Overcharging the e-bike battery can lead to premature discharge, lower mileage, and permanent battery damage.
I happened to leave my $300 e-bikes on charge overnight, and my battery capacity broke after a year.
Guess what, the darn bike didn’t have an inbuilt battery management system.
So, can you overcharge an e-bike battery with lithium-ion cells?
Well, if you leave an e-bike battery on charge for too long, the battery will keep charging every time it hits 99%. So, the charging continues, which can reduce the lifespan of the battery after prolonged battery charge cycles.
On the other hand, my 750-watt premium e-bikes had no overcharging problem whatsoever.
Today, I will show you how to charge an e-bike without overcharging the battery. Let’s dig in.
Is it Ok to Leave an e-Bike Plugged in?
Assuming that you’re using an ebike with a Lithium-ion battery and an inbuilt charge restrictor setting, you can leave it plugged in. However, with a lead acid battery, you are down for some serious overheating and electrolysis.
It’s not Ok to leave an e-bike plugged in, especially if you are not sure of the battery type or the smart charging. If your e-bike battery keeps on charging every time it hits 99%, overheating, and charge repetition will occur.
Can You Overcharge an e-Bike Battery?
E-bikes either have a lithium-ion battery or a lead acid one. Now the question comes, can you really overcharge an ebike battery?
Technically, you can’t on the latest e-bikes models. A lithium-ion battery cell will stop charging once it has taken enough charge. However, the charge will continue when the battery reaches 99% and lead to battery charge reduction.
But if you’re using a lead acid battery, yes, battery overcharge can happen. This can cause catastrophic damages. Rule of the thumb, always use a charge timer for maximum security.
How to Charge an e-Bike Battery without Overcharging
Now, regardless of which type of battery you’re using, charging the electric bike just to the right amount is always a good idea.
Here’s how you do that:
- At first, we will need a charge restrictor/ timer.
- Next, calculate the total time needed to charge the e-bike. Generally, 48v e-bikes take around 6 hours to charge completely.
- Set the timer according to the complete charging time. Here, my time is 1 am. So, I set the timer to 6 am.
- Now, connect the e-bike battery charger to the charging port.
- After 6 hours the charging will stop and you don’t need to worry about repetitive charging.
Pro-Tip: Suppose your charge has gone rogue. There are other ways to charge an e-bike battery as well. If you want the entire process, click here.
How Many Hours Should I Charge My E-Bike?
After I bought my first e-bike, I kept it charging overnight as I saw on the internet. Nothing really happened, but how many hours to charge an e-bike battery for certain?
You should charge your e-bike battery anywhere from 4 to 7 hours, depending on charging speed and battery percentage. Generally speaking, 90-95% is your target. Keep the charging percentage to 80%, which will take up to 4 hours maximum.
Some e-Bike Battery Charging Tips
I figured you guys need some tips on e-bike battery charging. Here are some tips you can follow to get a longer and more usable battery life:
- Never keep the battery charging overnight
- Don’t charge a new battery for 12 hours
- Charge the battery to 80-95% maximum
- Store the battery at moderate temperatures (59 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Avoid charging the battery to 100% energy capacity
- Stop storing the battery completely flat (at 0% charge)
Note: I hope these tips will help you get a longer battery and service life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I Charge My e-Bike Battery After Every Ride?
You don’t always need to charge an e-bike battery after every ride. E-bike batteries, or all batteries to be exact, have about 600-800 charge cycle limits before they degrade. So, charging more means more corrosion to the internal cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator. But, make sure you hit the 20% mark before charging.
Can You Leave an e-Bike Charging Overnight?
If your e-bike comes with a charge restriction feature, you can leave it charging overnight. All modern e-bikes have this, so it’s mostly safe. However, with an old version e-bike, your battery will keep on charging every time it hits 99%. Overcharging is the last thing you need for your e-bike.
How Many Times Can You Charge an eBike Battery?
You can charge your e-bike battery anywhere from 600 to 800 times if it’s a lithium-ion one. On the other hand, a lead-acid battery will last you a maximum of 500 charges. Plus, you can’t charge it more than once per 24 hours due to overcharging issues.
Should I Charge My e-Bike Battery to 100%?
I found my e-bike batteries performing much better at 90% than 100% charge battery. By charging 100% every time I downgraded my charge cycles to 600. Whereas, my other e-bike could easily reach 800 charge cycles if the charge was 90%(±5%). So, you shouldn’t regularly charge an e-bike battery to a fully charged 100%.
End Note
You can’t overcharge the latest e-bikes even if you wanted to. Li-ion rechargeable battery charging doesn’t really work that way. All you can do is reduce its life expectancy.
I could get more than 800 charge cycles and more longevity by not charging 100%. Whereas, overcharging decreased it to just 3 years of proper battery usage.
I hope this answers your question. If you have any more questions, let us know. Bye-Bye.