I'm trying to get smarter on lithium batteries, and searching online is only partially answering my questions.

I currently have a Big Crank AGM battery from Battery Mart rated at 310 400 (edit) CCA in my 2019 Street Glide. I'm looking at the X2 lithium from Batteries + and it has an 800 amp Pulse Cranking rating.

I think I understand the difference between the 2 different ratings, but I can't find any clear and convincing info regarding the affect of throwing more than twice the amps at a factory starter.

Will this shorten its life, or damage it in any way? I'm reading that a starter will only draw as much power as it needs - true?

In the other thread I had that was locked, others said that their engine spun up quite a bit quicker, and one said he's had the lithium going on 4 years without any issues. This might be my answer, just want to double check.

Also, it looks like the extreme heat I live in doesn't really have any affect on them, true?

Overthinking it perhaps?

 

Devices including starters only pull what they need. If it’s a 1,5kw starter and the voltage is 12volts then 1,500/12.= 125 amps. That’s why CCA specs are bull ****. I’d rather have higher Ah capacity.

 

The starter only draws what it needs, it will not hurt to have twice the CCA available.

As I mentioned, it cranks much faster, and I am very pleased with that.

In the nearly 4 years that I have had mine, I have had no ill-effects of the extreme heat, nor the cold that was reported to be an issue with lithium.

Last fall when we were in Canada, I posted a picture of my frozen bike with ice on the seat
She cranked up with the same cranking speed as usual.

Good luck with your search, sir!

 

So, my current battery is 26 Ah, and the lithium is 7.6 Ah. Back to school I go......

 

I agree it doesn't hurt anything nor shorten the battery/starter life having more cranking power. I think the moment you start the bike, and how fast it starts, will put a smile on your face.

The OEM Sportster battery I had on my Custom is rated at 240 CCA and would have that slight hesitation in the crank before the bike fires up. I thought about the 480 CCA lithium but decide to go with the 360 CCA. No more hesitation and fires up real fast. Being where you are I don't think you'll have to worry about the battery cranking in the cold.

As far as CCA vs Pulse, it's the duration of the tested crank. 30 seconds vs 3 seconds or so, but I'm sure you already about that.

 

Thank you, every bit of reliable info is helping to further my knowledge base.

 

Over thinking but dig into the specs on the various vendors; many more now than a few years back when I installed Li batteries in all three of my bikes. Some are not an exact fit and require some "padding" to keep them from moving around as was the case with my BMW R9T but not with the batteries for the HDs; fit was OEM. I am down to one bike now and I keep that Li battery on a tender. Also live in south Texas where it gets pretty dang hot. I went with Twin Power and Anti Gravity.

 

What's the weight savings over the big crank?

 

There is less voltage drop from a LiFe battery than SLA when loading it, leading to a higher starter voltage, more power, and faster cranking. This is perfectly fine; the starter like any motor has a voltage rating, which is under max load (when impedance is the lowest and current the highest). The only problem for a motor is if it's physically prevented from turning (at which point the impedance is the wire impedance), in which case you risk frying it, but that's the case regardless of battery although a LiFe will destroy it quicker. You can run a starter off mains power starters in a shop, or beefy jump packs, those don't have a significant voltage drop under load either and the starter will handle it just fine.

 

I watched a video of testing conventional and AGM batteries. Most did not produce the cranking amps they advertise. As for any battery, it is a chemical reaction and reactions slow as temperatures decrease. Cold Cranking Amps are important but just because the battery says 300 CCA, does not mean it really has 300 CCA.