Q: How can I view the status of my order?
A: Go to the Customer Service, Account Information page. This page lists all your orders. Click the date of the order whose status you wish to view.
Q: What are your shipping costs?
A: You can view an estimate of shipping costs by viewing your cart.However, final shipping costs will be displayed on the Invoice you see before confirming your order.
Q: Aren't all Li-lon batteries unsafe?
A: Was reading a thread "Baby steps in reducing lead" and one of the posts was concerning the actual real dangers of Li-ion cells, but then a little misconception in stating that those dangers are for all Li-ion cell. It is true, Li-ion if abused by overcharging can "cause injury and/or damage to person(s) or property", but can't all rechargeable batteries to some extent cause injury and/or damage to person(s) or property, even Lead-Acid (LA)? I am not making light of the accidents, injuries and other horrible events that investigators have determined were caused by Li-ion batteries, but just trying to put things in a little perspective here. It would be like saying that is a basket of fruit, but in that basket there are apples, oranges, and the odd ball avocado, all fruit, but different make-ups. Here is something I found with concerns to LA, makes me not want to purchase any type of SLA (Sealed Lead Acid)!
"Accidentally overcharging a battery will boil the sulfuric acid and distilled water mix. The casing of the battery can become hot to the touch, and begin to melt or swell. Flammable hydrogen can build up inside the sealed cells of the battery, causing swelling of the casing under pressure and seepage through small vents. Once the hydrogen is introduced to oxygen, it becomes a sitting time bomb. A small electrical spark can ignite the gas and cause the battery to explode, sending plastic and lead shrapnel flying around, in addition to a caustic sulfuric acid spray. Obviously, this is the most dangerous side-effect of an overcharged battery."
WOW! No way am I going to have that around me and my family! Possibly can have a sitting time bomb? Gases? Caustic sulfuric acid spray? If proper care is taken of the LA battery then this situation most likely won't happen, agreed? The same is for Li-ion chemistry. Yes, the Li-ion (depending on the cathode chemistry) can burst into flames like a Roman Candle on the 4th of July if not properly taken care of, but if proper care is taken, then they are a great investment. Any driving force behind an electric motor is the power source, in LEV's (Light Electric Vehicles) the power source is the batteries and they should be an "investment" that you take care of. Not have to baby, but like with any investment, proper care should be taken with them, and do your "pros and cons" homework on the type of Li-ion chemistry you are planning to purchase.
Heat is one of the biggest issues with Li-ion chemistries. Many Li-ion cells are excellent for the power to weight ratios, but many cannot withstand high temperatures. LiPo (Lithium Polymer) has some great power to weight ratios, but many of the packs come pre-assembled (primarily for the RC crowd) which means the anodes and cathodes of the individual cells are already connected and the possibility for a short circuit is there, which means heat, which means some potential problems, unless of course you are a pyro! This is the reason why 49 CFR, IATA and IMDG regulations are so strict in transporting Li-ion batteries. Remember, I am not here to bash any chemistry, just giving some information and answer some questions on Li-ion cells. Like I stated before, as with any battery, as long as care is taken, then the possibility of any potential risk is reduced dramatically. The excitement about LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) is that although the power to weight ratio may not be as high as LiPO or LiCoO2 (Lithium Colbalt Oxide), they still have a decent power to weight ratio plus the chemistry is more stable at higher temperatures (cells do heat up when they are being used!) along with a higher cycle life. The LiMn2O4 (Lithium Maganese Oxide) is up there with the safety of LiFePO4 compared to the other Li-ion chemistries, but they deteriorate at a fast pace at temperatures above 50*C or 122*F. Compared to the LiFePO4 chemistry, whose operating temperatures are -20*C~70*C or -4*F~158*F which is the reason many are using LiFePO4 for their electric bike battery packs.
Q: What is a C-rating?
A: C-rating is a rating system for batteries or cells which refers to its rated amperage output.
If you take a Headway 16Ah cell and run it at 1C discharge the cell would be producing 16 amps. 2C would be 32 amps. .5C would be 8 amps, and so on. The same applies to its charging capabilities, the Headway 16Ah cell is rated at 5C charging rate, or being able to be charged at a maximum of 80A. For these reasons, the Headway cells are popular amongst eBike, eScooters, and motorcycles and even racing applications.
Simply put, take the Ah of the cell, multiply by the rated C-rating and that will be the rated amperes the cell can produce during discharging or can accept during charging.
Q: How is a LiFePO4 battery enviro-friendly?
A: LiFePO4 does not contain any toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, nor any corrosive acids or alkali's, thus making LiFePO4 batteries and cells the most environmentally friendly battery chemistry currently available.
Q: What is a BMS/PCM, and is it necessary for electric bike batteries?
A: A BMS is an acronym for Battery Management System or Battery Monitoring System, and PCM is an acronym for Protection Circuit Module. The terms are used interchangeably, but a 'true' BMS has many functions including CAN BUS Interfacing, individual cell temperature sensor monitoring, etc. while a PCM is more designed for balancing cells, controlling maximum ampere output, and individual cell voltage monitoring during charge and discharge. With LiFePO4 chemistry it is important to not over charge or over discharge the cell to ensure the longevity and life of the cell. Headway LiFePO4 cells should not exceed 4.0V during charging and not to go below 2.0V on discharge, the recommended charging is 3.65V +/- .05V. A BMS/PCM will help assist with 'watching' over the cells by using sensor wires to the individual cells or parallel strings to monitor overcharging and over-discharging and will shut down power coming from or to the cells if this does occur. Although a mechanical or electronic BMS/PCM is recommended, but not necessary, watching over and monitoring your cells during charge and discharge is necessary if you do not implement a BMS/PCM, thus you yourself are in a way acting as the Battery Monitoring/Management System.
Q: How does the energy density of LiFePO4 compare to other cell chemistry's?
A: The energy density is a measure of the amount of energy per unit weight or per unit volume which can be stored in a battery. Thus for a given weight or volume a higher energy density cell chemistry will store more energy or alternatively for a given storage capacity a higher energy density cell will be smaller and lighter. The chart below shows some typical examples and you can see that LiFePO4 (Lithium Phosphate) is near the top.
Q: Do I need special LiFePO4 chargers to go with the LiFePO4 cells?
A: Charging a LiFePO4 cell is somewhat dependent on the manufacturers LiFePO4 chemical make-up and their recommended charging voltage. Headway LiFePO4 cells are to be charged at 3.65V +/- .05V in a Constant Current/Constant Voltage (CC/CV) method of charging. Our chargers are set to charge at 3.65V per cell, so for example a 48V electric bike battery pack would have a charger that is 58.4V, 3.65V for each of the 16 cells/parallel strings.
Q: How do I figure out the right electric bike battery pack?
A: Electric bike batteries are rated with two terms, Voltage (V) and Amp Hours (Ah). Voltage is similar to horsepower in that the higher the number, the better the performance. For example, a 36V system is about 20% more efficient than a 24V system of the same Ah. Ah describes the capacity of the pack, or size of the gas tank so to speak. A typical number to use for judging how far an electric bike battery will travel is the watt-hour per mile or kilometer (Wh/m) or (Wh/km). There are some external factors which need to be taken into account such as overall weight of bike and rider, the efficiency of the motor and controller, terrain, anticipated speeds, peddle assist, regen, etc which can affect the Wh/m used, but understanding how voltage and Ah work will allow you to choose which is the right electric bike battery for you.
Q: How do I figure out the Wh of the electric bike battery pack?
A: Take the voltage of the battery pack, multiply by the Ah of the battery pack and the answer will be the estimated Wh of the battery pack. For instance, a 48V10Ah battery pack is approximately 480Wh of power, if for example you estimate 35Wh/m, then you can likely expect at least 13 miles of range from your electric bike battery depending on your speed and the terrain. The key factor is the Wh/m or Wh/km that you are using.
Q: Is there anything else besides a charger that I would need for an electric bike battery?
A: Yes, the most important tool that you can have for dealing with LEV's is a multimeter. They can be found at various tool stores and DIY home improvement stores at very reasonable prices.
Q: How often should I charge my electric bike battery when not in use?
A: It is recommended that the battery be checked and charged every 90 days if the bike is being stored during the winter months and is not being used.
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