GIO PB710 Ebike Questions

[jmgiobike]

So I was gifted a Ebike Model ''Gio PB710'', the person who had it didn't use it for a while. At first when I got it, it was almost dead so guess it needed a charge. I charged it for a bit but the red LED on the charger never turns green? I rode it, and was able get to my destination and back no issue but the ride was slow and bike wasn't hitting its max speed it felt. Next day I charged it more (led still never turn green) but this time it rode way better/faster. Now today I had it charging for a long time previous day/night, and when I tried to use it the bike was low battery/dead as it was barely moving. It did rain a little bit while i was charging other day so not sure if that had an effect on anything (under the mat was lot of water ontop of the battery case ) I wiped it and dried it since and currently charging it.

Wondering if it is bad for me to unplug the charger and turn it on to see how charge it is and then to plug back the charger in if that makes it reset the total amount of time it must be charged for the light to turn green on charger to represent a full charge?

Also the green button on the bike does cut the speed when I press it in does that mean the bikes speed governor has been disconnect already?

 

[markz]

The battery has probably lost a lot of its health, a low cell group dragging the total down. Take a voltage meter to it and measure the voltage, put a charge on it and continue to monitor the voltage.

$6.50 - https://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-digital-multimeter-63759.html
Better to buy a good one below
$23 - https://www.harborfreight.com/11-function-digital-multimeter-with-audible-continuity-61593.html

 

[LeftieBiker]

If the bike uses lead-acid batteries then one or more of them are failing. If it uses a lithium battery then one or more of the cells have gone bad.

Ok, I looked up the bike. Read this topic here: https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=73455

 

[jmgiobike]

If the bike uses lead-acid batteries then one or more of them are failing. If it uses a lithium battery then one or more of the cells have gone bad.

Ok, I looked up the bike. Read this topic here: https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=73455

I got the manual still, maybe says which type of batteries it uses in there?

From thread I gathered it uses '' four 12V 12Ah batteries in series for a grand total of 576wh''

I'm pretty much a newbie when comes to Ebikes and All.

 

[jmgiobike]

The battery has probably lost a lot of its health, a low cell group dragging the total down. Take a voltage meter to it and measure the voltage, put a charge on it and continue to monitor the voltage.

$6.50 - https://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-digital-multimeter-63759.html
Better to buy a good one below
$23 - https://www.harborfreight.com/11-function-digital-multimeter-with-audible-continuity-61593.html

Hey what should I be looking for while doing this?

 

[markz]

That voltage holds when you take off the charger.
That voltage increases as the battery is charging.

Lead Acid Batteries are bulky with a cheap upfront cost that doesnt last as long as lithium ion batteries.
You could easily buy some RC Lipo from Hobbyking with their various USA warehouses, and buy a charger and yes they do go on sale and sometimes they have good deals. Better then buying more lead acid batteries.

 

[LeftieBiker]

From thread I gathered it uses '' four 12V 12Ah batteries in series for a grand total of 576wh''

I'm pretty much a newbie when comes to Ebikes and All.

Yes, 4 lead-acid batteries. There is little you can do to save them once they get to this point. You can try a desulfating charger on each one individually, but your best bet is to either get 4 new ones if you will be using the scooter lightly, or a low end lithium battery and charger from Ebay for more vigorous use. Keep in mind that this is a cheap, underpowered scooter.

 

[jmgiobike]

From thread I gathered it uses '' four 12V 12Ah batteries in series for a grand total of 576wh''

I'm pretty much a newbie when comes to Ebikes and All.

Yes, 4 lead-acid batteries. There is little you can do to save them once they get to this point. You can try a desulfating charger on each one individually, but your best bet is to either get 4 new ones if you will be using the scooter lightly, or a low end lithium battery and charger from Ebay for more vigorous use. Keep in mind that this is a cheap, underpowered scooter.

Awesome thanks, iirc I was told could get these batters for around $65 for ea at Canadian tire or something? ( the lead acid batteries ) and yeah I'm aware really just need it to go to point a to B and back once in a while.Also its been charging since 1:30 PM EST and now 11:08 PM and it's still red on the LED light of the charger mhmm. If i unplug it and check if the bike is charged this time or least somewhat then plug it back to charge again in. I really just want to see if it turns green if i keep it charged long enough since it hasn't been used in a while till I got it.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Sometimes leaving a battery pack on the charger works - sometimes. Once you've tried it a few extra hours, though, and especially when the performance gets worse instead of better, it's time to quit. When you do put new batteries in:

* Charge each one individually to full, first, with a 12 volt charger that has a "deep cycle" setting.

* Then, when you use the scooter, to preserve those batteries, always plug it in to recharge the very minute your ride ends. Lead-acid batteries, unlike lithium cells, hate to be below 100% for any length of time, and they especially suffer when left below 80% for hours or days.

* Try not to drain them to the point where the scooter slows a lot. If it has a voltmeter of some sort, don't run it below the Yellow zone, or below about 46 volts (the pack should show about 52 volts when charged).

 

[jmgiobike]

Yeah latest issue is when I turn it on and throttle it just makes a rough sound / it doesn't move forward. If I lift the back wheel and throttle it spins no issue though. If I plug the charger in and throttle it works fine.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Yeah latest issue is when I turn it on and throttle it just makes a rough sound / it doesn't move forward. If I lift the back wheel and throttle it spins no issue though. If I plug the charger in and throttle it works fine.

You probably have one or more essentially dead batteries. Time to decide if you want to go the cheaper route (new lead-acid batteries) or the more expensive but longer range route (lower end lithium pack and charger). One advantage to lithium is that with no other modifications you will likely get more power from the scooter, simply because the voltage isn't sagging nearly as much under load. My EZIP bicycles felt like they'd gotten a 25%-35% power boost just from the change in battery types.

 

[jmgiobike]

Yeah latest issue is when I turn it on and throttle it just makes a rough sound / it doesn't move forward. If I lift the back wheel and throttle it spins no issue though. If I plug the charger in and throttle it works fine.

You probably have one or more essentially dead batteries. Time to decide if you want to go the cheaper route (new lead-acid batteries) or the more expensive but longer range route (lower end lithium pack and charger). One advantage to lithium is that with no other modifications you will likely get more power from the scooter, simply because the voltage isn't sagging nearly as much under load. My EZIP bicycles felt like they'd gotten a 25%-35% power boost just from the change in battery types.

Must the batteries be 12v 12ah ? or am I able get 12v 10ah or 12v 20ah etc?

 

[LeftieBiker]

Must the batteries be 12v 12ah ? or am I able get 12v 10ah or 12v 20ah etc?

You can get whatever will physically fit in the scooter, so look at the battery dimensions. Remember, though, that with lead-acid batteries (abbreviated "SLA" for "sealed lead-acid") you only get at most HALF of the rated capacity available. Thus 12V 10AH batteries give you just 5AH of usable capacity. I'd either go higher incapacity, or go with lithium.

 

[jmgiobike]

Must the batteries be 12v 12ah ? or am I able get 12v 10ah or 12v 20ah etc?

You can get whatever will physically fit in the scooter, so look at the battery dimensions. Remember, though, that with lead-acid batteries (abbreviated "SLA" for "sealed lead-acid") you only get at most HALF of the rated capacity available. Thus 12V 10AH batteries give you just 5AH of usable capacity. I'd either go higher incapacity, or go with lithium.

So something like https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?adId=1520851303 this?

 

[LeftieBiker]

Maybe - IF they fit in the bike, IF they aren't crap, etc.

 

[jmgiobike]

Maybe - IF they fit in the bike, IF they aren't crap, etc.

Ok ty, so tomorrow I will take the battery case / open it up and measure the size of current batteries inside there. Maybe will post here in thread.

Also another thing it's getting cold where I'm at, should I be removing the battery box from the bike each night and charging it inside?

 

[LeftieBiker]

SLA batteries are safer than lithium batteries when charged in the cold, but they still lose lots of power when cold. If you can park the bike in even a partially heated garage or basement, that would help.