Eddie_fb Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 I've been looking through old threads, but am wondering if anythings changed with more modern technologies etc..? I would like to swop my current lead acid battery for a lightweight version (probably for a LiFePO4 system, as Kayla recommends). Just have a few questions first. 1) Do they need any special setup to charge them from the bike's charging circuit? I worry about them being constantly charged whilst riding, are they happy with this treatment? 2) If they are happy with constantly being charged, then is it ok to use a standard type maintenance charger with them (preferably still attached to the bike?) I have a Ctek MXS 5.0 that is great with the lead acid I have, but it would be nice to be able to keep it. 3) Are they really as good as they say at retaining charge? Some companies claim <1% a year. If that's true, then I probably wouldn't need a maintenance charger. 4) The goose has no alarm, obviously no ecu, not even a clock. The only thing that I guess might draw a very small current is a ctek panel adaptor (checks voltage, and flashes one of 3 micro led's depending on capacity) Would something that small affect a lithium battery that much? 5) I would like to relocate the battery in the tail unit of my goose, so does anyone know of a company/ebay guy that would make up a 50cm/75cm leads to extend my existing cables? 6) What company do you recommend? I'm tempted to go the Kayla route, and make up my own, but that may end in fire and death. Cheers for any help! Ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbrell Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 Can't answer everything, but they are all kinds of awesome for weight saving! I haven't made any changes to the charging system on my bike and it's had no issues in 18 months of race use. You will need a different maintenance charger specific to lithium batteries or it will be buggered. They aren't much now though, around £70 (you can probably get them even cheaper) and you can leave the charging leads on the bike so you just plug it in when you park it up. I left mine on all winter (but did disconnect it) and it didn't lose any charge so I was very impressed. I put an isolator on the bike but that was out of paranoia rather than necessity. I'm not going to discourage you from going the Kayla route because supporting small bike businesses is important, but mine was a second hand SPS one and it hasn't given me any issues at all since I bought it, even without having a charger for it for about 9 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbrell Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 The one I've just bought whips a 1000 cc superbike motor over without issue, I've had a few and they've all worked perfectly He speaks the truth. Guess where mine came from... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbo S2 Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 I have a ballistic battery on the race bike; it always cranks strongly and copes with being left for long periods. I take it off during winter, and have only charged it once. Chargers can be found much cheaper if you do your homework, ballistics own one is a rebranded rc car item... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damnthistinleg Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 We've banned them from mower racing because the only one that anyone tried, burst into flames 90 minutes into a 4hr race. The stinky fumes were something else! This is mainly down to the highly erratic charging systems on mower engines which have a habit of over-charging lead acid batteries - let alone a more demanding chemistry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorenzo Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 Mild tangent, but why not run a bike regrec on a mower and a posh light battery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damnthistinleg Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 That would be sensible and doesn't fit with the general attitudes in the paddock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boris Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 when I bought mine I had to buy an rc battery charger that caters for lipos and the like, it had no setting for lifepo batteries but when you change the charge amount it comes up lifepo charge. that's if it gets low or if you know you've run it down below normal use so you would do a balance charge on it then to bring all the cells up to maximum and equal charge. apart from that the bikes charging system should keep it at a acceptable level as it wont over charge the battery. I bought an 'imax 6' charger and my battery from motydesign.com, very very helpful and fast shipment from usa, ask him his name is brooke and he knows everything you will need to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boris Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 also yes theyre as good as they say, my old r1 battery weighed nearly 4kilos and the new battery is 800 grammes! also it turned the bike over much more strongly and just seems a more efficient battery in every way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie_fb Posted August 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 God I hate soldering. Mate of mine who has made up his own batteries for RC car racing suggested a good trick to help avoid heating the battery whilst soldering, so following his idea, I wrapped the battery and wires in a bag of frozen peas before starting. Wife looked at me strangely, but that's normal really. So I give you...............dum der der dum dum derrrrrr A corresponding harness has been built too, so I just need a way to connect that harness to the original battery cables (preferably without cutting cables as I'd like it to be reversible). I imagine eyelets bolted to cable terminals, and all sealed under yards of heatshrink and insulation tape. And for anyone interested, it weighs 487g (plus connectors) I'll weigh it again after finishing, and a full charge, so the electrons will be included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boris Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 I wouldn't use a lipo battery on a motorcycle! recipe for an explosion as they are very sensitive to charge rates and depending on where it is on the bike could take your balls off! when I solder rxc batterys though I just put some mole grips between the connector being soldered and the battery and it stops the heat going past it! just a light pinch on the wire though!!! you need lifepo battery that's designed to be used with a motorcycle charging system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2moto Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 Strongly agree with Boris. LiPo batteries have a higher cell voltage and are NOT suitable for automotive charging system. Seriously, DO NOT USE THAT BATTERY. IT'S THE WRONG ONE!!You need a LiFePo4 which is a different animal to LiPo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomekzxr Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 I use LiFePo4 I made myself out of separate cells bought from ebay from China for a 4th year now. I made another for a mate. Both are faultless and cheap to make at the price of regular acid ones. No mods to bike electrics needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie_fb Posted August 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 Strongly agree with Boris. LiPo batteries have a higher cell voltage and are NOT suitable for automotive charging system. Seriously, DO NOT USE THAT BATTERY. IT'S THE WRONG ONE!!You need a LiFePo4 which is a different animal to LiPo. Chill bud, maybe it's the resolution, but it's definitely a LiFePO4 battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2moto Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 No worries, then, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie_fb Posted August 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 Just in case anyone's worried, here's another pic of the battery, just so you know I'm not gonna die. And don't worry, the wires are going to be re-routed, but here's the first fire up test. No probs spinning up the goose, I'm sure you'll agree!http://youtu.be/TBZfV-hLoLw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boris Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 ahh I see, I love rc cars, me and the boy quite big into them and that battery looks just like an rc lipo. panick over!!! yes she turns over just fine. I wish id made my own now really but went for the easy route (lazy) and bought one. massive weight saving there I bet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayla Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 So is it really as simple as buying this and changing just the power connectors? Yes. At least, I've found it that easy on an IL4 400, IL4 600, TRX850 and an SZR660 all with all their electrics still fitted and a single 2T 125 (bump start so the battery's only there to complete the circuit to keep the RAVE stuff working properly- I didn't want to use a capacitor in place of the battery), and so has Eddie_fb up there. Others may have found their mileage to vary ever so slightly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boris Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 depends on the size of your bike and there fore the amount of power it needs to crank over, my r1 had to have the bigger battery motydesign supply but most 600 and lower you would be fine with and just buy a balance charger and give it a full balance charge every nower and then to make sure all the cells are equally charged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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