Lithium battery care 

An every increasing percentage of garden machinery sold today is battery powered rather than petrol or diesel powered.  This means lithium-ion battery power is used instead of fossil fuels. In this blog I hope to answer some of our customer’s most frequently asked questions relating to the care of their lithium batteries.

Using lithium-ion batteries during cold weather

Lithium batteries need to be above zero degrees to function properly, so if you are a contractor it’s best not to leave them your van overnight when it’s cold, or in a garden shed when it’s frosty.

We only sell higher quality batteries which make use of clever electronics to protect themselves in these conditions.  Most of them will not work at all if the battery cells are too cold, usually displaying a red flashing light or something similar to inform you that they need warming up.  Don’t do this too quickly!  Just warm them up at room temperature.  Don’t put them on a radiator!

Once they start working, current flowing through the batteries and the warmth that this creates will keep the batteries working well, even if the outside temperature is below zero.  For this reason you can even buy battery powered snow throwers for use in the harshest, snowiest winter weather!

How do I store my lithium-ion batteries over the winter period?

Once you have finished using your lithium batteries for the season, knowing how to store them is crucial knowledge to have!  Cold weather can impact all batteries. This is because batteries run on chemical reactions. Colder temperatures slow down these reactions and can damage the battery cells. Over the winter months we would recommend storing all batteries somewhere that will not be susceptible to frost i.e. above zero degrees.  Somewhere dry, preferably indoors at room temperature would be ideal.

Should I store batteries fully charged?

For short periods of time, week to week for instance during the mowing season, we recommend fully charging your lithium battery after you have finished working with it so that it is ready for its next use.

Most lithium battery chargers automatically switch off their charging circuit when the battery becomes fully charged, so even if you forget to turn them off, you won’t damage the battery.  It will just sit on the charger until next needed.

For longer periods of storage, over the winter for example, the general consensus is that lithium batteries should be stored with approximately 30-40 percent state-of-charge. This level minimizes age-related capacity loss while keeping the battery in good operating condition and allowing self-discharge.

Some batteries, notably EGO Power Plus batteries, discharge themselves gradually, automatically after 30 days without use in order to reach their optimum storage capacity of 30%.  Their power meter LEDs will flash red during this process. So it doesn’t matter if they still carry more than 30% charge when you put them into storage.  They will optimise themselves.

There is generally no need to recharge during storage unless it extends to more than one year.

Any more questions?