RV ebike charging

[Headhunter]

Hi Guys:

For those of you that have ebikes where do you charge them from at a campground? Choices are either from the power pedestal, can use a step down plug, or directly from one of the bays from the coach?

Just got a new ebike from lectric. Nice bike that folds up for storage in back of our Jeep Sahara.

HH

 

[Neal]

Any 120V outlet should work. Either from the pedestal or if any are available from your basements. Some ebikes such as my Trek Powerfly 4 the battery can be removed and charged inside the coach.

 

[NWIP]

With hazards of lithium battery fires I always charge outside the coach. I usually plug into outlet in basement and place bikes away from coach if possible.

 

[Headhunter]

Any 120V outlet should work. Either from the pedestal or if any are available from your basements. Some ebikes such as my Trek Powerfly 4 the battery can be removed and charged inside the coach.

That's what I was thinking, maybe safer to do it outside the coach. Can you imagine one of these blowing up inside the coach?

Yep my battery can be removed to charge, but I think it is easier to leave it inside the bike and charge from there, There is charging hole to plug in to.

HH

 

[Joe Hogan]

Some interesting info on charging E-Bikes

How to Prevent an Electric-Bike Fire - Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports shares advice from the FDNY on keeping the lithium-ion batteries on an e-bike from overheating to prevent an electric-bike fire.

www.consumerreports.org

 

[Rich W.]

I plug the chargers in to one of my basement outlets (I have four). I could remove the batteries and charge them inside but it’s much easier to just charge them on the bikes.

 

[jaydee325]

I aways cringe when the generic term Lithium Battery is used because there are different chemistries that use Lithium.

The most well known is Lithium Ion. This battery can experience thermal runaway (google it) which causes the fires that are hard to put out.

The next chemistry is Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4). These batteries are not as prone to thermal runaway and therefore would have to have a mechanical failure such as a puncture of the case to initiate a condition that could cause a fire.

It is interesting to note, many of the next generation batteries for EVs is LiFePo4 batteries which I feel are safer from a fire aspect. The batteries used in RV house batteries are also LiFePo4.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I too cringe, but for a different reason. What the article didn't say!!!
Chance of fire increases with age! The cells of a new pack are tested and matched for capacity. When capacity changes, cells are no longer equal in capacity. When one cell goes low on charge or discharge, it's voltage can invert. This inverted cell overheats, and thermal runaway occurs.

All the protection circuitry in the world (BMS) can't stop this fault!!!

If the cells were a distants apart it might not overheat the other cells, but they are packed together with little space between them.

The result is when one goes they all go!!! The burn has been likened to a Roman candle, and will burn until all remaining energy is gone. Water simply cools the surrounding so other things may not catch fire. Do you want to see what happens? buy a vape battery, charge it up, weld wires and switch to it. Place in an open area, where nothing can burn, stand back and flip the switch.

If you are under the notion LiFePo4, will not do the same thing, do this experiment on a cell of that chemistry.

When you have finished playing, ask yourself how far you may want your charge station alway from your structures.

Should you be interested in when you should replace your pack? loss of 20% capacity is the recommended life!!!

Knowing when to Replace a Battery | Cadex Electronics

Cadex Electronics designs and manufactures battery analyzers, battery chargers for the following industries: wireless communications, medical, mobile computers, aviation and defense

www.cadex.com

Don't charge at temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[jaydee325]

I should have said LiFePo4 batteries are not as prone to thermal runaway.

https://www.ti.com/lit/an/sluaar1/s...s have a stable,less prone to thermal runaway.

I still feel LiFePo4 is a better chemistry and according to some of the trade publications I read, the EV manufacturers are going in that dirrection.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I should have said LiFePo4 batteries are not as prone to thermal runaway.

https://www.ti.com/lit/an/sluaar1/sluaar1.pdf?ts=1693772131356&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F#:~:text=LiFePO4 batteries have a stable,less prone to thermal runaway.

I still feel LiFePo4 is a better chemistry and according to some of the trade publications I read, the EV manufacturers are going in that dirrection.

My opinion is EV manufacturers are about ready to crash and burn.