The 1978 I just bought has a lithium battery.
Do I need to do anything to my charging system?
Lithium battery and our charging system?
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- Brass Member
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Sat Jul 22, 2017 1:42 am
Lithium battery and our charging system?
In chronological order beginning 1967:
1959 Cushman Eagle
1967 Honda 160
197? Honda CB 360 (I think)
1983 Honda Goldwing GL 1100
1982 Yamaha Vision 650?
198? Suzuki 1000?
1980 Honda GL1100 (naked sometimes)
2004 BMW K1200LT
2007 Yamaha VSTAR 650
2009 Triumph Bonneville T100
2005 Suzuki V-Strom Dl650
And now a 1978 Goldwing GL1000
1959 Cushman Eagle
1967 Honda 160
197? Honda CB 360 (I think)
1983 Honda Goldwing GL 1100
1982 Yamaha Vision 650?
198? Suzuki 1000?
1980 Honda GL1100 (naked sometimes)
2004 BMW K1200LT
2007 Yamaha VSTAR 650
2009 Triumph Bonneville T100
2005 Suzuki V-Strom Dl650
And now a 1978 Goldwing GL1000
- ericheath
- Honored Life Member
- Posts: 9581
- Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:20 am
- Location: Winnipeg, Manituba
Re: Lithium battery and our charging system?
The subject of considerable debate. Some put them on their bikes and don't keep them on battery tenders, and they're fine. Others like me had lots of trouble with mine at first. It kept slowly going dead. I had installed a relay so my regulator read actual battery voltage for my lead acid battery. Since LiFePo4 batteries have a charge of 3.3 volts per cell and run four cells to make 13.2 volts. (They just add another four cells or eight cells to increase amp hour) The standard lead acid batteries are six cells at 2.1volts for 12.6 volts. The regulators are designed to charge a 12.6 volt battery. After starting the vehicle the regulator bumps the charge rate up to bring the battery back to state. I think most are happy to run 14 volts and keep the battery at 13 volts. Thirteen volts on a lithium battery is below resting state.
I believe my regulator thought my battery was fine at roughly 13 volts and didn't charge it anymore. During use it would consume too much and it would eventually die on me while underway.
I removed the relay so the regulator read battery voltage from the battery up through the switches and connectors and back to the regulator. I don't know how much voltage drop there is but it's enough to where it has been fine ever since.
I notice most suppliers recommend keeping them on a battery charger while not in use. I can't help but think this is to prevent them from being under charged and to sell you another product. Most lithiums have "balance" chargers which measure individual cells and charge them so they are equal.
Mine is a Ballistic and has a small flexible plastic boot which can be removed to read each cells charge. I check them once a year but they have remained very close to the same. I think most now have this feature.
It's four years old now and spins it over easily. Recovery time is faster if I do crank it down. Just give it a minute and it's good to go again. Fours years was all I would get from a lead acid battery.
All of this is from an admitted electrical buffoon, but it's what worked for me. There are several other members who have them.
You hear or read of scary stories about them catching fire or blowing up, but that is from a different type of lithium battery, the type used in phones, computers etc.
I believe my regulator thought my battery was fine at roughly 13 volts and didn't charge it anymore. During use it would consume too much and it would eventually die on me while underway.
I removed the relay so the regulator read battery voltage from the battery up through the switches and connectors and back to the regulator. I don't know how much voltage drop there is but it's enough to where it has been fine ever since.
I notice most suppliers recommend keeping them on a battery charger while not in use. I can't help but think this is to prevent them from being under charged and to sell you another product. Most lithiums have "balance" chargers which measure individual cells and charge them so they are equal.
Mine is a Ballistic and has a small flexible plastic boot which can be removed to read each cells charge. I check them once a year but they have remained very close to the same. I think most now have this feature.
It's four years old now and spins it over easily. Recovery time is faster if I do crank it down. Just give it a minute and it's good to go again. Fours years was all I would get from a lead acid battery.
All of this is from an admitted electrical buffoon, but it's what worked for me. There are several other members who have them.
You hear or read of scary stories about them catching fire or blowing up, but that is from a different type of lithium battery, the type used in phones, computers etc.
Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
- Sugs
- Gold Member
- Posts: 1069
- Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2015 6:12 pm
- Location: Springfield, MO
Re: Lithium battery and our charging system?
What brand battery is it? Some have built in charging regulators that compensate for the voltage fluxuations of our aged charging systems.
_______________________
'79 Honda GL1000 Goldwing
'79 Honda GL1000 Goldwing
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- Brass Member
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Sat Jul 22, 2017 1:42 am
Re: Lithium battery and our charging system?
It is a Bikemaster DLFP 50N18L-A
I downloaded the pdf manual and took this screen shot.
I downloaded the pdf manual and took this screen shot.
- Attachments
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- 2017-08-06 11.47.20.png (396.51 KiB) Viewed 280 times
In chronological order beginning 1967:
1959 Cushman Eagle
1967 Honda 160
197? Honda CB 360 (I think)
1983 Honda Goldwing GL 1100
1982 Yamaha Vision 650?
198? Suzuki 1000?
1980 Honda GL1100 (naked sometimes)
2004 BMW K1200LT
2007 Yamaha VSTAR 650
2009 Triumph Bonneville T100
2005 Suzuki V-Strom Dl650
And now a 1978 Goldwing GL1000
1959 Cushman Eagle
1967 Honda 160
197? Honda CB 360 (I think)
1983 Honda Goldwing GL 1100
1982 Yamaha Vision 650?
198? Suzuki 1000?
1980 Honda GL1100 (naked sometimes)
2004 BMW K1200LT
2007 Yamaha VSTAR 650
2009 Triumph Bonneville T100
2005 Suzuki V-Strom Dl650
And now a 1978 Goldwing GL1000
- Sugs
- Gold Member
- Posts: 1069
- Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2015 6:12 pm
- Location: Springfield, MO
Re: Lithium battery and our charging system?
Bikemaster is what I'm using in my Honda CB-1. I plan to use one in my GL1000 when I'm finished building it. They have built in protection board to equalize the cells and protect against overcharging. See this link:
https://bikemaster.com/batteries/lithiu ... ttery.html
https://bikemaster.com/batteries/lithiu ... ttery.html
_______________________
'79 Honda GL1000 Goldwing
'79 Honda GL1000 Goldwing
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