making a battery pak

[blade22]

any one know how to do this  thx

[Homer]

I answered your PM.

I'll try to get pics uploaded this evening.  They're on my desktop.
It's very simple.  
4 "a123" batteries off ebay.  8 if you have carb issues. 
High-wattage soldering iron, good lead solder, some bus bars, high-strand/thick gauge wire, and either shrink-wrap or good tape.  
The connection at the leads is up to you, make it cheap or make it pretty.  
Don't waste time with a balance circuit.


If you get enough people interested, I'll start selling them.  
That, and an alarm circuit.  Nothing fancy, just this:
http://www.zen22142.zen.co.uk/ronj/sma2.html
Either using your existing horn, a siren, or an air-horn.  If you want the air-horn, I'll have it relayed to replace your existing horn.  
Self-arming. 
Won't drain your battery (uses it's own capacitor).
Goes off if someone stands it up, from the kickstand. 
Maybe $45... $50. 

[O.C.D.]

Odd, I started a post about this a while back and basically it died.  Mayeb it is just this forum.

Anyway, I am still gonna do it.

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=51341.0

[saxman]

I'm planning on doing it as well. Gonna need the extra juice for the fuel injection computer, and more importantly, the space.

[O.C.D.]

I feel you on the space issue.  My complete redesign of the GS electrical/rear chassis left me with only a horizontal mounting option.  It works and I do not foresee any issues.  But, i am all about modding so I think this will take place after I tear her down for paint (soon).

These A123 cells really are amazing.  In our high-draw RC Crawlers they simply perform.  LiPos are great but the A123 will outlast and continually discharge better.

[Homer]

I've had a few PMs about recharging them if they run dead.  

Here's the short answer: jumper cables.  

They're not gonna explode and kill the neighborhood.  It's just like a normal lead-cell.
Jack Bauer isn't gonna come out and glare at you like a p!ssed off squirrel.  
They just don't like trickle-chargers.  They like to be charged quickly.  Trickle chargers just heat them up and ruin them.  

They don't like extreme cold for a long time, like regular lead-cells.  But, they weigh ounces, compared to 20 pounds.  
You take it inside in the winter, and throw it in the closet.
They hold charge better than anything out there, so far.  Better than Optima automotive gel-cells, even.  

The old phone batteries are Nickel-Cadmium.  They lose 2% charge per day, plus they have memory effect.  
Once they're dead, they crystallize inside, and they're useless.  They don't "un-crystallize".  
See here:
http://www.azsolarcenter.org/images/docs/tech-science/papers/batteries/ch4.pdf
Lead cells are about the same, just not as bad.  That's why you need a trickle charger.  
These are Li-Po (Lithium Ion Polymer).  You can leave them for 6 months, and they're perfectly fine.  Leave them off for months, it'll still have the same charge.  

You can take them out and weld with them, if you want.
Like the Jeep guys when their crap breaks on the trail.
They're just like your standard lead-cell, just lighter, smaller, and don't release hydrogen gas or leak acid down your frame.  


They make special complicated chargers, like for power tools.  If you wanna take them inside your house, and talk about micro Faradays and milliwatts and try to impress your girlfriend.  
I'm not making a charger, nor will I try to help you find one.  
I barely have time to make the batteries.  


Edit:
They're not Lith Ion Polymer (LiPo), my mistake.  
They're Lithium-Ion Nanophosphate.  
If you're old and don't understand (ahem... Bill.... ) - instead of lead, it uses Lithium.  Instead of water-based electrolyte ("battery acid"), it uses tiny, tiny phosphate particles.  

Without going too far into it - lithium has better electron density.  More charge available for the weight.  
Old batteries use lead and lead-oxide.  Basically, it rusts when you use it, when you recharge it... it "un-rusts".  The battery acid just carries the charge from one side to the other, but it can spill... evaporate.... explode... get contaminated.... you name it.  They leak hydrogen gas, as everyone's familiar, as they function.  

The nanophosphate doesn't spill, sealed against contamination, doesn't evaporate, doesn't leak hydrogen gas, etc.  Besides being a lot more efficient.  
Otherwise, it's just a d@mn battery.
No special computer chips.
No Star Trek magic laser beams. 
It's a battery.  You start your bike with it.  If it runs dead, you jumpstart it.