds are less likely to shake themselves loose. Another factor is that my frame is quite small, so the battery would be a tight fit. It's designed to fit in case I want to, but I would certainly have to get creative with the mounting bracket.
Hi. Some excellent advice there. Yes, please, a tutorial on basic electrical terms and concepts would be great. In foul weather, to protect my ebike's display and controller units, I just wrap them in clingfilm (Saran wrap). Not aesthetically pleasing, but cheap & easy.
I've had an ebike since around 2016 and now learn I've been doing everything wrong! I have charged it too long every time. I always leave the charger in permanently! (I will stop now, since I worry the risk of fire is greater when the battery is a bit older!?)I have stored the battery fully charged in a cool place, around 5c for 3mos most years fully charged. And I ride in very cold winters when I'm home during winter, usually until the battery is dead. Then just wait, and cycle without PAS, and usually the battery can have a little juice left to get up the last hill on my way home. Still my 36V 10Ah (or maybe it was 13Ah) battery can get 100-130km a day on PAS 6 of 9 (in late summer temps 15c) averaging 16kph. I have a Bafang 250W with a Dolphin battery.
great video!!! this answers all the questions I had for my first ebike winter in the Northeast! I also recently upgraded to ski googles and heavily padded motorcycle gloves for the bite of the wind. Loving my commute now!!!
Yes I didn't mention clothing since I figured that was obvious, but those motorcycle gloves will be a good investment for you. At the faster speeds of ebikes, your fingers really freeze!
We have snow several months a year in the winter. Additionally, I tend to charge my battery immediately after a ride and not ride again for a week or so. After watching your video: 1.) Now I will charge it just before I ride instead of letting my fully charged battery sit for a week. 2.) Also after hearing your video I learned it may not be so good to charge a cold from the ride battery. Best to warm it up first. Thanks.
Still doing a great job Micah. And I still need to win a hard copy of the book I bought online and lost in my laptop's demise. ( Twas the DIY Lithium Batteries book). The only thing I would add is to carry some waterproof, windproof jacket for surprise encounters with wet conditions if at all possible as well as gloves that are waterproof as well. the gloves are a serious must for those of us, um, older folks who are realizing our new susceptibility to the cold.
Yes, going fast in cold air will make your fingers freeze even in a pair of thin gloves. If you got the electronic version of the DIY Lithium Batteries book, you should be able to re-download it from Amazon's kindle store (I don't have control of it, Amazon does). If it was the electronic version of The Ultimate DIY Ebike Guide, I can send you the electronic version again (I DO have control over that one).
It was in fact the Diy Lithium batteries book, so I should be able to re-download to my replacement computer. Would still like to win your other book as well though.
If you live very far north (Canada/Alaska/Nordics/northern Russia) it is also time to ensure that your lights and reflectors are working well. There's a very big difference in daylight hours between summer and winter, and very dark right before the first snow.
I bought you DIY battery book on kindle. Then bought the dead tree edition for permanence. I plan to change my 84volt Emma GT battery to a lithium pack when the Lead Acid version dies. Today, November 9, I parked the Emmo in my shed/Emmo Garage with a fully charged battery, and swithched off the circuit breaker. It is starting to snow here. . . I doubt I’ll be riding it again until Spring. I do have a mountain bike, with studded tires for winter use. Perhaps I’ll be able to electrify it.
if its very cold out (below zero)and you have a shark or dolphin type battery case on your downtube you can keep your battery warm by wrapping the battery in a plastic shopping bag. it also makes it more water resistant. also a plastic bag over your socks in your shoes keeps your feet dry.
My EP-2 Pro e-bike starts to struggle at higher power levels when the battery has been stored at -20C outside for more than a day and won't turn on at all if it's been stored in -30C. Was wondering if maybe replacing the battery cells inside with ones that can handle lower temperatures like the Molicel P42A/P45B and P30B/P28A would help, as those are rated for cell temperatures as low as -40C?
Great tips on storing the battery inside, it can be annoying but worth the effort! You could add some tips on bike lights, I'd like to learn how to integrate led lights (and turn signals) to my battery pack. I'm working on a video for dealing with daylight savings... with the cold season also comes early darkness! Also I'm not sure if I'd agree with #8 about lowering the seat. The cold is already hard on the knees and a lot of people ride with the seat too low for proper posture. I prefer to use boots with a large grippy platform or have a cobbler add grippy soles to my work shoes.
I would highly reccomend getting a buck converter and using standard automotive lights. As for turn signals, buy a set of four on ebay, and get a 3 pin flasher module. Adjustable ones are highly recommended to adjust the rate of blinking.
Hi ! You made a lot of video about how to make our own batterie and that’s awesome. Could you make a tutorial about how to make our own ajustable charger too ? I saw some videos about how to make it with what they call a boost converter. Looks cheap and practical, But they don’t talk about safety, about how to dimension everything properly. And it’s not quite as clear as your way to explain things. Thank you Cheers
great vid ,please do one on amp hr and terms.,thanks for your time Chuck.
6 років тому
Note that when you draw power from lipos they do heat-up. Not much but there. 1-2...3% of the power delivered is lost to heat. I _fly_ my lipos in -20 without noticing more than a hair-width of performance loss. Otherwise, yep, totally agree. Edit: except soap. Dude... soap reduces surface tension. That means it makes water wetter. And wetter water seeps in tiny nooks and cracks way easier.
Hi, i live in a freezing area, kindly give some tips for some thermal accessories i.e gloves, shoes, helmet and suits. Also i will shift my bike to another country after this winter, it will take 2 months by cargo, so should i keep its battery about 30%?
Re-lithium battery is there a unit other than a timer that i can connect between the charger and the battery to have control in the charging or is there a charger that is controllable in this way 36 volt and 48
Great tips. I'm just glad that I don't live in snowy conditions. you have any tips for riding in hot weather? I'm in the southern hemisphere and we're starting to get 30°+ Celsius days here.
What do you think about putting chemical hand warmers underneath the neoprene battery cover ? What would you think would be the best location to place the hand warmers on the battery?
Hot spots and cold spots, not good for batteries, temp must be kept as even as possible with all cells, not just some of them as the temp affects the discharge and capacity.
Thanks for the informative post. I've e-biked well over 10,000 miles of Vermont back country roads and forest trails over all four seasons for the past several years. One of my bikes is a 24 Volt system that I'd like to change to a 48 volt system. I'm wondering if I can change the battery and controller and use the same motor.
Thanks for the tips ,it doesn't get too cold here in south Texas but maintenance tips are always appreciated. Have you done any experimenting with solar charging?
I've done that, I just used small thin styrofoam packing material and placed it around the batteries inside the pack, you will note, the case was supposed to hold SLA and i put in Li-ion which gave me the room to do so but even so, it's only about 1/4 inch thick. I didnt have the money to install a remote temp sensor to see how well it works and I havent ridden with it in really cold temps yet, biggest factor is windchill when moving at 32 kph rather than the ambient temp, it's alot colder.
Great e-bike winter tips! Really need those in Minnesota.How about a video on a solar powered e-bike that can go across the USA? Thinking of a Minnesota to Arizona trip with a homemade trailer/camper not yet built cuz I'm hoping for some of your suggestions. Thanks!
hi maiky. will you please give us an idea about the mid drive kit? and maybe comparison with hub motors from your point of view.. i would really appreciated..
Hi, could you please do one for hot weather. With the unusual/excessive hot weather.. my commuter diy ebike started shutting off on me I was trying to keep it in lower pedal assist modes and avoided using the throtle but towards the end of the ride I could feel it was stopping because of the heat. I don't want to ruin any of the electronics as this has helped cut my commute time in half so any tips you might have would be great.
Great video. I'm definitely leaving my lithium half charged this winter in the shed. Will probably get a heating blanket for the heater to. Do you know of any device that I can hook up my 72v 40ah lithium battery to inside in order to use the power from it? I'd much rather keep it inside and use it to charge my electronics or something than keep it outside in the shed the while winter. Living in Ontario Canada sucks weather wise.
Hi, Micah! GREAT video and very timely. Thank you! Can you show us how you would go about adding a bicycle light to be drawn from the ebike battery? With the time change, I'm riding in the dark more and would like to boost my existing bike light to put our more lumens than what the (4-year old) factory battery is currently putting out (both in voltage and in capacity). Rather than buy another battery from the company (albeit great company), I THINK I have the tools to make a custom battery -OR- to draw from my lithium ion bike battery.
Merunas Grincalaitis Not really, as long as you leave it around nominal voltage or above, assuming you don't put a load on it, it should be fine with sitting. Your bms consumes a bit of current, but in all likelyhood, not enough to drain a battery over a 3 month period.
Great tips! I try to use my ebike year round in Chicago. This week the temp are dipping -10 degrees Fahrenheit. What will happen to my battery if I try to use it in such temperatures? I don’t mean charging it.
Max charging for a lithium battery is usually 0.5 C, meaning for a 10Ah battery, that would be 5A. But if you can stick below 0.2 C when your battery is under 10 degrees Celcius (which would be 2A for a 10Ah battery) then that is even better. Lower C rates at low temperatures are preferable.
Hi, very informative video thank you, there is one question i really do hope you can answer if you read this comment, i have disc brakes and i'm a first time user of these type of brakes, how do you tell when these brake pads are getting ready for changing ? It was easy to tell with the rim brake pads as they're easily seen, but these disc pads are hard to tell for a first timer like me lol, hope you can help, best regards.
Mark Dennison Man, I usually just use mine, tighten them once they lose power, and repeat until it doesn't work anymore. Although you should change them if they behave out of the ordinary, ex super weak even after tightening, or making unusual noises.
My trick lower the tire pressure to raised the grip surface and stability It sure help me climb hill too :-) also below -8c when you’re near water (read river or whatever...) get yourself well dressed. That’s my personal limit btw.
just how big a deal is the cold to these batteries? im planning on replacing my car entirely with a rad wagon that i just ordered but its regularly below 40F in the winter where i live and regularly will be outside as i run errands with it. when im home i can bring it inside for storage and charging but it will be outside in the cold quite a lot... is this going to destroy the batteries very fast?
Thank you for the instructional videos. They have helped me to understand the concept and working conditions of Lithium Ion Batteries and it’s chemistry. I’d really appreciate if you could please tell me where I can get hold of battery polarity stickers that you have shown in your videos. I can understand how busy you must be editing and arranging videos before posting on UA-cam. If you have 5 minutes to spare amidst the busy schedule, then kindly let me know how I can get hold of 18650 battery Polarity stickers. FYI I am in possession of your Guide to Lithium Ion battery DIY guide. Thanks and regards.
That image of the kid Freezing his ass off on that bike is hilarious 🤣
Cold hands are what stops me from riding more than anything else in winter-- I did finally buy heated gloves, and they helped a lot.
I don't know how cold your winters get but I've managed around -25 °C (-13 °F) with normal (albeit good) gloves. But then again, I only drive the legal 25 km/h (16 mph) so the windchill isn't as bad as with higher speeds.
When it's particularly cold I might wear another pair of lighter gloves under the main ones.
You can get handlebar mitts, they are the best!
You have good tips that I would’ve forgotten to prepare for, thanks again
Handlebar mitts are the best! Highly recommend getting if you're riding in the winter, pretty much instantly solves any problems with cold hands.
To prevent moisture getting into my throttle and wiring up at the handlebars I use a Waterproof arm cast cover (for showering). It covers everything and has enough slack left to use the throttle, brake and press buttons as needed.
Cool idea! Thanks for sharing!
Im at work watching this with my ebike outside in the bike shelter. After Tip 1 i went straight out & took my battery off & brought it inside 😆 Thanks!
My number one tip for winter riding, Studded Tires, but be careful, do not be like me and get the biggest baddest you can find with the most studs, too many studs will make you slide on dry roads and should only be used off road but there are many suitable for one road use, Nokian being one the top. Dont get me wrong, the Ice Spiker Pro is a very nice tire, but unless you trail ride most of the time, it's a bit over kill for everyday road use when a tire with half that many studs will do just fine.
Liquid electrical tape ( Home Depot, Canadian Tire etc... ) is very good for water proofing plugs, it goes on with a brush, on the outside where the wires go in the back of the plug, but it does take several coats to get a good application, use gloves and goggles when applying it, I get an instant headache when using it so be sure to use with good ventilation. Non-conductive electrical grease for the inside after the liquid electrical tape gives you that much more added protection as it prevents corrosion for years and does not allow any water in.
It peals off very easily ( liquid tape ) if you ever need to modify or repair, in some case's you cannot get heat shrink tubing and this stuff works very well, it will eat holes in most linoleum floors and you will never get it out of clothes....
I use a variety of tools to apply it depending on my needs, from a tooth pick to a cut off pull tie, to the brush that comes with it and even very fine paint brushes to seal around the edge's of battery packs and Cycle Analyst etc..
For those of you who are not aware, not all heat shrink tubing is created equal, they do sell a " double wall, glue lined " type for automotive use, this is very good for battery and or phase wire's etc.. especially for those who a bit higher power :) like me.
The " glue " or sealant makes the connection totally water proof in my opinion, much less chance of connection failure due to corrosion.
Personally, in my opinion, I use a Poncho that covers me and the bike, so most rain etc.. does not hit it when I am riding, yes I ride in winter too I am a big fan of fenders and grunge guards for down tubes, so my ideology is why let the rain get to the bike in the first place, obviously, you have to use a clear one so your lights show. I buy them at the dollar store and keep them in my back pack for when I need them, the wind generally keeps the front tucked under my handle bars, so none of my electronics is really exposed and not as cumbersome as a rain suit that only covers me.
I use high temp automotive silicone to seal up the wire end of a control as most have silicone gaskets for the end plates but it never hurts to add a tiny bit of liquid electrical tape around the edge of both sides of the gasket if you have it apart for other reason's.
Putting a small amount of silicone ( high temp ) over the screw heads that hold the heat sink for the mosfets in place
This video was very interesting for me because this spring I am purchasing an ebike.
Living in n.b. Canada the cold weather battery tips were helpful for me.
I believe it is best to cover the batteries with an electric blanket, and along with the blanket, wire in a switch for it, and a temperature sensor. So the batteries can always be at or near, their optimum temperature during winter. Or maybe something like an Arduino, to turn the blanket on & off, to maintain a set battery temperature.
And I would use dielectric grease, to protect all electrical connections from moisture & liquid water, to prevent corrosion, short circuits, and maybe even shocks.
maybe make a video for someone who is not familiar with anything you've said?
Use Arduino to warm up your battery :) How many people even know what that is I wonder :)
Just Jordan I don’t
Open source hardware and software
I guess
yeah make a video about this! I'd love to see how that works. Really, let me know if you actually do, I'd love to see it!
Great tips for winter riding. Thanks for putting this together!
Micah Your video is very helpful
Good Tips on saving your batteries in winter.
Great tips,here in the UK fenders or mudguards as we say are essential.Especially this time of year.Using a 'drip loop' on any external wiring is always a good idea.
Great videos. Keep it up please. Extremely informative.
I live in AZ... we have real "beautiful winters" - no snow :D
It does get below 50 F in winter, so thanks for the battery tips - this is my first "winter" with an e bike.
Florida here. Agree! The 50 degree tip was much appreciated. This will be my first winter with mine also.
does AZ also use Fahrenheit?
@@yuyangwu5608 Yes - AZ is the US state of Arizona.
@@ricknoe942 sorry my bad, I misunderstood as New Zealand
Thx for the info
Interesting enjoyed your video very helpful too
Yeaahh.. awesome top 10 list... the battery tips are the BEST =]
This guy knows his stuff. Some tips i knew, others i didn't. Great video.
ElectricBike yes its
Thank you for the idea of lowering the seat! I recently suffered a shoulder separation Eibike riding. Even though I have awesome Studded Avalanche tires, I hit some slush and went down hard! Having my feet closer to the ground might have helped. As far as clothing, I dress like I am going skiing. Helmet, goggles, and full ski bibs and jackets. I live at 7000ft in Idaho. So there is no other way if you really want to winter ride.
Great advices! Let's ride on fall and winter!
Thanks for the winter advice from a sunny location, not fair....
thanks for sharing!
great video! yes a conversion run through video like you mentioned at the end would be great!
Do a segment on some Winter wearables as well....heated gloves, DIY etc... I use ski pants too.
The thrifty man solutions for winterization. 1 a pair of bread bags around your battery for insulation from wet and cold. 2 a chemical had warmer pack included next to the battery. Just monitor the heat levels. This is for more intense cold. I usually just bundle it around my chest or stomach for fairly decent results. Tucked into a shirt sweatshirt or jacket for a spell will do a lot
In winter I use more push pedal than Baterry because I need to heat up myself. Also with speed about 30 kmh in winter I need good hat and jacket.
Good tips, most are good for any bike, not just ebikes.
All good advice thanks, I am enjoying a rare UK hot summer, but the bike will spend many months in the garage in winter, so battery indoors, and 50% charge is the way.
Thanks for the video.
This guy says keep them fully charged so do other sites if you look it up. ua-cam.com/video/xWJdXat4skg/v-deo.html Now I,m confused.
I'm in for the book, want to build a little ion battery pack and I think this book might just give me a good push! Thank you.
I've got a DIY battery pack that I only carry in my backpack so the cold weather battery problems are pretty much solved by default. It's very well insulated and the heat of my body plus the heat from the cells keep it at pretty much the optimal temperature. It's only a 500 Wh pack so it's no big deal to carry it on my back. Besides when I have my ebike out I'm usually going somewhere I need a bag anyway.
The battery seems solid but keeping it away from the harsh vibrations of the bike frame adds that extra bit of confidence knowing the welds are less likely to shake themselves loose.
Another factor is that my frame is quite small, so the battery would be a tight fit. It's designed to fit in case I want to, but I would certainly have to get creative with the mounting bracket.
Enjoy the nice beautiful winter. Easy to say in southrrn California or wherever.
Hi. Some excellent advice there. Yes, please, a tutorial on basic electrical terms and concepts would be great. In foul weather, to protect my ebike's display and controller units, I just wrap them in clingfilm (Saran wrap). Not aesthetically pleasing, but cheap & easy.
great video. also love the one with the solar panel and you on the skateboard.
Yes I would love to see a video on what all the terms Mean. Amp Hours, Watt Hours, How to figure them out, and all the Rest. Thanks for Sharing
I've had an ebike since around 2016 and now learn I've been doing everything wrong! I have charged it too long every time. I always leave the charger in permanently! (I will stop now, since I worry the risk of fire is greater when the battery is a bit older!?)I have stored the battery fully charged in a cool place, around 5c for 3mos most years fully charged. And I ride in very cold winters when I'm home during winter, usually until the battery is dead. Then just wait, and cycle without PAS, and usually the battery can have a little juice left to get up the last hill on my way home. Still my 36V 10Ah (or maybe it was 13Ah) battery can get 100-130km a day on PAS 6 of 9 (in late summer temps 15c) averaging 16kph. I have a Bafang 250W with a Dolphin battery.
Great advice on battery storage, Thank you
Super cool
Very useful points made!
great video!!! this answers all the questions I had for my first ebike winter in the Northeast!
I also recently upgraded to ski googles and heavily padded motorcycle gloves for the bite of the wind. Loving my commute now!!!
Yes I didn't mention clothing since I figured that was obvious, but those motorcycle gloves will be a good investment for you. At the faster speeds of ebikes, your fingers really freeze!
We have snow several months a year in the winter. Additionally, I tend to charge my battery immediately after a ride and not ride again for a week or so. After watching your video: 1.) Now I will charge it just before I ride instead of letting my fully charged battery sit for a week. 2.) Also after hearing your video I learned it may not be so good to charge a cold from the ride battery. Best to warm it up first. Thanks.
Yes it would be helpful. Would like the book on building your own lithium battery
well done! I always enjoy your videos.
Still doing a great job Micah. And I still need to win a hard copy of the book I bought online and lost in my laptop's demise. ( Twas the DIY Lithium Batteries book). The only thing I would add is to carry some waterproof, windproof jacket for surprise encounters with wet conditions if at all possible as well as gloves that are waterproof as well. the gloves are a serious must for those of us, um, older folks who are realizing our new susceptibility to the cold.
Yes, going fast in cold air will make your fingers freeze even in a pair of thin gloves. If you got the electronic version of the DIY Lithium Batteries book, you should be able to re-download it from Amazon's kindle store (I don't have control of it, Amazon does). If it was the electronic version of The Ultimate DIY Ebike Guide, I can send you the electronic version again (I DO have control over that one).
It was in fact the Diy Lithium batteries book, so I should be able to re-download to my replacement computer. Would still like to win your other book as well though.
Very awesome channel!! I work on esk8s and these are certainly 100% applicable!!
I plan on doing an eskateboard build soon!
Good tips. Thanks.
Good tips, thanks!
If you live very far north (Canada/Alaska/Nordics/northern Russia) it is also time to ensure that your lights and reflectors are working well. There's a very big difference in daylight hours between summer and winter, and very dark right before the first snow.
Good tip, I should have mentioned this. Thanks!
I bought you DIY battery book on kindle. Then bought the dead tree edition for permanence. I plan to change my 84volt Emma GT battery to a lithium pack when the Lead Acid version dies. Today, November 9, I parked the Emmo in my shed/Emmo Garage with a fully charged battery, and swithched off the circuit breaker.
It is starting to snow here. . . I doubt I’ll be riding it again until Spring.
I do have a mountain bike, with studded tires for winter use. Perhaps I’ll be able to electrify it.
I love my ebike in the snow its a front wheel drive and with a bit of pedling it becomes two wheel drive unstoppable.
Two wheel drive electric, will roxor your boxor's, I built one, it's kick ass... endless sphere forums has alot of info on ebikes
Another great video. Thanks.
Can you make video about e bike batery on airplaines, busses or trains. Thank you in advance.
if its very cold out (below zero)and you have a shark or dolphin type battery case on your downtube you can keep your battery warm by wrapping the battery in a plastic shopping bag. it also makes it more water resistant. also a plastic bag over your socks in your shoes keeps your feet dry.
Good tip! Just be careful the bag doesn't have a small opening where you wrapped it, allowing it to actually collect water as well.
Great video. Also make a video related with hot and wet cities.
i really would like one of ur books great job thx for the contents
My EP-2 Pro e-bike starts to struggle at higher power levels when the battery has been stored at -20C outside for more than a day and won't turn on at all if it's been stored in -30C.
Was wondering if maybe replacing the battery cells inside with ones that can handle lower temperatures like the Molicel P42A/P45B and P30B/P28A would help, as those are rated for cell temperatures as low as -40C?
Awesome tips! Thanks for sharing buddy! :)
Great tips on storing the battery inside, it can be annoying but worth the effort! You could add some tips on bike lights, I'd like to learn how to integrate led lights (and turn signals) to my battery pack. I'm working on a video for dealing with daylight savings... with the cold season also comes early darkness! Also I'm not sure if I'd agree with #8 about lowering the seat. The cold is already hard on the knees and a lot of people ride with the seat too low for proper posture. I prefer to use boots with a large grippy platform or have a cobbler add grippy soles to my work shoes.
I would highly reccomend getting a buck converter and using standard automotive lights.
As for turn signals, buy a set of four on ebay, and get a 3 pin flasher module. Adjustable ones are highly recommended to adjust the rate of blinking.
really helpful video!
make a cloth pouch and put some "dry packs" silicone crystals and place them inside the battery bag. This will help keep it dry..
I like the zip tie moment .
Thank you sir , great video ,, keep up the good work.🤘
Hey Man, good job. Very useful
Hi !
You made a lot of video about how to make our own batterie and that’s awesome. Could you make a tutorial about how to make our own ajustable charger too ? I saw some videos about how to make it with what they call a boost converter. Looks cheap and practical, But they don’t talk about safety, about how to dimension everything properly. And it’s not quite as clear as your way to explain things.
Thank you
Cheers
great vid ,please do one on amp hr and terms.,thanks for your time Chuck.
Note that when you draw power from lipos they do heat-up. Not much but there. 1-2...3% of the power delivered is lost to heat.
I _fly_ my lipos in -20 without noticing more than a hair-width of performance loss.
Otherwise, yep, totally agree. Edit: except soap.
Dude... soap reduces surface tension. That means it makes water wetter. And wetter water seeps in tiny nooks and cracks way easier.
thank you ,is helmet for winter?
Great video thank you
Whats the best e bike for winter?
Hi, i live in a freezing area, kindly give some tips for some thermal accessories i.e gloves, shoes, helmet and suits.
Also i will shift my bike to another country after this winter, it will take 2 months by cargo, so should i keep its battery about 30%?
No mention of condensation from bringing the cold bike into the warm house?
I’d love to see something like this on Deep Cycle Lead Acid batteries. . .
Re-lithium battery is there a unit other than a timer that i can connect between the charger and the battery to have control in the charging or is there a charger that is controllable in this way 36 volt and 48
Great tips. I'm just glad that I don't live in snowy conditions.
you have any tips for riding in hot weather? I'm in the southern hemisphere and we're starting to get 30°+ Celsius days here.
What do you think about putting chemical hand warmers underneath the neoprene battery cover ? What would you think would be the best location to place the hand warmers on the battery?
Hot spots and cold spots, not good for batteries, temp must be kept as even as possible with all cells, not just some of them as the temp affects the discharge and capacity.
@@larrymacdonald4241 thanks
Thanks for the informative post. I've e-biked well over 10,000 miles of Vermont back country roads and forest trails over all four seasons for the past several years. One of my bikes is a 24 Volt system that I'd like to change to a 48 volt system. I'm wondering if I can change the battery and controller and use the same motor.
Thanks for the tips ,it doesn't get too cold here in south Texas but maintenance tips are always appreciated. Have you done any experimenting with solar charging?
What about keeping the batteries warm in an insulated case?
I've done that, I just used small thin styrofoam packing material and placed it around the batteries inside the pack, you will note, the case was supposed to hold SLA and i put in Li-ion which gave me the room to do so but even so, it's only about 1/4 inch thick. I didnt have the money to install a remote temp sensor to see how well it works and I havent ridden with it in really cold temps yet, biggest factor is windchill when moving at 32 kph rather than the ambient temp, it's alot colder.
Très bon conseil
I want this book
Great e-bike winter tips! Really need those in Minnesota.How about a video on a solar powered e-bike that can go across the USA? Thinking of a Minnesota to Arizona trip with a homemade trailer/camper not yet built cuz I'm hoping for some of your suggestions. Thanks!
hi maiky. will you please give us an idea about the mid drive kit? and maybe comparison with hub motors from your point of view.. i would really appreciated..
Hi, could you please do one for hot weather. With the unusual/excessive hot weather.. my commuter diy ebike started shutting off on me I was trying to keep it in lower pedal assist modes and avoided using the throtle but towards the end of the ride I could feel it was stopping because of the heat. I don't want to ruin any of the electronics as this has helped cut my commute time in half so any tips you might have would be great.
What is meant when lithium chargers are cc and cv? Can they be both and what is better?
Great video. I'm definitely leaving my lithium half charged this winter in the shed. Will probably get a heating blanket for the heater to.
Do you know of any device that I can hook up my 72v 40ah lithium battery to inside in order to use the power from it?
I'd much rather keep it inside and use it to charge my electronics or something than keep it outside in the shed the while winter.
Living in Ontario Canada sucks weather wise.
Thanks
Hi, Micah! GREAT video and very timely. Thank you!
Can you show us how you would go about adding a bicycle light to be drawn from the ebike battery? With the time change, I'm riding in the dark more and would like to boost my existing bike light to put our more lumens than what the (4-year old) factory battery is currently putting out (both in voltage and in capacity). Rather than buy another battery from the company (albeit great company), I THINK I have the tools to make a custom battery -OR- to draw from my lithium ion bike battery.
How long can you keep your li-ion battery without use? I heard that if you leave your battery without use for 3 months it breaks
Merunas Grincalaitis Not really, as long as you leave it around nominal voltage or above, assuming you don't put a load on it, it should be fine with sitting.
Your bms consumes a bit of current, but in all likelyhood, not enough to drain a battery over a 3 month period.
Great tips! I try to use my ebike year round in Chicago. This week the temp are dipping -10 degrees Fahrenheit. What will happen to my battery if I try to use it in such temperatures? I don’t mean charging it.
Neoprene bag for the battery pack to keep it warm.
Do any of these tips work for electric tricycles ?
NOTHING ABOUT LEAD ACID BATTERIES? MY DAYMAK HAS INTERGRATED BATTERIES THAT ARE CAGED IN METAL AND BOLTS. HOW DO I REMOVE THE BATTERIES SAFELY
how do you choose a good winter tire for your ebike
and where do you get them
its good
Mostly you need only front tire to be icetyre.
Great video. You mention to charge to lower current. Can you expend on this? Do you have some numbers?
Max charging for a lithium battery is usually 0.5 C, meaning for a 10Ah battery, that would be 5A. But if you can stick below 0.2 C when your battery is under 10 degrees Celcius (which would be 2A for a 10Ah battery) then that is even better. Lower C rates at low temperatures are preferable.
Can you tell me where you got that bike bag, it’s just what I’m looking for
Hi, very informative video thank you, there is one question i really do hope you can answer if you read this comment, i have disc brakes and i'm a first time user of these type of brakes, how do you tell when these brake pads are getting ready for changing ?
It was easy to tell with the rim brake pads as they're easily seen, but these disc pads are hard to tell for a first timer like me lol, hope you can help, best regards.
Mark Dennison Man, I usually just use mine, tighten them once they lose power, and repeat until it doesn't work anymore. Although you should change them if they behave out of the ordinary, ex super weak even after tightening, or making unusual noises.
My trick lower the tire pressure to raised the grip surface and stability It sure help me climb hill too :-) also below -8c when you’re near water (read river or whatever...) get yourself well dressed. That’s my personal limit btw.
just how big a deal is the cold to these batteries? im planning on replacing my car entirely with a rad wagon that i just ordered but its regularly below 40F in the winter where i live and regularly will be outside as i run errands with it. when im home i can bring it inside for storage and charging but it will be outside in the cold quite a lot... is this going to destroy the batteries very fast?
Thank you for the instructional videos. They have helped me to understand the concept and working conditions of Lithium Ion Batteries and it’s chemistry.
I’d really appreciate if you could please tell me where I can get hold of battery polarity stickers that you have shown in your videos.
I can understand how busy you must be editing and arranging videos before posting on UA-cam.
If you have 5 minutes to spare amidst the busy schedule, then kindly let me know how I can get hold of 18650 battery Polarity stickers.
FYI I am in possession of your Guide to Lithium Ion battery DIY guide. Thanks and regards.
A battery builder in China sent me some of those, I don't know where he got them. Probably bought them from a local source in China.
Thank you. I apologize for pestering you.