Bosch Battery

Battery

How to add and remove the spare battery

Fitting the battery onto the spare holder

Lift the red latch to 90 degrees.
Slide the Bosch battery onto the grooves.
Pull the battery away from the base, to allow for the red lever to slot back in.
While the battery is kept away from the base, slide the red lever back into position, locking the battery in.

Removing the battery from the spare holder

Lift the red latch to 90 degrees.
Push the battery towards the base.
Slide the Bosch battery off.

We use an industry standard Bosch battery in our electric system to ensure the highest quality and reliable power. Includes a 3 year warranty through Bosch. We have been using Bosch batteries for over a decade as we trust their extensive safety tests. Thanks to Bosch, the high-performance cells and heat-dissipating materials extend the rechargeable battery’s service life.

ARCC Bikes were designed to use Bosch lithium-ion batteries and we only supply genuine Bosch batteries. They should only be charged with Bosch’s own chargers, and ARCC will only supply genuine Bosch chargers. Each battery and charger supplied with a bike/conversion have their unique serial No’s logged on our internal works order, which we generate to carry out the conversion work on a bike.

Bosch’s battery charging technology monitors the batteries to ensure that the lithium cells are healthy and will stop charging if any fault is detected. The charger also monitors the battery temperature. If the temperature is too high during charge, a fan automatically turns on to reduce the battery temperature, if this fails, charging will stop to prevent overheating the battery.

“Brand-name batteries, particularly those in Bosch garden tools, are protected by a variety of safety mechanisms. An explosion is virtually impossible. Nonetheless, short circuits or mechanical damage to the battery should be avoided at all costs.” – Bosch

ARCC’s Intelligent Drive Pod Technology ensures that batteries are kept in good condition and warns the user when battery voltage starts to get low and will automatically disconnect the battery to protect it.

The ARCC Intelligent Drive Technology also limits the current that can be drawn from the battery to a safe level and does not support any “system override” facilities preventing any potential overheating/abuse of the battery, making it virtually impossible for anyone to hack into our system.

It’s commonplace with a lot of e-bike designs to enable the bike to perform at higher speeds and/or, amperages/currents, allowing them to operate outside of the EN-15194 e-bike directive. The suppliers will normally say this override function/s are only intended for offroad use, but many ignore this and use them on the roads.

I think it’s also important to note that in most, if not all cases, fires are caused when the batteries are being re-charged, hence the reason we only use genuine Bosch batteries and chargers.

We insist that customers register the battery supplied with their conversions direct with Bosch, this also extends their warranty from 2 to 3 years. Registering of the battery with Bosch may also provide Bosch the opportunity to discover potential fake batteries.

Please note that we only recommend the Bosch battery for our system, and no other battery from any other supplier.

Register for your 3 year warranty

Please register your Bosch products within 2 weeks of purchasing your ARCC Intelligent Drive Pod in order to obtain your 3 year Bosch battery warranty and 2 year Bosch battery charger warranty.

Taking the bike fitted with the ARCC system on an airplane

You can take up to two 4Ah batteries on most airlines.

For up to date information, please check the restricted items list for the airline you are travelling with.

Battery range

There are multiple factors that can affect battery range, including but not limited to user weight, cadence, weather conditions and power level.

Range of the ARCC Intelligent Drive Pod with the 4Ah battery

Up to 35km depending on riding style.

Range of the ARCC Intelligent Drive Pod with the 6Ah battery

Up to 52km depending on riding style.

Charging the battery

4Ah – 25 mins to 80%, 35 mins to 100% using the Bosch GAL3860 CV charger.

6Ah – 35 mins to 80%, 55 mins to 100% using the Bosch GAL3860 CV charger.

Tips for Maximising your E-bike Battery Life

Like all electronic devices, electric bike batteries need to be handled with care and regularly maintained. There are many factors that can affect how your battery performs, including how it's stored, how often it's charged, usage and environment.

To make the most of your eBike, you need to be aware of the conditions that can affect its power supply. This way you can maximise its efficiency, letting you ride your eBike further and for longer.

Thankfully, ARCC Bikes has compiled a list of things to be mindful of when using your electric bike and its battery.

Weather

While it might not sound immediately obvious, the weather can have a big impact on how your eBike battery performs. This is because the outside temperature affects the chemical reactions that take place within the battery. For example, if it is cold then these reactions are slowed down, which results in the battery giving the false impression that it has less charge.

Thankfully, the ARCC Intelligent Drive Pod comes with a neoprene covering that weatherproofs the battery. But it is worth keeping in mind that a spare battery might need to be brought along if you are taking the bike out for a long ride on a cold day.

Additionally, wind can affect battery life significantly. For example, if you are cycling into strong headwinds, then the pod might have to work harder than normal to compensate. Conversely, if you are experiencing tailwinds and being pushed along, then the pod will not need to work so hard and your battery life will be extended.

Weather that affects road conditions, like rain and snow, will also affect battery life by forcing you to change your riding style.

Riding Style

With electric-assist systems like the pod, the motor will only add power to that already generated by your muscles.

This means if you are consciously working harder, then the motor will not put as much power in and will not use as much battery. Conversely, if you are putting in less work, then the motor will have to accommodate more power and your battery will be expended quicker.

How you ride your eBike then has a big effect on your battery. This extends to how you take stops and corners. For example, if you approach a stop or corner at speed, and need to slow down or come to a complete halt, then the energy needed to get you going again will be more than if you had slowed down and approached the junction more gently.

Equally, the gradient you are riding on will determine how much work the motor needs to put in. Whether you want to fly up the hills or tackle them under your own steam, the power level you choose on your pod will determine how much of your battery life is used up.

When climbing or descending hills, your chosen gear can affect your bike’s acceleration, which in turn changes how much power the battery needs to expend. Therefore, your chain should be well-oiled and looked after too (if you have an ARCC Moulton TSR or Brompton).

Bike Condition

It is not just the battery and motor that need care, but your eBike’s mechanics need to be kept in check to preserve your battery life.

Along with lubricating parts, tyre pressure is a big factor in how well your bike rides, and so how much work the motor needs to put in. Keeping your tyres pumped is important then, in ensuring your battery is not undergoing unnecessary usage.

Other factors that change how your bike rides include weight. Carrying lots of luggage, for example, will result in greater battery drain. For the same reason, a heavier person will create more drag, and use more battery life, than a lighter one.

Battery maintenance

The way batteries are used and charged can create wear that will affect their efficiency. For example, it is not recommended to keep batteries below 20% or without charge as this can damage them over time. Equally, it is not a good idea to keep a battery permanently on charge, which can cause overheating.

Keeping a battery at a reasonable level, therefore, is recommended and it is also a good idea to use every opportunity available to top up your battery.

ARCC’s bikes can be fitted with a spare battery holder to increase your distance. But ultimately, just like any bike, maximising your eBike’s battery life is a matter of finesse and being aware of your riding conditions, as well as treating the machine with respect.