Where to find cheap e-bike batteries

[Adrian Parkinson]

I got a somewhat shabby e-bike that still has a great motor, all for only R500. The problem is it needs a battery. My budget isn't high, otherwise I would have just bought a brand new bike. What sub-R3k options are there? Is it a good idea to order something from Aliexpress and if so, who's a reputable seller?

[Adrian Parkinson]

Like would this be worth getting?

[Adrian Parkinson]

Actually, this one seems more likely to be reliable. Thoughts?

[splat]

Someone who knows about ebikes will probably ask you for a pic and specs of your current bike's motor and battery.

In my limited experience with Aliexpress, you get what you pay for...

[Adrian Parkinson]

The battery it had been using was actually 3 12v lead acid batteries wired together. That was completely dead and even if it wasn't, it would be ridiculously heavy to ride with.

I would much rather avoid Aliexpress, but sadly we are in an electrically primitive country where batteries are scarce and expensive so I'm not sure what alternatives there are.

If anyone knows of any local suppliers (preferably in KZN) I'd love to hear about it.

Edited September 5, 2022 by Adrian Parkinson

[FirstV8]

A mate of mine built a battery pack with lithium  batteries he bought from a local importer .Ill get the info for you . 

[Adrian Parkinson]

Just now, FirstV8 said:

A mate of mine built a battery pack with lithium  batteries he bought from a local importer .Ill get the info for you . 

Thanks. Building a pack sounds interesting but requires equipment and skills I don't have. If there's someone else who can do it I'm interested.

[FirstV8]

1 hour ago, Adrian Parkinson said:

Thanks. Building a pack sounds interesting but requires equipment and skills I don't have. If there's someone else who can do it I'm interested.

A mate of mine built a battery pack with lithium  batteries he bought from a local importer .Ill get the info for you .

Ok i thought you wanted to build it yourself . Its a similar motor in wheel on that bike he has . Its a 36v pack . If you go for Litium batteries you can get those from https://www.electromannsa.com/collections/vehicle-accessories?page=19 

[Adrian Parkinson]

10 minutes ago, FirstV8 said:

A mate of mine built a battery pack with lithium  batteries he bought from a local importer .Ill get the info for you .

Ok i thought you wanted to build it yourself . Its a similar motor in wheel on that bike he has . Its a 36v pack . If you go for Litium batteries you can get those from https://www.electromannsa.com/collections/vehicle-accessories?page=19 

Not myself. If there's someone else who can build a good one at a decent price I'd happily take that, but I think if I tried to build one it would be more effective as a bomb than a battery.

[MORNE]

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/lights-and-batteries/573609/shimano-bt-e8035-l-ep8-battery-504-wh
 

I saw this in person. It’s basically brand new and half price.
But yes…compatibility. 
 

lead acid batteries are not up to the job. They just don’t last coupled with high discharge rates…and weigh a ton.

i’d build my own Lipo/Li-ion pack, its not rocket science and i have built packs for other applications before, but then I also like poking bears with sticks and playing with the lion’s balls. 👀
What i will tell you is you wont build your own for your budget. A single 3000mah+ Li-ion 18650 samsung/sony/LG cell off the shelf will cost you around R200+ If you are lucky. You need to buy bulk from somewhere to get the price down per cell because you will need more than a few.

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by MORNE

[Dexter-morgan]

There is a place called Just batteries that repack most batteries.

[Adrian Parkinson]

53 minutes ago, Dexter-morgan said:

There is a place called Just batteries that repack most batteries.

Their website doesn't seem to work.

[Dexter-morgan]

12 minutes ago, Adrian Parkinson said:

Their website doesn't seem to work.

Sorry, they have moved, Google "Potenza" they are in Isando.

[Adrian Parkinson]

14 minutes ago, Dexter-morgan said:

Sorry, they have moved, Google "Potenza" they are in Isando.

Unfortunately, it looks like they don't have any 18650 cells in stock.

[Dexter-morgan]

On 9/6/2022 at 8:25 AM, Adrian Parkinson said:

Unfortunately, it looks like they don't have any 18650 cells in stock.

Have you tried MR Panda Stores, the last time I checked they had those Cells in stock and it will be cheap.

[Adrian Parkinson]

1 minute ago, Dexter-morgan said:

Have you tried MR Panda Stores, the last time I checked they had those Cells in stock and it will be cheap.

I've never heard of them. What's their website?