Ballistic Batteries

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bigfoot17 · #11 Post by **bigfoot17** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 2:41 pm

Thanks for the video link. That helped explain alot.

speedfreek · #12 Post by **speedfreek** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:00 am

Was wondering if anyone found out any more info on these ballistic batteries. My battery doesn't seem to hold a charge for very long so I guess its time for new one. Does anyone know where the best price for these can be found? Thank's Bill
'

BlackToothGrin · #13 Post by **BlackToothGrin** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:05 am

QUOTE (speedfreek @ Apr 11 2013, 08:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Was wondering if anyone found out any more info on these ballistic batteries. My battery doesn't seem to hold a charge for very long so I guess its time for new one. Does anyone know where the best price for these can be found? Thank's Bill
'

I actually just ordered one. It will be here tomorrow so can't say much about it yet. From what I read it sounds pretty good. I ordered it from www.pegasusautoracing.com. The 8 cell is $170 but the 12 cell is actually on clearance right now for $150! You have to click on the clearence tab on the left side of the page though. If you just do a search for batteries the full price of $200 for the 12 cell comes up.

bigfoot17 · #14 Post by **bigfoot17** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 11:47 am

I am still leaning toward the Anti Gravity 8 cell. I just don't like the idea of having to buy another charger for lithium batteries.

NRath · #15 Post by **NRath** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 5:22 pm

I'm using a Li-Fe in the DRZ. Just bought it last fall, so the jury is still out. It's super light, and a little smaller than the stocker was with better #'s. $126 shipped. It came with a pile of foam to make fillers for it so it went in pretty well. Through the fall riding, it worked great. The DRZ is pretty well tuned and generally starts pretty quick. I really liked the zero loss over 12 mos claim they have. However, I left the DRZ sitting for about 2 mos w/o starting or charging, which I have done with a lead acid battery, and it was stone dead. Like .2v. I've heard and seen videos of Li-ion batteries exploding from too low of a voltage. That's apparently not the case with these. I used the Battery Tender Plus (approved for use) to recharge it about 4 weeks ago. It came back up, I rode a bit, and put it away. I let it sit for about 1-1/2 - 2 weeks, voltage was at 13.2v, and it started right up again.

I feel like they might not have the self-recharging characteristic that lead acids have which I think allows a lead acid to tolerate a very low draw on them that I've experienced. But, I don't know that for sure. If I had unhooked it, it probably wouldn't have happened.

Regarding charging- the literature says you can use a traditional trickle charger as long as it doesn't have the de-sulfation mode like a Battery Minder has. They have specifically approved Battery Tender products.

http://www.shoraipower.com/

I bought from HERE

That's about all I know about it. The price is right and the performance seems to be good. Definitely spins over faster than my well worn Yuasa was. My 1.5 yr old Deka is still holding strong in the 'dale with a little Battery Tender bump now and then so I can't say how they work on a 'dale motor.

speedfreek · #16 Post by **speedfreek** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 7:09 pm

QUOTE (NRath @ Apr 12 2013, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm using a Li-Fe in the DRZ. Just bought it last fall, so the jury is still out. It's super light, and a little smaller than the stocker was with better #'s. $126 shipped. It came with a pile of foam to make fillers for it so it went in pretty well. Through the fall riding, it worked great. The DRZ is pretty well tuned and generally starts pretty quick. I really liked the zero loss over 12 mos claim they have. However, I left the DRZ sitting for about 2 mos w/o starting or charging, which I have done with a lead acid battery, and it was stone dead. Like .2v. I've heard and seen videos of Li-ion batteries exploding from too low of a voltage. That's apparently not the case with these. I used the Battery Tender Plus (approved for use) to recharge it about 4 weeks ago. It came back up, I rode a bit, and put it away. I let it sit for about 1-1/2 - 2 weeks, voltage was at 13.2v, and it started right up again.

I feel like they might not have the self-recharging characteristic that lead acids have which I think allows a lead acid to tolerate a very low draw on them that I've experienced. But, I don't know that for sure. If I had unhooked it, it probably wouldn't have happened.

Regarding charging- the literature says you can use a traditional trickle charger as long as it doesn't have the de-sulfation mode like a Battery Minder has. They have specifically approved Battery Tender products.

http://www.shoraipower.com/

I bought from HERE
I looked up the link you have listed above and the don't have a listing for Cannondale at all.

That's about all I know about it. The price is right and the performance seems to be good. Definitely spins over faster than my well worn Yuasa was. My 1.5 yr old Deka is still holding strong in the 'dale with a little Battery Tender bump now and then so I can't say how they work on a 'dale motor.

speedfreek · #17 Post by **speedfreek** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 7:13 pm

Guess I ran out of room on your quote to respond. Anyways, I looked up the link for Shorai batterries and they don't even have a listing for Cannondale. I like their price much better than Ballistic.

who_gives_a6 · #18 Post by **who_gives_a6** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:41 pm

The prices on Shorai's are actually more than the equivalent Ballistic's in CCA's.

The stock battery is a ytx9-bs with 135cca. Its roughly 6 x 3.4 x 4.2 (length, width, height).
Personally I prefer the higher CCA batteries for cold starts. The next model up is 155CCA from Shorai and is $130 and is the LFX12A1-BS12 model. The 14 series runs $160 and has 210CCA and still fits in the box.

On the Ballistic side the 8 cell which runs about $140 has 275CCA and the 12 cell with 410CCA runs about $165 online.

I've been looking at buying a Ballistic for awhile just never have gotten one. I bought a Motobatt 12 series last April for like $30 for a temporary battery choice and it crapped out last weekend so looking at the lithiums for a longer term solution.

bigfoot17 · #19 Post by **bigfoot17** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 6:41 pm

I just thought of a dumb question. If some of the lithium batteries can not be charged by a standard charger, what happens when the bikes charging system kicks in?

wistech · #20 Post by **wistech** » Sun Apr 14, 2013 12:05 am

I am pretty sure the ballistic and shoiria batteries are using lifepo4 cells which a re far more resilient to harsh charging methods than the notorious lipo cells which have a tendency to melt down if they are over or under charged. I have some experience with RC cars using the lifepo4 batteries and I would go with the metal cylindrical cells of the ballistic over the bag cells the shoria just due to the bag cells have a tendecy to swell and fail from internal pressures while the metal contained cells will hold together. Lifepo4 batteries dont need an self contained battery monitoring system (BMS) to control the cell voltages like lipo batteries.