WHAT’S ON THIS PAGE

• Plugging in the Charger.
• Battery Charging Times.
• Battery Range.
• 41AH Battery Level Chart.
• Hot Weather Charging.
• Battery Safety.
• Charging Safety.
• Battery Wood Cover.
• Charging Cable Protective Cap.
• Clean Battery & Charger Connectors.
• Onyx BMS App.
• OSE 8 Battery Connector Video.
• BMS Board Amperage Update.
• Battery BMS Fix.
• Battery Balancing.
• Increase Charge Cycles.
• Battery Performance.
• Battery Sag.
• Battery Cut Off.
• Storing The Battery.
• Battery Technical Specs.
• Battery Discharge Curve.
• Article Links.

PLUGGING IN THE CHARGER

Plug the charger into the wall outlet before plugging the charger cable into the battery’s (XLR) circular three-prong connector located on the battery. Connecting the charger to the wall outlet before connecting it to the battery will prevent sparking from occurring.

BATTERY CHARGING TIMES

5 AMP CHARGING TO 100% (84 VOLTS)

• 0% to 100% - 10.8 Hours
  50% to 100% - 7.0 Hours

5 AMP CHARGING TO 97% (83.3 VOLTS)

• 0% to 100% - 9.2 Hours
  50% to 100% - 3.6 Hours

10 AMP CHARGING TO 100% (84 VOLTS)

• 0% to 100% - 5.4 Hours
  50% to 100% - 3.5 Hours

10 AMP CHARGING TO 97% (83.3 VOLTS)

• 0% to 100% - 4.6 Hours
  50% to 100% - 1.8 Hours

BATTERY RANGE

These are real-world range averages based on my experience and that of others. Your range will most likely differ to be either greater or less based on where you live, temperatures, conditioning of the battery, riding style, and many other factors.

NEW YORK CITY - FLAT

• ECO Mode / 80 Miles Range
• Normal Mode / 65 Miles Range
• Sports Mode / 45 Miles Range

SAN FRANCISCO - HILLS

• ECO Mode / 70 Miles Range
• Normal Mode / 55 Miles Range
• Sports Mode / 35 Miles Range

41AH BATTERY LEVEL CHART

The Onyx RCR display has both a battery charge bar and a voltmeter. I suggest primarily use the voltmeter on the display for the exact state of charge percentage level of the battery. The Onyx RCR draws 0.6 volts while it is turned on. The new Onyx RCR v1.5 accounts for this.

On the Onyx Motorbikes 41ah battery page, it states that the operational range of the battery is from 84 volts fully charged to 56 volts depleted which is correct considering 60 volts depleted is also true (plot twist). Looking into the programmed fields of the battery management system the fully charged “cell full voltage” field shows 4.15 volts as the maximum voltage for each cell which adds up to 83 volts. Presumably, this conflicts with the “total battery capacity” field of 41000mah which adds up to 84 volts.

Also, the depleted “total cycle capacity” field of 32800mah conflicts with the “cell 20% capacity voltage” field of 3.300 volts. The reasoning for both the fully charged and fully depleted conflicts is battery balancing. In other words, there’s nothing to worry about because the battery management system is making sure to deliver 100% of the 41ah battery’s full capacity.

Right-click or long-press over the image and choose “save image as” to save to your phone or desktop.

HOT WEATHER CHARGING

When the weather temperature is above 85° Fahrenheit, lithium batteries will simply put, react differently during charging and discharging. More aggressive, faster, and intense hill climbing will generate higher internal battery temperatures.

The Onyx 41ah battery cells are rated to 140° Fahrenheit with the BMS triggering battery cut off at 158° Fahrenheit. The Onyx 41ah battery can communicate its temperatures via the BMS app.

Watch for temperatures reaching 120° Fahrenheit as your sign to lean off the throttle. The better you treat your battery on hot days, the better it will continue to perform over time and without sacrificing its charge cycle count.

BATTERY SAFETY

After riding allow the Onyx RCR 41ah battery to rest in the shade for a half-hour before charging, especially with a 10 amp fast charger. On days above 90 Fahrenheit after riding wait an hour before charging. Use the Onyx BMS app or Xiaoxiang BMS app to see your battery’s internal temperatures. If the battery is above 105 Fahrenheit, wait till it drops below 95 Fahrenheit before charging at 5 amps and especially at 10 amps.

By allowing the battery to rest after riding before charging has a positive longevity and performance effect. It increases the charge cycle count, allows the ions and electrons to rest, reduces its operating temperature, and prevents potential thermal runaways that no BMS can stop on hot days after a hard ride.

• Don’t charge the battery in direct sunlight.
• Don’t charge the battery near a heat source such as a radiator.
• Don’t charge immediately after racing, hill climbs, or days above 90 Fahrenheit.
• Occasionally use contact cleaner to clean the charger XLR pins and battery XLR portholes.
• Don’t charge or store the battery where it can be exposed to temperatures below 32° Fahrenheit or above 120° Fahrenheit.
• If the display voltmeter randomly fluctuates while at rest, stop using the battery, switch it off, place it outside, and contact Onyx Motorbikes.

CHARGING SAFETY

Overnight charging is safe as the Onyx RCR stock 5 amp charger, 10 amp charger, and the battery management system provides redundant fail-safe mechanisms. As the battery charge level arrives at 97% 83 volts the charger will reduce its amperage output substantially lower and begin trickle charging. In turn, reducing its heat output and shutting off its cooling fan for the remainder of the charging and trickle charging. The Onyx 41ah battery management system cuts off the Onyx stock 5 amp charger and Onyx 10 amp SFX charger after fully charging.

• When not riding for long periods, store the battery at 74 volts.
• Between rides, leave the battery charged anywhere from 78 volts and 81 volts to increase charge cycles.
• Keeping or discharging the battery intentionally below 64 volts or at 84 volts doesn’t make it healthier.
• Leaving the battery fully charged to 84 volts when not riding for a day or two is okay but don’t make a habit of it.

BATTERY WOOD COVER

CHARGING CABLE PROTECTIVE CAP

The Onyx RCR now comes with a charging cable protective holding cap just outside the right-side porthole. During winter or rainy days switch to an XLR rubber cap to further protect it from the elements.

• XLR Rubber Cap

CLEAN BATTERY & CHARGER CONNECTORS

Cleaning the male charger pins and female battery porthole connector reduces electrical resistance. Electrical resistance makes for an inefficient connection and generates heat. First, turn off the battery through the BMS app then proceed to clean the battery female portholes and charge male pins by removing the cotton from one end of the cotton swab, place two drops of contact cleaner bare end of the cotton swab. Insert the bare end of the cotton swab with contact cleaner into the battery female portholes while twisting. The end of the cotton swab where the cotton hasn’t been removed also gets two drops of contact cleaner to clean the male end of the charger.

• Contact Cleaner

ONYX BMS APP

The Onyx 41ah battery does not have a physical power switch. Rather, the Onyx BMS app and Xiaoxiang BMS app is what is used to turn the battery off and on when unplugging it from and to the Onyx RCR. The BMS apps provide battery status information, battery balancing meters, power gauges, voltage meters, and usage logs. The Xiaoxiang battery management system app gives more comprehensive readings and logs than the Onyx BMS app.

The Xiaoxiang battery management systems apps allow for the battery management system to be configured. I highly advise against changing any of the battery management system settings as it can damage the battery, void the warranty, and present safety issues. Keep in mind that I achieved over 17,500 watts with the battery management system stock settings.

BMS APP BENEFITS

• Battery performance readings.
• Mosfet and internal temperature readings.
• Monitor the battery.
• Turn the battery off and on.
• Record the historical chart of the battery.
• Error detection and support logs.

OFFICIAL ONYX BMS APPS

• Onyx BMS Android App v1.1.4
• Onyx BMS iOS App v1.1.

XIAOXIANG BMS APPS

• Xiaoxiang BMS iOS App v1.2.24
• Xiaoxiang BMS Android APK v3.1.1026

OSE 8 BATTERY CONNECTOR VIDEO

Always make sure the Onyx 41ah battery is off via the app before soldering a new battery connector on the battery itself. Also, discharge the Onyx RCR by unplugging the battery from the bike while the bike is on. This will ensure that you are working with a cold bike battery connector. If you’re not sure about switching out the stock SB50 battery connector to an OSE 8 battery connector both on the battery and the bike, always seek out the help of a professional.

• OSE 8 Connector

BMS BOARD AMPERAGE UPDATE

The Onyx 41ah BMS boards have recently been upgraded from the 80 amp model to the 100 amp model. Previous discharge overcurrent configurations in the BMS app were set to 90 amps where now the discharge overcurrent configuration is set to 110 amps. The Onyx 41ah battery now outputs 20 more amps which translates to more power as in torque with a possible speed bump. The challenge though is that the stock battery connector is an SB50 limited to 50 amps with a peak of 70 amps. The revised Onyx RCR 1.5 also introduced a 100 fuse.

What this means is that the Onyx RCR will function just fine with the stock SB50 battery connector but to take advantage of this battery BMS amperage bump up, the stock SB50 will need to be upgraded to OSE 8 connector.

XIAOXIANG BMS APPS

• Xiaoxiang BMS iOS App v1.2.24
• Xiaoxiang BMS Android APK v3.1.1026

Use the Xiaoxiang BMS iOS App to verify your BMS model. Start by connecting to your battery, followed by taping “BMS Settings” at the bottom of the screen. Tap “BMS Read” and scroll down to the line that reads “BMS Name”. If your model number ends in “80A” then you have the 80 amp model. If it ends in “100A” then you have the 100 amp model.

This image demonstrates a 100 amp Onyx 41ah BMS in the “BMS Name” field which ends in 100A.

41AH BATTERY BMS FIX

First, verify which BMS model you have. The Onyx 41ah battery has an 80 amp BMS and newer revisions have the 100 amp BMS and in some cases, the “Charge” and “Discharge” over current protection fields are misconfigured. The battery sometimes also has its “Total Cycle Capacity” field misconfigured to 32500 which will give inaccurate charge level readings and cause premature cut-offs.

It does not matter if the Onyx 41ah battery is in or outside the bike or plugged in. Make sure to be within 5 feet of the battery before making changes to the BMS. Use the Xiaoxiang BMS iOS App screenshots below as a reference. I’m currently figuring out which is the best Android App to make changes to the BMS with.

Download the Xiaoxiang BMS iOS App to your iPhone or iPad. Open the Xiaoxiang App, connect to your Onyx 41ah battery, tap on “Config” and purchase the Pro version of the app. Tap on “BMS Settings” then tap on “BMS Read”. Make sure your “Total Battery Capacity” field is set to 41000 and that the “Total Cycle Capacity” field is 32800. If the “Total Cycle Capacity” is set to anything else, tap on the field and change it to 32800. Tap “BMS Write” on the top right-hand side of the App.

XIAOXIANG BMS APPS

• Xiaoxiang BMS iOS App v1.2.24
• Xiaoxiang BMS Android APK v3.1.1026

Tap “BMS Read” to confirm the changes have been applied. Scroll down the screen and check that the “Charge Over Current” field and “Discharge Over Current” field both say 90000. If not then tap each field and change it to 90000. Tap “BMS Write” on the top of the right-hand side of the app. A message confirming the changes have successfully been written will appear. Tap “BMS Read” once more to confirm the changes have indeed been applied.

• Total Battery Capacity: 41000
• Total Cycle Capacity: 32800

80 AMP BMS MODEL

• Charge Over Current: 90000
• Discharge Over Current: 90000

100 AMP BMS MODEL

• Charge Over Current: 110000
• Discharge Over Current: 110000

BALANCER CONFIGURATION

• Start Voltage: 4000
• Delta to Balance: 20
• Toggle Balance Only When Charging: OFF (Not Green)

The balancer configuration field can be tweaked to a specific rider. I like to leave the “Start Voltage” field at 3900 and the “Delta to Balance” field to 10 along with the “Balance Only When Charging” toggle set to “On” because I ride aggressively. I recommend setting the “Start Voltage” field to 4000 and the “Delta to Balance” field to 20 with the “Balance Only When Charging” toggle set to “OFF”.

Occasionally look at the main screen of the Xiaoxiang BMS iOS App and look at the reading “Cells” with a triangle next to it. You will find it towards the top of the screen on the left located below “Power”. A healthy reading for that field specifically for the Onyx RCR is 0.040 and below. If yours is above 0.040 then charge your battery to full and make sure the “Balance Only When Charging” toggle is set to “Off”. Allow a day or two for your “Cells” field to balance below 0.020. Some peoples charging habits have allowed this field to climb above 0.060 which will cause premature cut-offs during acceleration or when the battery is low.

If you’re not sure about anything about the Onyx 41ah BMS fix, then post your question to the Onyx AF Facebook group.

• Onyx AF Facebook group

BATTERY BALANCING

Balancing is completely handled by the internal battery management system, regardless of whether the battery is in or outside the Onyx RCR with or without a charger. The need for a compatible battery balancing charger is eliminated. The 41ah battery automatically handles all battery balancing itself 24/7/365 without intervention.

INCREASE CHARGE CYCLES

Increase the charge cycles by more than double by unplugging the stock Onyx 5 amp charger or Onyx SFX 10 amp charger when the charge reaches 80 volts. Charge the battery to 82 volts or 84 volts before riding, depending on how far you think you are going.

• Keep the Onyx 41ah battery above 74 volts when not riding during the week.

BATTERY PERFORMANCE

Charging with the stock Onyx 5 amp charger will result in a longer battery run time in the long run. While charging with the Onyx 10 amp SFX charger will provide more performance acceleration but impact the batteries long term health.

BATTERY SAG

Sag is described as the amount of electricity drawn by how much throttle is given. On cold days at throttle expect the voltage sag in sports mode to be 3 volts and on hot days for it to be 4 volts.

• Eco and normal mode reduces the amount of sag.
• The amount of throttle given directly controls the amount of sag.

BATTERY CUT OFF

If cut off occurs because of low voltage or sag, wait 10 seconds for the battery management system to reengage the battery automatically.

• Always have your key fob with you.

STORING THE ONYX RCR BATTERY

Storing the Onyx RCR 41ah battery is done by charging the battery to 74 volts. There is no need or benefit to turning the battery off when storing the battery. The battery never turns off, rather turning off the battery disables the charge and discharge cables.

• A 41ah battery stored at 74 volts will be at 73.5 volts in three months as there is some minimal discharge.
• Don’t charge or store the battery where it can be exposed to temperatures below 32° Fahrenheit or above 120° Fahrenheit.
• Each battery cell will only retain 80% of its capacity if stored at 4 degrees Fahrenheit or 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

BATTERY TECHNICAL SPECS

• Maximum charge amperage is 10 amps.
• The Onyx 41ah battery weighs 37 pounds.
• Custom 20 series and 10 parallel (20S10P) lithium battery pack (200 21700 cells).
• Battery cells KOK POWER NMC 21700.
• The BMS is programmed to cut off at 85 volts to 60 volts.
• 14.0945 inches long by 7.28346 inches tall by 5 inches wide.

BATTERY CELL SPECS

• KOK POWER NMC 21700.
• Nominal Voltage 3.7V.
• Nominal Capacity 4500mAh.
• Standard Charge Current 0.2C-0.5C.
• Max. Charge Current 1C (4.5A).
• Continuous Discharge Current 3C (13.5A).
• Peak Discharge Current 5C (22.5A).
• Charge Cut-off Voltage 4.2V.
• Discharge Cut-off Voltage 2.75V.
• Inner Resistance ≤20 mΩ.
• Weight 72±2g.
• Length: 70mm.
• Diameter: 21mm.

OPERATING TEMPERATURE

• Charging: 32° Fahrenheit ~ 113° Fahrenheit.
• Discharging: -4° Fahrenheit ~ 140° Fahrenheit.

STORAGE TEMPERATURE

• Temperature of 35° Fahrenheit ~ 80° Fahrenheit for long term storage.

LIFE CYCLE

• 800 times (100% DOD till 80% of initial capacity at 0.2C rate, IEC Standard).
• 2000 times if maintained often at 80 volts.

POTENTIAL POWER OUTPUT

• 13.5amps per cell x 20 in series = 270 amps.
• 270 amps x 84 volts full charge = 22,680 watts.
• 90 amps x 3 phase = 270 amps.
• Max phase discharge of 41ah at full charge = 22,680 watts.

BATTERY DISCHARGE CURVE

The Onyx RCR 41ah battery does not discharge in a straight constant line, it is more like a curve where the top of the charge above 82 volts and the charge below 66 volts deplete faster. The entire 84 volts are available but spread out and discharged at a different rate towards the top of the charge and bottom of the charge.

LOW VOLTAGE DISCHARGE CURVE

• 8% Charge = 62 Volts.
• 4% Charge = 61 Volts.
• 0% Charge = 60 Volts.

ARTICLE LINKS

• Grin Technologies Charge Simulator
• How to Prolong Lithium-based Batteries
• A Guide to Understanding Battery Specifications