[Slo_VTX]

Installed a new battery today .... here's some pics.
Battery 1.jpgBattery Top.jpg Battery Bottom.jpg Battery Install 3.jpg

Takes up exactly half the space so there is room for the ECU and the flasher relay to hide.
Bike starts in a third less time. Here are some measurements I took along the way:

Starting voltage:
Old battery (Sealed Lead Acid) .. 12.5 volts
New battery .. 13.3 (straight out of the box)

Voltage Sag:
Old ... 11 volts
New ... 12.9

I had no DC ammeter to measure the differences in amperage (with respect to voltage)... but the starter does spin faster... must be the additional voltage.

Charging voltage was 13.4 at idle ... 13.9 revved up like mad. This battery can use the additional voltage above 12.5 (the old battery) so I should have 13.8 volts available whenever I start the bike. A lead acid battery simply cannot do that.
I did this to improve my cold weather starts.. which on the old battery was a "cross-your-fingers" kinda thing.
We shall see.

 

[whiskeyrockr]

neat looking battery....

 

[BigBoreVTX]

Now I need the link to get me one. Thanks now i half to spend more money on by bike,

 

[MOJO65]

Is that an A123 battery?

 

[Slo_VTX]

Is that an A123 battery?

Nope .. looked at 'em tho ... to finicky/risky for my taste... this is LiFePO4 (Lithium-Iron) .. much more stable.

 

[Donut]

What is the CCA of the battery.

 

[Slo_VTX]

I got mine from here. It's 120 amps cont., 200 amps surge. And if you know the difference between the lead acid battery we use and this type you know it beats the lead acid hands down. The numbers for these batteries aren't misleading like they are with lead acid. Just try to get 200 amps from the battery that comes in a VTX.
This morning was the first time I started the bike cold with this battery. It was 50 degrees this morning and the bike turned over and started like I had just drove it and parked for a few minutes.. whirr.. whirr.. vroom. Yesterday same temps with the old battery and it started like it always did... whirr.. whirr.. whirr.. vroom. Starter spins faster with this new battery... you can hear the difference.
We will see how it performs when it gets cold (30 ish) outside. Or maybe I should pop it in the freezer for a bit ...lol.
I will check the voltage tomorrow morning before I start it to see how the voltage holds up against the old battery. The old battery had a voltage of 12.5 after the ride home yesterday and the new one had 13.3 out of the box.
Since this battery can store voltage up to 15 volts (roughly) I want to know what my charging system levels the battery out at. More volts for starting means faster spinning starter and less amps required. Just wish I'd had a DC ammeter when I was taking measurements during/after the install.

 

[Donut]

This is interesting and will be to see how it works in the long run. I hope you keep giving us updated in the long run on this link. So how much do you have in this setup. Did you make it up or did it come as a unit. If it is a complete unit what is the part number for it. I Google it on some sites and it was a bit confusing.

Doug

 

[Slo_VTX]

It's just a cell.. takes 4 of 'em in series to make a battery that's useful for us.
If you want to order what I ordered then let me know.. I will tell Dennis to expect to fill more orders for the SLO battery mod... lol.
He is a helluva nice guy and doesn't try to sell you stuff you don't need.. and will look out for you.

 

[vtxrkr]

great info,thanks for sharing this ! this is what I enjoy most about this board all the good info !!!

 

[Gonzo1970]

This is interesting and will be to see how it works in the long run. I hope you keep giving us updated in the long run on this link. So how much do you have in this setup. Did you make it up or did it come as a unit. If it is a complete unit what is the part number for it. I Google it on some sites and it was a bit confusing.

Doug

They're basically Four 3.2v Cells "daisy-chained" to total 12.8v.




So, if Im reading that right, you need 4 of the cells, 4 holders, and 3 bars... right?

(and we're talking the H-38120P's)

$96 Shipped.

Considering decent batteries are around $60+ this wouldn't be a bad option... I'm just curious about their longevity, reliability, etc.



For anyone considering this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_iron_phosphate_battery


-Gonz

 

[Slo_VTX]

They're basically Four 3.2v Cells "daisy-chained" to total 12.8v.




So, if Im reading that right, you need 4 of the cells, 4 holders, and 3 bars... right?

(and we're talking the H-38120P's)

$96 Shipped.

Considering decent batteries are around $60+ this wouldn't be a bad option... I'm just curious about their longevity, reliability, etc.



For anyone considering this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_iron_phosphate_battery


-Gonz

That is exactly what you need ... and I used the foam that's in the box to pack between my ECU and the battery to hold everything in place... so far in the morning the bike starts like it was already warmed up.. almost instantly.
I checked the resting voltage after my ride into work yesterday and before I left for home .. it was 13.6 vdc ... the lead acid battery never could reach that ... and with a voltage sag of only .4 vdc it remains above 13 volts while cranking... so the starter motor is happier now....
I did not install the BMS I purchased... I found out that if I want to use a BMS then it's best to stick a heat sink on the MOSFETs due to the heat in the battery box area. Installing the BMS will protect the battery against low voltage, over current conditions but it also limits the output to 30 amps max. Shouldn't be a problem but I can't test this until I get to the electronics store and slam a heatsink on it. The BMS also keeps the voltage of the individual cells level with one another... but these batteries will self-level so that's not really a concern.
Since these batteries will hold voltage higher than my regulator can output I should always have more voltage than the lead acid battery. Just wish I could get it over 14 vdc ... that would be awesome. I wonder how hard it is to mod a regulator? lol

 

[Slo_VTX]

Checked the voltage this morning... 13.7 ... creeping up ... and again it started like I had just parked it 5 minutes ago.

I still want to know why my fast idle voltage is not over 14 vdc tho ... sure do want that.

 

[93turbo]

Wish I would have known this before I spent $180 on a battery for my bike

 

[Beastie Boy]

Slo, old buddy, you are the tinkeringest dude I have seen. At some point I expect to hear you, Bryan, and Steve, while working in Bryan's shed, found a way to mount a rotor and stabilizer to your bike so you can also chopper out of traffic!

 

[Donut]

Checked the voltage this morning... 13.7 ... creeping up ... and again it started like I had just parked it 5 minutes ago.

I still want to know why my fast idle voltage is not over 14 vdc tho ... sure do want that.

If you had a continuous 14v you would cook the battery - the voltage regulator s doing it'd thing. Mine idles at 14.5 and when i increase the idle it drops down to 13.5.

Doug
I added (today) a LED diode circuit that monsters my charging system that I found on another board. At an idle it is bright green and when the voltage goes down the 13.5 it gets dimmer. And below 13.5 it will not light. and just off the battery it will not light. Works cool!. It's cheap and easy to make and wire in.

Doug

 

[bull117]

Wish I would have known this before I spent $180 on a battery for my bike

You spent $180 on a battery??? You got robbed...

Bull

 

[Donut]

You spent $180 on a battery??? You got robbed...

Bull

I agree - I just spent around $80

 

[tomkat100]

Wish I would have known this before I spent $180 on a battery for my bike

Where can ya spend $180.00 on a battery?

 

[Slo_VTX]

If you had a continuous 14v you would cook the battery - the voltage regulator s doing it'd thing. Mine idles at 14.5 and when i increase the idle it drops down to 13.5.

Doug
I added (today) a LED diode circuit that monsters my charging system that I found on another board. At an idle it is bright green and when the voltage goes down the 13.5 it gets dimmer. And below 13.5 it will not light. and just off the battery it will not light. Works cool!. It's cheap and easy to make and wire in.

Doug

A continuous 14 vdc won't cook this battery.. a lead acid battery it would tho. A continuous 14 vdc would give me 14 vdc to crank and run with. I don't get the higher idle voltage that you do... makes me wonder if I don't have something wrong with my regulator... might also explain why the lead acid battery had a hard time starting the bike when the temp is 30 or less.

And can you post a link to that LED thingie? It sounds like a useful monitoring gizmo ... and I like gizmos.

Slo, old buddy, you are the tinkeringest dude I have seen. At some point I expect to hear you, Bryan, and Steve, while working in Bryan's shed, found a way to mount a rotor and stabilizer to your bike so you can also chopper out of traffic!

That's a great idea!

Let me get the hitch built for the N fender and get it installed... then I can work on a real "chopper" mod.