Shorai battery

[fj johnnie]

 I recently purchased an FJ 1100 with a Shorai lithium battery. I put it into my FJ 1200 and if the bike sits a week it won't start. I recently installed a new voltage regulator from RPM. It charges fine. With a regular lead battery I never had a problem. So how does one test a battery like this. Also can I charge it with an Optima battery tender?

[giantkiller]

If a Shorai battery gets fully discharged it will wreck it. I left my parking light on (didn't it was on) ran my shorai dead just once. Was never the same. Still way more powerful than my lead acid. But noticeably weaker than it was. If yours has been run down several times might be junk. Another thing is they have awesome cranking power. But don't hold up to parasitic drains very well.  I really like them. I have them in all my big bikes and my ATV. But you have to make sure you don't have anything draining power while they sit. If you are going to leave it sit just disconnect the cable.

[fj johnnie]

 Thank you. I have an Optima fuse with a small LED light that powers my USB cord for cell phone or GPS etc. It plugs in under my seat. It has been on the whole time. This would be the parasitic loss you speak of. I will remove it.
What is the best way to charge on of these? I have ridden all day since and it now works again. Just wondering if it needs a battery tender or not.

[giantkiller]

Shorai has a specific charger that plugs into the back of the battery. And charges the cells individually. U can use a regular charger. As long as it doesn't have a desulfication (I think that's what it's called) cycle. But it's not as good as one that equalizes the cells.

Yes that would be a parasitic drain but if it's just an led it isn't much. Like I said your battery may be damaged from being totally discharged. Or maybe something else is draining it also.

Another thing that these batteries do is sit for long periods without loosing charge. (If there is no drain)
Something like 3 years. Without any maintenance.
Maybe that would tell you if the one you have is toast. When it's fully charged. After riding it and it's working good.  Disconnect it and leave it sit however long you said it was that drained it before. Then hook it up and see if it starts

[fj johnnie]

 After  having ridden all day yesterday it is fine now. I will disconnect and see. Thanks again.

[~JM~]

Just a digital clock will drain a LI battery down in a week.

I have an AntiGravity battery in another bike along with a Vapor gauge. The clock is too much draw, so I have to disconnect it.

Good luck.

PS. Standard battery chargers, Battery Tenders, etc, will supposedly ruin the LI battery. I don't know how you are supposed to revive one if needed, maybe bump-start the bike. Don't know if I'd like to bump-start an FJ. The LI battery will become a bit stronger as they warm internally & "wake" up.

[markmartin]

I have been using a Shorai Lithium battery all season with no trouble.  In August, I accidentally left my park lights on for about 3 hours and returned to a dead battery.  I got a jump from a good citizen and rode it, letting the bike recharge it.  I have had no trouble with the battery before or since the big discharge. I also went for 11 days this summer with out starting the bike and with the digital clock on with no trouble. 

I did install the after market regulator that Randy @ RPM sells when I bought the Shorai.  I had read that overcharging the LI batteries (like the stock regulator tends to do)  was not good. 

I don't know anything about batteries other than the obvious; this is just my experiences with one this summer.

That's the full report

Happy trails,

Mark M

[giantkiller]

Like I said you can  use a regular charger if it doesn't have a desulfication mode. Or it can be turned off.
But the shorai charger is made too maintain a shorai battery. Our voltage regulators will fry a led acid battery too, just takes a little longer. I've installed Randy's digital regs in both of my bikes.
And my battery is still way stronger than a lead bat. But not as good as it was before the parking light insident. I got a jump start the next morning when I discovered it.

[giantkiller]

I have an antigravity battery in my chopper. It doesn't seem to last as well as my shorai. But it is one of his very first designs. Before shorai even existed. He used tool battery's wired together and a heavy shrink wrap on them. He has since redesigned them. I used the antigravity in my chopper because they were the only one that I could find at the time. And with the dropped seat I put on my chopper didn't leave enough room for the oversized battery it needed, to turn over the big inch, high compression motor. I put in it.120hp/120ftlbs. Went through several of the "best" lead batteries. Even with dual compression reliefs. If it didn't start on the first try, there wasn't enough charge left for a second try.
Put in the antigravity and it would crank and crank and crank.  Infact it even burned up my super high torque starter. When I had some trouble with my choppers valve adjust. And still had plenty of charge.
Thats why I have been replacing all of the lead acid batteries with a shorai when they die. Have 4 shorai so far and still use the antigravity in the chopper.

[fj johnnie]

 Awesome. Thanks for all the replies. I will look for a shorai charger to add to the long list of stuff on my to get list.

[racerrad8]

Awesome. Thanks for all the replies. I will look for a shorai charger to add to the long list of stuff on my to get list.

I have one in stock...

It is not on the website, but I do have one.

Randy - RPM

[fj johnnie]

 Thanks Randy. I will make a list and order some stuff. I am almost ready to start my 84 restomodification and will need lots of stuff.

[racerrad8]

The charger has been added to the website now, to be used with the two Shorai FJ batteries currently on the site, and other LFX 12V Shorai batteries.

[fj johnnie]

 Thanks Randy . I have received the charger. I am amazed at how quickly the charger arrived here in Canada. One week and my Shorai battery is a as happy as a clam.
  What an incredible asset it is to have someone who understands our bikes send us parts for them. Always being confident the parts will be right is awesome.

[FJools]

I thought one of the features of a lithium battery was that they sensed when they were drained low and turned off to prevent the damage mentioned above ?

(unless that is the LiPO4 type - confusing...)