AGM Battery - Cheap - anyone with experience of?

[Testarossa]

You might want to make sure that your charging system is in top form if you choose to go with those nifty Lithium Iron batteries. I found this exchange on a H***A forum whilst researching batteries for my KZ project: http://www.superhawkforum.com/forums...ic-fail-24934/

I decided that I would let the market be my guinea pig for a while before I bought one of those Shorai's. Glad I did too. I discovered my regulator had become tired of regulating and I was charging at 17VDC+. Cost me a LED taillight, but that was all. If I had a similar episode with my battery, I would have had to stand there and watch it burn. You aren't getting my battery out without some tools.

[Hammered]

The TMS agm battery is the same one I have. Its worked fine. It was the one I had in the bike the day I had my crash and its still fine. I put it on the battery minder each week just to keep it fresh.

[posplayr]

You might want to make sure that your charging system is in top form if you choose to go with those nifty Lithium Iron batteries. I found this exchange on a H***A forum whilst researching batteries for my KZ project: http://www.superhawkforum.com/forums...ic-fail-24934/

I decided that I would let the market be my guinea pig for a while before I bought one of those Shorai's. Glad I did too. I discovered my regulator had become tired of regulating and I was charging at 17VDC+. Cost me a LED taillight, but that was all. If I had a similar episode with my battery, I would have had to stand there and watch it burn. You aren't getting my battery out without some tools.

I dont know if yoiu read any further.......

http://www.superhawkforum.com/forums/general-discussion-30/r-r-shorai-battery%3D-epic-fail-24934/#post295784

In my reasearch on Lipo4, I have pretty much come to the conclusion that the whole issue would likely have been much worse had I had a lead acid battery installed, at least from a safety standpoint. I am tending to think that the R/R failure was coincidental in the whole issue, and not directly related to the charging characteristics of the battery.

Thanks again! As soon as I get some parts in, I will do some more checking, since I would like to verify all this. I would really like to use the Lipo4 battery, too!
__________________

BTW I have a SERIES Compufire R/R which I would think would be about the safest R/R to use with the Lithium. It tends to regulate pertty tight right at 14.0V + 0.1 - 0.3

[Mysuzyq]

I am a store manager for a battery company here in florida. I can ship all over and would be more than happy to hook up all the GS board members with 2 year free replacement batteries at the cheapest prices. They carry nation wide warranties!

PM me for details.

May I suggest a thread in the 'GS Parts & Services' section, with some basic info. re. the battery (brand & specs/prices)....your kind offer would get a lot more exposure there.

[Octain]

I am a store manager for a battery company here in florida. I can ship all over and would be more than happy to hook up all the GS board members with 2 year free replacement batteries at the cheapest prices. They carry nation wide warranties!

PM me for details.

PM sent. Ye Ole Skunk is in need.

[Testarossa]

I dont know if yoiu read any further.......

http://www.superhawkforum.com/forums/general-discussion-30/r-r-shorai-battery%3D-epic-fail-24934/#post295784

BTW I have a SERIES Compufire R/R which I would think would be about the safest R/R to use with the Lithium. It tends to regulate pertty tight right at 14.0V + 0.1 - 0.3

I did, and in fact I re-read the whole thread yesterday before I posted the link. My natural apprehension towards any information disseminated on the internet will not allow me to take the word of one anonymous person with technical information such as the above quoted statement. At the time that I made my battery purchase decision (1 year ago,) those Shorai batteries were real new to the market. I was not near as versed on MC charging systems at the time as I am now. Thank you GS750!

My main consideration was to have a battery that could safely be installed on it's side. The AGM seemed to fill the bill in my instance. Given some time for the market to suss out the value of a Shorai and primarily their customer service, I would consider buying one now. That thread is actually a testament to the company (Shorai) since they reportedly reimbursed the gentleman for his damages.

It seems to me that an actually sealed battery has the capacity to build some pressure if it does start to boil. Pressure in this instance doesn't strike me as a good thing. Maybe Shorai has engineered something of a blow off valve into their batteries to deal with that issue. I don't know. However a conventional, vented battery just overflows instead of exploding due to pressure accumulation. We all know that. The AGM that I purchased does have a cap that is supposed to seal the chamber once the acid is installed. It simply presses in by hand. I would not expect it to retain much pressure at all in an overcharging case.

Either way, I stand by my statement to inspect your charging system when considering the purchase of a relatively expensive battery. If I nuke a cheapo Wally World battery it's one thing, but a $150 battery could have bought me about 3 cheapos. I have a bud on the KZ forum who nuked a Shorai because his bike was overcharging, and it happened fast.

Sorry for the long post, not ranting, and I totally agree with you. I was just hoping to explain my reasoning for going AGM versus LiFe at the time that I had to decide on this purchase.

[posplayr]

I did, and in fact I re-read the whole thread yesterday before I posted the link. My natural apprehension towards any information disseminated on the internet will not allow me to take the word of one anonymous person with technical information such as the above quoted statement. At the time that I made my battery purchase decision (1 year ago,) those Shorai batteries were real new to the market. I was not near as versed on MC charging systems at the time as I am now. Thank you GS750!

My main consideration was to have a battery that could safely be installed on it's side. The AGM seemed to fill the bill in my instance. Given some time for the market to suss out the value of a Shorai and primarily their customer service, I would consider buying one now. That thread is actually a testament to the company (Shorai) since they reportedly reimbursed the gentleman for his damages.

It seems to me that an actually sealed battery has the capacity to build some pressure if it does start to boil. Pressure in this instance doesn't strike me as a good thing. Maybe Shorai has engineered something of a blow off valve into their batteries to deal with that issue. I don't know. However a conventional, vented battery just overflows instead of exploding due to pressure accumulation. We all know that. The AGM that I purchased does have a cap that is supposed to seal the chamber once the acid is installed. It simply presses in by hand. I would not expect it to retain much pressure at all in an overcharging case.

Either way, I stand by my statement to inspect your charging system when considering the purchase of a relatively expensive battery. If I nuke a cheapo Wally World battery it's one thing, but a $150 battery could have bought me about 3 cheapos. I have a bud on the KZ forum who nuked a Shorai because his bike was overcharging, and it happened fast.

Sorry for the long post, not ranting, and I totally agree with you. I was just hoping to explain my reasoning for going AGM versus LiFe at the time that I had to decide on this purchase.

agree, would not use the Shorai/Lithium with anything other that a FET R/R or preferably SERIES R/R as they seem to have tighter regulation and better low speed output. You can idle at over 13.5V pretty easily.

I probably would not use with any other Shunt R/R's . The stock voltage ranges for charging are just too wide.

[Testarossa]

Next time I have to replace any regulator/rectifier, I'm going FET. I did on the GS with a cheap ebay pickup. Too easy. I wish I had known about them before I dropped $120 on a new stinkin' shunt R/R for the KZ. Live and learn.

[posplayr]

Next time I have to replace any regulator/rectifier, I'm going FET. I did on the GS with a cheap ebay pickup. Too easy. I wish I had known about them before I dropped $120 on a new stinkin' shunt R/R for the KZ. Live and learn.

Most all of the R/R's out there are SHUNT (including the FET/MOSFET designs like FH012AA).

Only the Compufire and CycleElectric are SERIES.

[Testarossa]

See, I'm still learning. The FH012AA is still better than a stock R/R, right? That's the one I used on the GS.

[salty_monk]

It regulates better but at high revs it will cause the stator to run hotter than a stock one that allows the voltage to float a little more...

I have the FET's in both of my GS's. Over 5,000 revs is where Posplayr determined the "stator danger zone" to be but the FET is not much worse for this than stock.

Loads of info on this here. Do a search or click on his signature links.

I want this Battery for the KLR most likely (unless I swap one from the GS to the KLR) - Not sure if the RR on that is FET - will find out before I think of dropping any money on one of these Li batteries.

[posplayr]

See, I'm still learning. The FH012AA is still better than a stock R/R, right? That's the one I used on the GS.

Lets just say a new Electro sport stator only lasted about 4K miles with a FH012AA on duty about 1/2 that time (GS1100ED). In fact in 250 miles with FHA12AA and brand new stator I had discoloration after a 250 mile trip.

I just inspected my stator after another 2000 miles on the SERIES R/R and there was no further degradation.

I Ricks or RM stator with lower output probably fares better Ed likes them.

[posplayr]

It shrunk

I just finished cutting battery box "down" to size













with the new Shorai Lithium battery

I left plenty of room for foam and the accessories that bolt to the battery box.

[mrbill5491]

R/Rs

Go Compufire, I did.

[posplayr]

I just finished cutting battery box "down" to size













with the new Shorai Lithium battery

I left plenty of room for foam and the accessories that bolt to the battery box.

Just got back from 2500 miles plus and no issues with the Shorai battery. Even called the company and they were willing to ship me a spare just in case as there was an initial high charging voltage episode but with the Compufire and the Shorai it seems to charge right at 14.3V

picture is after cutting down the box and re welding , por -15 hard nose paint and battery installed with spacer foam. It is real cute.