Shorai Battery - not good in cold

[Zorlac]

"including having to reset the clock."

Bzzzzt, fail!! <_<

 

[FJRBluesman]

Interesting. It fired quickly after the battree was heated by initial cranking.

Not a good feeling though, and makes for interesting start up process in the cold. Hmmm....

 

[wheatonFJR]

Interesting. It fired quickly after the battree was heated by initial cranking.

Not a good feeling though, and makes for interesting start up process in the cold. Hmmm....

People should watch that video...with the following background info.:

You are out in the Nevada desert. You are alone. No one else will be coming along on that road for 4 hours minimum. However, some joker just pulled up to you in a pickup truck...with a booze smell emanating from the cab. Gun rack visible...

...now listen to that battery crank.

 

[ionbeam]

Interesting. It fired quickly after the battree was heated by initial cranking.

Not a good feeling though, and makes for interesting start up process in the cold. Hmmm....

This follows what Shorai says about their battery. Assuming that the battery has been properly charged, the Shorai battery will get stronger at each subsequent start try as it warms up. With a conventional lead/acid battery it will get weaker on each subsequent start try. No matter what, it is stressing when you have a no start upon thumbing the start button. It does indeed suck that the Shorai's voltage drops so low that the clock resets.

 

[Rider_FJR]

I think the issue is really with 14AMP battery.

The 18AMP should not be a problem.

I had my bike out this morning in Chicago, it was 31F and with 18AMP, it started on first try.

But, I will test again in the mid and low 20's.

 

[ionbeam]

I think the issue is really with 14AMP battery.

The 18AMP should not be a problem.

I had my bike out this morning in Chicago, it was 31F and with 18AMP, it started on first try.

But, I will test again in the mid and low 20's.

The 18 amp battery has two key specifications, one is the higher Amp Hour rating of 18 amps, the other is a higher Cold Cranking Amps.

The 18 amps is only an indication of how long the battery can slowly supply current over a long period of time, such as leaving lights on or forgetting to turn something off like a GPS. This rating has almost nothing to do with starting capability.

The 270 Cold Cranking Amps is a rating of how much current the battery can supply in a big rush over a very short period of time. Since the FJR starting circuit draws 60-80 amps the 270 CCA battery should be able to turn the engine over quite easily. Battery makers do odd things to achieve a high CCA rating because this is the measure of a battery's ability to start an engine when it is very cold. Explained HERE and specifications detailed in depth HERE.

 

[Rider_FJR]

Agree with you. Cold cracking amps is the key.

 

[ionbeam]

Agree with you. Cold cracking amps is the key.

Fixed my second link in my previous post. In that link I indicate and detail how Shorai is skating on thin ice with their claim of 270 CCA.

 

[Zorlac]

how Shorai is skating on thin ice with their claim of 270 CCA.

Tobacco Smoke Enema

 

[FJR Flyer]

This follows what Shorai says about their battery. Assuming that the battery has been properly charged, the Shorai battery will get stronger at each subsequent start try as it warms up. With a conventional lead/acid battery it will get weaker on each subsequent start try. No matter what, it is stressing when you have a no start upon thumbing the start button. It does indeed suck that the Shorai's voltage drops so low that the clock resets.

Odd as it seems, this is what happened this morning. Goes against all your normal battery instincts.

It was 26 F outside and about 37 F in the garage. Bike sat all weekend. First attempt barely turned the crank. Immediately got the 'oh crap' feeling. But it did get stronger with each subsequent crank. It finally kicked over on the fifth or so attempt. Clock did not reset, but the odometer went from the trip meter to the main numbers.

Not a good feeling. Wonder if putting a small ceramic heater in the garage overnight would help. Not pleased, in general.

 

[BikerGeek99]

Hmm...

The FJR has been sitting for just under a month without being started. Temps lately have been highs in the 40s and lows in the teens-to-twenties.

Last time I had to move it around, I did a little routine before cranking it:

1. Turn on ignition.

2. Count to 5.

3. Turn on FF50's.

4. Count to 5.

5. Turn off FF50's.

6. Count to 5.

7. Hit the starter.

Using that routing when temps were in the high-40's worked fine - she fired right up.

I did, however, have an issue after I picked up the FJR from Bust's place: I stopped to visit a friend of mine and left the FJR in his un-heated garage. With temps in the 30's the next morning, that thing did NOT want to start - VERY slow crank, clock reset. Eventually it started and ran fine the rest of the day and 220-ish miles home.

If I have time tonight I'll dig up my video camera and head to the garage and see what happens...

 

[RadioHowie]

Hmm...

The FJR has been sitting for just under a month without being started. Temps lately have been highs in the 40s and lows in the teens-to-twenties.

Last time I had to move it around, I did a little routine before cranking it:

1. Turn on ignition.

2. Count to 5.

3. Turn on FF50's.

4. Count to 5.

5. Turn off FF50's.

6. Count to 5.

7. Hit the starter.

Using that routing when temps were in the high-40's worked fine - she fired right up.

I did, however, have an issue after I picked up the FJR from Bust's place: Injectors were all splooged up!

 

[FJRBluesman]

Due to this thread and the $$ of a Shorai, I purchased a new Parts Unlimited AGM battree, shipped to me for about $70. My Feej starts quickly again and is real happy it has mo juices.

 

[Phugedaboudet]

got the LFX18A1 last night. as soon as I actually get a cold (or, "cold for the Bay Area") morning I'll report my experience. So far, so good tho.

I've already run three AGM batteries thru this bike since I bought it in March 2007. Stock battery didn't make it into February of 08. The replacement made it until February of 09. The third one made it until the middle of November of 2011. I've been using a small auto boost pack twice a day since then until last night, and even that wasn't enough to start the bike after it sat three days over a long weekend where I didn't ride.

If the new battery chemistry makes it through to a third winter season it'll more than pay for itself. the lighter weight and all that is icing on the cake.

 

[HotRodZilla]

got the LFX18A1 last night. as soon as I actually get a cold (or, "cold for the Bay Area") morning I'll report my experience. So far, so good tho.

I've already run three AGM batteries thru this bike since I bought it in March 2007. Stock battery didn't make it into February of 08. The replacement made it until February of 09. The third one made it until the middle of November of 2011. I've been using a small auto boost pack twice a day since then until last night, and even that wasn't enough to start the bike after it sat three days over a long weekend where I didn't ride.

If the new battery chemistry makes it through to a third winter season it'll more than pay for itself. the lighter weight and all that is icing on the cake.

This should probably go into a different thread, but I'd stop buying batteries and start looking for whatever is drawing power from my bike. My '07 with 41k is still on the original battery and has never given me a problem starting. I'm betting you have an open circut somewhere that is drawing off your battery when the bike is off. This discharges your battery and shortens your battery life.

 

[Zorlac]

"I've been using a small auto boost pack twice a day since then until last night, and even that wasn't enough to start the bike after it sat three days over a long weekend where I didn't ride."

I'm thinking you've got an electrofarkle vampire sucking on your battery or something else is awry electrically.

 

[SkooterG]

got the LFX18A1 last night. as soon as I actually get a cold (or, "cold for the Bay Area") morning I'll report my experience. So far, so good tho.

I've already run three AGM batteries thru this bike since I bought it in March 2007. Stock battery didn't make it into February of 08. The replacement made it until February of 09. The third one made it until the middle of November of 2011. I've been using a small auto boost pack twice a day since then until last night, and even that wasn't enough to start the bike after it sat three days over a long weekend where I didn't ride.

If the new battery chemistry makes it through to a third winter season it'll more than pay for itself. the lighter weight and all that is icing on the cake.

Agree with the rest. This is not normal. My original battery lasted over 5 years. IMHO, batteries should last 3-5+ years on the FJR depending on quality of battery bought and care. Don't know what a 'small auto boost pack' is but do yourself a favor and get a quality trickle charger. I highly recommend the models made by Yuasa.

 

[RossKean]

I have 56,000 miles on my '07 original battery. Still starts easily. I never use a battery tender but will put it on a slow charger (1 amp) for a couple of hours every 6 weeks or so in the off season. (I also remove the battery in the winter - there is a small amount of draw to keep the clock, computer, trip odo etc alive) Lead-acid batteries do not like to be discharged completely but overcharging can be just as damaging.

As mentioned above, check for ignition-off draws. No way a battery should be dead in less than three years.

 

[HYCLE]

Cold Weather Kit

I found a "cold weather kit" for the Shorai Battery.

Just install it with the foam around the battery and turn it on when its cold.

Or you could wire in your own thermostat.

 

[Phugedaboudet]

can't trickle charge. the apartment carports are not attached and have no power outlets-and the bike is not enclosed or even really well under cover so exposed to the elements. My batteries die out in the winter when it gets into and stays in the 30's overnight. If I don't ride for two days there's no way the bike will start on a cold morning. Cranking till they go flat is the nail in the coffin-big batteries are hard enough to save when dead but the little ones, flatten -em once and they'll barely hold a charge even after a long ride. It's nothing to do with current draw unfortunately-the stock AGM is barely sufficient to crank the big bike over, leaves nothing over for diminished winter capacity.

no farkles connected to the bike. the Zumo comes off when I do. No heated grips or lights or horns (yet!)

the boost pack is one of those things they sell that has a rechargeable dry cell battery in it and a set of jumper cables. So you can jump start a car without needing another car. the one I was using is made for small cars (but I did start a 454 powered Suburban with it twice) and fit in the trunk easily so I could start the bike after work. It's good for two or three starts before it needs to be plugged in and recharged for 6 hours or so.

this morning, temps in my area were 30 degrees or lower. Internet weather services and the FJR's own bike thermometer agreed on the 30 degree temp when I went to start the bike. Hit the starter button for about two seconds until the cranking revs started to slow down. stopped, waited for a five count, then tried again. Bike fired in less than 3 seconds.

So far it's passing the cold soak test. It rarely even gets to 30 degrees around here, usually 34 is as bad as it gets. I won't be able to do a "let it sit for three days" test for a couple of weeks as I'm all over the area for holiday events for the next two weekends.

got the LFX18A1 last night. as soon as I actually get a cold (or, "cold for the Bay Area") morning I'll report my experience. So far, so good tho.

I've already run three AGM batteries thru this bike since I bought it in March 2007. Stock battery didn't make it into February of 08. The replacement made it until February of 09. The third one made it until the middle of November of 2011. I've been using a small auto boost pack twice a day since then until last night, and even that wasn't enough to start the bike after it sat three days over a long weekend where I didn't ride.

If the new battery chemistry makes it through to a third winter season it'll more than pay for itself. the lighter weight and all that is icing on the cake.

Agree with the rest. This is not normal. My original battery lasted over 5 years. IMHO, batteries should last 3-5+ years on the FJR depending on quality of battery bought and care. Don't know what a 'small auto boost pack' is but do yourself a favor and get a quality trickle charger. I highly recommend the models made by Yuasa.