Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Ryobi). This thread is read-only.
I’m looking for recommendations on how best to store the batteries for my Ryobi RY48ZTR100. I live in southern Michigan so it can get cold in the winter. My garage is not heated so what I have done in past winters is remove the batteries and store them in my basement. Removing the batteries and moving them to the basement is a lot of work as is doing the reverse in the spring. Does anyone have experience using battery warmers or other techniques for wintertime storage?
Michael
My RM480e has been through three winters in my unheated garage and the temperature has gotten below freezing a few times with no issues. After 216 charge cycles, the batteries are performing like new. My mower is plugged into the charger all the time. I live in NWOH. I have read of one person who has used a large battery blanket to keep his mower warm in Canada.
The batteries in my mower have developed a new storage maintenance charge cycle. The first winter, they charged about once a month at about 1,000 watts each. The second winter, it was every two weeks for about 750 watts each charge. Last winter, it was once a week for About 600 watts. This fourth winter, it has become daily for an average of 80 watts in 10 watt charges. I don’t know why the batteries are self discharging faster, but they ran under load like new this last mowing season. I even got a 2 1/2 hour run on the 2 hour limit. So far this winter storage period of 9 weeks has cost $0.65 in electricity. That’s shaping up to be similar to previous winter storage periods. The pack has 125 hours of use on them with 225 charges total.
48 months of ownership and 4 winters of storage in an unheated garage. The mower still runs like new after 134 hours of use and easily for the specified run time. It is always plugged in when not in use. Each 4 month winter storage period has cost an average of $1.16 in electricity.