Well time has told me the dodgy ebay cells aren't really up to the job.  When the bike is warm they start it fine, but on cold mornings, nope.  I'm starting to get sick of roll starting my bike.

So that's $80 down the toilet.  I just pulled the pin on a set of 8 cells from http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=6444.  These guys have a weird website - it initially says they're $18 per cell, but if you leave the page up for a few minutes, the price comes down to $12 per cell.  These are reputedly genuine A grade cells, so fingers crossed they'll have the teensy bit more go that the bike needs when it's cold.

Hi Suzy,

Would like to know if you notice any difference riding the bike with a  lighter battery?

Paul

Quote from: Paul on June 24, 2011, 12:35:00 AM
Hi Suzy,

Would like to know if you notice any difference riding the bike with a  lighter battery?

Hard to tell.  It feels like the difference between a full or empty fuel tank.  It's probably more placebo than anything though.

I'm not super electrically minded, but if you made it a 10 cell job instead of 8, would that mean more CCA for those cold mornings? Or the eBay cells ain't putting out what they're sposed to anymore?

Quote from: Nibor on June 24, 2011, 05:15:16 PM
I'm not super electrically minded, but if you made it a 10 cell job instead of 8, would that mean more CCA for those cold mornings? Or the eBay cells ain't putting out what they're sposed to anymore?

It would have to be 12.  Each cell is 3V, so four in series gives 12.  I'm using 2 strings of 4 for extra current.  You can also do 3 strings of 4.

If I used 12 cells, even the dodgy ebay cells would work fine.  As it is with 8, they're on the annoying side of marginal.  A cell holder to hold 12 cells plus four more cells would cost more than just replacing the 8 dodgy cells with good ones.