Battery Health Advice

[bongo2]

Is there a thread here that collects all the tips for battery health? "Battery" is mentioned too many times for the search feature.

For example:

Is it OK to charge it from 80% to 100% or is "topping off" bad?
Is running down to turtle good or bad?
Heat = definitely bad (but not as bad for the lizard battery)?
Cold = poor performance, but not long-term bad?
Charging with trickle 120v = just slow or also long-term bad?
How do I avoid the 12V death and is that only a problem for some model years?

Do the answers to these questions depend on the model year?

 

[DuncanCunningham]

these answers are from what I've learned from the forum.

Is it OK to charge it from 80% to 100% or is "topping off" bad?
- not as long as you drive it as close to the time it completes as possible. Fully charged battery sat in very hot weather is bad

Is running down to turtle good or bad?
- bad if you do it every day. keep it over 20% when you are done with normal commute is good.

Heat = definitely bad (but not as bad for the lizard battery)?
- doesn't seem to be much improved but some 2012 owners who got replacement batteries say "yes"

Cold = poor performance, but not long-term bad?
- no, not bad. just not able to get as much juice in and heaters use up some of it on the way out.

Charging with trickle 120v = just slow or also long-term bad?
- better for efficiency ($$ wasted Kw) to charge at 220V

How do I avoid the 12V death and is that only a problem for some model years?
I have a 2012 Sl and I have to put a battery tender on it every month or so to keep the battery ok. Newer models do not seem to have the problem as much but some still do.

Do the answers to these questions depend on the model year?[/quote]
- yes

again these are just from what I've learned.. some real life some through the guys that share it on here.

 

[jjeff]

Is there a thread here that collects all the tips for battery health? "Battery" is mentioned too many times for the search feature.

For example:

Is it OK to charge it from 80% to 100% or is "topping off" bad?
Is running down to turtle good or bad?
Heat = definitely bad (but not as bad for the lizard battery)?
Cold = poor performance, but not long-term bad?
Charging with trickle 120v = just slow or also long-term bad?
How do I avoid the 12V death and is that only a problem for some model years?

Do the answers to these questions depend on the model year?

To add to DC's answers:
If you purchase a used Leaf I might suggest charging it all the way to 100% or full and then drive it to turtle, if necessary drive around your block towards the end to get it down, note once it hits turtle you'll only have about a block of range before it dies so don't be too far away from home or your charging place, turtle is basically meant to get you off the freeway, not drive any distance. The reason I did this was to balance the cells, discharge it completely(or as low as you can go) and then immediately charge it up to 100%. I did this twice with my used '12(where I had no idea how the previous owner charged the battery) and it brought up the maximum charge several percent and helped balance the battery better than a normal 100% charge(IMO). Normally though I would not suggest going to extremely low battery levels on a regular occasion.

Heat-pre 4/'13 Leafs seem to be much more affected by heat, I don't think the Lizard battery is the end all that people had hoped for, maybe slightly better than non Lizard post 3/'13 batteries, for sure better than pre 4/'13 Leafs.

 

[Stanton]

The only other comment I would add is: don't mess around with a low/flaky 12v battery...just replace it at the first sign of trouble. Nothing good can come of a bad 12v starter battery in an EV.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Heat = definitely bad (but not as bad for the lizard battery)?

The Lizard pack, like the post March '13 pack, better resists heat than the older 'canary pack.' No Leaf pack, however, resists extreme, Arizona type heat well.

 

[Lancpudn]

The only other comment I would add is: don't mess around with a low/flaky 12v battery...just replace it at the first sign of trouble. Nothing good can come of a bad 12v starter battery in an EV.

Some great information in this thread for when I get my leaf. Regards to the 12V battery, is it charged up like an ice car is i.e. something similar to an alternator!

 

[LeftieBiker]

The only other comment I would add is: don't mess around with a low/flaky 12v battery...just replace it at the first sign of trouble. Nothing good can come of a bad 12v starter battery in an EV.

Some great information in this thread for when I get my leaf. Regards to the 12V battery, is it charged up like an ice car is i.e. something similar to an alternator!

EVs like the Leaf use a DC-DC converter for low voltage DC, and that provides plenty of power. The issue is with the car's programming for charging the accessory battery - it isn't ideal.

 

[Lancpudn]

The only other comment I would add is: don't mess around with a low/flaky 12v battery...just replace it at the first sign of trouble. Nothing good can come of a bad 12v starter battery in an EV.

Some great information in this thread for when I get my leaf. Regards to the 12V battery, is it charged up like an ice car is i.e. something similar to an alternator!

EVs like the Leaf use a DC-DC converter for low voltage DC, and that provides plenty of power. The issue is with the car's programming for charging the accessory battery - it isn't ideal.

Ah! Thank you for clearing that up.

 

[LeftieBiker]

The other problem is that if the car is left plugged in but not charging (charge either completed or not charging because of a timer issue) this will also drain the 12 volt battery.