Ok so I know GLACIERPEARL has been running trouble free for over three years on his stock stator, voltage regulator and battery.

But I have not been so luck after almost a year with an almost identical sound system as GP.

I have been thru a voltage regulator and now my battery is starting to go south!

The voltage regulator could just be because it was time and may have nothing to due with my sound system.
But the battery? Well, it is 2.5 years old, I have drained it down to nothing EDIT: It has draind to almost zero at least 4 times. Once I left the ignition on while working on the bike and the other, I killed it jamming tunes and BBQing one weekend while drinking too many beers..........lol.
The other two times was when the voltage regulator went out. The bike was running off the battery only, was not charging and drained the battery while riding. Came to a stop and had no power, just enough juice to fire the spark plugs was all it had!

Anyway, the battery is still good but it has lost a lot of capacity. Still cranks the bike just fine but I can only crank the stereo up while riding for about 10 minutes till the voltage drops and check engine and battery light come on.
I turn down the tunes and voltage goes back up to 14v and lights go away.

I have no way to check the battery capacity but I know it is just below what is needed to run this system for more than a few minutes. I suspect running it dead a couple times did some damage and sulfated the plates pretty good reducing the capacity.

So, I have been shopping for a new battery. I have it narrowed down to the Odyssey AGM or the Shorai Lithium LFX36L3-BS12
I have done some research about the LiFePo4 battery technology but have not seen much in the way of reviews from the MC community on them.

I have read some reviews that are great but also other complaining about slow starts and the like.

I guess my main concern is if Shorai can output enough amps to run bothe the bike and the sound system without "starving" either of them.

The Odyssey is pretty straight forward and I know it is an excelent replacement for the OEM. But the Shorai and similar LiFe batteries with Amp Hours of up to 36Ah has peaked my interest!

Someone correct me if I am wrong but the late model HD battery is 380 CCA and 28 Ah?

The Odyssey AGM claims 925 cca for 5 minutes then it drops from there. I have seen some sellers marketing it as a 400 cca batery? And is a 28 ah battery like the OEM
But they claim a 50 minute reserve capacity @ 25 amp draw and deep cycle abilities.

 

Many on this site(including myself) have went with this one. $99.95 shipped to your door.
http://www.batterymart.com/p-Big-Cra...-fl-flh-1570cc

•12 Volt, 26 Ah, 400 CCA
•6.63"L X 5.19"W X 6.88"H
•Sealed, Maintenance-Free
•Leakproof/Spillproof
•Ships fully charged ready to install
•Environmentally friendly, 100% recyclable
•Vibration Resistant Design

More:

Premium quality absorbed glass mat technology (AGM) is ideal for ATVs, motorcycles, personal watercraft, & snowmobiles. The Big Crank Power Sports AGM Battery was designed for more than performance; it was designed for the enthusiast.

Completely spillproof and leakproof; frequent replacement and high maintenance are over!

The AGM technology increases power while improving rider and environmental safety. The key to this technology is the highly porous microfiber separators, which completely absorb and trap the electrolyte. Molded top and side connection terminals provide versatility, increased strength and durability. The Big Crank Power Sports AGM Battery provides the most advanced power and value in the industry.

 

Only problem with that one is, I need at least the amp hours provided from the OEM battery. OEM is 28ah and this one is 26ah.

If I were to go with a cheaper AGM than the Odyssey, I would go with the "Lightning Start" AGM. It is 600 CCA and 30 Ah.

Thanks though. I have seen this one and it does get good reviews. However, I am looking to improve upon or at least keep the current capacity of the OEM.

 

I figure if this one lasts 2-3 years I will have gotten my $$$ out of it.
Pretty cheap in the "HD" scheme of things over-all.

 

Oh don't get me wrong, that is a great battery. I have been eying it for a while and I come across it every time I research batteries.

My case is a little different though. I am pushing 1200 watts and I am at the point where I need a little more capacity or I start taxing my charging system on the bike.

The way it is right now, after about 10 minutes, I am using more juice than my system can handle because of the dieing battery.
After about 10 minutes of riding and jamming, the check engine and battery lights come on, voltage drops below 12v and I am basically running on pure stator of the bike and not the battery.

With a new OEM or "Big Crank, Lightning, ect" I would be good again but just barely. I need more capacity so I can play tunes longer without straining the charging system.

 

Hmm, wow, that's a lot of juice.
Maybe you should put another battery in one of your saddlebags to handle it all?

Good luck!!

 

Funny you mention that. I have given thought to adding a second battery and using two Big Cranks or similar.
If I did, it would have to go in the tour pack. But I don't like the idea of adding another 20 lbs weight to the bike.
We will see how it goes.

 

what about a capasitor like the boooom boooom tards use in their cars and such, they store electricity so your battery will not drain, you can look into it

 

Good thinking but those only store juice like software uses a "buffer" . It basically stores enough juice so that in a brief moment of hitting juice sucking lows, voltage won't drop quickly and shut off your amp or damage components.

They do not store enough juice to run a system for more than a second or two.
Works more like a surge protector does in your home or office. Keeps a steady flow going to the amps with no fluctuations.

What I need is another battery........lol

 

Have you given any thought to Lithium batteries instead of Lead-Acid?

Many benefits over lead-acid batteries, such as less weight, longer service/storage life, no need to trickle charge in off season, fast chargning, no mounting direction (can be mounted upside down or sideways).

Earth-X seems to have the leading lithium battery on the market right now. Their largest one can provide 36ah.

They're not cheap by any means, but may be something worth looking into for you...
When I had a Ducati, I used to buy lots of stuff from this guy who carries them:
http://bellissimoto.com/Batteries.html