How to optimize your electric bike battery? Advice from our battery experts at Gouach

Why optimize your battery? As you may have experienced, bicycle batteries can be fragile. A traditional battery is made of several lithium-ion cells, and when one cell fails, the whole battery stops working. Here are some tips and best practices to keep your battery functioning for as long as possible.

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But first we explain: how does charging a battery work?

Charging a battery is counted in charging cycles. A charge cycle corresponds to the entire use of the battery: from its complete 0% discharge to its 100% charge.

As it charges, the lithium-ion cells, which are present in the battery by the dozen, are supplied with energy and make the battery work.

The charging time differs from one battery to another because it depends mainly on the capacity of the battery and the power of the charger.

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1. Optimize the charge

Managing the charge of your battery is the most important factor to extend its life.

It is important to avoid a complete discharge and if possible, a full charge of the device. Ideally, we recommend keeping the battery charged between 20% and 80% to optimize the life of the lithium cells.

If the battery is to be stored for a long period of time, we recommend keeping the battery charged at 50%.

We also advise you to avoid overcharging, by not letting your battery charge when it is already at 100%.

The Gouach battery avoids overcharging, by automatically stopping to charge in an intelligent way.

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2. Remove the battery from the bike.

When using a traditional battery, it is better to remove it from the bike when it is not in use. This avoids unnecessary energy consumption.

If you use a Gouach battery, even if it is left on the bike, it will save energy by itself.

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3. Remember to turn off your battery

Turning off your battery when you are not using it saves charging cycles.

The Gouach battery turns itself off after one hour of non-use.

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4. Avoid extreme temperatures

Temperature has an impact on the condition of the battery. Extreme temperatures can damage the lithium cells. Never charge your battery below 0°C (5°C is an ideal minimum). To increase battery life, keep the battery below 45°C if possible.

Avoid leaving your battery for hours in the sun.

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5. Use the proper charger

Not all chargers have the same voltage and current. Using the right charger will ensure that you get the right voltage for your battery. A charger with a voltage that is too high or too low could damage the battery, or even be dangerous.

The Gouach battery has a safety feature to avoid these problems.

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6. Do not disassemble the battery yourself (except Gouach certification)

If you feel like disassembling your battery, don't do it! Only certified persons are allowed to disassemble batteries, be it from Gouach or elsewhere. This could be dangerous and you could damage your battery.