Floods and e-bikes?

[elekola]

Hi, our country has been hit by widespread flooding.
Many of my customers are calling me to say that their e-bikes have flooded. These are bicycle to e-bike conversions. So Hailong batteries, Bafang bbs01,02, HD motors.

Do you have experience with repairing flooded e-bikes? Especially the battery, in what case communicate battery replacement, in what case the battery can still be used if functional?

Thank you for your insights and tips.

 

[fill]

Hope its only property damage you need worry about..

Each battery will need individual inspection, and checking but if submerged for any length of time in filthy water which will be conductive- probably fkd. hailong cases are splash proof NOT watertight.

Motors should be ok after a strip dry clean and re-grease?

Batteries tho.. If soaked dont hold yer breath.. And general advice would be to NOT USE ANY BATTERY THAT WAS SUBMERGED.

A submerged battery will need stripping down and completely drying before any testing can be undertaken, something not really advisable for just anyone to do as it can be hazardous, folk aware of battery power and hands on with electric/electronics should be ok but joe public.. caution is best advised and really the best advise is Safe Disposal imho.

 

[Hummina Shadeeba]

Is it possible to assess if a battery has been water damaged? Could do a capacity test and assure all balanced but what more can one do to assure safe?

 

[n00b]

Hi, our country has been hit by widespread flooding.
Many of my customers are calling me to say that their e-bikes have flooded. These are bicycle to e-bike conversions. So Hailong batteries, Bafang bbs01,02, HD motors.

Do you have experience with repairing flooded e-bikes? Especially the battery, in what case communicate battery replacement, in what case the battery can still be used if functional?

Thank you for your insights and tips.

Wet Lithium batteries? Controllers? Yikes.
Sounds like bad jujuj.

 

[offGridDownUnder]

Is it possible to assess if a battery has been water damaged? Could do a capacity test and assure all balanced but what more can one do to assure safe?

Capacity isn't the problem.

Li-ion batteries do explode, and there isn't any way to determine that they won't without disassembling the cells.

It's not the battery (a collection of cells), it's the individual cells. Quality cells assembled by a manufacturer that knows how to make them safely and pays to do that (because they have a reputation and are a sitting duck if they fail) can be used safely if they are:

• Not overheated
• Not subjected to un-controlled discharge or charge
• Not discharged below the safe voltage limit
• Not physically smacked around

The only way to determine if a cell has been damaged is to open it up. Alternatively, you could wait for it to burst into flames - then you would know.

There are conditions when being submerged in water (and it's dirty - thus electrically conductive - water) will contaminate the cell. Some cells have vents. You would need to open the cell and evaluate the electrolyte.

It will cost less to replace the battery,

 

[gromike]

A fool's errand to revive a battery that has flooded, but if you open up the case and there is no water intrusion, it's not so bad.