Lithium batteries - prevention is better than cure
Lithium ( LiFePO4 / LFP ) batteries deliver great starting power and are a fraction of the weight of lead-acid batteries . Best of all , they do not need continuous battery maintenance like lead-acid batteries … but wait … that needs a little more explanation . Martin Human , CTO / CEO of TecMate , says : " Once a lithium battery has been fully charged after delivery , and then stored in a shop or warehouse , it won ' t need recharging possibly for a year or more . However , when in the motorcycle , a lithium battery will discharge faster than the lead-acid battery it replaced - simply because it has less Amp-hour ( Ah ) capacity to support the parasitic draw of always-on circuitry . " Furthermore , if it is allowed to deep discharge , then that lithium battery also has a higher possibility of suffering permanent damage . The best solution ? Maintain it like a lead-acid , or at minimum recharge , frequently . " When to charge is the question , but one that is easily answered on the vehicle with the OptiMate O- 127 smart battery lead that comes with a built-in battery monitor . The three state of charge LEDs will warn when it is time to recharge - a blinking red means ' now '! " The SAE charge port accepts charge from any OptiMate battery charger appropriate for lithium batteries . It also has an overcharge warning light to alert the rider that the charging system may be delivering a voltage that ' s too high for lithium . Overcharging above 14.6V is the kryptonite of lithium batteries . " And for the rider out on their adventure , it ' s always better to charge than jumpstart , especially if that battery ' s voltage is so low that the ignition / dash lights barely turn on . Lithium batteries don ' t like high current when they are vulnerable , but it won ' t take long to get the smaller battery ( typical true Ah rating ranges from 3 to 6Ah ) up to start level as another advantage of lithium is that it can deliver almost its max cranking amps from as low as 10 % charge . " OptiMate DC to DC ( TM500 ) is the perfect 2 amp ' jump charger ' that draws power from another vehicle ' s 12V battery . It will wake up the BMS if necessary or deliver the right charge to that flat lithium battery . " For the service technician or technically minded rider an easy service option is the OptiMate TEST cranking power and alternator that checks the battery ' s performance on the vehicle . This easy-touse hand tester records the lowest cranking voltage ( ideally 8V or higher ) when starting up , and then the charging voltage when the engine is running . The safe charging voltage range is 14V to 14.5V , higher than that spells real trouble for lithium LFP ." OptiMate has different smart charging options for lithium LFP batteries , from the easy-to-use OptiMate 1 DUO battery maintainer , to the more powerful OptiMate 2 DUO and the advanced OptiMate lithium range of chargers that are recommended by multiple motorcycle OEMs .
DUO means charge and maintenance of both 12V lead-acid ( STD or AGM ) or 12.8V LFP lithium batteries . The DUO programme adjusts according to battery type , but all the rider has to do is connect it to the battery . The OptiMate 1 DUO is ideal for longterm storage maintenance , with the OptiMate 2 DUO the more powerful option , delivering 2A of charge current . There are also multi-station options available , the OptiMate 2 DUO x 2 and the OptiMate 2 DUO x 4 , great for battery preparation in-store and for riders with multiple vehicles . " When it comes to advanced care that includes saving a battery from 0.5V , or resetting the battery management system ( BMS ), and then performing a diagnostic health test on the battery to make sure it has been recovered safely , an OptiMate Lithium 4s battery charger is the best choice . The rider ' s charger is the OptiMate Lithium 4s 0.8A , with the ' pro ' choice the OptiMate 4s 5A , or the ultimate choice is the OptiMate 4s 10A with TUNE mode - a stable battery support for diagnostic troubleshooting or service . " We have the knowledge and the tools that will guarantee a lithium LFP battery will perform as expected , but more importantly , to not have that battery ' s life cut short prematurely due to poor or long-term storage or vehicle usage practices ."
TECMATE Tienen , BELGIUM Tel : + 32 ( 0 ) 16 805 440 www . tecmate . com www . optimate1 . com
42 IDN - OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 www . idnmag . com