Shorai battery

[garyahouse]

This morning, I walked outside to check on the temperature. The lighting isn't the greatest at 6 am, but you'll notice the thermometer was reading 32 degrees at 16% humidity. Jeez, wish we could have this kind of humidity in the summer time around here. Anyway...

I turned on the voltmeter switch to find the usual voltage,

When I hit the ignition switch, the voltage dropped to 12.7 as the parking lights powered up.

I hit the starter button. The engine cranked over slowly but steadily for about 4-5 seconds. The gauges did not reset, FWIW. The engine didn't start. The starting RPM's were pretty close to the point where my ear tells me it will start, but not quite fast enough. I was feeling confident, but not quite. When I let go of the key, the residual voltage had dropped to about 11.6 -- and after waiting about 40 seconds, it slowly climbed back up to 12.6 volts. I hit the starter button again. This time the engine spun just a little faster. It sounded like it just might be fast enough... (I've done this quite a few times in the past 13 months). And sure enough, after about 3 seconds or so of cranking, it fired up.

Success at 32 degrees.

Gary

 

[drjfjr]

I have one that is two years old. At low to mid twenties it resets my clock and trip meters sometimes others not. It usually takes me three to four attemps in order for it to catch. I have put in the ignition relay due to a failed ignition switch last year and that helps prevent the reset since the relay will drop out before the resets sometimes. I am waiting till spring and will be putting an AGM battery back in. It hasn't failed me yet but it is sure stressful hoping it gets enough amperage to eventually start on cold mornings. I ride down into the upper teens here and i just don't feel comfortable with this battery..

 

[garyahouse]

Wow, you do some serious cold weather riding. Since my garage is always warmer than it is outside, the tests I have done were just to see the limits of this battery. It will probably never have to start the bike at sub-freezing temperatures in the future. It never gets that cold during the daylight hours here in Florida. We have an occasional cold night, but that's it. The battery works for me because of where I live.

Gary

 

[FJR Flyer]

The new Shorai warranty replacement arrived three days ago or so (less than a week from when I talked to their rep at the bike show). Just finished changing out the front wheel bearings (first priority), and finishing up lunch. Will head back out to the garage and put the new battery in. Calling for a low of 13 deg F on tuesday, so it will be a good test, if it doesnt snow.

 

[garyahouse]

13 degrees? That's not a test, that's torture. It would be a test for any battery. You don't RIDE in temps like that do you?

Gary

 

[FJR Flyer]

Two weeks ago I had a new record low for riding to work: 7 deg F. So 13 won't feel so bad. Only hitch is there is a chance of snow.

 

[FJR Flyer]

Just a quick note on the new generation battery Shorai sent me (gratis) a week after the DC bike show. Snow covered roads prevented me from riding last week, so yesterday was the first ride with the new battery. But it was about 40 deg F, so not a good data point. Today it was 17 deg F outside, and about ten degrees warmer in the garage. Similar to conditions earlier this winter with the older gen battery. Today the new battery really spun the motor quickly. I did a short bump on the starter to warm the battery, as per the Shorai rep's advice, and it probably would have started if I did a normal start attempt. The second (full start) attempt fired her right up. I was mildly pleased.

It looks like Shorai has improved their chemistry and design from the two year old unit I was running. YRMV.

 

[dirttracker30]

Not to be changing the subject, but has anyone seen or tried the lithium battery that is sold by battery tender? I just ordered one from Amazon. Now I start reading this thread and and I am rethinking the whole lithium battery thing. Maybe I'll cancel ,and stick with a AGM

 

[dirttracker30]

I just cancelled and ordered a motobatt agm, maybe in a few years they will have these lithiums straightened out. The Motobatt was 76.00 and I just REsigned up for a Amazon card that had expired ,for another 50.00 bucks off . So the new battery cost me a total of 26.00 can't beat it

 

[TomInPA]

Smart move! Spend twice as much for a battery you will never stop worrying about for the little time it lasts...ask me how I know.

 

[Chuck35]

I just cancelled and ordered a motobatt agm, maybe in a few years they will have these lithiums straightened out. The Motobatt was 76.00 and I just REsigned up for a Amazon card that had expired ,for another 50.00 bucks off . So the new battery cost me a total of 26.00 can't beat it

I have a $25 Delco on the shelf as a spare. My replacement is just like the one it replaced, "Yuasa YT14B-BS" $100 will put one at your door from Amazon or Ebay.

 

[dirttracker30]

I looked at the yuasa, but didn't want to mess with the acid . The MotoBatt is what I have now and its 4 years old ,so if I can get another4 out of a 26.00 battery ,it'll all be good. And I will probably own something new by then!!(fjr of course)

 

[blrfjr]

CANT BELEIVE THIS THREAD IS STILL ALIVE!!

 

[DennisJ]

My $25.00 Delco from last year is still in it's box also, sitting there wondering why it isn't being used. Original battery in my '09 is still going strong so I am wondering if I didn't jump on that Delco deal a little quickly. Now that I've said that of course, the original will die in the next couple of weeks at a very inconvenient time and place. Below freezing every morning this coming week in Seattle so the bike isn't going anywhere outside the garage.

 

[dirttracker30]

I wish our temps would get as high as below freezing! We can't hardly get ought of the - 0's in iowa

 

[garyahouse]

CANT BELEIVE THIS THREAD IS STILL ALIVE!!

Really? Did you forget that I said that this was going to be an ongoing study intended to continue along as Shorai updated their product line? There is no question that they have done just that, and we have good reason to assume that they will continue to do so in the future. Though I can't speak for everybody else, the purpose of my testing is to document these changes and report back to this forum.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[dirttracker30]

gary, your report/test is what made me decide to stick with the AGM, although I had to go back to Amazon and cancel the Batt. Tender

lithium that I had just purchased. After ordering I found this thread ,and rethought my purchase. I thank you ,because ,you didn't do this to sway what people should buy ,but to inform us of what was going on with a new product. thanks Again , Jim

 

[garyahouse]

JIm

You live in Iowa. I was just checking your weather. The yearly average report:

Average high in January: 32

Average low: 14

You made the right choice. Lithium batteries are not quite ready for that level of cold. Thank you for your feedback. Making informed choices is what this forum is all about. FWIW, when I kept my Shorai on the charger over night, it cranked significantly faster on one cold morning that I tested it. But I didn't document this or so much testing in this area as most guys aren't interested in a battery's performance when it's been on a charger all night, but rather how the battery does on it's own without any help.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[dirttracker30]

Gary, this winter, the average high has been around 5 above 0 . It can't get over soon enough!

 

[garyahouse]

Sorry 'bout that. It was just under 70 this morning when I got to my classroom.

Gary

darksider #44