Shorai - Pushing my luck ?

Ken Valkyrie

Ken Valkyrie

Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
318
Age
81
Location
MA
Bike
09 ST1300A
My Shorai battery is in its eighth year (7 years, 4 months old) I'm very impressed.
It's was installed Dec 12, 2012 @ 31,000 miles, now I'm at 70,300 miles and it's still cranking good.

Am I living on the edge with it ??? :)

(Shorai Number LFX18A1-BS12)
 
I tried to find the specification sheet and graphs for your battery but I couldn't. I checked a few common LifePO4 cell graphs (samples below) which will give a fair estimate of the cells inside your battery. (There are 4 x 3.6v nominal cells in these 12 v batteries) . These graphs show that around 80% of original Ah capacity corresponds with end of life

If you pull the battery out and get it tested for its current mAh capacity , if its getting to around 80% of original (80% or 18Ah = 14.4 Ah) then you are getting close to the manufacturers estimate of cycles. You need access to a discharge-charge cycle charger which measures Ah pumped in.

What deems a cycle is very controversial, worst case would be every time you start but in reality its less than that especially if you don't deep discharge

What I have experienced is that when they go (the LifePO4 cells), its one of the 4 cells that go short circuit so its easy to spot , you drop to 3/4 of your voltage ie 9.6v nominal (10.95v if fully charged)

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Asterysk said:
I tried to find the specification sheet and graphs for your battery but I couldn't. I checked a few common LifePO4 cell graphs (samples below) which will give a fair estimate of the cells inside your battery. (There are 4 x 3.6v nominal cells in these 12 v batteries) . These graphs show that around 80% of original Ah capacity corresponds with end of life

If you pull the battery out and get it tested for its current mAh capacity , if its getting to around 80% of original (80% or 18Ah = 14.4 Ah) then you are getting close to the manufacturers estimate of cycles. You need access to a discharge-charge cycle charger which measures Ah pumped in.
Click to expand...

I have seen plenty of these graphs going out to 4,000 cycles. I thnk they don't go any further because they are tired of testing and want to get the results published. Plus other batterries type can not compete in this category to any higher proof number, so why do they need to beat the proverbial horse. LiFePO4 easily win the game (for now) on deep cycle life capacity.

But... always the but... we are doing a lot more then a gentle 1C discharge and most likely a lot more on the recharge too. As shown in your last graph this type of cycling is a faster EOL to the battery cells.

I would like to see a controlled deep discharge vs repeated shallow use life span on all the types of lithium batteries. That I have never seen and not quite sure why...
 
Ken Valkyrie said:
Am I living on the edge with it ??? :)
Click to expand...
Were I you Ken, I would keep one of those booster batteries in my topcase (or side case) along with an allen wrench to get to the battery for a jump. You can put it in your car after you replace the battery.

I have installed a couple of 18" long pieces of #6 welding cable w/ crimped eyelits on my battery terminals. The cables end under the seat so I can jump the battery if the need arises without said allen key. I did this after having to use one of those boosters half a dozen times at an OHSTOC event.
 
I've had my Shorai since 2012-13, Ken. It's the same as yours, still going strong and by far the best battery I've ever owned for a bike. I do remember Shorai saying on their web site to expect 4 times the life-span of an equivalently rated AGM lead-acid and so far that prediction is holding true. It'll be interesting to see if my old girl AND the battery will last 20 years from 2012. Heck, with the recent cancer diagnosis and treatment I've undergone it'll be interesting to see if "I" can last 20 more years to see if it lasted 20-more years!

It's a good product.

Ross
 
Quick curious question for Ken Valkyrie... what is the resting voltage of your Shorai?
 
mello dude said:
Quick curious question for Ken Valkyrie... what is the resting voltage of your Shorai?
Click to expand...

Back again. I just check the voltage with my multimeter, it reads 13.19 volts. I think that is real good cause I haven't started my bike since last week.
I think that's what you meant by "resting voltage"
 
Ken Valkyrie said:
Back again. I just check the voltage with my multimeter, it reads 13.19 volts. I think that is real good cause I haven't started my bike since last week.
I think that's what you meant by "resting voltage"
Click to expand...
Thanks Ken, yes that's it...
 
Just a FWIW for comparison...

Mine is typically +13.2-13.4 after sitting for 4 months in the basement. I remove it from the bike, clean it up then trickle charge it with a non-Shorai intelligent, non-sulfating charger to the +14.4 "solid green" cutout and disconnect it. After roughly an hour it drops to +13.9 then slowly loses power to the low 13's as mentioned earlier. I don't recharge it when I put it back in the bike and it has no problem cranking it until it starts. That was 10 cranks this year, after running the fuel pump and lights first for around a minute or so to refill the carbs.

They are a good product. Just doesn't like frigid temps, so no good in snow machines or other winter-use vehicles.
 
I run another brand LifePO4 battery and every fall I pull it off the bike and set it on my desk. (roughly November) Typically its at 13.30 when I pull it off the bike.
Then reinstall April and checking with the multimeter right now resting is at 13.23...... No charging at all, never have needed to use a charger.....
Bike fires instantly...

I'll probably look at a Shorai whenever the next go round is, I may need a battery in the Valk...

(Agree on the winter use stuff)
 
UPDATE: I just replaced my 8 year old Shorai. I decided that with winter here now I'd feel safer with the new battery. (Current miles 72,857)
Although I don't ride much in the winter even with my electric heated gear. I still like (at 78) to take a winter ride if the the roads are dry and temps are 40+.
My wife found me the LFX18A1-BS12 on Amazon for $146.51, good price.
Shorai site now recommends the LFX19A4-BS12 for the ST1300 but on several review sites that I checked, the reviews were better for the LFX18A1-BS12.
Go figure? 90% 5-star for LFX18A1 - 77% 5-star for the LFX19A4

:) I hope Ross Smith, ON, Canada is recovering well, God bless you
 
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