Strange that I just ordered a Big Crank From Battery Mart this morning. This will be a replacement to the 7 Year old Big Crank Battery that I got from Battery Mart in 2017

 

@702

Did you decide what to buy? Standing pat for now?

 

Yes. Somewhere in this thread I believe I said I was going the try the X2 from Batteries+ due to it's 3 year warranty and because one of their stores just a few minutes from my house. They're also nationwide should I need to file a claim while on the road. I have been busy riding and performing other little updates so I haven't pulled the trigger yet, but I will before summer hits.

 

I must have missed that or forgotten, thanks for sharing.

And so, as I shopped this evening, i found disturbing published specs - in my 20L size battery, I found an AGM that actually publishes a PCA (Pulse Cranking Amps @ 25C) instead of just CCA @ 0F. Well, it's the same number as the LiFePo. wtf

I can't find a general article on PCA for types of batteries. PCA is all that matters to me with my little battery. If new battery PCA is the same, the LiFePo just lasts longer is all.

I get that AGM loses charge capacity faster. So I guess I have to decide whether to pay for 3x AGM for a Li for fewer replacements. I guess there's some value to that.

 

Ok, static spec measurements don't compare how batteries perform in a bike. An AGM drops voltage way down fast when hit with cranking load, so actual amps delivered to the starter isn't as much as advertised PCA rating at 100% charged voltage. Voltage drops by ~50%, but LiFePo only to 90%. This is why LiFePo starts faster than AGM despite the same PCA rating. It retains more voltage and amps during the cranking.

If these battery hucksters would put out useful information we wouldn't have to decipher. It's not as much the money or lifespan, it's starting the bike reliably every time. I don't want more problems.

EarthX LiFePo USA made, 2 year warranty, $369 (L20)
X2 LiFePo outsourced to China, 3 year warranty, $194.99 (L20)


From a manufacturer, if you care:Q. What CCA should I be looking for when choosing my Lithium battery?

A. CCA (Cold cranking Amps) has little to do with how good a battery is for a given application contrary to popular belief. It’s the combination of Voltage (the force in which the power is delivered and Amperage (how much current) to create enough Watts (the end energy result) to start engines that is key. So very basically when dealing in DC, Amps x Voltage = Watts

The industry Lead Acid standard load test on a carbon pile tester is 50% of “rated” CCA for 10 seconds, since 100% of CCA is never available from any battery. In the case of lead acid types, pulse discharge amps drop from 12.85V to around 9.5V within around 10 seconds and to about 7.5V after 15 seconds.

The same is true for lithium with the exception that the situation is reversed. You do not have as much voltage drop as for lead acid when under initial load, generally on a 10 second start up 10-11V is still available to provide higher short burst current, and they also can provide that current for up to 80% of their rated capacity. However, the Amp capacity is lower to begin with, so somewhere in the middle the two chemistries cross over in terms of given application.

Therefore, with less Amp Hour capacity, lithium may for its intended purpose of “short bursts”, provide higher starting currents than conventional lead. The Voltage drop is less for a longer period. It is also why the battery will not handle current loss to constant power loads like accessories because it’s all or nothing so to speak.

 

Call me crazy, but all those details bore me. My original question was about throwing double the amps at the starter and if it could take it. That answer was yes, so I'll just go buy one when I'm ready. If it ***** the bed, I'll go back to AGM and not stress over it of kick myself for making a poor decision. It's only money, and I've wasted a lot of it in my life. The rest of it was spent on beer, racing, and broads.

 

I have an old friend who would say, anytime he made a poor decision that cost him money, "Hell, I've spilled more liquor than that on a good night..!"

 

I'm not very impressed with Harley Lithium battery., On cold days regardless how many times I turn on off to wake up the battery it's still drags it's feet to crank the motor quickly. But no problem later all day long it has 5 yr warranty will see if it holds up. My stock 2017 AGM now sitting on the shelf since May 2023 still testing good.

 

It's only because I don't ride a full size bike it's a problem. If I had a tour bike, I would have been done long ago. Which is why I apologized for being sent to a touring thread.

X2 Lithium L30 for tour bike rated @ 800 PCA. X2 Lithium L20 is only 600 PCA. Not much different from L20 AGM PCA, except for voltage drop which is a big deal for me - because my bike starts hard with such a small battery. It's not for you guys with tour bikes.

So I paid the man the extra $169 to get 90 more PCA in the EarthX @ 690 PCA. I'll consider it still cheaper than a full size bike.

Thanks everybody. Happy motoring. Don't forget to use a Lithium Battery Charger.

 

Instealled and charging.