Lithium batteries

[Cliff]

I am now in no doubt to the vast superiority of lithium batteries.

 

I've been running lithium batteries in my 3 bikes for a number of years. I got my batteries before they became mainstream and bought them off ebay from china. These were packs assembled from A123 cells from the US so not complete shite.

 

In my sport 1100  I had a 4x4 cell pack and I'm not sure when I got them, 2011 or earlier.

 

Anyway, unfortunately a couple of the cells died and as my ebay seller was rather infrequent in supplying these packs, and it seems the postal service is starting to clamp down on shipments of lithium batteries, I decided to go back to lead acid this time. I went for the Odyssey PC545.

 

So went I went to start the bike for the first time with a brand new fully charged Odyssey, it seemed to barely have enough juice to turn the motor. Easily half the speed of what I was getting before and I was beginning to think the bike would not start as it took around 1/2 a dozen attempts.

 

I think for the moment I'll stick the 4x2 pack I was able to salvage in parallel with the Odyssey. It will be interesting to see how this hybrid performs.

 

Next time it will be lithium again.

 

 

[Cliff]

Wow, what a difference. With just the 2x4 pack in parallel, the cranking is back to normal.

Even with the lower state of charge the lithium battery will maintain across the lead acid, they will still put out.

 

It's a bit of a mess but it works.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1AiSuHdacfBekhuQm5ZN05rVXc

 

[sign216]

I've been thinking of switching to lithium, but the reports here in the USA are mixed.  I never thought of buying generic ones off Ebay.

 

I took a look, and the prices are great for no-name batteries.  Amazing.  But the fear of being stranded somewhere make me hesitate.  

 

Anyone else want to chime in?

[fotoguzzi]

suspect something wrong with the Odessey batt.. mine crank like crazy and last all winter without even a trikle charge. including the lawn mower in shed where it went to -20F extended last winter.

 

and yea, BTDT gettng stranded... turned out to be the regulator not my 7YO odessey..

[docc]

Unfortunately there have been a handful of reports here on failed Odyssey off the shelf.

 

Cliff, what is the static voltage on the Odyssey?

[Cliff]

The voltage was ok, around 12.6/7 if I recall correctly. I put it on a charger first to be sure ( proper micro-controller based multi battery technology charger used for RC models etc ) and it didn't accept any significant charge before it dropped to a trickle.

 

Prior to going with lithium it always seemed a struggle and that was an Odyssey also. I heard it mentioned that cleaning up brushes can help but the fact that the lithium doesn't have the issue suggests the battery.

[Welshguzzi]

Odyssey batteries have a 2 year warranty, I believe. Take it back!

[sp838]

I love my EarthX.

[GuzziMoto]

I have an undersized Odyssey on my Daytona. It  is too small for the application. It works amazingly well and start the bike even when the bike is playing hard to start.

I have had three Lithium batteries so far and the two I used on my Guzzi's have been a disappointment. That is not to say that they can't work, just that they do not always work as you expect them to. The two failures have been a Shorai and a Ballistic, both in my Griso. Now I have a standard Yuasa, hopefully that will last more than a year.

[sign216]

The lithiums have been such a mixed bag, even the big name ones.  My lead battery is due for preventative replacement, so this I winter I'll be bold and replace it with a cheap Ebay lithium.  They are so cheap it's easy to experiment.

[docc]

Here, I was thinking cost was one of the downsides?

[sign216]

On Ebay there are generic lithium motorcycle batteries that are cheaper than lead at the retail stores.

 

So cost is no longer the deterrent. 

[sp838]

Cost is a deterrent if you have continuously buy and replace crap. Not having the right thing adds up quick.