Shorai Lithium Iron Battery ( ST1100\ST1300 )

[KoTAOW]

Information and Comments by Tim Shevlin, STOC #1183 and Steve Kelley, STOC #077
Related installation thread with photo's on a 2009 R1200R, BMW:  http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=650857

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Shorai Lithium Iron Battery ( ST1100\ST1300 )

Links:
Shorai Lithium Batteries          Shorai Battery Chargers

Shorai Battery - ST1100          Shorai Battery - ST1300

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Comments by Tim Shevlin:  If you're willing to gamble on really new technology, consider replacing your tired battery with a new Shorai.  I have been using my new Shorai for a whole month now (!!) and it's still working as advertised. (it is a remarkable product, IMHO)  And getting a little weight off of the right side of the ST1300 doesn't hurt either.

Just got an e-notice from Chaparral that features a special on Shorai batteries for less than I paid. (grrrr...)   Go for it.

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Comments by Steve Kelly:  

Here is the info on what I ordered:

Battery Info
SKU:4897034420111
Product:LFX18A1-BS12
Price: $189.95

Charger Info
SKU: 4897034420289
Product: SHO-BMS01
Price: $79.95

SubTotal:  $269.90
Shipping: FedEx Home Delivery $12.03
Tax:  $0.00
Total:  $281.93

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Be sure to read their FAQ - for instance, you DO NOT want to use an anti-sulfating battery tender.

And I found the following fascinating as well as counter-intuitive:

Question: I hear that lithium crank poorly when it gets cold, is that right?

Answer:  Lithium do increase in resistance more as temperature drops, compared to lead-acid. However, they also react to cranking under cold conditions in a much better way. Lead-acid will increase resistance on each subsequent cranking attempt, until it won’t turn over. If your LFX fails to start the engine on first crank, that first crank has warmed the battery, and the second attempt will be much stronger, and so on until you get a good start.

Shorai LFX are much better in cold-weather conditions than other-brand lithium starter batteries, due to our extreme-rate formulation with low resistance. Down to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-7C) most users find that they can start normally on first crank. If your headlight comes on at key-ON, it is good for the batteries to flow some current before cranking in cold weather. The suggested headlight-on time before cranking depends on the temperature. If starting at 40f (5C), 30 seconds will help wake the battery and increase cranking performance. If at 0f (-17C), leave the lights on for 4~5 minutes before cranking. The result will be a better first crank, and longer battery life. Any other accessories that can be turned on before cranking can also be used for this purpose, such as heated gear, radio, etc...

It is worth noting that, while the Shorai is 80% lighter than stock, acid free, and can be mounted in any position, it is also about 1/3 the size of a stock battery and must be shimmed into place.  I popped for one and a charger direct from Shorai at retail.  Not a good deal, but it's for my ST, and I don't have any other children.

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Comments by Dauntless, from ADVRider forum:

Here is what it looks like packed in the foam pieces that you must trim to make it match your original battery:


Here it is compared to my 2009 R1200R's original battery:






Here it is with the foam cut to shim the battery:




The battery is 7 pounds lighter than the original. It is so light that it makes you wonder how it can generate any power.

The battery was a PITA to install because the nut to which the terminal screw attaches falls away and out of reach if you have an accessory wire attached to the battery in addition to the main cable. I had to stick a piece of the foam under the nut in order to keep it in place and within reach of the screw. Here is a comparison of my original battery's pretty robust terminal and the Shorai's terminal:


It would be nice if the nut was taller and the terminal itself was flush with the top of the battery. The way it is now, the leads of my battery cables are angled down to meet the terminal and probably don't have as good of a contact area as it would if the terminal was flush.

Further, the foam pads that shim the battery are exposed to water spray. I don't know how they will hold up or if they will retain water like a sponge.

If I had known that I had to cut foam to make this battery fit and shim the terminal nuts to make them work, I wouldn't have bought this battery. The weight savings isn't that important to me. I think an Odyssey battery would have served my purposes just fine.

Here is a good explanation of the benefits: http://www.novaelectric.com/life.php

Some advantages of the Lithium Ion Phosphate batteries are listed below for reference:

   4X higher energy density than lead-acid battery: The gravimetric energy density of the LiFePO4 battery is ~130 Wh/kg, almost four times higher than that of a typical Lead-acid battery, at 35Wh/kg. For the UPS user, this means far greater run times while running on battery, without any space penalty.

   Light Weight: Despite the vastly higher energy density, the LiFePO4 battery packs are, in most cases, only 1/3 the weight of conventional lead acid packs. So for applications where weight savings are critical, the use of LiFePO4 batteries can result in significant reductions in overall system weight.

   Long Life: LiFePO4 battery packs typically achieve a minimum of 2000 cycles with 70% capacity remaining, with up to 5000 cycle potential. This is equivalent to the 8-12 year expected life the very best sealed, lead acid batteries offer. Further, LiFePO4 batteries do not suffer from the “memory effect” of some conventional lead acid batteries.

   Better Voltage Regulation: Unlike the Lead acid battery, the LiFePO4 battery terminal voltage remains relatively constant during high rate discharge. This equates to much better performance during high rate (short time period) discharges, yielding a much better AH performance during this type of application, typical in UPS systems.

   Wide Temp Range: LiFePO4 battery packs are typically sold for operation between -20°C to +60°C, charging between -10°C to +60°C, and storage between -40°C to +70°C. This is equivalent to the ranges that only premium sealed, lead acid batteries offer.

   Safety with power: Safety is equivalent to or better than the traditional lead acid type, without the risk of explosion or fire outbreak associated with some other new battery technologies. The LiFePO4 battery has hybrid characteristics: it is as safe as the lead-acid battery and as powerful as the lithium ion battery.

   A Greener Battery: The eco-friendly LiFePO4 battery packs are recyclable and non-toxic.

   Battery Management: All LiFePO4 Batteries are provided with a Battery Management System (BMS) which protects the battery cells within the Nova LiFePO4 Battery pack. The BMS will protect the cells to be sure they do not go outside of the normal limits of Cell voltage of the minimum discharge voltage of 2.8 V, the working voltage of 3.0 V â€" 3.3 V, and the maximum charge voltage of 3.6 V. The BMS also provides short circuit protection which prevents high current in the event of an external short circuit.

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Thank You again to everyone who contributed.