Harley Davidson Lithium Battery

[Ironheadmike]

A lithium battery,on a bike, just exploded and killed two people . They are too unstable .

Can you post a link to the story?

I'll try to find it . It happened yesterday in New York

[Deye76]

A lithium battery,on a bike, just exploded and killed two people . They are too unstable .

Wonder if it was a lithium iRon as opposed to lithium ion.
"if you handle a lithium-iron battery incorrectly, it is far less likely to be combustible, compared to a lithium-ion battery."
Link: https://goenergylink.com/blog/key-differences-between-lithium-ion-and-lithium-iron-batteries/#SnippetTab

Motorcycles should have a lithium iRon battery. I 've been using one (antigravity) for 4 years. Charging system is CycleElectric 3 phase.

[smoserx1]

Is this the story?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/04/11/e-bike-lithium-ion-battery-fire-new-york/11640554002/

[Hossamania]

Is this the story?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/04/11/e-bike-lithium-ion-battery-fire-new-york/11640554002/

A little different than an explosion killing people. Fires are a known issue.

[david lee]

Is this the story?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/04/11/e-bike-lithium-ion-battery-fire-new-york/11640554002/

A little different than an explosion killing people. Fires are a known issue.

my mc mech mate says the same

[hattitude]

Is this the story?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/04/11/e-bike-lithium-ion-battery-fire-new-york/11640554002/

A little different than an explosion killing people. Fires are a known issue.

Probably got confused by the quote from a firefighter in the story:

"We got here very quickly – and if this was not an e-bike fire, most likely we would've been able to put this fire out without incident. But the way these fires occur, it's like an explosion of fire."

 

[david lee]

my mate always checks every night that his brother has not left any battery on charge

[SmokyOwl]

OK I've been researching lithium batteries pretty extensively for the past 8 months or so for a RV solar power setup.  So while I'm no expert I like to think I know quite a bit about them.  The solar panel community knows a LOT about them as they use them extensively for their setups.  I'd suggest checking out Will Prowse on YouTube as a good starting point of lithium knowledge.  Yes he looks like a young hipster punk but he seriously knows his stuff.

First off I'm going to say that nearly all lithium motorcycle batteries are chinese junk.  Now I know that might hurt some feelings of lithium battery owners, and I'm sure many owners haven't had any problems but just hear me out as to why.

It's the BMS.  Battery Management System.  They are the electronic brain of the battery, and are 99% of the time the reason for lithium battery fires.  Oh big surprise, they're all manufactured in China.  These battery management systems fail from cheap components, shotty soldering, and undersized wiring.  A BMS measures temperatures across the cells, sometimes with one sensor, sometimes two independent sensors.  It keeps the battery from being overcharged (primary cause for fires btw) and manages how quickly the battery can discharge.  You can have a $12 BMS or a $300 BMS and the retailer often won't tell you which- but they'll certainly tell you that it HAS one.  All lithium batteries have one by default otherwise they don't work, so a retailer shoving this fact in your face means diddly squat.

Checking out motorcycle lithium battery prices at what... $200?  It's a laughable pricetag to me when you compare it to serious lithium full-sized batteries that pretty much anything under $400 is often deemed questionable in quality.  Most reputable lithium batteries like SOK and Battle Born cost quite a bit more, with Battle Born tipping the scales at $1,300.  Right now if I were to get a lithium battery for my bike it would be Antigravity battery, their BMS seems to be pretty good right now.  But technology is changing VERY fast in lithium batteries month to month so there might be another company at the top of the heap by christmas. 

That's the other thing you have to keep in mind, these lithium battery companies come and go like the wind often- especially the cheap battery companies.  They'll sell you a very long or lifetime warranty and 3 years later they go belly up and your warranty is worthless.  So find a company that's established, and right now there's not too many of them in the lithium motorcycle battery field.

Lithium batteries are such an easy sales pitch:  Less weight!  More power! ... but there is sooo much more to them than that.

Lead acid batteries are much more durable when compared to lithium's very temperamental moods.  If you run a lead acid battery down to under 10 volts or overcharge it chances are you can still salvage it and still use it.  Not so with the lithium- do that and you WILL have an expensive brick.  Another important thing to know about lithium- you can't use them (and usually cannot charge them) in less than 32 degrees F and often I'd suggest not even storing them in cold temperatures due to the electronics inside.  A LOT of users don't heed this and come spring time their battery is shot and they're cursing out lithium batteries online.  So if you're in the snow belt I'd not really recommend lithium unless you're really on point with their care in winter.

Anyways, I hope I've been helpful.  If anyone has any related question feel free to message me.

[scott7d]

Another important thing to know about lithium- you can't use them (and usually cannot charge them) in less than 32 degrees F and often I'd suggest not even storing them in cold temperatures due to the electronics inside.  A LOT of users don't heed this and come spring time their battery is shot and they're cursing out lithium batteries online.  So if you're in the snow belt I'd not really recommend lithium unless you're really on point with their care in winter.

That was the biggest drawback for me with using lithium ion. I do a lot of riding in sub-freezing temperatures. In the winter before riding, I had to let the battery "warm up" by leaving the headlight on for a few minutes prior to starting. Even then it really struggled to start. Without doing the warm-up process at all? Forget it. You have a bike that won't start.