Not as good as they are trumped up to be? Lithium Batteries.

[Kev Murphy]

Had flat Lithium battery a couple times in the past week, but a ten minutes charge and it was good enough to fire up the bike.
Tested alternator and it's fine.
Lithium is only a couple of years old, so I was a bit disappointed when I charged the battery all night last night, only to discover that the voltage was dropping by the minute after removing the charger. 3 hours and it was down to 7 volts, barely enough to light the dashlights.

Replaced the battery a few minutes ago. $170. Very disappointed at such a short life for such a high price.

[Biggles]

Hmm. So we're warned.  Maybe it was a bad batch.  I had one in the ST13 I sold and it was still going strong after nearly 2 years and 35,600 km.
I was keen on the CCA they produce, but at double the price, the CCA from an acid battery will do nicely.  The guy at Battery World demonstrated on the one I bought from him that the CCA on it was quite respectable at 250 IIRC.

[Kev Murphy]

Best to be aware that they CAN fail, and very rapidly... would hate to be off somewhere camping and have a failure, and I am pretty sure that I cannot push start the ST without the advantage of a downhill gradient.

[twisted 1]

Have an SSB AGM in my 1300 coming up on 4 years and stiill goiing strong, just gotta remember to keep em on charge when your not using them regardless of what type of battery.

[Kev Murphy]

Lithium batteries are supposed to hold their charge for many, many months without the need for recharge.

[twisted 1]

Yeah they are supposed to do that, I work with batteries everyday and still dont have complete trust in all the blurb about lithium batteries. On paper they far outweigh anything else on the market but Im still to be convinced.

[Greencan]

and I am pretty sure that I cannot push start the ST without the advantage of a downhill gradient.

...think you'll need a bit more than a good hill Kev, especially if the energy level of the battery isnt enough to get the igniter to provide a spark! Not unless of course you have figured out a way of bump-starting an ST with the ignition on that isolates the lights. The joys of wasted spark ignitions and a dodgey battery hey;-)

Just a thought :-)

[Lionel]

I agree with Greencan, Kev.
A few years I flattened my ST1100 battery by leaving the heated hand grips on all day after riding to work in the Canberra cold weather. There was a large car park on a decent slope at Russell Offices but it wasn't enough to get the bike started.
My Lithium battery is now dead flat. I think I may revert to a cheaper model tomorrow. In fairness, the bike has not been ridden since March this year. My 25 amp Ctek 3 stage charger is not making any difference. Perhaps the elderly Ctek was not designed to charge Lithium batteries.

[cravenhaven]

I had similar problems with my Lithium battery and only managed to eek out a year or so of use. The original Honda Lead/acid battery lasted for over 6 years though subsequent L/A have not done so well. but certainly better than the lithium SSB one.

[twisted 1]

They do make chargers for lithium batteries but generally if you have a charger with an agm setting thats pretty close to the charging rate they require. 25 amps is a bit much for that size battery about 4 amps is good.

[Brock]

25 Amps, is the amount the charger can supply, not what it pushes into the battery

[Greencan]

Hiya Lionel et al...

The original Honda Lead/acid battery lasted for over 6 years though subsequent L/A have not done so well. but certainly better than the lithium SSB one.

...IF!...when I get back to the Gold Coast next year (anytime) and IF I not only get my bike there to not only start after almost a year (have had no problems with similar absent periods over the past 11 years)...AND I manage to routinely run the bike up there for 3-4/52...which will make this bike 20 years old (had it since new, even helped in its un-crating), and still on its 2nd battery 

Cheers, the can :-)

PS The bike was last started and run without a hitch in May this year.

[STroppy]

and I am pretty sure that I cannot push start the ST without the advantage of a downhill gradient.

...think you'll need a bit more than a good hill Kev, especially if the energy level of the battery isnt enough to get the igniter to provide a spark! Not unless of course you have figured out a way of bump-starting an ST with the ignition on that isolates the lights. The joys of wasted spark ignitions and a dodgey battery hey;-)

Just a thought :-)

For the 1300, Battery has to have enough oomph to not only provide spark but also to power fuel pump and injectors. I have roll started an 1100 though. Still needs enough power for spark, carbies usually have enough fuel in them to get bike going without fuel pump powered up.

[Nigel]

Always an interesting topic..............My St is a little over 3 years in the stable and was supplied with a trickle charger on purchase. Don't know how old battery is but other than a loose terminal at Broken Hill it is working a treat. My VFR had a new battery fitted on purchase in Oct 15. Has an alarm didn't have a charger on it and yes 6 weeks later dead as a doe-doe. Fitted up trickle charger and good as gold. Scoot is 4 years old with factory battery fitted and on trickle charger and no issues. All these bikes start every time with no issues, a trickle charger is the answer. These are just standard Lead Acid batteries.....just my 2c worth......................  

[alans1100]

I usually stick with OEM Yuasa and get three years of use. My current one is SSB equivalent to the OEM and it's been in over 12 months.

Mine is used 5 out 7 days a week on average even if it's down to the local shops (2k round trip) and maybe 2 (sometimes 1) runs a month to Port Pirie (220k round trip) plus the RTE rides family visits etc. and that all keeps the battery up to spec.

[Lionel]

Years ago when I bought my 25 Amp Ctek charger I cut the cable with the alligator clips in half. I then installed an Anderson plug on each end so I could reconnect the cable to charge batteries in the traditional manner.
I then made up a series of smaller cables of varying length with an Anderson plug at one end and eyelets at the other. I installed these small cables onto the batteries in my boat (2), Hilux (2), my Landcruiser (3), my motorcycles, motorcycle trailer and my caravan (2). Then I could easily connect the Ctek to any one of the batteries that were sitting idle for months. No more removing farings or hoping the clips would hold under a car bonnet.
Needless to say I had not yet fixed one to the Triumph battery. That will happen tomorrow when I replace the battery.

[Biggles]

Needless to say I had not yet fixed one to the Triumph battery. That will happen tomorrow when I replace the battery.

Fairly new battery?     

[Lionel]

Under three years old and hasn't been used since March this year. 

[Old Steve]

I work in lubricants, and something is happening to greases because of lithium-ion batteries.

The majority of greases have a lithium base, usually something like lithium hydroxy stearate or a complex lithium soap.  The increase of lithium ion batteries has caused a shortage in lithium, and grease will be doubling in price.  If only I'd thought of this a couple of years ago I'd have bought lithium futures.

[alans1100]

I work in lubricants, and something is happening to greases because of lithium-ion batteries.

The majority of greases have a lithium base, usually something like lithium hydroxy stearate or a complex lithium soap.  The increase of lithium ion batteries has caused a shortage in lithium, and grease will be doubling in price.  If only I'd thought of this a couple of years ago I'd have bought lithium futures.

Maybe Tesla uses a fair bit for their cars

[Biggles]

I work in lubricants, and something is happening to greases because of lithium-ion batteries.

The majority of greases have a lithium base, usually something like lithium hydroxy stearate or a complex lithium soap.  The increase of lithium ion batteries has caused a shortage in lithium, and grease will be doubling in price.  If only I'd thought of this a couple of years ago I'd have bought lithium futures.

There are a lot of "rare earths" that are going to skyrocket in value.  And China has a lot of them, but is using everyone else's first.

[Alfred]

Lithiums need to be charged at 6mth intervals if not used.  They generally are pretty reliable, but like everything, some do go wrong.

[Kev Murphy]

Lithiums need to be charged at 6mth intervals if not used.  They generally are pretty reliable, but like everything, some do go wrong.

Lithium battery was flat after the bike was parked for just 2 days.  Have tested circuitry for voltage leaks, and the only drain is the dash clock.

Fitted NEW lithium last wednesday, rode it thursday and friday, but the NEW lithium battery was DEAD FLAT this afternoon when I went out to the bike.

Murphys Law? ... surely I didn't successively buy 2 faulty Lithium batteries?

I put a test meter on the bike to check if there is a leak or a short, but it is all clear.  And before anyone casts doubts that I don't know how
to use a meter, I was a registered electrician special class with 45 years in the trade until retirement 7 years ago.

Tomorrow, am returning the Lithium and going back to a standard lead acid cell.

[Alfred]

Must be a bad batch.  That is alot loss in just two days if nothing is on.

[Biggles]

Tomorrow, am returning the Lithium and going back to a standard lead acid cell.

I hope they take it back.  Batteries are a bit like light globes- the sellers think you're trying to put it over them with an old one.  Probably OK with a new lithium, unlike  "torch" batteries.

As Alfred says- it looks a lot like a bad batch.  They can't have that high a failure rate in general or they would be off the market long ago.