Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger plugged in?

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AztecFemBone
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Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger plugged in?

I pick up from school in the afternoon and have just left the charger plugged in overnight till the next day's ride. Is it bad to do so? Should I unplug as soon as the green light comes on?

reikiman
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger...

Depends. If the charger is good quality and/or functioning right it'll just go into float mode or even shut off when the battery is full. However sometimes chargers don't and keep charging a full battery. If that happens the battery cooks and gets damaged. It's helpful to have a voltmeter on the battery during charge to see what it's doing.

jdh2550_1
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger...

Another solution instead of unplugging is to use a timer plug. These are inexpensive and can be got at pretty much any hardware store.

John H. Founder of Current Motor Company - opinions on this site belong to me; not to my employer
Remember: " 'lectric for local. diesel for distance" - JTH, Amp Bros || "No Gas.

AztecFemBone
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger...

Another solution instead of unplugging is to use a timer plug. These are inexpensive and can be got at pretty much any hardware store.

Perfect! Ace has them for 6 bucks!

ebiker_JK
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

I'm sure one of my batteries is off so my charger never turns *green* and turns off, so I'll look into the timer idea. Especially if it's a programmable timer, then I can have it turn on while I'm sleeping and have it ready when I get up.

Spaceangel
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Like every one says, if it is well regulated then just leave it plugged in. All of my scooters have the sold by TNC , yellow and blue chargers plugged in 24/7 for the past 4 months solid. I decided to ride the XM-3100 while it was snowing to act stupid and it went OK for a mile or two. Other than get frost bite and a wet beard it was sort of fun and bike went back home and back on charge for a month or two when it gets warmer. Just check the voltage once in a great while to see if it is 2.3 v/c. Mine in 68 or 69 ish volts. 2.3 x 30 cells = sixty nine.
Rusty
PS usually the Lithium battery packs have BMS and are balanced but they can go south too, eventually. When battery charge goes from red to green it is sucking minimal amperes like milli or micro amperes.

KB1UKU

ebiker_JK
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Spaceangel,
What exact brand of charger do you have? I've read these threads and I don't see many (if at all) names and products. It's like a secret clubhouse handshake.
My charger came with the bike (I assume it's the stock charger; I bought my bike from the previous owner). My charger has one LED light (not two as others have said), it has no name on it (except, "Power Supply" on the bottom sticker), it's a black rectangle brick, model : HGSPCHAONSN. That's it. Nothing "yellow and blue" about it, hah!

I'd like to get another charger just because I think this one is a bit on the cheap side. Recommendations?

Spaceangel
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

60 Volt INLINE Charger FAN COOLED!
Electrical Parts - 101155
Shipping Weight: 2.0 lbs.
This 60 volt charger has a 2 LED indicators that glow red when charging and green when charging is complete.
Input Voltage: 100 - 120 VAC 60 Hz
Output Voltage: 60 Volt, 3.0 Amp
Connector: INLINE (female) plug
$50.00
FROM TNC SCOOTERS
RG
I LEAVE MINE ON 24/7
NEVER OFF. NEVAH EVER OFF TILL I RIDE DIT

KB1UKU

ebiker_JK
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Wow, 3.0 Amp.

My charger has an Output of 1.8 Amp (almost half)
Thanks for the recommendation. And the price is decent, too.

Oh... but wait... you did a 60V conversion. I'm still down at 48V.
I guess I'm back to Googling, haha! It seems the 48V models are all about the same, though I found some that Output at 2.5 Amp, which is still better than my lowly 1.8.

Spaceangel
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

YUP
DID A 60 VOLT CONVERSION
STILL HAVE A 48 VOLTER
IT IS BLUE
48 Volt INLINE Charger FAN COOLED!
Electrical Parts - 101150
Shipping Weight: 2.0 lbs.
This 48 volt charger has a 2 multi-color LED indicators that glow red when charging and green when charging is complete. Input Voltage: 90 - 120 VAC 50/60 Hz , Output Voltage: 48 Volt, 2.5 Amp, Connector: 3-prong INLINE (female) plug $40.00
TEKING BRAND
SAME QUALITY
IF YOU NEED 36 VOLT IT IS RED FROM TNC SCOOTERS, I HAVE MAYBE ONE MORE LEFT AND GOING TO CONVERT IT TO 48

KB1UKU

ebiker_JK
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Seems the PC-style plug (48V) from TNC is out of stock (as of this post). I don't have *inline*

I'm off to check out eBay again. But thanks for helping.

Spaceangel
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Did you know you can have other charge ports connected to battery pack? I have SB-50 Anderson, round three pin mic plug, IEC computer type plug outlet and binding post on ALL of my scooters. I even charge with one or two chargers to once also. On the IEC outlet plugs I use eXtreme scooters style polarity vs some other brands the reverse them. Also I have extra DC-DC converters on all my scooters to run 70 cm radios and 2 meter radios. I guess it is like CB but more fun to use. So 60 or 48 volt in to 12.0 volt out into radio to talk back home to friends. You might want to check out custom chargers from CHINA too. I got two of them. One 12 amp fast charger and one 15 ampere faster charger with amp meter and volt meter and 240 volt charging on which I plug straight into solar panel of 312 volt DC and it works GREAT. It isn't cheap but it is made out of High Quality Aluminum and shipping might kill but it is better~er than TNC scooters but TNC stuff is good anyways.
if you have a 48 volt scoot make sure pack is 55 volts = 2.3 v/c x 24 = 55 volts
Why be limited to one brand of charger? One my 60 volt pack if I don't have a charger readily around and handy then I use a 240 to 120 volt transformer into a full wave bridge "Wrecked a fire" LOL and charge that weigh tew.
I have tons of those and plugged into 120 it will charge a 60 volt pack real good. A 60 volt pack is so versatile.
I sent you an IM on Visforjoltage dot something.

KB1UKU

gasdive
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

http://delta-q.com/products/quiq.shtml

Nice charger. Fitted standard to Zero S and DS. I've been happy with mine.

18 amps may be more than you want.

=:)

Jason
Blogging my Zero DS from day one http://zerods.blogspot.com/

ebiker_JK
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Holy crap! My charger went *green*! Lord have mercy!
Basically, I just had to wait because the Output is a lowly 1.8Amp so the time to takes looks to be the maximum (about 7 to 8 hours).
I definitely need a 2.5 Amp Output charger.

ebiker_JK
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

I'm looking at new chargers now, and I like the idea of multiple chargers, in fact I have a question.

Has anyone looked at SOLAR chargers?

I've seen a few but I was wondering what experience anyone had, or plans for them, or even if it's a good idea, or not.
I live in California and the sun is blazing out even now in January while folks back East are under the snow.
I wouldn't depend on it, but it seems like a neat side option... like going to the beach and charging the bike while I hang out where there's no outlets.

gasdive
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

http://www.gizmag.com/go/4430/

solar recharged scooter

=:)

Jason
Blogging my Zero DS from day one http://zerods.blogspot.com/

ebiker_JK
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Gasdive, that's a bit extreme for me. Haha! I was thinking more along the lines of this:
http://www.scootercatalog.com/12v-2-watt-solar-battery-charger.html

I guess, space is the real problem. The larger the cells, or the more the cells the larger the panels... which makes carrying them more of a problem.
Again, I was only considering them as additional charging, kinda like topping off an existing charge when on the road away from a plug.

mf70
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Parallel charging is better than multiple chargers:

  1. Less cost per capacity
  2. Balanced charging: With multiple chargers, they will inevitably have slightly different cutoff points. When the same charger is connected at all times to the same battery, any differences will be magnified.
  3. Simpler setup; I've tried both. Each takes planning and installation, but multiple chargers take repeated multiple operation for each charge.

Switch to serial for operation. this is discussed elsewhere.

On the other point, I like the solar wings. It looks like it could be a 100% capacity solution for charging.

Mark

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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Re: Solar wings.
I got nothing against them, either. In fact, that guy has my respect. However, I was looking at a portable charger type, not a permanently mounted system.

ebiker_JK
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Back on the thread topic. Yesterday I ran the battery charger for a long time, I left for a doctor's appointment and when I came back the batteries were HOT. I'm using the stock charger for my 48 volt system which only pushes 1.8 amps, so I thought I had time to charge. I also thought if it did max out that the light would turn green - which it DID just a week ago. But not this time. Good thing I got home before it was too late. I checked the batteries and they seem okay and the bike functions well.

However, my cheap ass multimeter screwed up on me and now all it does is read "1" no matter what I test.

mf70
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Yep. With chargers, it's time to remember Henry Kissenger: "Trust but verify." The "Kill-a-Watt" will let you track your charger's charge cycle.

Mark

ebiker_JK
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

I was hoping to verify the total with the multimeter, but I believe I screwed it up because it only reads "1" no matter what setting I use, or how many times I change the battery. I admit, it was a very cheap ebay product.

But as for the actual charge cycle I'll have to get the Kill-o-watt plug. Currently I have the charger on a timer, so it doesn't charge forever, amen. I noticed once, after charging for 5 hours that I unplugged it, waited 20 to 30 seconds for the LED light to go blank, then I plugged it back into the bike and it only showed *green* (and stayed that way for 30 minutes until I unplugged the bike again). Which meant, it was fully charged and yet the charger didn't stop. A few days later I tried the process again, that time it went green for only 20 seconds then turned red again and went back to charging.

The best bet is to get a better charger, a decent multimeter, and a Kill-o-Watt system along with my timer.
Then ultimately (later in the year)... consider new batteries, and a new charging system (poles).

ebiker_JK
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Speaking of batteries, again, it seems X-Treme's website is looking pretty bad nowadays. I'm not sure I can even trust ordering from them. I'm getting a lot of blank pages and unloaded images and page errors. Where else is a good place to buy batteries online?

ebiker_JK
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

Never mind. I seem to have found a place I like.
http://www.wholesalebatteriesdirect.com/556-electric-scooter-and-bicycle-batteries

I picked up a fifth battery for $54.50 (battery plus, shipping).
I might replace the entire pack later this year.

d2coupe
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Re: Is it bad or harmful to leave the battery charger ...

I ordered from x-treme, both my 502 (7/11) and the replacement batteries (8/13). I am almost sure they sold me the wrong type of battery. I cant get more than 10 miles out of them and when the bike was new I was doing 20-25 daily. Any suggestions?

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