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[KuRi]

Hi! I need to storage the dsrx for +2 months (I need a surgery  ).

I have read the manual and searched in this forum but I am still not sure of what to do.

- The manual says to keep the charger connected... for the 2 months???
- The battery should be at 60% most of the time, right?
- When in storage mode, the bike won't charge until <30% Soc?
- Do I have to worry about the 12v battery?

The dealer told me they had the bike for some months before I bought it and they just charged it when the battery dropped to 40% or so (no storage mode).

My plan is to store the bike at 60%, then activate storage mode on the app and connect the charger if battery drops to 40% until it reaches 60% again. Is this ok?

Thanks!!!

[karlh]

To answer your questions:
1.  Yes.  In storage mode nothing will happen until SoC drops to <30%.
2.  No.  The main battery will slowly drop from 60% to 30%, then recharge to 60%.
3.  Yes.
4.  Yes!  I used storage mode once and will never again.  My 2021 SR/S took a very long time to go from 60% to 30%, and in that time the 12V battery dropped to around 2V; so low that the bike would not key on.  I was able to recover the battery with an Optimate lithium charger.  Now over the winter I simply turn the bike on once a week for 20-30 minutes to keep the 12V charged.

[KuRi]

To answer your questions:
1.  Yes.  In storage mode nothing will happen until SoC drops to <30%.
2.  No.  The main battery will slowly drop from 60% to 30%, then recharge to 60%.
3.  Yes.
4.  Yes!  I used storage mode once and will never again.  My 2021 SR/S took a very long time to go from 60% to 30%, and in that time the 12V battery dropped to around 2V; so low that the bike would not key on.  I was able to recover the battery with an Optimate lithium charger.  Now over the winter I simply turn the bike on once a week for 20-30 minutes to keep the 12V charged.

Very useful information there! When you say turn the bike on, do you mean only switching on? no ride needed? (because I won't be able to ride it).

Thanks!

[TheRan]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is the 12v battery is charged from the main battery using the DC-DC convertor, which is only active when a contactor is closed that happens when you key the bike on. It shouldn't really take too long to top it back up. I'm not sure how easy it is but you could always just disconnect the 12v battery if you can do without the always on cell connection.

[DonTom]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is the 12v battery is charged from the main battery using the DC-DC convertor, which is only active when a contactor is closed that happens when you key the bike on. It shouldn't really take too long to top it back up. I'm not sure how easy it is but you could always just disconnect the 12v battery if you can do without the always on cell connection.

Instead of guessing that the 12V battery charges when the Zero DSR/X is charging, I just went out to check with a digital voltmeter.


My Zero DSR/X main battery is already fully charged, as I plan on going for a ride in the morning. My 12-volt battery is already charged up fully, but I did the testing anyway.


12-Volt battery, key off, NOT charging=13.08 volts
12-Volt Battery, keyed on, not charging bike=13.23 volts.
12-volt battery, charging for just a few seconds, keyed off 13.33 volts.


And I double checked all that because it was all close. All tested the same.


While there would be a larger difference if I were not already at 100% SOC, above is enough to convince me the 12-volt battery is charging when the bike is charging as well as when keyed on, charging or not.


IOW, the only time the bike is NOT charging the 12-volt battery is when the bike is off and not keyed or charging.


But . . . .


I have no way to test what happens in the storage mode at this time, but I assume then the 12-volt battery gets charged up only when the main battery is charging, which means the main battery has to get quite low before the 12-volt battery will charge.  This means it is possible that that charge will not be long enough to recharge the 12-volt battery, because it may only need to charge the main battery for a few minutes. IOW, in the storage mode, the charger is mainly off.


IOW, it is possible for the 12-volt battery to become discharged in the storage mode, but not when normally charging.


To get a full charge on the 12-volt battery, it will probably take a few hours if it is already greatly discharged. That will not happen in the storage mode.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[KuRi]

Thanks for the research DonTom, very useful.

So, as long as I keep the SoC at 50-60% and the 12v battery charged, everything will be fine for 2-3 months, right?

[DonTom]

Thanks for the research DonTom, very useful.

So, as long as I keep the SoC at 50-60% and the 12v battery charged, everything will be fine for 2-3 months, right?

I am not sure what you mean. Do you mean charge the 12-volt battery externally with a battery maintainer?


But I will explain here.





The 12-volt batty will not charge without the bike being on or actually charging while the bike is turned off.




Perhaps the best way is to remove the 12-volt battery and use a 12-volt LIFEp04 battery maintainer (do not use a normal 12-volt battery charger designed for only lead acid, AGM or Gel batteries).


If the 12-volt battery is fully charged, its charge should least the winter months in the storage mode. But it can have low voltage when it is extra cold and best to NOT charge it when below 40°F/4.5°C. 


The best way is to fully charge the 12-volt battery by either a long ride or by removing the 12-volt battery and charging it up to full on a low current LIFEp04 battery maintainer.   For a full 24 hours or longer on the 2-amp charger at room temperature.  Then put the battery back in the bike, put the bike in the storage mode, and forget it until the weather warms up. If the 12-volt battery cannot handle that you need a new 12-volt battery or to figure out what drained it, which should be nothing when the bike is off.


IOW, start the storage mode with a fully charged 12-volt battery.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[KuRi]

I am storing the bike because of a surgery, not cold at all here (>10ºC at night). So I will ride a long distance the same day I will get the surgery, and then I will set it to the storage mode and finger crossed.

Thanks.

[TheRan]

It's not charging from an alternator like a gas bike, you don't need to ride it to charge it faster. If anything it could take longer because the DC-DC converter may have less current to spare because it's powering other stuff, and the 12V battery may be powering more stuff than if the bike was keyed off. If the bike is ridden regularly then the 12V should be close to fully charged at all times. So, the last time you bring it home after a ride put it on charge (to whatever level the manual suggests, not sure if it wants you to go charge to 60% from the start or let it drain from 100%) and by the time it gets there the 12V will be full too.

[DPsSRnSD]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is the 12v battery is charged from the main battery using the DC-DC convertor, which is only active when a contactor is closed that happens when you key the bike on. It shouldn't really take too long to top it back up. I'm not sure how easy it is but you could always just disconnect the 12v battery if you can do without the always on cell connection.

The following is my experience with a 2020 SR/S. I charge to 75% and then ride or let the bike sit in a garage. When the bike discharges into the 40's, I recharge. I still have the ZeroNG app, which I think is now banned, so I can monitor my 12V battery daily. The 12V SOC fluctuates from low 12's to 13 something. So, with no key in the bike, the bike takes care of the 12V battery, both the charge state and by running current in the 12V battery heater. Also, the bike will go into storage mode if I don't charge or key on frequently enough.

I'll also add that to check the 12V SOC with a meter, the terminals must be disconnected. The battery heater has a separate connection to the bike, which has to be separated if removing the 12V battery.

If monitoring the bike remotely, note that the State of Charge displayed won't be current if the bike has powered down the cellular connection. ZeroNG shows the date of the last update.

[DonTom]

The following is my experience with a 2020 SR/S. I charge to 75% and then ride or let the bike sit in a garage. When the bike discharges into the 40's, I recharge. I still have the ZeroNG app, which I think is now banned, so I can monitor my 12V battery daily. The 12V SOC fluctuates from low 12's to 13 something. So, with no key in the bike, the bike takes care of the 12V battery, both the charge state and by running current in the 12V battery heater. Also, the bike will go into storage mode if I don't charge or key on frequently enough.

I'll also add that to check the 12V SOC with a meter, the terminals must be disconnected. The battery heater has a separate connection to the bike, which has to be separated if removing the 12V battery.

If monitoring the bike remotely, note that the State of Charge displayed won't be current if the bike has powered down the cellular connection. ZeroNG shows the date of the last update.

Does the SR/S also use a 13-volt Lifep04 battery? They are usually 13 volts or so when not charging, a half volt or so higher than a lead acid. Low 12's sounds more like a lead acid battery.


Anyway, my 2023 Zero DSR/X charge is now at 72% after a lot of riding yesterday and a recharge that was stopped at 72% SOC when I got home late yesterday.


I just check the voltages again but at 72% SOC.


Bike off, key out=12.94 VDC.
Bike on=13.22 VDC
Bike off, charging= 13.34 VDC


Not a large difference than when I tested at 100% SOC, but I do wonder why the battery, when bike is off, is now 0.14 VDC less than two days ago after riding and charging yesterday.


I didn't bother to disconnect and measure the current to see if the battery is really charging a little even when the key is out.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[DPsSRnSD]

Does the SR/S also use a 13-volt Lifep04 battery? They are usually 13 volts or so when not charging, a half volt or so higher than a lead acid. Low 12's sounds more like a lead acid battery.

Yes, it has the Li battery. The numbers I mentioned are reported by the bike.