Shorai battery

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vsop-dk

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Hi everyone... How are the experience with the Shorai batteries?

I've added one to my newly build with a 277 rephased engine etc and I'm experiencing really bad cranking and can only try perhaps 5 times cranking over and then battery is dead.

Today I unhooked the stoplight and the headlight from the ignition switch, just to save on the battery when starting the engine. It didn't help at all.

I've got a spare Shorai that I lend and same behavior is going on there.

Thought it would have been a better experience. I've even charged it with a original Shorai charger.

Am I doing something wrong?

It's the Shorai LFX14A2-BS12 BTW.
 
I have used many of the same LFX14A2-BS12 on XS650s. Never with a problem. It is the best battery I've ever used. My guess is that you have a problem somewhere.
 
Hmm could it be I have two doa batteries? Sounds pretty strange I think.

Could it be the solenoid doing this?? Draining it this quick?
 
Are you following the battery manufacturer's instructions as to how to first charge the battery?

Once the new battery is initially fully charged, then its up to the bike's onboard charging system to keep the battery fully charged.

Have you measured the battery voltage, with the engine running at 3000 to 3500 rpm?
You need to see 14 to 14 .5 volts in order to have a fully charged battery.

If the bike is down for the winter, you would need to use a bench charger to occasionally give the battery a top up charge.
 
with a good, charged battery while starting the voltage drop should be 2-3 volts.
connect a volt meter to battery and crank the engine over and see how much the volts drop while doing so.
also the full charge on your battery is a bit more than a lead acid battery (13.5 volts yours) and (12.5 lead acid)
 
Retiredgentleman and Carbon, thanks for the heads up on this.

I've recharged both batteries with the original Shorai charger and will test some more. I'm waiting for a multimeter to arrive so I can start testing and meassure the battery drops etc.

I've Allso send a tech email to Shorai I'll await their response to this aswell. One thing I notice though on their Web page is that they recommend the battery one step bigger than the ones I have.
 
Carbon yes I noticed but found it as a typo. ;)

How many times would you recon the bike could be cranked over without driving until battery went dead?
 
vsop-dk said:
Carbon yes I noticed but found it as a typo. ;)

How many times would you recon the bike could be cranked over without driving until battery went dead?
Click to expand...

The battery and the starter motor are not designed for repeated cranking. They are designed for a quick engine start and then drive away, with the accumulated driving kilometers, allowing the on board charging system to recharge the battery.

If your bike is a garage queen with many start ups, but no recharging, then the battery will discharge. Also, if your battery is sitting unused in a cold garage, the cold is hard on batteries.

Are you even starting the engine, or just cranking? You need a VOM to measure voltage before you can proceed any further.
 
retiredgentleman, no definately not a garage queen, just now there are two issues, one its still winter here, therefore no actual drive can happen, second the engine is rebuild and the break in require me to crank the engine over several initial times, just for shorter terms... During this I experienced that the drain of the battery were quick.

Can a multimeter do the same as a VOM ?
 
You should do a Google search for "Shorai battery failure" or "Shorai battery troubles".

They seem to have a history of very difficult to start engines, especially in colder weather.
Appear to be somewhat fragile batteries, and unrelaible.

Something wrong here:eek:...................expensive to buy battery and charger is also expensive, yet many problems occur.

You have bought 2 of these batteries, which is getting costly............................there are similar stories on the web with lads going back to more conventional batteries.

Did the 2 batteries come with a warranty?..................that may end up being the best way to go.

Conventional lead/acid batteries are inexpensive and totally reliable.

Yes, a VOM and a multimeter are the same thing.
 
retiredgentleman you are right, the regular lead acid option might be a better way to go, just my challenge here is to actually be able to fit one onto the bike size wise.

Prior to my build I read a lot about the batteries and we're recommended the small shorai.

Perhaps I just got a bad batch ;)

I've send them and email asking for procedures from here on.

Have a great week
 
The reseller advised me to charge with a ctek 0.8A charger to get the batteries back to life. XX my fingers that they will wake up... Keep you posted. Else ill might turn to the kick only.... but my knees would hate that.
 
vsop-dk said:
The reseller advised me to charge with a ctek 0.8A charger to get the batteries back to life. XX my fingers that they will wake up... Keep you posted. Else ill might turn to the kick only.... but my knees would hate that.
Click to expand...

knees I know just what You mean
I have them.
I am running kick only on this engine. before tune I was not riding her much
After I got my girl tuned up good she starts real easy now. first kick most of the time. thank goodness.
 
I dont know how a complete new rebuild engine should kick over and if battery is an issue in that regards, but mine kicks backs I think... Im just cautious for my knees and doesnt kick her over as I might should.

;) ordered myself a ballistics today... just want that crap to Work.
 
My engine is very fresh around 800 kilometers
Mine was kicking back too. But not any more.
The timing was advanced too far
Maybe that's your problem.
 
Carbon by any chance you have it documented mine need to be retarded aswell, just a bit. Perhaps you have a video of it laying? ;)
 
I have the procedure for finding TDC and marking the rotor.
which you will need a piston stop (pic below)
I can make a video of the engine idling at 1200 rpms showing the rotor mark behind the fire mark
Once you have a TDC mark on the rotor.(p below)
Then start up the engine it needs to be idling at 1200rpms
hook up a timing light and and adjust the timing so the rotor TDC mark is siting behind the fire mark (pic of fire mark my next post sorry)
Finding TDC without degree wheel
Finding TDC with degree wheel
 

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