Lithium battery questions

[Guest]

Hey y'all I've been searching around and I'm either terrible at searching or the answers don't exist (my money is on my bad searching abilities though)

So I picked up a lithium battery (12v featherweight Lithium battery) and I know I need to replace my regulator but I can't seem to nail down exactly which one I need and if there's anything else I need to change on my 1982 gs450t's electrical on top of that. I know it's not plug and play I got it mainly so I can learn how to do it and what is needed so I can have another skill up my sleeve.

Any help is appreciated and I thank yall in advance.

 

[Guest]

Can't help with the R/R selection, but I have to ask ... what was the incentive for the lithium battery?

 

[salty_monk]

The Shindengen series regulator will work fine with a lithium as far as I know. You can fit any of the Mosfet series (I have an FH020 that's brand new somewhere if you're interested) but the the series ones are kinder to your bikes stator. Lots of info on that here if you search.

 

[Guest]

Ricks Motorsports has R/R’s for a lithium battery

 

[Guest]

Lithium Battery and R/R

Lithium Battery and R/R

Ricks Motor Sports have R/R?s for Lithium Batteries

 

[salty_monk]

Rick's are shunt type... I would get a series (or even a shunt) type Shindengen before I went with the Rick's one.

 

[Jhurt]

What you need with a lithium battery is a R/R that is very accurate and consistent with its charge rate, especially the high rpm charge. Look at the specs for the battery you want to buy. I used an Antigravity lithium in my gs750, if memory serves 14.2v at high rpm is the max acceptable charge rate. The shindengen series regulators are perfect for this (also what I used). The lithium batteries are very nice for saving weight or using a smaller form factor if your doing something custom and need to fit a battery in a smaller spot.

 

[chris]

Hi, like jhurt said and from what I have read, lithium batteries require a minimum voltage of 13.9 to have a proper life. Therefore I think you need a regulator that gives at least 13.9 volts at idle . The sh870 on my 1100e gives 14.4 volts no mater the rpm. My honda crf250rx came stock with a lithium battery, I will report back about its charging rate.

 

[bobtail84]

I have a LI-ION battery and a SH775 conversion on my GS1000.

This is the link to the battery I purchased https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292846700221?hash=item442f0606bd:g:-SgAAOSw7thcB7Nk

Have a look at the specs more for the diamentions and CCA than the cost or location of seller.

The main reason for my going to Li-ion was the CCA, I have sheared the 3 bolts on the starter clutch twice now due to fireing back on start-up, I have done the kill switch conversion but the speed the Li-ion battery spins the motor is so much quicker and makes such a difference.

That's my 50 cents worth if it helps.

 

[eil]

I had to google for the battery, this looks like the one: https://www.motorcycleid.com/fire-power/12v-featherweight-lithium-battery.html

These are marketed as replacements for 12V powersports batteries so assuming these are engineered and manufactured worth a damn, you should not need to modify your charging system in any way because they should have battery management circuitry built into them. So contrary to what you read about Lithium batteries being finicky about voltage thresholds and whatnot, that probably doesn't apply here. (But you should still get a Shindingen series R/R anyway.)

One downside to this battery is that it uses Lithium Polymer chemistry. This makes for cheap and powerful batteries, but they also have a tendency (more than most, anyway) to go up in flames due to neglect or the occasional manufacturing defect. A little rare, but it does happen. I will switch away from AGM ("better" lead-acid) batteries forever once Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4) powersports batteries come down in price just a little bit more. They have a much more stable chemistry, which I feel is a substantial benefit to something that sits directly under my crotch.