Ebike battery storage

Leaving the battery in an unheated garage in styrofoam containers will not keep it warm. Insulation only keeps things warm when there is a source of heat that is producing at least as much heat as the insulation is allowing to pass through it.
 
The advice to electric car owners is to not recharge in your garage. I've seen nothing about just parking in your garage.
I've taken the same attitude with my bike battery.
Now, full disclosure, I don't own an electric car.
Dan
 
Time for another monthly battery charge check today.

Still in the “blue” (80-100%). Haven’t had to recharge yet.

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I plugged it into my bike to get a console reading, which was 75% charge, so pretty close to the charger indicator.
 
The maple sap is running here, and I'd like to be back on the bike sometime soon.
Better check MY battery.
Dan
 
The advice to electric car owners is to not recharge in your garage. I've seen nothing about just parking in your garage.
I've taken the same attitude with my bike battery.
Now, full disclosure, I don't own an electric car.
Dan

Everyone I know charges their EV's in their garage. The exception would be if your EV has been recalled for fire danger which is the case with a Chevy Bolt. I would avoid EV's with pouch-type batteries in favor of cylindrical ones. Statistically, gasoline powered cars go up in flames at a rate around 9-12 times as often (per mile travelled) compared to gas cars. There are a few gas cars in recent years that were recalled for fire danger and owners advised not to park within so many feet of a building or another vehicle.
 
I think best practice is to store at 60-70% and in warmer room for the battery.

Batteries store best in a cold room, as long as they are kept above freezing. The cold slows down self-discharge and other undesirable residual chemical reactions. A battery in cold storage around 40 degrees F and charged to somewhere around 50% will barely degrade at all, even over a year or more. Give cold batteries plenty of time to warm up to 70 degrees before charging them though. It can take quite a while for the internals to warm up, at least several hours in most cases.
 
Time for another monthly charge check:

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Still in the “Blue!”

I admit I’m kind of impressed with how well the battery is holding up its charge. Another month or so, and hopefully it will be back in seasonal daily use. :)
 
With the beautiful Easter weather today in western NY, I decided to ”unwinterize“ the ebike and take it out for a ride later this afternoon for its first spring voyage. Got the brake discs wiped down with alcohol, tires inflated to 40 psi, dust from the garage cleaned off, chain lubed, and charging up the battery and my extra tail light.

Here is my last battery charge check of the off-season, which still shows a blue charge.

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So after almost 5 months of storage in its protective bag, kept at room temperature (we’re usually around 70), the battery never dropped below 80% charge (impressive, as that’s about where it was at when I stored it).
 
Great Information Here - Thanks To Everyone For Their Advice - My First Ebike Winter Is Approaching - I'll Be Ready:eek:
Wife And I Will Ride This Week On Throttle Only Until Batteries Reach Approx 66% And We Will Be Ready To Park 'Em
 
With the beautiful Easter weather today in western NY, I decided to ”unwinterize“ the ebike and take it out for a ride later this afternoon for its first spring voyage. Got the brake discs wiped down with alcohol, tires inflated to 40 psi, dust from the garage cleaned off, chain lubed, and charging up the battery and my extra tail light.

Here is my last battery charge check of the off-season, which still shows a blue charge.

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So after almost 5 months of storage in its protective bag, kept at room temperature (we’re usually around 70), the battery never dropped below 80% charge (impressive, as that’s about where it was at when I stored it).

I wouldn't have stored it 5 months charged past 80% to begin with. I would have started at 60-70% for maximum battery longevity. Also, putting the battery in the coolest part of your house during long-term storage will slow degradation. Don't let it freeze, of course, but cold temperatures slow down chemical reactions. Just let it warm up before you charge or discharge it.
 
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