Lithium battery and new regulator/rectifier

[leggman1]

Revival cycles says if I run a lithium battery I need a new regulator/rectifier? they sell several and I am wondering which one to get? 1981 xs1100 special

[DiverRay]

Try asking geezer. His site: http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/ . He will answer questions, and may have a reg/rec that probably works better and cost less than what you are looking at.

[2WheelFun]

My advice, save your money and run an AGM battery unless you are building a cafe and need the tiny one.

[JeffH]

Revival cycles says if I run a lithium battery I need a new regulator/rectifier? they sell several and I am wondering which one to get? 1981 xs1100 special

Which way to go kind of depends on what you are trying to do.

I've got three 78' E's and 3 Shorai batteries. Two with Geezer regulators, one with original Reg / Rec.

For sure easiest is what 2Wheels stated, get an AGM. Those would be the same size as the original battery you are replacing. That means the ++ and -- battery cables will fit with no modification. And you can keep the original Reg / Rec.

If you want to save some weight and likely make a couple modifications (and play around a bit with it all) the lithium battery is ok too. A couple caveats with the lithium is the Spike charging voltage. Spike over 15v is apparently a battery killer. Same with idle rpm voltage, if below 13v than that's apparently a battery killer. So if going with lithium be sure to measure the size of the battery. The lithium replacement is likely MUCH smaller. Because it is smaller the battery cables are likely too short. Then you get into the bikes charging voltage issues with the original Reg / Rec. The new Reg / Rec isn't plug & play either so it might need a little modification to fit the way you want it to fit. So as Ray advised, contact Geezer as he is the expert.

I do like my Shorai's and they saved a little weight. I got the peak output 14.2v Reg / Rec vs. Geezers 14.6v output.

Good Luck,
Jeff

[Bax]

The lead acid battery has been the staple of proven automotive/motorcycle technology as the base of the electrical system for a long time..... Improvements made, maintenance free, sealed lead acid battery, absorbed glass mat really still all work the same and are fitting for the application. Lithium ion battery, it's new to automotive and limited in use by major manufactures, avation had a nice disastrous start (Fires on several Boeing 787s) that grounded the fleet and halted production. Electric scooters still catching fire..... Not something to be sitting on while cruising down the road. Li is far too reactive and sensitive to over/under charging.......

AGM is the way to go IMO.

Bax

[leggman1]

I understand all the comments against the Li battery but this is a custom build and the customer wants a small battery. The bike is getting a complete rewire with a m unit. I was just hoping to see what reg rec I had in case I needed to order a new one that is more Li friendly

[jetmechmarty]

I understand all the comments against the Li battery but this is a custom build and the customer wants a small battery. The bike is getting a complete rewire with a m unit. I was just hoping to see what reg rec I had in case I needed to order a new one that is more Li friendly

I would be very interested in your Motogadget installation. I know it's time consuming, but I for one would enjoy following a thread on that. I'd be interested in your entire build. I have two junk Specials and I have something custom in mind.

[Gord]

A Lithium battery is not worth the money. If you have any electrical charging issue it will fry it. I know because I killed one in three months. better off with a gel filled battery at least you can lay on side to get more room.

[DiverRay]

leggman1 said:

I understand all the comments against the Li battery but this is a custom build and the customer wants a small battery. The bike is getting a complete rewire with a m unit. I was just hoping to see what reg rec I had in case I needed to order a new one that is more Li friendly

As I said, try Tony at Oregon first, and then spend the money if needed for the correct reg/rec. Customer is buying it, so he will need to pay for what he wants.

[Loch]

Leggman, you do not need to change the regulator because you are using a Li-battery. Gord, The GEL battery is poorly suited for cold weather. I would use AGM

[jetmechmarty]

I don't run lithium ion, but the special regulators are available from Rick's or Oregon Motorcycle Parts. I don't think I'd hesitate to take the advice of Revival Cycles either. I'm sorry I can't advise whether or not you can't use a stock regulator, but I will offer up that the stock unit is about 40 years old.

[Geezer]

I no longer make a special reg/rec unit for use with lithium batteries. A couple of the components I need to make them have become hard to get and not worth the trouble any more since lithium batteries have gotten better. Shorai is the only brand of lithium battery I can somewhat recommend. To be honest I won't recommend lithium batteries until Ford starts putting them under the hood of F150's... Anyway the only good use I can see for them is on a race bike that has a total loss electrical system.

Tony

[Bonz]

The advantage of a lithium battery is obviously the light weight. With respect to an XS1100 it won’t make enough difference to make it worth considering, IMO. The 10 pound advantage in my ZRX 1200 makes a legitimate difference with respect to overall weight in terms of percentage. That’s why I chose it for that bike and went with the regular lead acid battery in the XS1100 when I replaced it.

[somesuch]

I have used lithium batteries now for many years in 2000 te610 and 2003 gsxr1000. Those charging systems do not have problems charging Shorai batteries at all.

The huge advantage of lithium batteries is that their self discharge rate is very very low.

There was one year that i did not ride the gsxr, the bike started no problems after that one year of storage!

[thinkablecover]

I acknowledge and appreciate the concerns raised regarding the Li battery choice for this custom build. It's crucial to address these considerations, and your insights are valuable.

However, it's important to note that this build is tailored to the customer's preferences, specifically aiming for a compact battery size. The entire bike is undergoing a comprehensive rewiring process, incorporating an M unit into the system for enhanced functionality.

In light of potential challenges related to Li batteries, I'm exploring the specifications of the current regulator rectifier (reg rec) to ensure compatibility. This proactive approach allows me to assess whether a replacement reg rec that aligns better with Li battery requirements might be necessary.

I appreciate your understanding and would welcome any additional advice or insights you may have on this matter. Let's collaborate to ensure a seamless integration of the Li battery into this unique custom build.