Another hot Norton

Status
Not open for further replies.

worntorn

VIP MEMBER
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
7,955
This was posted by a UK Facebook friend yesterday. He wanted to know if anyone else had experienced this problem with their Lithium battery. Yes we have. Too many times now!

Glen

 
The French guy's post was removed as it was a repost that was originally posted by someone else on the 2nd November.

It is John Studden's bike - note sure if he is a member on here, but his bike is pictured in one of Jerry's albums https://www.accessnorton.com/media/john-studdens-norton-commando-mk3.43/

He was running a Shorai which is a LiFePo4 battery (Lithium Iron phosphate)

Nothing special with the charging system on the bike (standard aftermarket Reg/Rec setup)

John said he uses the correct charger at home, at the battery was fully charged when he left.

Another hot Norton

Another hot Norton

Another hot Norton
 
gtiller said:
The French guy's post was removed as it was a repost that was originally posted by someone else on the 2nd November.

It is John Studden's bike - note sure if he is a member on here, but his bike is pictured in one of Jerry's albums https://www.accessnorton.com/media/john-studdens-norton-commando-mk3.43/

He was running a Shorai which is a LiFePo4 battery (Lithium Iron phosphate)

Nothing special with the charging system on the bike (standard aftermarket Reg/Rec setup)

John said he uses the correct charger at home, at the battery was fully charged when he left.

View attachment 13090

View attachment 13091

View attachment 13089
Click to expand...
Jeez!!!
 
Ok, good to know. I wondered if it was a repost as Gilles main bike is an RE twin.
The post hasn't been removed tho as reposting is fine, half of FB is made up of reposts.
I just looked at the post a minute ago, way down the list now as Gilles is a prolific poster.

Glen
 
This incident and many similar incidents caused by internal shorts in Lithium batteries brings up this question: Are Lithium batteries robust enough to handle the vibration from bikes and british classic bikes in particular?

-Knut
 
mdt-son said:
This incident and many similar incidents caused by internal shorts in Lithium batteries brings up this question: Are Lithium batteries robust enough to handle the vibration from bikes and british classic bikes in particular?

-Knut
Click to expand...
I had a Shorai cook itself (internal chemical reaction) but to be fair a post mortem revealed that the Tympanium had failed (probably from a short) and was overcharging the battery. However I have to say the experience makes me nervous about using a lithium battery on a garaged vehicle unless it is part of the original vehicle design. Probably an excess of caution, but I worry about a battery to gas tank to house fire scenario.
 
Not good. I'm going to keep the voltmeter on my bike for a while.
 
Lithium ion batteries store an enormous amount of energy in a small package. During a failure, the reaction is internal which makes them difficult to extinguish or contain safely. Even the small ones can erupt violently during a failure. Some Tesla car batteries have gone incendiary lately which tells me the battery industry has a ways to go in achieving the level of safety necessary for these to be trustworthy in our garages. For now, I like the sealed gel cells for my bikes.

~998cc
 
mdt-son said:
This incident and many similar incidents caused by internal shorts in Lithium batteries brings up this question: Are Lithium batteries robust enough to handle the vibration from bikes and british classic bikes in particular?

-Knut
Click to expand...
I use Shorai Lithium batteries on my T150V Triton and my twin Norvin for about 8 years now, no problem so far.
This bikes aren't garage queens and get used all year round. Happy customer here.
Glen, I'm not surprised the Frenchman you are talking about is keeping reposting this Shorai incident, he's kind of a fundamentalist, he has very strong opinions and is not prepared to hear any argument or opposed opinions from anyone.
He's been sacked from almost every forums here in France for getting rude and is well known to the French British bike scene.
I know him for the last 25 years, he's local to me actually living about 4 miles from me. No longer a friend since 1998.
Cheers
 
mdt-son said:
This incident and many similar incidents caused by internal shorts in Lithium batteries brings up this question: Are Lithium batteries robust enough to handle the vibration from bikes and british classic bikes in particular?

-Knut
Click to expand...

Any battery can and does fail, from vibration or any of a number of other reasons.

The only difference is when a lithium battery fails it can be spectacular and sometimes dangerous.

The bike and I both survived my lithium battery failure. I will likely stay with an AGM in my bike unless some better technology comes along.

I figure there are plenty of risks to worry about just riding a bike without having to worry about catching on fire because of a battery failure.
 
Yes it was my bike, just happened on the freeway on the way to the Hansen Dam run.......melted battery and clouds of smoke.....that was the second one that failed, back to standard battery and new harness.
 
Just returned from my EMMO e-bike store today and the technician said to the man on the new low rider Harley , " Lithium charger for Lithium batterys , gel for gel , lead acid for lead acid." . He was switching over to Lithium from lead for his 2 monster e-bikes. Then he said "What's the danger of using a regular charger system ? Technician said "Fire or explosion ." Jokingly the technician said "Nice Harley , let's turn it into battery powered ? Couple laughs in the shop.
 
comnoz said:
Any battery can and does fail, from vibration or any of a number of other reasons.

The only difference is when a lithium battery fails it can be spectacular and sometimes dangerous.

The bike and I both survived my lithium battery failure. I will likely stay with an AGM in my bike unless some better technology comes along.

I figure there are plenty of risks to worry about just riding a bike without having to worry about catching on fire because of a battery failure.
Click to expand...
I agree! And now that you can get a good AGM 12N9-4B-1 on Amazon for about $38 delivered, I'm unlikely to change.
 
Last edited:
Have found no good reason to buy lithium and special charger for any of my bikes , AGM in all 3 plus my tractor , very pleased with long service life .... my life complicated enough without worry of fire and explosions ....
 
At school a sixth former dropped a cork sized piece of oil covered lithium down a toilet and pulled the flush, the oil was removed by the rush of water and lithium and water exploded inside the drainage system. The toilet block was out of action for 3 weeks.
 
Yikes ! ..... didn’t realize the stuff was that excitable ....
 
The same Shorai 18AH has been on my Commando/Alton E-start since '12. No issues at all and I'll buy another if it ever quits working. ;)
 
mayby 6 years ago all my trousers had strange holes on my left upper leg. bought new ones. same again.

reason was my battery on the diesel propelled enfield did not cope with the vibrations together with the ducati(not same branch as motorcycle) rectifire spitting some love onto my cotton.

i decided to get rid of acid and bought a cheap 3cell lifepo akkumulator with battery management system. its contains are the cells, the management chip, the surrounding shrinking hose and my poor fixatation. this is working good until now ~14 000 km.

when i bougt my commando ruin, i decided to go the same way. after some struggeling i ended up with a used shingenden xyz(dont remeber now the exact number, but was suggested here) rectifire from a modern triumph speed triple and a minimal selfmade harness.

i use the 5.5Ah powerboc lifepo unit ( https://bmz-group.com/images/PDF-Downloads/Broschuere-Lithium-Powerbloc_2018.pdf ) easy to get formerly but *** hey, they charge more than double now*** - strange buizz

i am totally pleased with this unit.

but you make me ANGST blowing my bike!

certainly everyone keeps up his electrical installation at its best. ?

i am getting tired now, will i have to buy a hawker odyssey?
 
For me it's about "what problem are we trying to solve?" with the LiPo. Seems lead-acid/gel/AGM are pretty mature tech and our charging systems are appropriate for them and they have good track record if cared for. No brainer....
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top