Tag Archives: LiFePO4

REVIEW: Shorai LFX Batteries

Posted on by
Reply

One area of the powersports industry that has seen a lot of change lately is batteries. Battery technology was developed in the mid-1800s and remained relatively unchanged until the mid-1990s when university researchers developed lithium batteries. Lithium ferrous phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries are a perfect fit to the rugged uses found in the powersports industry. Several companies have been producing LiFePO4 batteries over the last few years including LFX Batteries by Shorai.

Shorai LFX Batteries

Like other LiFePO4 technology batteries, Shorai LFX Batteries hold many advantages over lead-acid units. First off, they are about 80% lighter on average helping to easily remove weight from your ride. There are also no harmful chemicals in a LiFePO4 battery making them safer and allowing them to be mounted in any position, including upside-down. Another great benefit is that they have a longer maintenence-free lifespan. A lead-acid battery constantly degrades while sitting idle. LiFePO4 batteries lose only a small percentage over an entire year. Good luck finding a lead-acid battery that will crank after sitting for a year.

We decided to try out Shorai LFX Batteries ourselves by upgrading our Polaris Hawkeye 300. The old lead-acid battery had just recently failed us and it was a great chance to upgrade during our spring maintenance. Shorai produces some 20 different battery models in their LFX line. Shorai’s website has a battery finder that allows you to select your powersports vehicle and see the appropriate battery selection. Our application called for the LFX14A5-BS12. With an MSRP of $159.95 it’s on par with most other similar LiFePO4 offerings.

Shorai LFX Batteries

Our battery arrived by mail packed in its retail box, tucked in by foam shims. It also contained a manual, two sets or terminal screws and a collection of Shorai stickers. The physical dimensions of the battery were very similar to the OEM lead-acid battery we removed. Our OEM battery was 6.5″H x 5.25″L x 3.5W while our Shorai measures are 6.3″H x 5.28″L x 3.15″W. This actually makes Shorai LFX Batteries larger than most other LiFePO4 batteries we have seen though they are still perfect for your OEM swap. If there is any spare room in your battery compartment, the included foam shims can be cut and placed inside the compartment for a solid fit.

As far as weight is concerned, there is a big difference between lead-acid and LiFePO4 batteries. Our LFX battery weighs in at only 2.31 pounds compared to our 10.4 pound lead-acid rock. Racers looking to gain a little speed will have a hard time finding an easier or cheaper way to lose 8 pounds. But don’t let the lightweight fool you. This battery still produces 210 cold cranking amps (CCA).

Perhaps one of our favorite things about the Shorai LFX Batteries is the terminal posts. The posts are designed in an “L” shape and have locations to simultaneously use 2 sets of terminal screws. This makes it easy to add accessories without stacking. We placed our winch leads on one set of terminal screws and the Polaris’s electronics on the other.

Shorai LFX Batteries

Shorai LFX Batteries ship charged and ready for your ride. While they generally don’t need to be maintained you can use traditional battery chargers as long as they do not use automatic desulfation mode. Shorai does produce its own charger that is designed to balance each individual cell and can increase the life of the LFX battery.

Shorai LFX Batteries have a 3 year warranty. That’s longer than the entire life span of a lead-acid battery and much more than the warranty period. Ours has performed great so far. We will provide updates here if we see any performance changes and also to let you know exactly how long our Shorai LFX Battery lasts. To locate your own Shorai LFX Battery check out their website at http://www.shoraipower.com/.

REVIEW: Ballistic EVO2 Performance Batteries

Posted on by
Reply

So you’re all set for a weekend on the trails. Your buddies are packed and headed over to load you up. You step out to crank up your ride. A turn of the key and your mighty beast should respond with a roar, but instead you just get a disheartening ‘click’. There is a good chance you are suffering from a dead battery.

The Ballistic EVO2 Performance Batteries Lineup

It’s an annual affair for most. Traditional lead-acid batteries have a life span of about a year and a half to two at best. But the powersports industry has had a growing trend of lithium batteries like the Ballistic EVO2 Performance Batteries. Lithium ferrous phosphate, aka LiFePO4, is based on technology developed by researchers at the University of Texas in 1996. The end result is a smaller, lighter, safer, maintenance-free, longer-lasting battery.

The 8-cell Ballistic EVO2 Performance Battery

We decided to upgrade the battery in our Yamaha Big Bear 250. The battery finder on Ballistic’s website recommended the 8-cell unit for normal environments or the 12-cell for primarily cold areas or units with lots of accessories. With most of our riding taking place in the southeast US we picked up the 8-cell (P/N 100-011). The battery puts out 13.6 volts and 275 burst cranking amps. It is designed to work in temperatures from 0-140 degrees F. Inside the package was our battery, foam material for shipping and installing, and a few Ballistic stickers.

The 8 cell LiFePO4 battery versus the OEM lead-acid.

Our new battery came in at a mere 4.5″L x 2.5″W x 4.25″H and 1.7 pounds compared to our OEM battery at 5.25″L x 3.5″W x 7″H and 10.4 pounds. That’s a savings of almost 9 pounds making this the easiest and least expensive way to shed weight off your ATV and potentially gain a little speed. Since the Ballistic EVO2 Performance Batteries are also a great deal smaller than their OEM counterparts they risk bouncing around inside the battery compartment. To resolve this simply use the foam packaging that the battery came with. It trims easily with a serrated blade and helps secure the battery in place.

The Ballistic 8 cell ready to go.

Ballistic batteries come with a Battery Management System (BMS) port on top. While not necessary, a charger is available from Ballistic that helps balance each cell on the battery to extend the life of the battery even further. A standard trickle charger can be used as long as it has auto-shutoff to prevent over charging. Ballistic EVO2 Performance Batteries ship at 70% of their charge, more than enough for a good start. Put to its first test it did not disappoint and has been running great during its first week. They are claimed to only lose 10% of their charge during a static year compared to as much as 1% per day for lead-acid batteries.

Ballistic EVO2 Performance Batteries come with a 3 year warranty and are made right here in the USA. LiFePO4 batteries do have a higher price than lead-acid batteries. The MSRP on the 8-cell Ballistic is $169.95, about 3 times the cost of an equivalent lead-acid battery. However, the features and convenience make it a great option. We’ll provide updates here during the life of our battery, but don’t count on that being anytime soon. To find your own Ballistic EVO2 Performance Battery check out their website at http://www.ballisticparts.com/.