Get in the Maintenance Habit

E-trike owners are rightfully proud of their ride, and have made an important investment in better health and enjoyment of life. Naturally, we want to protect that investment. With just a little effort at maintenance, your Mooncool can last a lifetime.

Here are a few quick tips to keep you on the road worry-free!

• Tires

Good traction is vitally important, so keep your tires in great condition. Use a good tire dressing such as Meguiar’s G15415 to keep your tires black and protect from UV damage. Check for proper inflation regularly, and add a tire sealant for puncture protection—something similar to FlatOut Sportsman’s Formula. When the time eventually comes to replace your tires, select only tires manufactured for e-bike/e-trike use.

Wipe the grime off your sidewalls, and check for excessive tread wear or cracking sidewalls. If you find either condition, it is time to replace your tires. Otherwise, let them dry and then it’s time to apply your tire dressing. While your at it, be sure to bring the air pressure up to your preference, within recommended parameters for your riding conditions.

• Battery

Your Mooncool battery is a quality component carefully selected for your Mooncool. Take good care of it, and you’ll benefit from an expanded life expectancy. Try to keep it charged between 40% and 90%, avoiding 100%. Get a timer for your electrical outlet to make this easier. If you accidentally charge to 100%, ride for a couple of miles using throttle only, bringing down the charge. Even if your indicator still shows 100%, that’s o.k., as you will have reduced the charge about 2 to 3 percent, and that’s adequate. If you must store your battery for more than a week, bring the charge to 60 or 65 percent.

Take care to avoid dropping your battery. You don’t want to risk internal damage. If you do drop it, check for overheating during use or when charging — replace if necessary.

Specifics…

Recommended Charge Percentage for Extended Lifespan
For optimal long-term health and to maximize the cycle life of your lithium-ion battery, the generally recommended strategy is to keep its charge level between 20% and 80% for daily use.
Avoid Constant 100% Charge: While modern Battery Management Systems (BMS) prevent overcharging, keeping a battery at 100% for extended periods puts more stress on the cells, leading to faster degradation over time. Think of it like keeping a muscle constantly flexed; it’s under stress.
Avoid Deep Discharges (Below 20%): Draining the battery too low (especially below 10%) also stresses the cells and can shorten their lifespan. It’s best to recharge before you hit these very low levels.
Storage Recommendation: If you plan to store your e-trike (or just the battery) for an extended period (more than a month), it’s best to charge it to around 50-60% and store it in a cool, dry place. Check the charge every 1-3 months and top it off to 50-60% if needed.
When to Charge to 100%: It’s perfectly fine, and even recommended occasionally, to charge your battery to 100% when you know you’ll need the full range for a long ride. Additionally, charging to 100% every few weeks or months (e.g., once a month or every 5-10 full cycles) helps the BMS balance the individual cells within the battery pack, ensuring overall health and capacity.

Chargers That Make Partial Charging Convenient
Standard e-bike chargers typically charge to 100% and then stop. To conveniently maintain a partial charge for extended lifespan, you’ll need a “smart” or “programmable” charger. These chargers offer features that allow you to set a specific charge cutoff.

Here are the types of chargers and features to look for:

Programmable Smart Chargers (The Best Option): These are the ideal solution for battery longevity. They allow you to set custom charge profiles, including maximum charge percentages (e.g., 80%, 90%), charging current (Amps), and sometimes even trickle charge maintenance.

Features to look for:
Adjustable Charge Voltage/Percentage: The ability to set a target charge percentage (e.g., 80%, 85%).
Adjustable Charge Current (Amps): Allows you to charge slower (e.g., 2A instead of 4A or 5A), which is also beneficial for battery longevity, especially when you’re not in a hurry.
LCD Display: Often shows real-time voltage, current, and charge percentage.
Cell Balancing at Partial Charge: While most BMS systems balance at 100%, some advanced chargers or BMS systems can do it at lower voltages.
Examples of such chargers:
Grin Technologies Cycle Satiator: This is widely considered the gold standard for programmable e-bike chargers. It’s highly versatile, allows precise control over charge profiles (including 80% or 90% cutoffs, storage modes), is fan-less, robust, and can be configured for almost any battery voltage/chemistry. It’s an investment, but well worth it for serious battery care.
Luna Cycle Advanced Chargers: Luna Cycle often sells smart chargers that have simple rotary knobs to select 80%, 90%, or 100% charge limits, as well as adjustable charge current. They are less expensive than the Satiator but offer the basic features for partial charging.
Chargers with Manual Switches for Charge Percentage: Some chargers (often from specific e-bike brands or aftermarket suppliers) will have a physical switch or button that allows you to toggle between a full charge and a reduced charge (e.g., an “80% mode” or “long life” mode). These are simpler than fully programmable chargers but essentially achieve the same goal.

Basic Charger with an External Timer or Monitoring (DIY/Less Convenient): This is the method I currently use. (CURRENTly — get it?) Those who only have a standard charger can try to estimate the charging time to reach a desired percentage, then manually unplug it or use an electronic timer. This is less precise, but usually adequate.

Using a Timer: Plug the charger into a smart plug or a basic electrical timer. You’ll need to experiment to find out how long it takes your 48V 20Ah battery to reach 80% charge (e.g., if a 4A charger takes 5 hours for 100%, it might take around 3-4 hours for 80%). This method requires vigilance and isn’t ideal for precise battery health.
Voltage Monitoring: If your e-trike’s display shows voltage (a 48V battery at 100% is typically 54.6V), you can monitor the voltage and unplug when it reaches a target voltage for 80% (which is usually around 52.5V-53V, but this can vary slightly based on the specific cell chemistry and BMS). This also requires manual intervention and the hope that your display is accurate.
Important Note on Chargers: Always ensure any charger you purchase has the correct voltage output (e.g., 54.6V for a 48V battery) and a compatible connector for your Mooncool TK Pro’s battery. Using the wrong voltage charger or an incompatible connector can damage the battery or create a fire hazard.

• Chain

Just as with any trike, clean and lubricate your chain on a regular schedule. Wipe it off with a clean rag, and then apply your favorite chain lube. Then wipe the chain one more time to remove any excess lubricant. While you’re at it, inspect your chain for damage. Keep a chain wear indicator tool in your trike tool kit, so that you know when it is time to get a new chain.

• Frame and Components

Your Mooncool has lots of nuts, bolts, and screws, all serving an important purpose. Naturally, your riding creates a lot of vibration, even more so if you ride off-road. Choose a day of the week when you will regularly inspect your ride from front to rear, tightening fasteners as needed. Check every screw, nut, bolt, etc. and ensure that all are tightened properly. While not required, it is best to get a torque wrench and carefully tighten to specs.

• Brakes

Your brakes are vital to life and limb, so take great care of them! Even casual riders can learn how to inspect and maintain the rotor and brake pads. Every time you prepare to ride, perform a quick visual inspection to look for easily-seen problems like heavy wear or loose parts. Then every few weeks, take a closer hands-on look, so that you’ll know when rotors or brake pads need replacing. And just to be very safe before riding, roll your e-trike for a few feet and activate each brake one at a time, ensuring adequate stopping power.

• Motor

Your Mooncool motor requires no user maintenance beyond keeping it reasonably clean. Normally, when problems develop, your motor will need to be replaced. Fortunately, Mooncool uses only reliable components, so you can expect long and reliable service.

• Overall

Keep you e-trike clean. Use a soft brush (followed by a damp soft rag) to clean the various components and frame. Never use running water or spray liquids to assist with your cleaning. If you have an electric trike, you don’t want to risk getting dampness into places where it will not be welcome.

Annually take your Mooncool to a local trike shop for a check-up. Even if a shop specializing in electric cycles is not available, nearly any bike shop can check tires, brakes, and chain, etc. if you are not certain of your maintenance skills.

Enjoy your Mooncool and ride safely!