- Fri May 07, 2021 4:04 pm
#96650
Hi all! A reflection on battery: one of previous winter´s "improvement projects" was to replace the lead battery with a Lithium. I ride a Classic 500 -2010. During last years bike season that followed I was then very satisfied with the result: the slightly higher voltage together with the better capacity to output high current really improved starting performance. I also installed the small voltmeter sold by mr H.
You are all familiar with the caracteristics of a lithium vs a lead battery: the lithium is more "digial": it works perfectly until it suddenly doesn´t anymore. There is no gradual "hint" from the battery that the charge level is low for instance. Not from the voltmeter either.
I today experienced this negative side of lithium. Due to weather here in Sweden I only have had a few short trips and I haven´t charged the battery during winter. The bike immediately started as usual after taking it out of the garage. After a ride and a short stop it was however almost impossible to start it again. There were suddenly almost no juice left to crank the engine. I let it recover for a minute and then managed to get everything going again.
If I would have used the lead battery, I believe that I would have noticed much earlier that the battery was poorly charged and , more important, I guess my voltmeter would also indicate that. As I see it now it is almost useless to have a voltmeter hooked up. Has anyone else experienced similiar issues with lithium? Any reflections? Should I go back to lead?
Regards,
Gunnar
You are all familiar with the caracteristics of a lithium vs a lead battery: the lithium is more "digial": it works perfectly until it suddenly doesn´t anymore. There is no gradual "hint" from the battery that the charge level is low for instance. Not from the voltmeter either.
I today experienced this negative side of lithium. Due to weather here in Sweden I only have had a few short trips and I haven´t charged the battery during winter. The bike immediately started as usual after taking it out of the garage. After a ride and a short stop it was however almost impossible to start it again. There were suddenly almost no juice left to crank the engine. I let it recover for a minute and then managed to get everything going again.
If I would have used the lead battery, I believe that I would have noticed much earlier that the battery was poorly charged and , more important, I guess my voltmeter would also indicate that. As I see it now it is almost useless to have a voltmeter hooked up. Has anyone else experienced similiar issues with lithium? Any reflections? Should I go back to lead?
Regards,
Gunnar