My lithium battery experiment is OVER!!!!!!

[Wicky]

Litthium batteries best function and are stored at above 10 degrees - so while its presently mild here in UK a chillier winter won't be good for em if using the bike all year round, though if the bikes a summer toy and sensibly garaged then can't see a problem.

[Stephan]

Thanks Sephen, well explained.

just add that I was speaking about LifePo4 only, and if you are not interested in weight saving, I don´t see significant reason why to use it.

[Salty Dog]

Well, my main reason, is i need to purchase a new battery.
And what seems to be the biggest issue i have, is discharging from a long time between rides.
I was hoping the low discharge properties of LifePo4 batteries would help in that area.

Yes, a normal AGM and tender would probably be a cheaper option in this case.

[tony.mon]

Yeah, but you get all that weight saving for pennies, in comparison to huge amounts of Ti parts or BST Carbon wheels.
It's the easiest weight saving.

I have one on the SP2, and it ran in the Storm for six months or so.

Using an old boring half-wave-rectified charger, it tops up fine, and doesn't lose anything in storage.

I haven't tried it in low temps, but have a couple of good spare AGM batteries on standby if i want to get out in sub-zero temps.

I use 14 amp-hour batteries or the LiFePo equivalent, the LiFePo one happily cranked over the Storm with high-comp pistons.

(For those of you that remember it breaking down on the way to a Forum meet, it wasn't the battery that caused the problem, it was the fuel pump pulling the vac tap shut, and constant cranking with no fuel flowing.)
It would have killed a red bus battery (yes, I know they're 24v) just the same, it was only after I rejigged the fuel tap was it able to run reliably- lesson learnt!

[tony.mon]

I found out today that Sealey do a battery tender and charger- similar to Optimiser- that copes with LiFePo batteries, as it can detect them and doesn't then try to discharge them as part of a conditioning process, as you would want on a lead acid or gel battery.
It will charge a LiFePo at up to 3.5 amps.
It also works in the usual way as a conditioner, charger and desulphates lead acid types too.

One of their tech guys was on the stand; he told me that they made the first version with an automatic function, but they have now added a switch so that you can choose LiFePo or lead acid battery, which gives owners some surety that it won't damage their battery.
Funny thing is, he says that the switch doesn't do anything, as the automatic function decides before the switch choice is made what sort of a battery it is!

Anyway, you can leave it permanently connected, just like an Optimate or any of the other trickle charge types, and the battery will always be healthy when you need it.

Around £60 GBP, so about right on price, too.

Didn't buy one today, but I will. I need one as I killed my optimate 4 can-bus posh one a few months back when I forgot to disconnect it before trying to start the bike...

[Stephan]

Optimum storage voltage for lifepo (or lion) is about 80% from maximum. Permanent connect to charger doesn't seem like the best idea.

[tony.mon]

I wasn't planning on leaving it permanently connected to the li battery as it shouldn't lose much charge between rides.
But it's useful to have one device I can plug into any type of battery.

[Stephan]

Ok, sorry I just use some basic small charger for lifepo, and for other batteries ctek.

[Salty Dog]

I wonder if anyone has used one of those small Lipo Vehicle Starter packs on the Storm?

On another forum, i see a member has totally replaced his Car Battery with one.
(as it gave hime 23 Starts of a Toyota 4.5ltr Diesel with the vehicle battery disconnected and Pack in its place)
So... With the Vehicle also charging the unit, he has left it in there to see how it goes.
So far its been in 3 months.