Shorai Battery LFX18A1 LFX

Discussion in '7th Generation 2010-Present' started by JBzRed07, Dec 5, 2012.

  1. JBzRed07

    JBzRed07 New Member

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    I have noticed over the past couple of months that it now takes a couple of seconds longer of cranking to start my VFR1200. The OEM battery is the standard YAESU lead acid batt. I am on the quest for a battery that has the CCA (cold cranking ability/amps) to turn over this engine and start it with authority! The options available to us are the lead acids, then batteries by BALLISTIC, and some other marketed brands. Then there is SHORAI. Have any of you VFR1200f owners changed your bike's battery yet? If so, have you stepped up to a premium battery, or did you stick with the OEM stuff? If you have gone with an alternate choice of battery, please elaborate and tell us about it, if you will?

    Welcome - Shorai LFX Batteries

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    Last edited: Dec 5, 2012
  2. JBzRed07

    JBzRed07 New Member

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  3. JBzRed07

    JBzRed07 New Member

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    Ok....? I guess I will stick to the YUASA YTz14s.
     
  4. Scubalong

    Scubalong Official Greeter?

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  5. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    Most of the lithium iron batterys are made from A123 based cells. (Including the one above.) The Shorai is its own animal, still lithium iron.
    -- The skinny on them -
    The good -
    -----Lightweight, good power, and dont have to recharge during the winter. Will hold its charge for a year at a time.
    The bad -
    ----Loses punch in cooler temps (sub 50 - 45 F) if allowed to sit for an overnite period or longer. (Is fine for running in the temps)
    ---- If left in cold or frozen temps for a extended period, will discharge and eat it. (not good)
    -------- Solution--- must bring in the house and keep warm for the winter season.

    I have one - an A123 build up type. -- I like it and it works great. I just keep in mind its cold temp phobia and it works as designed. If I would go on a trip and have to stay somewhere overnite with cool temps, I would pull it and bring inside for the nite. (I have a quick connect on mine.)


    Thats the skinny. -- Keep in mind the temp issue and its fine. ---Dont wanna effe with it? With the conventional style you still have to screw with a charger during the winter. - With the Lithium iron, you just bring it the house and forget about it.

    (Mines a motydesign --- www.motydesign.com --- last winter it sat for months, and lost 1/10 of a volt the whole time. Frickn awesome. )

    btw - your charging system should be in very good condition to run one of these.

    md :cool:
     
  6. Dangerous Dave

    Dangerous Dave New Member

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    Wow...I've never heard that before. That is very interesting! At the price, I would never go out and buy one of the Li-Fe batteries just for the weight loss, but if I was due for a new battery anyway I would consider it. This info, if accurate, might just change my position on that since I do live and ride in cold climates. Where did you find this info? Certainly the battery manufacturers don't want to tell you this.

    Edit: just remembered, you're right down the road from me! How about this "winter"? I've been riding most everyday with my heated vest and gloves. No road salt makes me a happy boy. :smile:
     
  7. CRFan1

    CRFan1 New Member

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    I have a shorai on my 2000 vfr and love it. Its been rock solid. The cold weather will cause it to lose some of its rated amperage at start up. Go to Shoraipower.com and read the FAQ's
     
  8. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    - I didnt know about the low temp issues until I bought my battery. But the cold thing got pointed out with a group buy of the moty and a some of the guys took a trip and stayed in a hotel, and the temps dropped to about 40 over nite. Near all reported that they had cranking trouble.
    - Research low temp problems of Lithium Iron batterys.
    - The same issue had popped up with Shorai. Seen youtube vid on a BMW guy trying to start in 45 degree F his GS1200 with a Shorai.- The company responded by bumping battery size recommendations.

    More stuff -check thread.
    http://vfrworld.com/forums/general-...y-life-charging-system-overhaul-complete.html

    This is mine. I do like it. Light, light. No battery acid. High resting voltage. No charger requirement. And well... It's just flat out cool. With the quick connector I have on it, its fun to just unplug it from my viffer and hand it to another bike guy.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2012
  9. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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  10. petey

    petey New Member

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    I have a Shorai 18A in my 1300FJR, and rode up to BC last spring. Had a couple of mornings in the mid to high 20's, with the bike parked outside. The trick is( in cold temps) to turn your key to on for a minute or so to let the battery warm up. Hit the starter and the bike fired right up. There where more reported problems when they first came out. Battery's built after May of this year are supposed to be better in colder temps, if you let them warm up before you start cranking.
     
  11. PWH

    PWH New Member

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    Ditto,

    Have ran a Shorai on my 998 for over a year.. NO PROBLEMS, and this includes me riding ALL WINTER in Reno, on -5 to 20 degree temps in the morning.

    My only complaint is in order to keep the Shorai on a tender, you have to buy their battery charging system, I would consider a Shorai for my VFR as I need a new battery, but I just don't want to buy another battery charger from them... And in the end a good Yuasa works fine. :)
     
  12. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    My understanding is that with these batterys is that putting them on a tender longer term is not a good idea. The chargers that are sold are more for a quick charge and cell voltage balance.

    I admit I like to experiement on stuff. - I had a cheap lead/acid battery that only lasted 19 months and it decided to take a dump acid on my swing arm and hugger. So that was kind of the push to think - no more acid for me. When I saw the LiFe battery, even through it was a little pricey, I thought why not give it a shot? For me, no regrets.
     
  13. Dangerous Dave

    Dangerous Dave New Member

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    I thought one of the big draws (no pun intended) of a Shorai was that it could sit on a shelf for a year without a charge and still maintain most of it's SOC.
     
  14. cornerexit

    cornerexit New Member

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    It's a good idea if you buy their charger which balances the cells.

    I've got a Shorai on my Yamaha and it's been rock solid. LFX18. I have the SHorai charger but rarely use it. The good thing about these batteries, besides the weight savings, is that you can go months, even 6-9 months, with no tender, and it will fire right up first time.

    I'll be putting one on the VFR1200 some time this year.
     
  15. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    You got it right, but just not in a cold temperature location. On mine, I pulled it out of my viffer last November and it had 13.48v. Checked last Saturday a week ago - 13.46v. Stuck it the VFR and it fired up imediately. No doubt if stored indoors (warm) it could go a year no problem. Its one of the reasons I bought mine, no charger hassle. I'm going on 2 years (guess) and havent had to fool with a charger once.

    btw - I'm still up for a ride Dave.
     
  16. Dangerous Dave

    Dangerous Dave New Member

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    See Petey's post above. I've heard this from the Shorai guys as well as other people who've owned them. Turn the key on and wait a minute and it's all good. For the price, I wouldn't buy one unless I actually needed a new battery. But if I did, I'd likely go that route. I have battery tenders on both sides of the garage and tender hookups on most of my vehicles. Too many vehicles that sit for too long at a time (4 bikes, a truck, and a car). But if you're faithful with Battery Tender use, your batteries pretty much last forever. MY 4wd Tacoma often sits for months at a time without being started (I'd rather ride) and spends lots of time on the Tender. I finally replaced the original battery at ten years old...not because it was bad, but because it was ten years old and somebody offered me the brand new battery out of their Tacoma that was about to get scrapped.
     
  17. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    I have heard the switch on and let it warmup thing. But let it sit for a year at 20 degrees and then test it. Of course nobody's gonna do it.

    Anyhoo - agree that for ultimate reliability the "old tech" Yuasa AGM with a tender on it is the way to go. :rolleyes:

    So whatya think about a spring opening ride around Oregonia and Ft Ancient? :cool:
     
  18. Dangerous Dave

    Dangerous Dave New Member

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    Exactly.

    Sounds like it could be fun, although I find the roads out that way to be a bit mucky first thing in the spring. Me and my local riding buddies have been talking forever about doing 555 south out of Zanesville. They call it Ohio's Dragon. Of course it's a 125 mile ride just to get there from my house. But hopefully it's worth the trip.

    Still waiting to see what the weather brings us today. Weather.com says 1" today, 1" tomorrow. National weather service says 5-9" tonight. I shoulda been a weatherman.
     
  19. petey

    petey New Member

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    My understanding is that one can use any charger/tender that does not DESOLVATE a battery. I have used a (non desolvating old style) tender with no harm to the battery.
     
  20. CRFan1

    CRFan1 New Member

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    This is correct....you CAN use a tender on a LiFe but it will only bring the battery to 13.2 volts which is about 80%. I have had my Shorai almost a year and a couple of things I can comment on:

    - The battery is Rock solid and so far I love it.
    - Full charge is around 14.1 volts but In monitoring mine over the winter or in general, It is usually there after a ride but comes down to the 70-80% range of 13.1- 13.2 volts and stays there for a LONG time.
    - I have had no starting issues...coldest overnight for me was 48* but spent a half day riding and stopping in high 30 degree temps and no issues.
    - This battery charges up fast! Over the winter I started and warmed up the bike for a bit (once to change oil a week ago) and even after a 10 minute run at idle the battery will be almost fully charged and at or near 14 volts!

    So far, I have to say it has been great and I don't have the Shorai charger. On a side note, I have been using A123/LiFe batteries in some of my large (70 plus inch wingspan) gas RC planes and they absolutely kick arse. I do say 4, 8 minute flights on a 2 cell 2300 MAH battery (I could probably go at least 10 flights but for safety's sake my routine is 4) and hook the charger up and in approximately 7 minutes I am at 100%. :)

    So far, my experience with these batteries has been nothing but 100% positive.
     
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