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Best Lightweight Battery Options


tootall

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The biggest issue I found is trying to find reputable suppliers of A123 cells. There is one firm that I was pointed to by many sources but seemingly have been devoid of stocks for many months (as I've set up a dubry to send me an email when they come back in stock).

I've got an agreement whereby as soon as I get a pack of them I can buy the necessary hardware to make a lightweight battery from it all, but with no cells forthcoming I'm having to bide my time. Anywho, that's for my project bike.

In the mean time I've bought a lighweight battery from MOTY in the States for my cbr6rr. I've bought the hard case version and it's about the size of my fist and weighs sum total of fuckall. There's only two rules, don't leave it on the bike for any length of time as it'll drain, and definitely don't leave it for any length of time if it drops below freezing, but then I've seen vids of big bikes cranking over perfectly whilst surrounded by snow.

I ordered mine on the Friday and it was here from the US the following Monday. Not many bike places can achieve that level of service in the UK!!

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Now they've been in use a while whose made their own and how? Best value option if buying?

Ta

http://www.electricw...spx?product=946

These are exactly the same as the more expensive options, and are fine on a carbed IL4 600 for day to day use :)

edit- looking at the link Heds posted, they're pretty good value too.

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  • 4 weeks later...

http://www.electricw...spx?product=946

These are exactly the same as the more expensive options, and are fine on a carbed IL4 600 for day to day use :)

edit- looking at the link Heds posted, they're pretty good value too.

One of these puppies delivered yesterday, by christ its tiny!

Do I need to find a nanophosphate charger to top up charge beforre first use or do you reckon it'll crank the bike as is?

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One of these puppies delivered yesterday, by christ its tiny!

Do I need to find a nanophosphate charger to top up charge beforre first use or do you reckon it'll crank the bike as is?

They're sent out ready charged and balanced and should start the bike up ok, if the bike ordinarily starts ok that is :)

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Would one of those £55 jobbies be ok on an il4 750 carbed trackbike then?

Mine was ok on an IL4 600 carbed road bike if that helps :) I've even heard that they're ok on a carbed SV650, but that might just be rubbish.

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Mine was ok on an IL4 600 carbed road bike if that helps :) I've even heard that they're ok on a carbed SV650, but that might just be rubbish.

Do you need any special leads, or can you fix it directly to the existing battery leads? Or did you hack off the supplied connectors and fit new ones?

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You'll need to make/use adaptors/different connections.

I'll be fittimg and testing mine towards the end of the week so can post some pics and results.

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You'll need to make/use adaptors/different connections.

I'll be fittimg and testing mine towards the end of the week so can post some pics and results.

So where are these pics and results? Too much camping, not enough fettleing i wager...

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Fettling yes, but unfortunately of the bastard obstinate camping gas stove variety not gsxr! Back on sat, pics by ohh, sometime after that :D

Need to have it running by friday next week tho as its in for its mot.

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I have been running 4 A123 cells i a homemade frame (Ripperton rip off) in my GSXR 750 k1 roadbike for a bit over 2 years.

The only problem i had was not enough cranking power when it the temperatur was below aprox. 10 degrees.

And i have only used a normal battery charger (Ctek), did'nt even take it off the bike or charge it doing winter.

This spring i started having to charge the battery every day to be able to start the bike. So i made a new 8 cell frame and ordered 4 new cells on evilbay from a seller in Singapore.

All was dandy for the next couple of weeks. Then i did'nt use the bike for about 5 week, when i wanted to start it again it was completly discharged......

Managed to charge 3 but 5 are dead.

Anyone know why this has happened? Is it because of not using a proper charger.

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Managed to charge 3 but 5 are dead.

Anyone know why this has happened? Is it because of not using a proper charger.

I could be wrong (and probably am) but I think if you've used 4 old with 4 new and havent balanced them, then the 4 new ones are dragged down to the old ones level, and is it 9v they die at?

I havent fitted mine yet, cos my aprilia has an imobiliser that would drain it and I dont want to stick the optimate on. Gonna get a big red push-to-isolate button mounted next to the battery to cut everything

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I could be wrong (and probably am) but I think if you've used 4 old with 4 new and havent balanced them, then the 4 new ones are dragged down to the old ones level, and is it 9v they die at?

I havent fitted mine yet, cos my aprilia has an imobiliser that would drain it and I dont want to stick the optimate on. Gonna get a big red push-to-isolate button mounted next to the battery to cut everything

That was what i thought, I did measure 3,33-3,35 volts on all of them though

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No, youre better off with an old fashioned charge-it-fking-quick charger. Depending on the battery they take up to a 20a charge

which will charge in 15 mins (ie. between sessions , while the tire warmers are on). Trickle charge kills them

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The A123's need to be very well balanced and the Ultrabatt batteries do that very well as they have a BMS chip built in (Battery Management Chip). Not sure if Ultrabatt actually use A123 cells but a BMS on a multicell battery is the best way to go.

If you want to buy A123 cells then these seem pretty good, bought quite a few and they are all very well balanced

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__16575__A123_3_3VB_Lithium_Ion_2300Ah_Single_Cell_Battery.html

Charging them is a whole different ball game as you need to charge them up to 14.5V and 'normal' chargers cut off well before then. If you charge a LifeP04 up to 13.5 then that big initial kick will be missing.

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I just boight one of Heinekin Gherkins LiFePO4 batteries for £100 instead of the £180 they were charging for them a few weeks ago. Just if anyone wants a sealed unit and can nip down before they fold completely...

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  • 3 months later...

Sorry to bring this up again. I just fitted a ballistic battery to the srad, saved about 2.5kg and saved some additional space in the tail to re-locate some of the electrics!

Well worth the money.

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