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by regular use of a preventive desulfator attached to the normal charger
(available as an accessory from your MOTORINO™ dealer).
The real problems with sulfation tend to occur when bikes are not in
regular use. When left (or allowed to become) discharged for too long ,
the lead-sulfate layer builds up to the point that the battery’s ability to
take a charge and deliver power is negatively affected, often fatally. This
can happen in just a matter of weeks if a battery started out low.
A more powerful type of desulfator can sometimes bring back much
of a sulfated battery’s capacity. Your MOTORINO™ dealer may offer this
service, as well as a test for actual battery capacity.
One more important reason to keep them fully charged is to keep them
from damage by freezing. Fully charged, they can handle -40 °C but can
freeze at much warmer temps if flat.
3. They don’t like to get too hot.
Heavy current draw for longer periods, or fast charging at high amper-
ages will heat up the batteries. Heat speeds up the chemical degradation
of a lead-acid cell and in extreme cases causes serious physical damage.
Keeping your tires inflated and your bike unburdened by unnecessary
weight helps a lot. The supplied 3A charger is considered a good compro-
mise between charge time and battery life for the 20 A-h gel cell pack. A
4A charger is ideal when a 12 A-h secondary pack is installed.
4. They are not especially fond of the cold.
You can expect about 20% less range at 0 °C compared to 20 °C.
Caring for your Lithium (LiFePO
4
) Battery Pack
Compared to lead-acid, there is less to worry about with LiFePO
4
batter-
ies. However, keeping these points in mind will help you get the most
from them:
1. They do not like over-charging or under-voltage.
No batteries really do, of course, but lithium-chemistry cells are par-
ticularly picky. The LiFePO
4
batteries in your MOTORINO™ have internal
protection circuitry that disconnects the cells when at risk of being over
or under charged to the point of damage. It is very important that the
battery be recharged promptly if the low voltage cut-out is tripped. This is
because self-discharge, although very slow compared to lead-acid batter-
ies, can still take the cells into dangerously low-voltage territory.
Battery Information, Care, and Feeding
Summary of Contents for MOTORINO XP SERIES
Page 1: ...Owner s Manual XP Series...