Lithium batteries are increasingly used in simple electric bicycles. What are the differences between lithium batteries and lead-acid batteries? What is the correct charging method for lithium batteries? What precautions should be taken when charging a lithium battery for the first time? Shanghai Bairen Lithium Battery shares detailed methods.
Correct usage of lithium electric vehicle batteries
The correct way to use lithium batteries can be summarized into the following two points:
1. Activating a lithium battery electric vehicle does not require any special method; the lithium battery will activate naturally while the vehicle is in motion. If you deliberately try to activate it using the widely circulated method of "activating it with three 12-hour long charges for the first three times," it will be futile and will have no effect.
2. When the lithium battery of an electric vehicle displays a low battery warning during operation, it should be charged as soon as possible. (Fast charging stations are strongly discouraged, as they can severely damage the battery. Claims about fully depleting the battery before charging or prolonged charging are not entirely accurate; it depends on the battery type. The advice to "use up the battery completely, ideally until it can't run anymore" is primarily applicable to nickel-cadmium batteries, the purpose being to avoid the memory effect.) 3. Charge according to the standard time and procedure, even for the first three charges; (especially avoid charging for more than 12 hours).
Incorrect use of lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries
Blindly pursuing 12-hour ultra-long charging times and letting lithium batteries drain automatically are both wrong. If you have been following these incorrect practices, please correct them immediately.
Lithium battery routine maintenance and storage
Lithium primary batteries have very low self-discharge and can generally be stored for up to 3 years. Refrigeration enhances their shelf life. Storing lithium primary batteries in a cool place is a good method. Lithium-ion batteries can be stored for more than six months at 20°C due to their low self-discharge rate and the ability to recover most of their capacity. However, the self-discharge phenomenon in lithium batteries means that prolonged storage with the battery voltage below 3.6V can lead to over-discharge, damaging the internal structure and reducing battery life.
Therefore, lithium batteries stored for extended periods should be recharged every 3-6 months, ideally to a voltage of 3.8-3.9V (the optimal storage voltage for lithium batteries is around 3.85V), and should not be fully charged. Lithium batteries have a wide operating temperature range; they can still be used outdoors in northern winters, although their capacity will be significantly reduced. The capacity can recover once the battery returns to room temperature, but this is affected by temperature. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, lithium primary batteries cannot be recharged; recharging them is extremely dangerous. Other precautions are similar to those for lithium-ion batteries.
