Lithium Batteries ... Braille/Shorai/Skyrich ect ...

Martin Colligan

What do you guys run ? any comments ?

good or bad !

Thanks

Russell Stevens · Joined: 15 Oct 2012 Posts: 100

Have half a season on a Shorai running a Rotax. I use the Rotax provided charger. Only negative is that it's such a tiny battery that I had to use a lot of foam spacers (provided) and some zip tie's to keep in in the stock battery box.

Martin Colligan · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 4:32 pm Post subject:

Thanks ... was thinking about a Shorai but the size seems tiny !

Anthony Burke · Joined: 19 Mar 2011 Posts: 22

No dramas with Shorai so far. I use a charger that will charge to 14.4volts, although NOT a dedicated LiPo charger, it seems to be doing the job just nicely. I use the 14ah battery. it's the same size as the 7 physically, but weighs slightly more (100grams?)

Johnny Brooks · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 9:11 am Post subject:

Ballistic and Lithionics are two more brands....

Something to note....do not charge one with a 'pulse mode' desulphating charger. My CTEK 3300 has pulse built in....I've also seen a similar Schumacher charger.

An older standard charger or the LiPo specific (cell equalizing) charger are what's needed.
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Scott Heavin · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 12:15 pm Post subject:

What about a Lithium with a total loss ignition? I know on my LI tools they can be humming along and then all the sudden just go dead. As in like won't spin a drill bit dead. With most batteries you sem to get a gradual decline but with Lithium it's like going off a cliff.
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Russell Stevens · Joined: 15 Oct 2012 Posts: 100

If you plug it in every time you are off of the track, it will never be an issue. Think of it this way - When you are running a lead acid battery to the point where you are seeing the major dropoff you are losing ignition power, and although it will run... are you racing or not? The lithium cells themselves have a fairly gradual dropoff. They put protection circuits in most general use battery packs that kill the power at a set voltage to protect the cell. Undervoltage on a lead battery is recoverable offense (usually), on a lithium battery... not so much. If you don't want to charge it every time get a cheap onboard volt meter and keep an eye on it between rounds... but how hard is it really to plug the kart in? A small inverter, a wall wart 900Ma charger, and a small car battery will keep the kart charged up nearly forever.
And Re: my previous post. I use one on a total loss Rotax without issue. I have an inverter built into the dash of my tow vehicle. I run an extension cord out the window, and plug the kart in whenever I'm in the pits.
Rusty

Chris Ross 2 · Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 7:31 pm Post subject:

I don't have a kart yet but I do run a Ballistic 4-cell battery on my Formula 600 car with no problems. Make sure any Lithium battery you get is a Lithium-Iron Phosphate as there are many different type of Lithium-ion batteries. Other types of Lithium-ion batteries under high heat (i.e. short circuit) will start breaking down and can catch fire. Ever seen any of the you tube videos of a laptop battery with a short circuit. Not pretty. Battery including the quick disconnect was around 0.75 lbs and will turn over my 600cc GSXR engine multiple times with no problems. I did find at my last race at Road Atlanta that it was a bit weak first thing in the morning when the temps were in the mid 30's.
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Chris Ross
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Chad Stapleton · Joined: 19 Jul 2001 Posts: 4403

guys.
Lithium batteries are brilliant , powerful, lightweight, compact, cheap, ideal for TaG karts ......but be careful !
Always use a dedicated lipo charger unless you REALLY know what you are doing . They cannot be left on charge indefinitely like SLA or car batteries.
They must not be charged above their critical voltage ( can be between 3.6 or 4.2 v depending on battery type..which you NEED to know !)
Overcharge, or discharge below minimum voltage can destroy the battery, so keep an eye on voltage.
Chris,
I understand your comment on LiFePo4 , and it is a safe sensible option.
..but for ultimate minimum weight and power, RC LiPo is still the leader and cannot be ignored where weight is critical.
Used sensibly , it is no more risk than a lead battery.
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Chad
"Those of you who think you know everything are annoying to those of us who do !!"

Russ Kemple · Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 12:14 pm Post subject:

I ran the SKYRICH battery with my ROTAX all last year. Great battery.
I would recommend it to anyone. It weighs nothing and has more power than the original Rotax battery. I forgot to charge it for two weeks and still started and raced all day with no problems.

Keith Buffo · Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 2:28 pm Post subject:

I just ran my first weekend with a Shorai on my Rotax with no problems. They said my Battery Jr. would be safe and charge it fine (if only to 12.? volts). But in for a penny, in for a pound, I bought the Shorai charger that plugs into the port between the terminals... my only disappointment being that the plug was not designed with a finger grip, so you need to pick it out with your fingernail to avoid yanking on the delicate wires.

Advice I received from people who know better than me included that in the cold it's a good idea to warm up/wake up the battery by hitting the starter button a few times and/or putting the charger on it to get some current flowing through it. More importantly, I was told to never - ever arc the terminals to avoid a military-scale explosion. Yipes!
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