What’s everyone doing with their Lithium-ion batteries for winter storage?
I did the typical things one does for motorcycle winter storage, but I wasn’t too worried about the battery, having read all the great stuff about Li-ion batteries: they hold their charge well, like the cold, last longer when stored with a partial charge, etc.
I have a BikeMaster Li-ion charger/ maintainer. Just picked it up last week. But for now, I’ve just got the negative terminal on my bike’s battery disconnected and the battery in the bike, in the unheated garage.
I'm going to leave it alone and before I take it out for the fist time in spring, I will top off the battery with the charger. (My only concern is the varying temperature swings in the garage, but I’m not concerned enough to bring the battery inside (where it’s probably a bit too warm for Li-ion battery storage, anyway—I could put it in the refrigerator, but I’m not going to bother with it).
But what are others doing?
1. On trickle charger/ battery maintainer all winter?
2. Disconnecting the battery from the bike but planning on topping off before first spring outing?
3. Disconnecting but not planning on topping off?
4. Leaving battery connected but planning on topping off?
5. Leaving battery connected but planning on just firing up and going on first spring outing?
Feel free to elaborate in a reply, e.g., if you remove the battery altogether and bring into the house for a more stable temperature, if you actually go to the trouble of discharging some to store it with a partial charge, etc.
It would be interesting to do some long-term testing:
Case A) On trickle charger all winter every season.
Case B) Disconnected and topped off every season.
Case C) Disconnected but no top off. (Maybe you don't have a charger).
Case D) Connected all winter and topped off every season.
Case E) Connected but no top off, just fire up and go every season.
I’ll be Case B. So, we have a start.
I’d be interested to know what others are doing. Thanks everyone, Gary
…
I did the typical things one does for motorcycle winter storage, but I wasn’t too worried about the battery, having read all the great stuff about Li-ion batteries: they hold their charge well, like the cold, last longer when stored with a partial charge, etc.
I have a BikeMaster Li-ion charger/ maintainer. Just picked it up last week. But for now, I’ve just got the negative terminal on my bike’s battery disconnected and the battery in the bike, in the unheated garage.
I'm going to leave it alone and before I take it out for the fist time in spring, I will top off the battery with the charger. (My only concern is the varying temperature swings in the garage, but I’m not concerned enough to bring the battery inside (where it’s probably a bit too warm for Li-ion battery storage, anyway—I could put it in the refrigerator, but I’m not going to bother with it).
But what are others doing?
1. On trickle charger/ battery maintainer all winter?
2. Disconnecting the battery from the bike but planning on topping off before first spring outing?
3. Disconnecting but not planning on topping off?
4. Leaving battery connected but planning on topping off?
5. Leaving battery connected but planning on just firing up and going on first spring outing?
Feel free to elaborate in a reply, e.g., if you remove the battery altogether and bring into the house for a more stable temperature, if you actually go to the trouble of discharging some to store it with a partial charge, etc.
It would be interesting to do some long-term testing:
Case A) On trickle charger all winter every season.
Case B) Disconnected and topped off every season.
Case C) Disconnected but no top off. (Maybe you don't have a charger).
Case D) Connected all winter and topped off every season.
Case E) Connected but no top off, just fire up and go every season.
I’ll be Case B. So, we have a start.
I’d be interested to know what others are doing. Thanks everyone, Gary
…