LiFE battery and charging problem

[yackee]

I was wondering if anyone has had trouble with lithium iron batteries and the charging system on the Tonti bikes?

I recently replaced a dead lawn tractor battery in my T3 with a LiFe battery (the salesman at Batteries Plus did a good job, and I was smitten with the light weight and extra space for tools).

The battery cranked well and did a great job of starting the bike, but on my second of two short runs after installing the battery I noticed that the bike was no longer charging (I have a digital volt meter), and the battery was nearly dead (presumably some sort of parasitic drain that I need to trace down).

I charged the battery back up at home, but the dashboard charging/alternator light now refuses to come on when the key is turned. It's not the indicator bulb (I switched in a known good bulb). I have 12.8 volts going from the bulb circuit into the rectifier (blue wire).

Is it possible that the LiFe battery somehow fried the rectifier or voltage regulator? Both have been replaced relatively recently, and everything was working fine before I switched batteries.

[malik]

I use lithium batteries in the modern V7's without trouble & have friends that use them on the more modern machines - here in Oz we have access to good ones - SSB PowerSports Lithium. BUT our local Guzzi wrench has, in the past, expressed reservations on the universal use of lithium batteries, particularly for the older machines. Check with a few of your local Guzzi mechanics - they have a lot more bikes going through their doors. Some brands do not have a good reputation. While the SSB can be recharged by ordinary chargers, note that a charger with a pulse mode (for reconditioning the battery) is NOT appropriate for any lithium battery - apparently, it ruins them.

[Wayne Orwig]

I am not a fan of the LiFe batteries in a system that is not specifically designed for them.
BUT
There is no reason I can think of that you are not seeing the dash light on, or charge voltage. Check for voltage at the rotor. If you have voltage coming from the light, but none at the rotor, that sounds like the regulator is bad.

[antmanbee]

I have them in three different bikes, one for 3 years and the other two for 1  1/2 years. So far so good.
Two are Guzzi's, an 03 V11 Sport and and an 04 Breva 750. Both are somewhat primitive charging systems being single phase.
I have not tried one in an earlier Guzzi such as a T3. I have to be careful about parasitic loss on the Breva but the V11 has no issues.
The third battery is in a S40 thumper Suzuki that is used very infrequently, but it always starts and I have no need to trickle charge it like I would with a lead acid battery.
The LifePO batteries should work and charge just like a regular battery.