Anyone using Lithium Iron Battery?

[dankatz]

Is anyone using the BMSO1 charger for their Shorai? I just put one in the bike today. I'm so used to running everything on a trickle charger I can't get past not having a charger standing by for those cold weather snaps where the bike isn't moving for a month or more.

I use an Optimate lithium charger on one of the bikes that has a lithium battery (WPS, not Shoari). I do think some of the bikes have a parasitic drain so don't want to risk it. I have something like this
https://www.amazon.com/OptiMATE-Lith...351510&sr=8-14

[Paul_E_D]

Any parasitic drain on them? Alarm systems or clocks?

No, mostly track/dirt bikes.

[01xj]

I use an Optimate lithium charger on one of the bikes that has a lithium battery (WPS, not Shoari). I do think some of the bikes have a parasitic drain so don't want to risk it. I have something like this
https://www.amazon.com/OptiMATE-Lith...351510&sr=8-14

Thanks, that's exactly what I'm looking for. A little cheaper than the shorai and easier to use.

[RandyO]

is anybody not storing, but riding in cold weather, how well do these batteries work in zero degree weather for cold starts ?

[Paul_E_D]

is anybody not storing, but riding in cold weather, how well do these batteries work in zero degree weather for cold starts ?

I use it on my ice bike. It depends. I'm successful because I store the bike in heated garage (above freezing). What I do is start the bike at home and let it warm up before I load up. The bike obviously is cold by the time I get to the ice, but it is not cold SOAKED like it would be if stored outside.

At my previous house I did store it outside, and I had to work to get it to start in temps below 15 degrees. The trick is to run the headlights or other electronics for 5 minutes or more to get the batteries internal temp up a bit before trying to crank the motor. With the thick oil I sometime do a bump start and crank routine. It might not be convenient for commuting, but I always get it started.

[RandyO]

I use it on my ice bike. It depends. I'm successful because I store the bike in heated garage (above freezing). What I do is start the bike at home and let it warm up before I load up. The bike obviously is cold by the time I get to the ice, but it is not cold SOAKED like it would be if stored outside.

At my previous house I did store it outside, and I had to work to get it to start in temps below 15 degrees. The trick is to run the headlights or other electronics for 5 minutes or more to get the batteries internal temp up a bit before trying to crank the motor. With the thick oil I sometime do a bump start and crank routine. It might not be convenient for commuting, but I always get it started.

your basically telling me, I'm better off sticking with a good Yuasa AGM

[01xj]

I've been reading the same as Paul mentioned, about running something with some battery drain before starting it to get the internal cells warmed up. Shorai states that in their FAQ as well. Might be beating a dead horse here, but a divergence from the traditional sealed battery is new to me so I'm in full research mode lately.

[Garandman]

your basically telling me, I'm better off sticking with a good Yuasa AGM

I still use AGM for cold weather stuff like snowmobiles, backup generator etc.

[whynot]

your basically telling me, I'm better off sticking with a good Yuasa AGM

OP checking in ... per my previous posts, I went with a Shorai on my Duc 900SS for the weight savings alone.

Re. AGM batteries -- the Yuasa AGM in my 2012 Hyper 796 is the original battery -- still good after 8+ years and 26K miles. Quality doesn't cost, it pays!

[SRTie4k]

I've got an antigravity battery in my 1290 right now. Looks like we're gonna see how well it works in cold weather this week.

FWIW the last time I decided to try the "leave the lights on for 5 min" trick with this battery, it shut itself off after ~2 min. I had to hit the restart button on it. It did fire right up afterwards, though.

[SRTie4k]

Rode in this morning.



The lithium did NOT want to turn my bike over. It's been sitting in my garage for the last few months, and this morning it was 35* in there. The first few starter pushes the bike just stumbled quite a few times and never fired. So I turned the high beams on (this also turns my Rigid light bar on). Within 10 seconds, the battery shut itself off. I had to hit the restart button on the battery. After I hit the restart, I tried starting again, and a bunch more stumbles. This time it did fire after stumbling a bunch of times.

So my experience with lithiums thus far is that they're not at all suitable for cold weather. I will report back tomorrow on how it went starting after work. Its supposed to be around 45 today, so that should provide more good info.

[dankatz]

Rode in this morning.



The lithium did NOT want to turn my bike over. It's been sitting in my garage for the last few months, and this morning it was 35* in there. The first few starter pushes the bike just stumbled quite a few times and never fired. So I turned the high beams on (this also turns my Rigid light bar on). Within 10 seconds, the battery shut itself off. I had to hit the restart button on the battery. After I hit the restart, I tried starting again, and a bunch more stumbles. This time it did fire after stumbling a bunch of times.

So my experience with lithiums thus far is that they're not at all suitable for cold weather. I will report back tomorrow on how it went starting after work. Its supposed to be around 45 today, so that should provide more good info.

Yes, agree. It also depends on what you are trying to start. Seems like big twins are generally hard to start. Changing to a lithium on my Ducati 1100evo did not make a difference and personally I also think it is worse in the cold weather than the original YUASA