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350TSS · 07-02-2020, 08:43 AM

One step forward two steps backwards yesterday. I fitted the carburettors and realised there would be a clash between the float bowls and the proposed location for the starter solenoid, currently mounted on the battery tray.
I trimmed the battery tray accordingly with no real idea where the solenoid could fit. Clearly from a fire safety point of view, above and away from the carburettors would be preferable. Trimming the tray had the disbenefit that it now not as well located within the frame.

Then I started to fit the MU unit mounts and found that because of the way the spacers from the ignition key worked it was going to be a horribly fiddly job to assemble so I modified the mounting of that and made up some new spacers.

This then caused me to think there would be a very near clash between the battery tray and the MU unit. In that space, all the wiring harness congregates around the MU unit, the battery and the Ignitech unit, 4 sub harnesses going forward to the headlamp and instruments and 3 going back to the coils, rear lights, camera and neutral and rear brake lights switches.

I always intended to install a lithium-ion battery (electrical engineers will cringe at this choice) but I designed the battery space on the basis of the lead-acid battery originally installed and in the same orientation physically. Thus I could buy a LiPO4 battery the same physical size as the lead-acid original and get maybe twice the cranking amps as I am definitely too old/arthritic to consider bump starting as any sort of option.
Now is absolutely the right time to reconsider that philosophy, the available space is extremely constrained and with nowhere to put the starter solenoid does not work anyway, the existing trimmed battery tray does not have the security of fixing that it needs and the existing battery tray looks pretty awful anyway.

The original battery spec, YB16AL-2, is 205mm x 70mm x 162mm (2324cc) with 190 Cold Cranking Amps. After a bit of internet research, I have found a LiPO4 with all the bells and whistles, balancing circuits, LED indicators with 4 terminal posts at 130mm x 65mm x 93mm (786cc) with 300 CCA.

Time to redesign and re-make the battery tray.

07-02-2020, 08:43 AM	#1145
350TSS Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Shipbourne Bike: M900 Posts: 1,419	One step forward two steps backwards yesterday. I fitted the carburettors and realised there would be a clash between the float bowls and the proposed location for the starter solenoid, currently mounted on the battery tray. I trimmed the battery tray accordingly with no real idea where the solenoid could fit. Clearly from a fire safety point of view, above and away from the carburettors would be preferable. Trimming the tray had the disbenefit that it now not as well located within the frame. Then I started to fit the MU unit mounts and found that because of the way the spacers from the ignition key worked it was going to be a horribly fiddly job to assemble so I modified the mounting of that and made up some new spacers. This then caused me to think there would be a very near clash between the battery tray and the MU unit. In that space, all the wiring harness congregates around the MU unit, the battery and the Ignitech unit, 4 sub harnesses going forward to the headlamp and instruments and 3 going back to the coils, rear lights, camera and neutral and rear brake lights switches. I always intended to install a lithium-ion battery (electrical engineers will cringe at this choice) but I designed the battery space on the basis of the lead-acid battery originally installed and in the same orientation physically. Thus I could buy a LiPO4 battery the same physical size as the lead-acid original and get maybe twice the cranking amps as I am definitely too old/arthritic to consider bump starting as any sort of option. Now is absolutely the right time to reconsider that philosophy, the available space is extremely constrained and with nowhere to put the starter solenoid does not work anyway, the existing trimmed battery tray does not have the security of fixing that it needs and the existing battery tray looks pretty awful anyway. The original battery spec, YB16AL-2, is 205mm x 70mm x 162mm (2324cc) with 190 Cold Cranking Amps. After a bit of internet research, I have found a LiPO4 with all the bells and whistles, balancing circuits, LED indicators with 4 terminal posts at 130mm x 65mm x 93mm (786cc) with 300 CCA. Time to redesign and re-make the battery tray.