Shorai battery problems

I have fitted a Shorai battery, but if my bike stands two or three days and I want to start her she is dead, nothing lights up. I had to bump start her a few times.
My dealer had me remove the battery as he said he will invalidate my warrantee if I keep the battery installed.
My warrantee is up in six months and I want to know if anybody has any idea why the Shorai battery does not work for me?

Ps. It is the size recommended by Shorai and when it works it starts my bike easily (better than the oem battery).

Claymore said:

I have fitted a Shorai battery, but if my bike stands two or three days and I want to start her she is dead, nothing lights up. I had to bump start her a few times.
My dealer had me remove the battery as he said he will invalidate my warrantee if I keep the battery installed.
My warrantee is up in six months and I want to know if anybody has any idea why the Shorai battery does not work for me?

Ps. It is the size recommended by Shorai and when it works it starts my bike easily (better than the oem battery).

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You need to contact Shorai. They sent me a new battery and charger when I had an issue with it last year. Since then, and on my BMW, I have not had any issues. The warranty thing is BS. Ducati stands behind your warranty, not your dealer, so don't worry abut it.

Trauma said:

The warranty thing is BS. Ducati stands behind your warranty, not your dealer, so don't worry abut it.

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Agreed...your Dealer should be ashamed..

Do you have a current draw on the bike when parked?

Absolutely no way you should have a prob with the shorai. I had a shorai fitted to my sf for over two years and no issues whatsoever. Failing that I think you've got charging probs or bad battery.

say it aint so please. after much research i came to the conclusion that shorai was the one. i also have read that they back their product. hard to believe shorai will let that happen contact them.

PS your stealership is a fraud. for them not to warranty your bike they will have to prove that the battery was the reason whatever happens to your bike is the cause for it not to be covered. you are protected here in the US. dont let him play that on you.

opps just saw you are in south africa. my bad

Is your bike stored somewhere cold? Lithium based batteries need to warm up a bit to activate their chemistry, and if it's too cold you might be experiencing low voltage. If the bike is starting when you bump it then there's enough voltage there to keep the ecu working and the ignition system firing, but obviously not enough that the ecu will allow activation of the starter.

I have seen customers, and others, install a switch so that they can remotely activate the starting relay (called a starter solenoid in some circles) to warm the battery. This puts a load on the battery and causes it to build a little heat, and it is apparently enough to "put the world to right". This modification would almost certainly void your warranty if the dealer wants to be a stickler, but should have no real consequences outside of that.

mark419ny said:

say it aint so please. after much research i came to the conclusion that shorai was the one. i also have read that they back their product. hard to believe shorai will let that happen contact them.

PS your stealership is a fraud. for them not to warranty your bike they will have to prove that the battery was the reason whatever happens to your bike is the cause for it not to be covered. you are protected here in the US. dont let him play that on you.

opps just saw you are in south africa. my bad

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Ducati Italy is not the angels you guys think they are. The Ducati franchise in South Africa was taken over in secret by Porsche South Africa and nobody let the Ducati owners know. It was only after I (and a few others) made a huge noise that Ducati Italy belatedly sent out a notice about the change of franchise.
There was no advance planning about who will continue to service the Ducatis in South Africa. It seems that an arrogant assumption was made that the other (now disenfranchised importers) will come begging at the door of Porsche South Africa (Ducati Johannesburg).
The dealer who sold me my Ducati 1199 Panigale S Tricolore closed down after the loss of its franchise and I lost my bike's service plan with the dealers closure. Ducati Johanesburg flatly refused to honour the service plan.
Ducati Johannesburg told me that if there are any parts on my Ducati other than original Ducati parts that will be the end of my warrantee.
I am very happy with my Ducati, but totally disenchanted with Ducati the brand and am considering replacing the name "Ducati" on my bike with a middle finger gesture.
`
Regarding my problem with Shorai: Shorai replaced the battery under warrantee, but the new battery exhibited exactly the same problems. I am considering scrapping the Shorai battery and using it for a paper weight as I am not going to send it back a second time.

My bike has nothing that draws current except for the Ducati immobilizer which is part of the bike (no alarm fitted in case you wondered).

there is a battery called earth x that can be charged just like the traditional battery. it is slightly heavier than the shorai. i have considered them as well. here is more info on them maybe it will help you.

EarthX, Inc. - Lithium Replacement Batteries for ATV, Motorcycles, Watercraft, Snowmobiles and Scooters (fits Harley, Suzuki, Buell, Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris, Ducati, BMW, and many others) | EarthX Motorsports

this is very odd. The shorai on my sf performed flawlessly. It's the first time I haven't kept a duc on a battery tender. I did find in cold weather (40 degrees f or so). It would be sluggish to start. As the manuf. recommended, I'd turn the key which would turn on the lights and stimulate the battery out of sleep mode.

Sorry you've had problems with yours.

Claymore said:

Ducati Italy is not the angels you guys think they are. The Ducati franchise in South Africa was taken over in secret by Porsche South Africa and nobody let the Ducati owners know. It was only after I (and a few others) made a huge noise that Ducati Italy belatedly sent out a notice about the change of franchise.
There was no advance planning about who will continue to service the Ducatis in South Africa. It seems that an arrogant assumption was made that the other (now disenfranchised importers) will come begging at the door of Porsche South Africa (Ducati Johannesburg).
The dealer who sold me my Ducati 1199 Panigale S Tricolore closed down after the loss of its franchise and I lost my bike's service plan with the dealers closure. Ducati Johanesburg flatly refused to honour the service plan.
Ducati Johannesburg told me that if there are any parts on my Ducati other than original Ducati parts that will be the end of my warrantee.
I am very happy with my Ducati, but totally disenchanted with Ducati the brand and am considering replacing the name "Ducati" on my bike with a middle finger gesture.
`
Regarding my problem with Shorai: Shorai replaced the battery under warrantee, but the new battery exhibited exactly the same problems. I am considering scrapping the Shorai battery and using it for a paper weight as I am not going to send it back a second time.

My bike has nothing that draws current except for the Ducati immobilizer which is part of the bike (no alarm fitted in case you wondered).

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Claymore said:

Regarding my problem with Shorai: Shorai replaced the battery under warrantee, but the new battery exhibited exactly the same problems. I am considering scrapping the Shorai battery and using it for a paper weight as I am not going to send it back a second time.

My bike has nothing that draws current except for the Ducati immobilizer which is part of the bike (no alarm fitted in case you wondered).

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It's possible that your battery is out of balance. ie not all the internal cells are the same voltage.
Sounds like what's happening is one of the cells is a fair bit lower than the the other 3.
Under load, the slightly lower cell's voltage is sagging which allows the entire battery pack's voltage to drop too low.

The Shorai's are an OK battery, but a little on the weak side. I'm not sure which shorai you have, but I purchased the LFX18A1 kit from motowheels about a year ago and mine has died.
The fundamental issue with the LFX18A, which has a PbEq 18Ah rating, but is labelled in fine print that it's a 79wh pack which means it is only a 6Ah pack.
Add to the equation that the 1199's charging system only goes to 14v, which means even if you ride around forever, the Shorai (or any lithium battery) will never be fully charged.
With the engine off for a night, the voltage the following morning is consistently 13v which equates to 3.25v/cell. For a lithium ion (lifePO4) battery, this equates to about a little under 50% state of charge. (3.8v/cell is 100% SoC)
What does all this mean? well, it means that with the LFX18A1, you have about 3Ah to play with. So if one of the cells are a little low, the voltage will sag below what is needed to crank over the engine.

If you're planning on using a lithium battery with the Pani, ignore the PbEq number, it's marketing BS.
Look for what the "watt hour" rating and divide by 13.2 to get the real Ah rating.
The Pani really needs at least a true 8Ah battery, as it will never really reach anywhere close to 100% SoC (state of charge)

Another thing you can check is the balance port (maintenance port) on the Shorai. The plug isn't completely waterproof, so over time it is possible to get enough debris buildup to short one or more of the pins. Enough to put the cells out of balance.

FYI - from Deltran..the Battery Tender people, are now manufacturing Lithium Iron (not Ion) batteries - they are said to be sealed up with 1 seam (as opposed to 3 on the non domestic brands) - they have 2 pos and 2 neg terminals - can be mounted in any position (on its side, upside down etc) - they weigh much less, gsxr replacement battery was 1.75lbs - they are made in the usa and have a 3yr warranty - very nicely done !

http://batterytender.com/products/batteries/lithium-iron-phosphate-battery-lifepo4-la-eq-10-14.html

here is a clip from their web site:
Deltran Press Release:
DelTran Battery Tender has launched a new line of high output Lithium Iron Phosphate (LifePO4) Batteries and Battery Chargers available September 1, 2013. All DelTran Battery Tender Lithium batteries include built-in cell balancing circuitry which will automatically balance the cells during recharge.
The NEW Lineup of DelTran Battery Tender Lithium Iron Batteries are up to a Claimed 60% + lighter and have up to five times the cycle life of traditional Flooded or AGM lead-acid batteries. Deltran’s unique Quad Terminal Configuration allows for easy installation. All Deltran Lithium batteries are backed by a three year warranty.
MSRP: $99.95 – $299.95
For more information: www.batterytender.com

I agree with cloner. Li batteries need to warm up a bit. Try this next time, with key in ignition, let the lights draw some current, which will warm up the battery a little bit. After 30 seconds or so, try starting. It will prob start right up. The current draw will help warm the battery.

E350 said:

I agree with cloner. Li batteries need to warm up a bit. Try this next time, with key in ignition, let the lights draw some current, which will warm up the battery a little bit. After 30 seconds or so, try starting. It will prob start right up. The current draw will help warm the battery.

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My bike does not switch on at all. If I turn the key the instrumentation and everything else remains black...

RD16RR said:

FYI - from Deltran..the Battery Tender people, are now manufacturing Lithium Iron (not Ion) batteries - they are said to be sealed up with 1 seam (as opposed to 3 on the non domestic brands) - they have 2 pos and 2 neg terminals - can be mounted in any position (on its side, upside down etc) - they weigh much less, gsxr replacement battery was 1.75lbs - they are made in the usa and have a 3yr warranty - very nicely done !

http://batterytender.com/products/batteries/lithium-iron-phosphate-battery-lifepo4-la-eq-10-14.html

here is a clip from their web site:
Deltran Press Release:
DelTran Battery Tender has launched a new line of high output Lithium Iron Phosphate (LifePO4) Batteries and Battery Chargers available September 1, 2013. All DelTran Battery Tender Lithium batteries include built-in cell balancing circuitry which will automatically balance the cells during recharge.
The NEW Lineup of DelTran Battery Tender Lithium Iron Batteries are up to a Claimed 60% + lighter and have up to five times the cycle life of traditional Flooded or AGM lead-acid batteries. Deltran's unique Quad Terminal Configuration allows for easy installation. All Deltran Lithium batteries are backed by a three year warranty.
MSRP: $99.95 - $299.95
For more information: www.batterytender.com

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It seems that they do not ship outside of the USA and I am in South Africa?

Claymore said:

It seems that they do not ship outside of the USA and I am in South Africa?

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get someone to mail you one

RD16RR said:

FYI - from Deltran..the Battery Tender people, are now manufacturing Lithium Iron (not Ion) batteries

Click to expand...

FYI - Lithium IRON (LiFePO4) is one of many types of lithium ion batteries. The LifePO4 chemistry is preferred in situations where stability and robustness has priority over ultimate specific power.

Just saying

I just ordered the shorai

littlejohn said:

FYI - Lithium IRON (LiFePO4) is one of many types of lithium ion batteries. The LifePO4 chemistry is preferred in situations where stability and robustness has priority over ultimate specific power.

Just saying

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nice - glad you did - the Deltran rep. i was listening to, pointed out that their battery is not a Lithium Ion, but a Lithium Iron when he was asked "whats the difference, or what makes your battery better" than the others

RD16RR said:

nice - glad you did - the Deltran rep. i was listening to, pointed out that their battery is not a Lithium Ion, but a Lithium Iron when he was asked "whats the difference, or what makes your battery better" than the others

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The Shorai is also a Lithium Iron battery...

Claymore said:

The Shorai is also a Lithium Iron battery...

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ahh, ha ! didn't know that !