Lithium Battery Use, Care & StorageUpdated 12 days ago
Charging, using and storing your battery to ensure performance longevity and safety.
Follow these guidelines below to ensure you get the most out of your battery and avoid any costly mistakes in the future.
Battery Care Overview
a. DO NOT leave your battery plugged into your system unless you are heading out the door for a session
b. REMOVE THE BATTERY immediately after every session, when you get back to your car or house.
c. Do not drain your battery below 10%.
d. Lithium batteries DO NOT like to be left fully charged over long periods. We recommend charging the battery on the same day, or the night before you intended to use it to achieve best results.
e. Charging the battery to full and leaving it for extended periods of time (weeks or longer) will reduce the life span and performance - a result of battery chemistry not product quality.
f. Use only pure sinewave inverters to charge your battery. 500w minimum capacity for inverters.
g. Store at 40-60% charge in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area between 5-20°C (41-68°F) and away from flammables.
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Can I use different brands of dielectric grease?
In short, no. You should only use the Foil Drive dielectric grease provided with your Gen2 kit.
Our dielectric grease has been specifically chosen to be used with our products and can be purchased directly from our website, or through your local dealer.
For example, engine oil has many different variants on the market, each being used in a particular engine in which it was designed for. Like engine oil, dielectric grease comes in different viscosities and are used in a range of applications.
Warning: Our dielectric grease is the only grease we endorse to be used on our products, and any deviation from using the Foil Drive grease, or absence of using, can cause damage to not only your battery, but your motor and unit and will not be covered under warranty!
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How low can I run my battery?
Best practice is to try and avoid running your battery below 10%. Your battery will last longer and have a better life span. Running the battery down to 0% often will age the battery faster and isn't good to do repeatedly.
Warning: If you run your battery too low, and leave it plugged in to your unit, you run the risk of damaging your battery beyond repair.
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Can I leave my Battery Connected in the Unit?
In short, no. You must remove the battery after use otherwise you risk draining the battery below 0% and permanently damaging your battery beyond repair.
Leaving the battery plugged in, means the system is ON. The Bluetooth chip, speed controller and receiver is ON and searching for the remote and your phone app. This uses power and if left plugged in, will constantly drain power. Just like for your car - you cannot leave the lights on overnight and expect it to start in the morning.
Plugging your battery in the night before for a morning session will do the same thing - you will get down to the beach without a fully charged battery, meaning you'll have a shorter session!
An example of best practice below:
a. Your battery is fully charged. You're driving down to the beach for a session, and you live 20 minutes away. You could plug in your battery at home, and drive to the beach and head straight into the water.
b. You've drained your battery to 5% during your session, REMOVE THE BATTERY IMMEDIATELY. Removing the battery takes less than 1 minute. If you forgot to remove the battery, it will cost you thousands to replace.
IMPORTANT: If you fail to remove the battery after a session, and your battery is drained beyond repair, this will not be covered under warranty.
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Charging your Battery
Cheap 110v-240v inverters and generators that DO NOT have a pure sinewave output can damage the charging equipment and your battery. Much like a laptop or TV, these chargers need a quality power source to function at peak performance and avoid damage. It is for this reason we DO NOT recommend using anything other than a pure sinewave inverter 110v-240v or conventional mains power protected by an RCD. If you are travelling and using an inverter, we would not recommend using anything under 500w. Please also consider the size of your battery supplying the inverter.
Some recommendations below:
1. This product would charge 2 x Max Power batteries
2. This product would charge 4 x Max Power batteries
To learn more about charging your battery in the car or from 12v power sources, click here.
You can purchase a replacement or additional charger on our website.
Click here to learn more about charging your Foil Drive battery.
Have a Gen2 Slim Endurance? Click here to learn more about charging your battery.
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Battery Storage
Temperature
Room temperatures can directly affect the temperature inside the lithium-ion battery — and this will affect how safe the battery is and how it performs. Very low temperatures can produce a reduction in the energy and power capabilities of lithium-ion batteries. High ambient temperatures, however, can contribute to a high internal temperature of the battery — which can also decrease performance and power capabilities.
Lithium-ion batteries should be ideally stored in cool, dry conditions at a temperature of 15°C. The general temperature range for lithium-ion cells lies between 5°C and 20°C (41°F and 68°F). If temperatures are too cold, such as 0°C, it can result in a slight loss of capacity due to the chemical reactions inside the battery slowing down in the low temperatures. If conditions are too hot, it can result in hazards such as fire.
Great care should be taken to ensure that batteries don’t suffer any kind of damage. This means handling the batteries carefully, not stacking them in storage, and ensure they are away from flammables such as fuels, heaters, exhausts and fireplaces, as well as in dry areas (Basements may have excessive moisture). Damage can occur if batteries are dropped, knocked or exposed to sunlight or excessive heat.
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State of Charge
Many lithium-ion batteries are best stored at approximately 40-60% state of charge.
Failure to store your batteries at this rate may contribute to cell instability. The average lifecycle of a lithium-ion battery is around 300 to 500 charge and discharge cycles. However, the age of the battery, the temperature at which it is kept, and how cycling occurs can decrease battery performance. Overcharging, excessive charging voltages, and non-compliant battery chargers should be avoided when recharging your lithium-ion batteries.
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Battery Discharger & Storage Devices
Fusion and Gen2 Max - The Fusion battery caddy has the ability to charge and discharge both 43V and 40V batteries. This will be available for individual sale soon!
Assist PLUS - The battery discharger & storage device is for 28v Gen1 Assist and Assist PLUS batteries ONLY - Click here to purchase a discharger for Gen1 unit.
Click here to watch the video on how to set it up.
To learn more about Lithium-Ion batteries, click here.
To view the full Foil Drive battery range and compare, click here.
If you would like to learn more, click here to return to the Help Centre main page, or email us at [email protected].
Happy Foil Driving!