Stark charging tutorial please

[4Corners]

Somebody please post how to correctly charge a Stark.
Connection sequence
Control switch lights
Disconnect sequence
Does it stop charging when it reaches 100%?
Anything else you can think of

 

[Chaconne]

For the MX-1, I am not sure about EX or MX-2 and I only use the 120 charge:

Use the standard charger included in the stand that comes with the bike
Generally nothing will happen until you power the bike on, so connect everything then power on the bike and it will detect the charger and go to blue led (on the mx-1 at least)
Blue will stay on until charged or you unplug the charger you can monitor with the phone and change some limits if you like
Bike will go to idle mode (flashing red on mx-1) you can power it down before you disconnect
It is a pretty smart system and is hard to screw up

HTH

 

[4Corners]

For the MX-1, I am not sure about EX or MX-2 and I only use the 120 charge:

Use the standard charger included in the stand that comes with the bike
Generally nothing will happen until you power the bike on, so connect everything then power on the bike and it will detect the charger and go to blue led (on the mx-1 at least)
Blue will stay on until charged or you unplug the charger you can monitor with the phone and change some limits if you like
Bike will go to idle mode (flashing red on mx-1) you can power it down before you disconnect
It is a pretty smart system and is hard to screw up

HTH

I've only charged my EX once so far and I disconnected the charger when it reached 100% but light was still blue. I should have waited until the light turned red? Will it overcharge if you don't disconnect the charger as soon as it gets to 100
%? Just got the bike and don't want to screw it up. Thanks for the help.

 

[Chaconne]

I've only charged my EX once so far and I disconnected the charger when it reached 100% but light was still blue. I should have waited until the light turned red? Will it overcharge if you don't disconnect the charger as soon as it gets to 100
%? Just got the bike and don't want to screw it up. Thanks for the help.

With the MX-1 there are inaccuracies with the phone vs the charger so probably the same with EX, I wouldn't worry about it too much it is a smart system.

Also, I should have mentioned that generally I never charge my bike past 95% and I don't let it drain below 15%. My understanding is that the chargers are smart chargers and prevent over charging but I try to stay on the extra safe side. The MX-1 was first gen and there were a few bugs and etc.

Congrats on the new bike btw!! I love my MX-1 and I am sure you will love your new EX.

 

[4Corners]

With the MX-1 there are inaccuracies with the phone vs the charger so probably the same with EX, I wouldn't worry about it too much it is a smart system.

Also, I should have mentioned that generally I never charge my bike past 95% and I don't let it drain below 15%. My understanding is that the chargers are smart chargers and prevent over charging but I try to stay on the extra safe side. The MX-1 was first gen and there were a few bugs and etc.

Congrats on the new bike btw!! I love my MX-1 and I am sure you will love your new EX.

Thanks so much for the help!

 

[Chadx]

In the Stark app, you can set the battery percentage where you want the charging to stop. You can also set the charger power (watts).

I have an MX 1.1 that I use for trail riding in the mountains (50" wide and single track). I typically recharge right away when I get home so it's closer to ready to go, but don't want it sitting there above 60 to 80%. I'll charge it up to at least 60% right away or 80% if I expect I'll go riding again soon. Then I charge up to about 90% the night before a ride and to 100% the morning of the ride. I usually use most of the range, so charge to 95% or 100%. If you don't need the range, only charge up to 90 - 95%. But with lithium, if you are using the bike within a few hours, charging up to 100% really is not much wear and tear. It's sitting at 100% for weeks that is not good. Charging up to 100% and then using it within a few hours is fine in the big picture. I want max range every time I ride because I never know when I might run into a locked gate or downed tree I can't get around and have to backtrack rather than ride a loop like I normally do.

The C rating for battery charging defines the rate at which a battery can be charged relative to its capacity and most battery manufactures provide a max C rate and a suggested C rate. A 1C charge rate means the battery can be charged at a current equal to its capacity; for example, a 1000Wh battery charged at 1C would be charged at 1000Watts, taking approximately one hour to reach full charge. 0.5C for the same 1,000Wh battery would be 500watt charge rate at take about two hours to charge.
I don't know that Stark has officially said max or recommended C rate, but it's implied by the app limits of 3,200watt max charge and a "slow charge" setting of 1,000watts, which can be assumed to be the suggested charge rate if max speed is not needed.

My MX 1.1 has a 6,500Wh battery and a 0.5C rate would be 3,250Watts, which is what you can get out of the Stark charger on 240v. On 120v, you can get about 1,600watts of power. That is about a 0.25C rate. Plenty slow and easy on the battery, but the slower you charge, the less the battery heats up. The Stark app's "slow charge" setting is 1,000 watts which is a C rate of 0.15. Plenty slow. But you can go even slower by using the slider on the charge screen to set it anywhere from 300watts to max for your voltage. Note: The screen lets you set a max charge rate way higher than what your voltage will allow the charger to charge, but underneath the slider, it shows the actual charge rate in watts. It knows to just draw the max watts for the given voltage (1,600 watts or 3,200 watts). No matter what you set the slider to, you can't "make it" draw more than the voltage x amps will allow.

I use solar array by my garage, and power station in my garage, for most charging sessions and usually set charge rate below the 1,000 watts. Usually between 300 - 700 watts. I have a 1,200watt solar array that usually will generate 700 - 1,000 watts per hour. The power station is capable of both 120v and 240v output and has a 4kWh battery. I can bring it with and charge at 240v/3,200watts for a quick boost in battery percentage during a 15 - 30 minute lunch break, but most trial rides, I never bother charging because I get 45 - 50 miles of range out of a charge. I have a mapping app pulled up while riding and never even flip over to the Varg app screen, to check battery percentage, until I've ridden at least 30 miles.

But I tend to slow charge the bike when at home. Will usually just set it to 300 - 500 watts and plug the charger into the bike an power station. I can view, and control, the power station via the power station app (including setting upper and lower power station battery limits, turn off and on the outlets, etc.). I remotely turn on the 120v outlet once the solar array is making at least 300watts. I tend to charge while there is solar to avoid the losses from storing energy into the power station battery then charging off battery. Instead, I charge while the array is collecting so the power is more passthrough rather than charging and discharging the power station battery.

When I have the Stark app set to only charge the Varg to 60%, for example, the Stark charger knows to stop charging and so stops drawing power from the power station. I can not see the Stark app remotely, but I can see my power station app so when the draw drops to zero watts, I know the Varg reached the set point. Then I remotely turn off the power station's 120v outlet (since there is no reason to have it on any longer so no wasted draw and also no risk if the Varg charger or app had an issue and the bike kept charging, etc.) All the solar power then continues to charge the power station battery up to it's set point. Works slick.

I love having the option to set the Stark charger power rate and the cut off percentage depending on how and when I'm charging. Slow home charging off solar when I have a couple day to spare max charge speed (be that 120v or 240v) when I just want a quick 10% - 20% of charge during a break.

 

[SteveBaum]

Just a few weeks ago the Stark AI (SAM) told me if the bike (2024 EX) is going to sit for a week or more, it’s best to leave both the phone and bike anywhere from 30% to 50% charged & completely shut them down for the best results in maintaining battery health. Not trying to stir anything up, but sharing what I learned…

 

[Chadx]

Just a few weeks ago the Stark AI (SAM) told me if the bike (2024 EX) is going to sit for a week or more, it’s best to leave both the phone and bike anywhere from 30% to 50% charged & completely shut them down for the best results in maintaining battery health. Not trying to stir anything up, but sharing what I learned…

I agree with that, especially in extreme heat or cold, for longer storage. One risk of going that low is you need to be around to check it every few weeks. Not a lot of drain if bike is fully shut down, but nothing harder on a battery for it to get to a very low state of charge, especially in extreme heat or cold. To the point that many battery manufacturer's recommend storing long term at around 60% just to avoid the risk of it depleting to too low of voltage.

I'll store it at medium-low SOC in the off season. But during the riding season when I'm riding every week or might have a spur of the moment trip, I'll keep it around 60% so I'm closer to ready to go, then, as mentioned, charge it up to 80% or 90% night before, but top off only in the hours right before I ride. Do similar with eMTB, boat lithium batteries, lawn mowers and yard tools, etc.... I store at mid SOC and then charge full or nearly full right before using.