How to charge an electric bike can be a confusing process once you get the hang of it and get the required experience, then you will realize that Charging an electric bike is not a difficult process.
The first thing you will need is a charger for your battery, which you can purchase at any bike store that sells electric bikes. It’s easy to find chargers online as well, but if you buy one from the store they will be able to help answer any questions about how to charge an e-bike.
If there are no stores nearby or none that sell electric bikes, then I recommend looking on Amazon for some options. Once you have purchased your charger, all that’s left is plugging in and charging!
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Step By Step Process for Charging an e-bike
- Unplug the charger from the wall or power outlet.
- “The first step is to unplug the charger from your bike, and plug it into a socket.”
- “Next, make sure that you have plugged in an extension cord or battery pack of some kind so that there’s enough slack for the e-bike to be at least four feet off the ground.”
- “Now attach one end of each cable (positive red on one side and negative black on the other) onto the corresponding pole inside of charger housing. The positive pole will always have + printed near it while – is found nearer to the opposite pole.” “Ensure they are attached securely by screwing them tight with Allen wrench provided.”
- “You can now connect the other end of each cable to respective polls on your e-bike battery.”
- “The last step is plugging in the charger and securing it. Make sure that you have plugged extension cord or battery pack into a power outlet, then secure charger by screwing it tight with Allen wrench provided.”
- “That’s it! Now forget about charging for at least six hours while your bike charges!”
Related article: What is an E-Bike? (The 2021 Best Ultimate Guide)
The last thing you want to do is have any exposed connections touching each other, so make sure both ends are plugged in fully. If there’s enough slack in excess power cords, lay them out neatly beside the bike.
If not hang it over a railing or another object that will keep the wire-free from contact with anything else and still allow movement while charging. You might also want to disconnect your battery pack before charging starts since this can decrease charge time by up to 40%.
Avoid using an extension cord unless necessary as they can reduce how quickly electricity flows through wires which may slow down overall charge times. And finally: NEVER charge an electric bike outside!
Making sure the electric bike is fully charged
“Check to see how long you have left, also try and estimate the amount of power is the electric bike battery.”
Unplug the charger from the wall or power outlet. The first step is to unplug the charger from your bike, and plug it into a socket. Next, make sure that you have plugged in an extension cord or battery pack of some kind so that there’s enough slack for the e-bike to be at least four feet away from the power source.
How long does an Electric bike take to charge?
If the Electric bike is new, I would advise you to charge it for a minimum of 12 hours non-stop. However, if it’s a bike you have been using, charge for about 6- 8 hours.
The electric bike has different batteries and the capacity of that batteries holding power is also different. With this, I would advise you to look at the charging rate of your e-bike battery.
Related article: The Top 2021 Benefits of Electric Bikes
If the battery takes 8 hours to charge and it has 100 miles before the charges drain up. Then the recharge rate would be around 12.5 miles per charging hour. So it will be great if you consider this.
How often should you charge the e-bike battery?
You should make sure that your battery has some charge at every time. For instance, if you usually cycle your electric bicycle at least twice to thrice a month then you will need to charge the battery after use. This will maintain the batteries life.
How about being an avid cyclist who cycles every day, then I would advise you that you maintain at least 80% battery power before going out so this will also mean you charge your battery after use.
But the down part is that charging a battery every time is not that good. and this is when we consider a long term strategy for the battery. so the answer can just charge it frequently but do not overcharge it.
Tips on how to improve e-bike batteries and maintenance for longer battery life.
It is that simple if the batteries are handle as they are supposed to be, then they would last longer than expected. The batteries that come with the electric bicycle are the original ones, I am saying this because there are tons of third-party companies who manufacture electric bike batteries and they flood them to the market. So take care because you simply have one of the best E-bikes battery
Now I would love it you consider the following guidelines from planet bikes guru on how to improve electric bike batteries for longer life.
How do you maintain an e-bike battery?
- Do not overcharge an electric bike
- Do not expose the batteries to high temperature and cold conditions
- Charge your e-bike battery frequently
- Keep the battery clean and dry
- Charge your battery before storing i.e do not store an empty battery
- Do not short circuit an electric bike battery
- Keep the battery away from children’s reach
Our Wrap Up on How to Charge an E-Bike
E-bikes are a great alternative to cars and other modes of transportation. They’re also more affordable than they were in the past, but you still have to spend money on electricity if you want them to last for years without needing repairs. Now that we’ve covered how an e-bike works, it should be easy enough for you to charge your bike correctly.
You now have the basic knowledge of how to charge an electric bike. There are many steps involved in charging your e-bike, but it’s not as complicated as you might think.
We hope this post has been helpful to you and we wish you luck on your journey from novice cyclist to expert! If there is anything more that you need help with (or just want a second opinion), let us know by commenting below. Also, do not forget to share the post with your family and friends.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can you charge an electric bike by pedaling?
The answer is it depends. Because some e-bikes are designed to self-charge themselves while others can not charge while peddling. In other words, E-bikes that charge, when you pedal, convert kinetic energy to electrical energy. If you feel like you need this future in an e-bike then, go for one that has an energy recovery mechanism such as charging while you are pedaling the electric bike.
Can we charge an electric bike at home?
Yes definitely, this is one of the most common question asked by many. However, you will have to remove the battery from the bike. Take the battery and its charger plugging the charger in the socket.
Can I leave my e-bike on charge overnight?
The answer will depend on the E-bike battery. Some battery may take more time than other batteries to get fully charged. But as a matter of fact, leaving it overnight is not a healthy practice for the battery. So, my answer does not to leave the battery overnight.
You can use an electric timer to set a specified period of time after which the current will be cut off Some of the examples are here
