Looking for the best battery for my ebike.

Hello guys, this is my first post in this forum. My name is Mateus and i'm from Brazil. I heard about this forum somewhere that i can't remamber, but this forum is really big and seems like the users have alot of experience. I bought an eletric bike like 2 years and 3 months ago, it came with 4x(12v 15 ah) lead batteries, those batteries are really heavy and have small life cycle, which is the reason i'm looking for a new one.

Well, i'm looking for a 20-30ah 48v LiFePO4 battery that fits in a 270x200x100 mm case, it can also be 340x170x100 mm, but the first dimensions are better for me...Here is a picture of my eletric bike, so you can see how the battery case is:





I'm gonna use the battery in a 48v 1000w motor, and if there is a material that is better than LiFePO4 and it is not much expensive, let me know.

Ps: I'm meaning to spent arround 600 dollars, less would be great hahahah. Also, if you know any good companies that make custom batteries, tell me. I need the max amount of ah battery that fits in my case, i've been looking in ebay, seems like the 25 ah ones can fit and they are not so expensive... So if you guys can help me, i'll really appreciate it. Thanks very much and sorry for the gramatical errors =)

Welcome to the sphere.
I have been looking at batteries also. I started with lead and then lipo but never went too far with the lipo. I only have a couple 80 watt chargers and all my batteries are puffed . I don't have lvc and my son and his friends would take the bike and run the batteries into the ground . My fault really but now I want to get a lifepo4 with bms . I was going to start a thread and then I found yours. There are a couple batteries I would like to get opinions of. These are not as large as what you want though.
this http://www.conhismotor.com/ProductShow.asp?id=46
And this http://www.batteryspace.com/LiNiMnCo-26650-Battery-50.4V-10.8Ah-544.32Wh-40A-rate-for-e-scooter.aspx

torker said:

Welcome to the sphere.
I have been looking at batteries also. I started with lead and then lipo but never went too far with the lipo. I only have a couple 80 watt chargers and all my batteries are puffed . I don't have lvc and my son and his friends would take the bike and run the batteries into the ground . My fault really but now I want to get a lifepo4 with bms . I was going to start a thread and then I found yours. There are a couple batteries I would like to get opinions of. These are not as large as what you want though.
this http://www.conhismotor.com/ProductShow.asp?id=46
And this http://www.batteryspace.com/LiNiMnCo-26650-Battery-50.4V-10.8Ah-544.32Wh-40A-rate-for-e-scooter.aspx

Click to expand...

I don't need batteries in those exactly dimensions, those dimensions are the limit, but they can be smaller. I've looked in those you posted, 15 ah is really little to me, i'm looking for maybe 25ah... Thanks anyway =)

Btw, i also want a battery with BMS... I heard that some companies produce batteries under custom dimensions, i found some in ebay which do that but i would like if someone from here could recommend a company that they have bought batteries from and are trustable and high quality =)

SLA realizes only about 1/2 the capacity when compared to Lipoly/Life capacity (Ah/Wh) running the same motor/controller. And that's fresh, HR (high rate) SLA.

In other words 12Ah rated SLA will be needed to do the work of 6-7Ah rated Lipoly/Life. You will have plenty of room from the look of the current battery enclosure.

Good looking, practical ride and welcome to the addiction!

Yes 15 ah of lifepo4 will double your range from 15 ah of lead. Also the Conhismotor site says they take special requests ex. different bms/different layout to change physical size. Also Batteryspace takes special requests. I would like to hear from someone who has either of these also. However I don't want to hijack your thread

More like triple your range, with a 48v 15 ah lifepo4.

Lots of vendors on ebay, sunthing is one that has been developing a good reputation here on ES lately. I still like to recomend pingbattery.com though. He's not on ebay nowdays, but has a website. Chances are, it will fit in the box. If not, it will fit the triangle space of that bike, but in a homemade box.

You should have at least 20 miles of range with a 48v 15 ah, at full throttle speed. 30 miles riding slower. 16 pounds. You don't need a 48v 20 ah. It will be hard to fit in the space, and weigh a lot.

Shop for 48v 15 ah lifepo4.

yep, pingbattery.com is the place i think.

11.25"long, 5.8" tall, 4" wide for the 48V15Ah pack from ping. make a cardboard box of that exact size and put it in your triangle to see if it fits.

maybe one of the guys with a sunthing pack can put up the dimensions.

torker said:

Welcome to the sphere.
I have been looking at batteries also. I started with lead and then lipo but never went too far with the lipo. I only have a couple 80 watt chargers and all my batteries are puffed . I don't have lvc and my son and his friends would take the bike and run the batteries into the ground . My fault really but now I want to get a lifepo4 with bms . I was going to start a thread and then I found yours. There are a couple batteries I would like to get opinions of. These are not as large as what you want though.
this http://www.conhismotor.com/ProductShow.asp?id=46
And this http://www.batteryspace.com/LiNiMnCo-26650-Battery-50.4V-10.8Ah-544.32Wh-40A-rate-for-e-scooter.aspx

Click to expand...

you for sure did not read about dangers of LiPolymer on this forum.
"run the batteries to the ground" ??? /!!!!!!!!/
ARE YOU sure they were Li Po ????

dogman said:

More like triple your range, with a 48v 15 ah lifepo4.

Lots of vendors on ebay, sunthing is one that has been developing a good reputation here on ES lately. I still like to recomend pingbattery.com though. He's not on ebay nowdays, but has a website. Chances are, it will fit in the box. If not, it will fit the triangle space of that bike, but in a homemade box.

You should have at least 20 miles of range with a 48v 15 ah, at full throttle speed. 30 miles riding slower. 16 pounds. You don't need a 48v 20 ah. It will be hard to fit in the space, and weigh a lot.

Shop for 48v 15 ah lifepo4.

Click to expand...

Weigh isn't a problem, my current batteries are really havy, like 25 kgs, seems like 20-25ah ones are arround 12 kgs, wich is half of what i'm used to. I'll ask the vendors in ebay if they can do something thats fits in it. My lead batteries are so creppy now thay only last for 9-10 kms, i'm looking for something that can handle up to 50 kms, that'd be great! Thats the reason i want 20 or 25 ah, also the price difference is too little to buy 15 ah ones, the difference seems to be like 100 bucks.

Could you tell us some infromation on your controller as how many amps it will demand from your battery ?

999zip999 said:

Could you tell us some infromation on your controller as how many amps it will demand from your battery ?

Click to expand...

I'm kinda newbie on this, but i'm pretty sure its 20,8 amp, because Potency = Voltage x Amperage, my motor is 1000 watts and the battery 48v, so 1000 = 48.X, X=20,8 amp. Not sure if this is what you are asking....


I made a drawing of my battery box (remambering its 10,5 cm depth):


The * is the on/off button, i don't want to, but i can move it to another place in the box if the battery is too big and has to take its place.As you can see, the best dimensions to the battery are 270x200x100, even 270x200x110 can fit...

I found this batteries on ebay, and i think i can ask the sellers to build under my dimensions. Could someone take a look and tell me what you think about them? Here are the links:


48v 25ah:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/48V-25Ah-LiFePO4-Lithium-Battery-with-BMS-Fast-Charger-and-Bag-/181038720903?pt=US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item2a26bfa787


48v 20ah:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/48V-20Ah-LiFePO4-Lithium-Battery-with-BMS-Fast-Charger-and-Bag-/181056153451?pt=US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item2a27c9a76b

http://www.ebay.com/itm/48v-20ah-Electric-bicycle-battery-E-BIKE-lifepo4-battery-Lithium-battery-/321069969916?pt=US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item4ac142f1fc

I found those batteries interesting, and following its dimensions, i think it is possible to build under my battery case dimensions. I don't want to change my battery case because it is made to fit in my bicycle frame, which is also made to support the case... For this reason, the bike looks good even with the batteries, this is the reason i want to keep the case as it is.

If you can fit it in the case and don't mind the weight then go for the 20-25ah. I second the sun thing recommendation - have his 48v15ah and great value for the price. The 48v15ah just fits in my triangle however and I have a good sized frame - the pack size may be less flexible with pouch cells versus smaller round cells that can be configured in more sizes I believe...

Mateuleo I think those ebay packs of unknown cells and unknown dealer as a roll of the dice. I think you would be better off with a known vendor that people here have at lease tried first Like PIng, Cellman or OSN some people have tried sunthing. There are ebay vendors that here today and gone tomorrow or just change their name.

999zip999 said:

Mateuleo I think those ebay packs of unknown cells and unknown dealer as a roll of the dice. I think you would be better off with a known vendor that people here have at lease tried first Like PIng, Cellman or OSN some people have tried sunthing. There are ebay vendors that here today and gone tomorrow or just change their name.

Click to expand...

I think this is a noob questions, but whats the sunthing, cell-man and OSN websites? I'm kinda new in the eletric vehicles market,i didn't know there were so many ppl insterested in this tecnology as found in this forum...


Edit: sunthing is that sun-thing28 ebay seller? If so, he got great prices and great batteries, but ebay says hes away... So, does he have another place that i can contact him and buy a battery from him? Thanks =D

I believe ping and cell man have websites ( do a google search for each). Search for "sunthing28" on eBay.

geeeyejo1 said:

I believe ping and cell man have websites ( do a google search for each). Search for "sunthing28" on eBay.

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Found them seconds ago haha. Sun-thing seems to be the best option for me, but seems like he does'nt ship to Brazil, which pisses me off, also ebay says hes away. Idk what happend, i send him a message asking why he doesn't ship to Brazil, because i'm really interested in his battery. THanks man

O.k. o.k. Ping has a good repation and great support with a BMS with led lights you can see if it is balance by the leds my second battery and loved it till it got stolen. He has strong enough cells for your bike http://www.pingbattery.com. Ebay sunthing-28 has a ping stlye copy without a led bms both 64 cells in the pack. I would like less cells in my pack and need a more powerful cell. http://www.OSNpower.com has a lot of choices and has some of more powerful cells available my contact for info their is nancy@osnpower.cn and is my email friend ( I'm sweet on her ) I myself havn't brought from her yet, but will be my next buy for the powerful cells they do have available A123 20ah so just 16 cells and tested and matched before build. Rog130 brought one and has started a reveiw. Cellman new website is http://www.em3ev.com well build but more money matched and tested. I would not buy a pack from Victpower but got used cells from them for a build and happy but has sold junk.
Now Mateuleo this well open up a old fashion E.S. talking war so don't be scared of what fire That could follow on your thread so sit back and watch as I take heat for this.
You will have to look and see what fits. I like to have stronger cells then needed. I can't spell and sentences are poor so get started and look around.
I have a 84v off the charger homemade pack of A123 20ah cells that I will use at 60amps it should take 100amp spikes so. But this is a 4000watt battery as I use it. Maybe someone could iron these out. But I type in thoughts and misspell.

That was hard to type that much. Good luck and China is on Holiday till the 13th. Yes most all of China.

999zip999 said:

That was hard to type that much. Good luck and China is on Holiday till the 13th. Yes most all of China.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. So far, sunthing will be my choice. The only problem is that he doesn't ship to Brazil, but i'll contact him to check how we can solve this problem.

I am in a very similar boat myself, choosing batteries is a daunting task, I seriously wish there was a rating system on this forum for people who own various batteries. I suppose that is another topic. I have a small list of vendors that I have read about on this forum, but it's hard to say what is good and what is not. Sun-thing28 has a little positive sway here, but pingbatteries.com or "ping", and em3ev.com or "cell_man" seem to be favored here. Some speak highly of building an a123 battery pack, but that might be a bit beyond our scope. I have absolutely zero experience in any of this, I own nothing concerning ebike stuff. All I am doing is parroting information I have gathered on this, and a few other, forums. It seems were all chasing the best bang for your buck in lifepo4. Where is the best value? Sun-thing28's prices are crazy cheap in my opinion, it scares me a little.

Yes I would like to hear more about the sun-thing from someone who owns one. I guess we are not hear people asking how to repair them yet so ? Let's hear a reveiw. OSN sounds and looks good and waiting to hear about how there working out.

I'll try to buy from sun-thing because his batteries are the ones closest to fit in my battery case and his prices are great. The only problem so far is his ebay items are marked as not shipping to Brazil, but i'll contact him to see if we can solve this problem. Before buying i'll look for info about his batteries quality, but they seem good.

you for sure did not read about dangers of LiPolymer on this forum.
"run the batteries to the ground" ??? /!!!!!!!!/
ARE YOU sure they were Li Po ????

I know the dangers and didn't protect them from others use. By run into the ground I mean run way low on voltage. Luckily for me it was only about a 100 dollar mistake and I didn't burn anything .

999zip999 said:

Yes I would like to hear more about the sun-thing from someone who owns one. I guess we are not hear people asking how to repair them yet so ? Let's hear a reveiw. OSN sounds and looks good and waiting to hear about how there working out.

Click to expand...

The Sunthing pack is 16 pouch pack cells. Battery is packed in protective board and wrapped with blue shrink wrap. The BMS is also shrink wrapped and is taped to top of the pack. Comes with 3A charger. Battery is 60.3V hot off charger and settles down to 56-57V within about an hour. Specs provided by vendor appear correct and my 48V15AH pack will put out 20A constant with 30A peak discharges. Pack powers my 48v1000w Yescom kit with my 106 kilo bodyweight to 43+kph without and 48kph with pedaling. It is mid Winter in my area and have been using the pack in sub-freezing weather with very good results and performance. Only down side so far for me was shipping - he ships sea freight (as advertised) and battery took just over 7 weeks to arrive to East Coast USA - he did however state this very clearly from the start to expect 7-8 weeks+ shipping so not really an issue per se. For the money was the best deal out there and I did shop around a lot!

I count 64 pouch cells in a 48v 20ah sun-thing pack not 16 same as a Ping. A victpower 48v 20ah round cell has I think 220 cells.