Lithium Batteries?

Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
318
Age
81
Location
MA
Bike
09 ST1300A
Re: LITHIUM BATTERY

Has anybody tried/used a lithium battery? Performance? Does the less weight make it worth the added cost?
I put in a lithium battery Dec 12, 2012 @ 31,000 miles, it performs so well I forget its there.
It will be 4 years old in Dec. this year and the bike now has 56,209 miles. I bought the Shorai battery LFX18A1-BS12 , weight 2.2 lbs .
At the time people were complaining about the high price of lithium batteries but after searching around I paid $169.95 , not too much more than a good Yuasa battery (depending on where you buy it).
The battery is light as a feather, but at 74 years old I really haven't noticed any increase in acceleration performance due to the weight reduction. :D :D :D
I'll keep you all posted as to how many years I eventually get out of it.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Jun 28, 2014
Messages
78
Location
Frankfort, Kentucky..
Bike
ST1300 2008
Re: LITHIUM BATTERY

I went to their site and they show a lithium for 199... On ebay lithium for ST1300 is 120.. By WPS.. Anybody tried one of these?
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2005
Messages
64
Location
Texas Hill Country
Bike
2012 ST1300
STOC #
386
Re: LITHIUM BATTERY

I have a Ballistic battery. They're twitchy, in that a regular trickle charge will void the warranty, but, when you follow their instructions, it works quite well. I had enough room left over in the battery box I put in a fuse box and circuit breaker.
 

T_C

Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
4,341
Location
St. Louis, MO
Bike
2005 St1300
STOC #
8568
Re: LITHIUM BATTERY

A lot of variables in here folks. Cranking capacity can be the same, reserve capacity may be different. But a lithium can dig much deeper into it's reserve and still crank /recover the a lead-acid.

No easy answer, both batteries have strong points.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Jun 28, 2014
Messages
78
Location
Frankfort, Kentucky..
Bike
ST1300 2008
Re: LITHIUM BATTERY

Just installed a WPS lithium in my 1300.. Fits perfect.. Put a spacer on top to hold down.. Hit the starter and kicked over the 1300 right smartly!
The box advertises as feather weight.. It really is compared to the Yuasa I took out..
Of course now I have a perfectly good Yuasa I do not need! Any body need a good battery?
 
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
318
Age
81
Location
MA
Bike
09 ST1300A
Re: LITHIUM BATTERY

Mine fit wicked easy, used some spacer blocks they included to make up for the Shorai smaller size.

I went to there site and they show a LFX19A4-BS12 for the ST. How did yours fit?
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
8,115
Location
Cleveland
Bike
2010 ST1300
Re: LITHIUM BATTERY

The battery is light as a feather, but at 74 years old I really haven't noticed any increase in acceleration performance due to the weight reduction. :D :D :D
I think you have to twist the grip faster to increase the acceleration.

A side benefit of a lithium battery is the bike is easier to pick up after a tip over.....
 
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
203
Location
Bend, OR
Bike
2007 ST 1300
STOC #
7357
Installed a Ballistic Li-ion almost 4 years ago. Cost $169. It's never been on any kind of battery tender during winters, which last about 4 months here. It always fires right up in spring
 

TMUS

MSF Instructor 32 years
Joined
Feb 21, 2007
Messages
526
Age
69
Location
Quincy, Michigan
Bike
2006 ST1300a(Marvin)
STOC #
7054
Just had to replace my Shorai after 6 years and 72k miles. The :06biker: did not start this spring right off and turned over to many times and dropped off to nothing. Ordered a new Shorai cost was $161 with free ship from Amazon. Keeping old one, seams to have come back after a good charge on a trickle charger.
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Messages
829
Location
Medina, Tennessee
Bike
2021 Tracer 9GT
STOC #
375
Just had to replace my Shorai after 6 years and 72k miles. The :06biker: did not start this spring right off and turned over to many times and dropped off to nothing. Ordered a new Shorai cost was $161 with free ship from Amazon. Keeping old one, seams to have come back after a good charge on a trickle charger.
A stock ST1300 has parasitic load from the ECU and clock that over time will discharge a battery, unless it is kept on a smart charger. The same holds for the ST1100, with the clock. This is true for both lithium and AGMs. Lithiums have less reserve capacity, and will discharge 3x quicker, all other things being equal. However, they have superior cranking capacity, just what my ST1300 and Ducati need. Both have lithium batteries, voltmeters, and are kept on a lithium specific Battery Tender if they are not going to be ridden for two or more weeks. Lithium batteries work great if you keep an eye on the status of the charge, but once down past a certain level, they are ruined.
 

TMUS

MSF Instructor 32 years
Joined
Feb 21, 2007
Messages
526
Age
69
Location
Quincy, Michigan
Bike
2006 ST1300a(Marvin)
STOC #
7054
A stock ST1300 has parasitic load from the ECU and clock that over time will discharge a battery, unless it is kept on a smart charger. The same holds for the ST1100, with the clock. This is true for both lithium and AGMs. Lithiums have less reserve capacity, and will discharge 3x quicker, all other things being equal. However, they have superior cranking capacity, just what my ST1300 and Ducati need. Both have lithium batteries, voltmeters, and are kept on a lithium specific Battery Tender if they are not going to be ridden for two or more weeks. Lithium batteries work great if you keep an eye on the status of the charge, but once down past a certain level, they are ruined.
The :06biker: was on a maintainer all winter.
 

Mark

Gotta make tracks
Moderator
Joined
Jan 19, 2005
Messages
6,133
Age
70
Location
Apache Junction AZ
Bike
KTM 525exc
STOC #
3768
If a Lithium battery has a BMS system it *should* prevent the battery from discharging beyond a *certain* point.
If the BMS works you will be able to charge a Lithium battery where in the same situation you'd be buying replacement non-lithium battery.
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
8,115
Location
Cleveland
Bike
2010 ST1300
If a Lithium battery has a BMS system it *should* prevent the battery from discharging beyond a *certain* point.
If the BMS works you will be able to charge a Lithium battery where in the same situation you'd be buying replacement non-lithium battery.
How does one tell if it has a BMS (I'm guessing this is battery maintenance system)? Do the various manufacturers advertise it has a BMS or are there other trade names for this feature?
 

Mark

Gotta make tracks
Moderator
Joined
Jan 19, 2005
Messages
6,133
Age
70
Location
Apache Junction AZ
Bike
KTM 525exc
STOC #
3768
I'd read the manufacturer's site.

The only reason I know about what a BMS does is I built 2 electric bikes and did a *lot* of reading before I ordered the batteries.
When the manufacturer says thing like 'balance' the batteries it indicates they have a BMS in the battery.

Shorai definitely does... check out how they describe their charger...

HTHs
 

T_C

Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
4,341
Location
St. Louis, MO
Bike
2005 St1300
STOC #
8568
Shorai BMS is in the charger, not the battery. So it does manage the charge and balances it, but there is nothing to stop the battery from being overly discharged. You take one down like that and it's doing permanent damage and possible not recovering at all, maybe even letting out smoke and a little too much heat.

The only LiFe battery I know of being made that has protection and management is EarthX. Well mine has it too but it's not for sale.

If you take a lithium cell below about 1.5v you should be thinking about charging with currents under 100ma. Once voltage is above 2.5 you can start increasing the amperage. When I find cells this low I recharge thsm in an area that has no combustible material near by. :nuke1:
 

ST Gui

240Robert
Site Supporter
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
9,263
Location
SF-Oakland CA
Bike
ST1300, 2010
The only LiFe battery I know of being made that has protection and management is EarthX. Well mine has it too but it's not for sale.
Thanks for the mention of EarthX. I'll keep that in mind when it becomes New Battery Time.

Why is yours NFS? It it because it's the last of its kind or is it some king of custom prototype? Or something along line lines of an unlicensed linear accelerator?
 
Joined
Mar 29, 2010
Messages
66
Location
Cheyenne, WY
Bike
'05 ST1300 "STinger"
There was WPS lithium battery in my ST 2 years ago when I bought it so I have no idea how old it is. I ran it down 1 time while adding LED's and testing them. I thought the charger was nuts when it read fully charged after 10-15 minutes but the bike started right up. I like that charging time!
 

T_C

Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
4,341
Location
St. Louis, MO
Bike
2005 St1300
STOC #
8568
Why is yours NFS? It it because it's the last of its kind or is it some king of custom prototype? Or something along line lines of an unlicensed linear accelerator?
I couldn't package my accelerator small enough to fit the spot on the ST. So instead I bought 8 38120 LiFe cells and built a case from some 1/8" ABS I had leftover from my boomerang making days. Added on a BMS/protection circuit outboard and called it good. I ended up with a 20 amp/hr package. It can run my cpap for two nights (with humidifier) and still start the bike.

Nope, not for sale!
 
Top Bottom