Considering A Lithium Battery

[diamonddog-2]

I looked under search for this answer but didn't see anything.

Will I need a lithium specific battery charger or will my current 1.5 amp trickle charger still work?  I'm usually plugging the battery, on both bikes, into a charger when not in use

I think I know the answer but ......  Sorry if this seems obvious.  Thanks!

[Howie]

If the charger is not one with a desulphating cycle, is a smart charger, not capable of going over 14.6 volts and reasonably young the answer is yes, but since the battery will have a warranty do check with the manufacturer.  Me, I would get a proper charger. 

[RB]

I bought a specific charger after reading about the battery tender specs as that’s what I had using a regular battery.  Chargers are around $30, have had a LI battery on the monster for about 3 years now. I don’t leave it plugged in unless I’m not riding for more than a week. Haven’t had any trouble, but that’s probably a jinx now. Haha

[koko64]

Tecmate make a great Lithium charger. Make sure you buy a high quality Lithium battery like a Shorai or equivalent quality. Pay the extra $$$ or don't bother imo. Otherwise get premium Yuasa AGM battery. A cheap ass Li battery is asking for trouble.

[diamonddog-2]

Understood.  I was looking at a Bikemaster for around $140 but will look at stepping up to something better

[rule62]

FWIW... I used a Bikemaster on my Aprilia Dorsoduro and have one now on my Monster. They're good batteries. If you want to step up, go with WPS Featherweight. I've got one I'm my CBR SP and it works well.

I use a Battery Tender Jr. "Switchable" charger. Pigtails on all my bikes and cars. Cost around $35. Just be sure to select the proper mode when charging. 

[diamonddog-2]

It turns out a Shorai isn't that much more $ than what I was looking at.  Thanks!

[rule62]

I have heard more negative than positive about Shorai. Particularly about the special connector pins for their specific charger (prone to break or corrode). YMMV.

[koko64]

I have used Shorai batteries in my customers and own bikes for nearly fifteen years. The only issue I had with them was the poor state of charging systems feeding them. I have no deal with Shorai.  I use the Tecmate Optimate Lithium charger on Shorai batteries as I do on other brands.

Shorai batteries have been the only brand I have successfully brought back from the dead. I have seen a Shorai battery withstand a bike fire (gasoline and loom short fire) due to its composite case. The heavily discharged battery was recharged and able to start a very hi comp 944 motor. It's a shop battery ten years later. I have no deal with Shorai.


In comparison I have found SSB Lithium batteries quite fragile in their capacity to bounce back from discharge and have replaced many with AGM batteries.

I have heard and read about cheap Lithium batteries catching fire due to a regulator fault.
My advice is to only use a Lithium battery if you trust your bikes regulator and have quick access to the battery like on older Monsters. I use a Yuasa AGM in my M1100Evo as it has about 22 -23 fasteners to unscrew to access it.

[diamonddog-2]

Thank you all for sharing your experience and information. Much appreciated

[koko64]

 
Let us know how you go

[GregP]

Just put a Shorai on my Monster. Left the old trickle charger pig tails on when I swapped out old battery with the intention of charging her up the night before a ride. After reading this thread, I’m going to pick up a lithium specific charger.

Question 1. Do you leave the charger/tender on the lithium battery all the time or do you use the method I outlined above?

Question 2. Is this the right tender from TecMate: https://tecmate.com/products/optimatelith0-8/

I left my tender on the old battery all the time and never had a problem until it died. The battery was at least 5 years old if not closer to 10 and I don’t ride the bike as much as I should. That’s not a bad life span for a traditional battery in my experience.

[koko64]

Looks like mine. I may have the similar, but upspec model.  

Get the smartest model they make. I have both versions of that type charger for both Lithium and regular batteries.  I've accumulated chargers for different jobs, among them an old Arlec car charger, a Shorai charger, the two Tecmate chargers and a Ducati Performance charger that plugs into the Evo's loom. The Tecmate chargers are the most sophisticated.

You have the option of leaving it on tender or charging the night before. Leaving it on tender requires a pretty intelligent charger and it has been said that basic brand tenders have killed as many batteries as they have saved. What I like about the tecmate is that it not only trickle charges and tops up, but diagnoses and attempts to save a battery if possible. It also gives programmed pulse charges and occasionally gives the battery "a jolly good Rogering" deep charge when needed.

5 to 10 years is pretty good.

[stopintime]

The point with a Shorai charger is to charge each cell to its full potential. Generic chargers can't do that. Except on Earth-X (IIRC) which has the balancing function built in.

Unless the world has evolved since I read "all about it".....

[rule62]

Bikemaster and WPS batteries have built-in balancing function boards incorporated into the battery (as do some others), but a lithium specific charger is still required.