Hello all,
Well, the Alaska e-scooter season has closed for the winter. The last time I rode my Lepton some wet slimy bridge planks gave both of us the willies. The bull moose are getting a bit cranky, frost on the roads, days are short now anyway. I haven't stored any kind of motor bike for winter so need some "duh" suggestions on protecting it. First, here's what I plan:
block it up off the tires
store under a porch roof
cover with a standard motorcycle cover (it's not a tight fit and I suppose some air flow is good)
remove the battery pack
charge the SLA and my new replacement LiFePO4 packs periodically when off the bike
Questions:
The bike will be outdoors but protected. What if anything should I do for various electronics/connectors/cables to protect them from condensation, corrosion, or cold (the coldest will be zero F for a few days at a time)? It will probably sit unused for about 5 months.
I hate going back to the ICE car but it sure is warmer!
Keeping the SLA batteries charged (or on a trickle charger) is good, but I seem to recall that you actually want to store LiFePO batteries at about 40% charge, and just leave them that way.
I have no answers for protecting the bike itself.
My electric vehicle: CuMoCo C130 scooter.
Now I'm confused about the LiFePO4s. I had read that you need to charge them up about once a month. So if I check the charge and find that it's at least 40% do I NOT charge them until they drop below this? Please remember that I am a real newbie to battery care and feeding.
"Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." Abraham Lincoln
I'm basing my understanding on this section of Wikipedia:
Lithium-ion battery
Based on that, I think you don't need to charge them monthly. Probably get them to about 1/2 charge and then leave them that way for the winter, kept in a cool environment. Of course, Wikipedia might be wrong, or LiFePo batteries may deserve different treatment than standard lithium ion.
My electric vehicle: CuMoCo C130 scooter.