You went on a joyride with your ebike, and the battery went completely dead. What will you do now? Petrifying, right?
Where you left the charger at home, or just want to jumpstart a broken e-bike battery, our no charger charging methods will work for all.
So, how to charge an e-bike battery without a charger safely and effectively?
Well, some methods will take your battery pack charge to a maximum of 100%. Whereas, others will charge the battery to about a quarter. But hey? In times of need, even the smallest help counts.
Today, let’s see how we can get a dead e-bike battery up and running, all without its charger at your disposal.
Can You Charge an Electric Bike without The Charger?
Though charging an e-bike with a charger is the best option, you can still charge it without the charger. There are a few options to choose like using a power supply, car battery, or a solar panel.
However, some may work better than others. Only in a handful of options can you get a fully charged battery. So, what are the ways you can charge an e-bike battery without a charger?
“Ways for charging an E-bike battery without charger”
| Methods | E-bike battery charging level | Components | Safety | Cost |
| Using a variable power supply | Up to 100% | A variable power supply | Fairly safe (If the settings are done right) | 50$ minimum |
| Though a solar panel | Up to 100% | Solar panel, resisting diode, Solar Charge Controller | Fairly safe | 100$ minimum |
| Charging with car battery | Anywhere between 25%-100% | A working car with battery, inverter, and power supply | Safe | About 150$ |
| With alternative battery | Up to 100% | Two fully charged e-bike battery, Rectifier; Inverter, and Static Bypass Switch | Not for regular charging | About 250$ |
| Powering the battery with a generator | Up to 100% | A decent generator, power supply | Safe only if you have a spare charger | 600$ minimum |
| On a charging station | Up to 100% | Just a adapter cable | Fairly safe | Depends on the location |
| Using a portable charger | Up to 100% | A portable e-bike charger | Safe | Depends on the charger model |
| Pedal charging | Up to 15% | A pedal charging enabled e-bike | Safe | 0$ as the feature comes inbuilt |
How to Charge ebike Battery without Charger: Detailed Guide
Like most batteries, e-bike batteries can be charged with more than just one charging method. In most cases, you don’t even need a charger to get a full charge. Here are some methods worth mentioning:
Using a Variable Power Supply
Using a power supply may be one of the safest ways to charge an e-bike battery without a charger. Sometimes you need to open the battery housing. Let’s see the steps below:
- First, connect the power supply with an on-grid station.
- Make sure you set the power supply properly.
- Don’t forget to set the mode to DC.
- Check the charger details, and set the amps and voltage according to that.
- You can increase the amps a bit to increase the charging time, but don’t push it.
- Now, cut an e-bike charging cable and connect the positive end with the positive battery terminal.
- Finally, shove the darn cable to the battery port and see your battery getting charged.
Note: If you don’t have a cable, you can always charge the battery by connecting the charging cable or adapter cable directly to the battery terminals. However, battery damage can happen if you are not careful while removing the casing.
Though a Solar Panel
A solar panel will act as an on-grip power source for the e-bike battery. The steps are fairly simple. All you need is a Solar panel, resisting diode, and Solar Charge Controller. The steps are:
- You need to configure a solar panel with enough cells to power a solar charge controller. It’s basically a power supply with a fancy name.
- Use the user manual to set the current output, amps, and voltage according to your maximum charging requirement.
- Afterward, set the current mode to DC.
- Now, open the battery casing to expose the battery terminals inside.
- You can also use a cable adapter that will charge the battery without you needing to open the battery casing.
Note: Sometimes, you need a resisting diode as the electricity produced in the solar panel can go reverse. A resisting diode will stop the reverse flow of electricity.
Charging with Car Battery
You are in for a surprise on this one. A car battery may look small. Well, technically, it is. But there is a way to channel the car power with the battery and into your e-bike. You just need a working car, inverter, and power supply.
- For the first step, attach an inverter to the car battery. You can use alligator clippings as well.
- Now, connect the inverter terminals with the power supply.
- You need to set the power supply’s output settings according to your charger’s one.
- If you want, you can attach a charger to the inverter as well.
- Now, plug the power supply to the battery via the cables.
- Additionally, you will need to adjust the cable sockets properly to the power supply.
With an Alternative Battery
You can get a powerful battery or add multiple batteries in parallel and attach an inverter to the setup. The output of both the batteries will add up, giving you the desired charging setup. You also need a charge controller to maintain the flow properly.
- Connect two e-bike batteries in parallel or get an IPS battery.
- Use a rectifier diode and attach it to the batteries.
- Now, connect an inverter to the terminals of the batteries.
- Once you are done, get a power supply and connect the darn thing with the inverter.
- Configure the power supply mode in DC and the output settings according to the e-bike charger.
- In the end, connect the charging cable to your battery and wallah.
Charging the Battery with A Generator
Charging an e-bike battery with a generator is easy. Things you will need are a good generator and a power supply. Follow the steps below:
- Connect the DC power supply to a mainstream generator.
- Afterward, set your amps and voltage according to the charger output.
- Make sure you don’t overdo it, or else you will end up with a fried e-bike battery.
- Now, connect a charging cable to the power supply and enjoy.
On a Charging Station
Nowadays, most places have charging stations to charge EVs on the go. The US, Canada, the UK, etc., most of them have charging stations in various locations, especially in mountain restaurants.
So, if you prefer riding steep hills with an e-bike, well you just got a head start. All you need to do is, hit a ride near a charging station and leave your bike on charge while you enjoy some quiet time.
Using a Portable Charger
A portable charger isn’t like your regular bulky e-bike charge. It’s small and compact for easy carrying. However, due to the small size, it takes more time for the e-bike battery to fully charge. This is not a complete e-bike charging method without a charger. You will still need a portable charger.
Pedal Charging
Pedal charging is a feature inbuilt into some e-bikes. You can literally charge the battery while pedaling your way on the road. Turns out, the charging capacity of pedal recharge is about 15% max. It uses regenerative braking to conserve power and charge the battery for a short time.
However, not all e-bikes have this feature. The Eahora X5 750W, and X7 are some of the few e-bikes with power re-generation with pedals.
Can I Charge an e-Bike Battery with A Clip Charger?
You can’t charge an e-bike battery with a clip charger. The reason is that clip chargers can’t output enough power to recharge an e-bike battery. You can try using a power supply instead of a clip charger. Here you can mimic the output settings of an e-bike battery charger.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Charge an e-Bike when Camping?
You can charge an e-bike when camping with a solar panel charging grip, car battery, or an IPS battery. All of these methods will require some form of DC power supply, so that you can adjust the voltage and amps according to your needs.
If you want, you can use an AC power supply as well, but need to use a charger. The power supply settings will change according to a regular on-grip power station.
Can I Charge My e-Bike with A Generator?
You can charge your e-bike with a generator as well. A generator will work as the on-grip power source for e-bike battery chargers. Simply attach a charger to the generator, connect the charging cable to the battery, and enjoy.
Can I Charge an e-Bike from An Inverter?
You can’t charge your e-bike with an inverter alone. However, if you use a power supply with the inverter, you may just pull it off. Adjust the power supply settings according to the e-bike charger and then connect the adapter cable. Don’t forget to set the current mode to DC.
End Note
Well, this is it. Hope now you can charge an e-bike battery without a charger.
There is always a way if you take certain precautions. So, no more staying stranded on the middle of the road with a dead e-bike battery.
If you happen to ride places where there is hardly any electricity, go for an electric bike with pedal assist and pedal power regeneration. Else, always keep a portable charging kit at hand.
Bye for now. Ask anything you want to know about and have a good day with your ebike!