Still not starting in cold whether. Anyone have idea what I can try next.

[rocket51]

Hey Tripps, I am going to try turning the key on for a minute and seeing if it will heat the battery, someone else mentioned this. 3 of the batteries were Shorai- a 24 amp, a 27 amp, and now a 36 amp. The other battery was the stock original which wasn't charging fully.

 

[barbagris]

The other battery was the stock original which wasn't charging fully.

Aha - why, how was this determined? - Lithiums are tricky and do not charge like lead acids. It's equally as possible they're not charging as well as you think they are. They will show 13.4volts even if they're almost fully discharged.

I built my own Lithium battery - and was given a "Crash Course" by an mfr who makes M/C starter batteries commercially.

Some bikes do NOT LIKE having pure Li batteries - it fries their electronics. Shorai (afaik) uses some charge balance technology inside their units which MAY somehow affect how they charge and DISCHARGE to avoid issues with fried electrics. I know other makes most certainly do. They're made to emulate lead acids closer than a pure LiFePO4.

Li batteries can SURGE amps - lead acids are more controlled regarding amperage. The surge can fry delicate stuff.

I use my pure unregulated LiFePO4 on a bike with pretty near no electronics. It dumps to the starter motor. So much so that when the starter (33 years old Bosch) jammed, the battery smoked it. It turfs out 560cca (theoretical) - I did have a 1120 version until I damaged a cell (we all make mistakes - I accidental shorted it - god it got hot). This was also co-incidentally how I discovered my Guzzi's starting "issue" was the starter.

Still believe the best option for an R3 is a GOOD lead/acid (be it liquid, AGM or GEL) and a small LiFePO4 (5aH) in parallel. I'd build it using A123Systems 26650 (2nd generation) cells. These are pretty easy to get - they're not expensive (really) and in the event you screw a cell you can replace just that cell. I used some A123Systems 8aH cells - afaik not made any more. A bugger really as if I could get one more cell I could make another starter battery. Buy the cells somewhere you feel you can trust. I'd get mine off eBay but from a EU VAT REGISTERED supplier. There are shed loads of poor "copies".

Warp9.9 iirc uses (or used anyway) the above mix - cant remember where he got his Li battery from. iirc was called Genesis.

 

[IMFASTTOO]

worse come worse spray some starting fluid in the intake tract if your spark plugs are ok that should do it,

WHY do you want to ride your bike when its below 30 anyway with possible ice on the roads Now thats dangerous

 

[IMFASTTOO]

Aha - why, how was this determined? - Lithiums are tricky and do not charge like lead acids. It's equally as possible they're not charging as well as you think they are. They will show 13.4volts even if they're almost fully discharged.

I built my own Lithium battery - and was given a "Crash Course" by an mfr who makes M/C starter batteries commercially.

Some bikes do NOT LIKE having pure Li batteries - it fries their electronics. Shorai (afaik) uses some charge balance technology inside their units which MAY somehow affect how they charge and DISCHARGE to avoid issues with fried electrics. I know other makes most certainly do. They're made to emulate lead acids closer than a pure LiFePO4.

Li batteries can SURGE amps - lead acids are more controlled regarding amperage. The surge can fry delicate stuff.

I use my pure unregulated LiFePO4 on a bike with pretty near no electronics. It dumps to the starter motor. So much so that when the starter (33 years old Bosch) jammed, the battery smoked it. It turfs out 560cca (theoretical) - I did have a 1120 version until I damaged a cell (we all make mistakes - I accidental shorted it - god it got hot). This was also co-incidentally how I discovered my Guzzi's starting "issue" was the starter.

Still believe the best option for an R3 is a GOOD lead/acid (be it liquid, AGM or GEL) and a small LiFePO4 (5aH) in parallel. I'd build it using A123Systems 26650 (2nd generation) cells. These are pretty easy to get - they're not expensive (really) and in the event you screw a cell you can replace just that cell. I used some A123Systems 8aH cells - afaik not made any more. A bugger really as if I could get one more cell I could make another starter battery. Buy the cells somewhere you feel you can trust. I'd get mine off eBay but from a EU VAT REGISTERED supplier. There are shed loads of poor "copies".

Warp9.9 iirc uses (or used anyway) the above mix - cant remember where he got his Li battery from. iirc was called Genesis.[/quote >>>>>>Best to piggyback the lith battery with the stock one for max amps and you wont fry any electrics weve been using them for years with no problems BALLISTIC makes best priced units no need to try and build your own

 

[barbagris]

WHY do you want to ride your bike when its below 30 anyway with possible ice on the roads Now thats dangerous

Some of us have to (or in my case had to). For years in the UK a bike was my ONLY transport.

Though I doubt many have an R3 as their ONLY transport. The experience does mean however I don't get all panicky if in the mountains in summer I find snow and ice on the road.

Like for example this guy - http://www.missionredpla.net/motobl...he-best-road-in-the-world-mission-red-planet/

http://www.miscellanea.ro/2010/09/transalpina.html

I'm hoping to do these roads this summer on the R3 with my friend on his New Cali1400. 7000kms round trip. We'll throw a few other mountains in I hope.
I love riding the Alps.

Ice requires water too. I'm guessing that Texas gets cold but is dry. Happens here a fair amount in winter.

 

[IMFASTTOO]

Some of us have to (or in my case had to). For years in the UK a bike was my ONLY transport.

Though I doubt many have an R3 as their ONLY transport. The experience does mean however I don't get all panicky if in the mountains in summer I find snow and ice on the road.

Like for example this guy - http://www.missionredpla.net/motobl...he-best-road-in-the-world-mission-red-planet/

http://www.miscellanea.ro/2010/09/transalpina.html

I'm hoping to do these roads this summer on the R3 with my friend on his New Cali1400. 7000kms round trip. We'll throw a few other mountains in I hope.
I love riding the Alps.

Ice requires water too. I'm guessing that Texas gets cold but is dry. Happens here a fair amount in winter.

YEP I did the winter riding thing back and forth to work when I was in my teens and WOW did I bust my ass on several occasions on snow and ice and I was riding a Royal Enfield 500 single

 

[rocket51]

I guess I ride my bike in the cold for the experience, my little way of climbing Mount Everest.

 

[warp9.9]

I use a speed cell Lithium battery at 600 CCA along with the trusty Scorpion 320 CCA haven't tried starting her below 7 degrees and only did the 7 degree as a test. Left her in the trailer for a week in the cold and then tested it. turned over like nobodies Buisness!!!!
I have to use 5amp or larger to charge the lithium instead of tricle but thats what the manufacture reccommended.

 

[Dawg68]

Barbagris, I don't think the battery discharges because once it starts everything is fine, I can shut down and start again without problem. Battery always has 13.75 volts charge or more when I check it and I have a Shorai 540 cc amp battery. Its seems that cold whether does something to interfer with charge getting to starter. I am going to try your suggestion of insulation. If I continue having problem I will try removing cables and reinstalling at end of shift. Will I need to remove both positive and negative or will one suffice?

[/quote]

Just trying to keep it simple, you mention you have a constant 13.75 vdc. Is this with or without load? If you were to measure the potential on the battery when the bike is shut down is it 13.75? Then when you start the bike with a load on the battery, for example the lights on is a load is the potential still 13.75 or more? If you start turning on more loads, signals, high beams etc.... Does the voltage drop?

Cheers

 

[barbagris]

I guess I ride my bike in the cold for the experience, my little way of climbing Mount Everest.

Ah - I'd settle for Base camp. Actually I don't mind just cold - but cold and damp I really HATE.