Would upgrading to a 30ah battery on a 2011 cali vintage be a good idea or is it not required?
More AH never hurts
If it will fit, got to be better.
We were discussing batteries the other night and gel seems to be the favoured option.
The only bike I need to charge the battery on is the last lead acid one in the garage
The EV seems to turn over and start far better with the gel
All the best
Steve
i have gone from 18 to 30 but have to take the tank off everytime now as 30 a lot bigger but starts bril and with spotlamps it helps
The Cal Vin has a later ECU than the EV, and this one does drain the battery. Clearly the larger the capacity, the better in this situation.The one thing which will kill a gel battery is flattening it.
On a 30 amp battery you have about 20 miles before the battery goes flat,with lights on.
And not being charged becaused the relays have gone down
So on a smaller gel battery that distance would be more than halved.
So take the headlight bulb out and run all day.I have twice been in a no charging position with a mate.Start my bike and get it warm.Change batteries over and start on his parialy discgarged battery whilst he runs all day on my full battery.Next day repeat on his fully charged battery (by my bike).His regulator had gone.
So what’s running the fuel pump and the injectors. The brake light etc.
The calis have 220 watts to play with. It don’t leave a lot over for charging etc.
Yup this was old style carbed Tontis.I would wonder if the drain is that much or my 750 should need at least the ocasional charge in only doing 5 mile comutes.
But, Tone, taking the headlight bulb out will reduce the drain by 55 watts.
Or 5 amps.
Might give you a mile.
I know mine was coughing and spluttering soon enough.
Myself i would go for the best quality i could afford with best capacity i needed.
You Could get a 20 amp SVR that would out perform a cheaper 30 amp
The performance of these are better than the Westco
http://www.optimabatteries.com/en-us/products/redtop But at a price
A bettr idea is to change as many of the Lights to LED to save power,Stop and tail.Pilot light.
Every bit helps
In terms of keeping a bike going when the charging system has failed, then the Optima battery would only be 2/3 as good as a 30AH lead acid. It just comes down to capacity.Changing other lights to LED will save a bit, but just think how long the brake light or indicators are actually on for in say 1 hour’s ride. 5% of the time? Actually that 5 amps saved by disconnecting the headlight may well half the load, doubt the ignition and ECU takes that much more.
I dunno heavy traffic, urban, 50% ?
I think you would give up if you were stationary with the brake on for 50% of the time.
[QUOTE=Brian UK]
In terms of keeping a bike going when the charging system has failed, then the Optima battery would only be 2/3 as good as a 30AH lead acid. It just comes down to capacity.Changing other lights to LED will save a bit, but just think how long the brake light or indicators are actually on for in say 1 hour’s ride. 5% of the time? Actually that 5 amps saved by disconnecting the headlight may well half the load, doubt the ignition and ECU takes that much more.[/QUOTE]
Fuel pump runs constantley.Plus the injectors.ECU.Lights if a modern bike.
Just remembered, you might have a prob with a bigger A/h capacity by it not being able to get it fully charged by alternator only, I experienced some of this when I put a 40 A/h car batt on the Spada, alt couldn’t always put back the full 40 A/h by itself.
You don’t have to be stationary and still use brake lights and indicators lots. Also ~ I was thinking more in terms of traffic lights, roundabouts, places where you must wait. Where you can’t filter, if that’s what you were thinking. Rush-hour type scenarios.