2nd hand e-scooter battery replacement

Hello,

Sorry, this is a real newbie question but I did research a lot and could not get very newbie-friendly information. The few videos I found assume the viewer knows about batteries already and focus on building them

I can buy a really cheap 1500w motorcycle with dead 48v/38ah gel battery. I will have to replace the battery but I have NO electrical knowledge or soldering skills (as much as Im interested in learning, I just dont understand most of it. And I'm too clumsy for soldering iron).

My question:

1. How easy is this to do? I dont want to build my own battery so what is the most plug and play solution besides ordering a new battery from the maker (now out of business)?
2. Any good ready made batteries? Im guessing i should go lifepo4 but the few chinese ones I found on ebay seam to be very amateurishly built and require some knowledge to use. if I give the scooter to my sister, will she be able to use it without accidentally blowing up or destroying the batteries?

Thanks!

Hi 123soleil,welcome to the forum.
You'll find that the dead pack probably contains 4 12V lead batteries. I have a couple of new old stock EVT 4000s that take 4 50Ah batts. You don't need soldering skills to change them, just a spanner, usually 10mm. I've seen some lithium battery come on the market recently that have built in BMS and are housed in a lead batt type case to be a drop in replacement. Search for RELiON or Galen's ENLiFEN. BTW, I'm not associated with any battery supplier.
Hope this helps.

AussieRider

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, there are currently four 12v 38ah gel batteries. Can I replace them with any car batteries (of course all same voltage and capacity)? Or is it better if it is gel batteries like original? Will the charger work with other types of lead batteries?

Also, I think the batteries are dead because they were badly maintained. I suspect this because the previous owner only rode 400km and he told me he didnt charge regularly. Would desulfating the batteries bring them back to life?

Desulfating sometimes helps and sometimes it becomes worst. Did the batterys sit without charge for a long time(over 6 months). Lead acid batterys are like a plant if you don't water a plant it dies and won't come back. So a battery not being charged will have a hard time to come back to life.

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk

thanks, yes they have been sitting around. Ive been looking at youtube videos about desulfating, everyone seems to have different techniques and recipes so I dont think i will bother...

What about replacing them, can I use any car battery with same v and ah? will it work with the same charger or is the charger only for gel batteries?

Yes, you could use car batteries of the same Ah. The charger would be OK with it
BUT!!!
Car batteries are wet or "flooded" cells, meaning that they have liquid acid sloshing around in them. In an accident or spill, that acid could end up sloshing on you. Not safe!
Also, car batteries are designed to deliver large current in a short burst for starting then recharge quickly when the engine is running.
They'll work, but not for long. Deep cycle use, to eg, to charge, run until nearly flat then recharge ruins the thin plates of car batts.
Best to go for "cyclic" or "deep cycle" type gell or AGM ( Absorbed Glass Mat ) SLA (Sealed Lead Acid ) batts.

AussieRider

Thanks!