Lucas sealed lead acid batteries

[epeddler]

Anyone have experience with these? I notice they're a more budget orientated option, but it all adds up.

Don't really want to buy them if they're cheaper for a reason compared to say, Yuasa. But I'm right next to a major Lucas distribution hub and trade counter so can get them cheap without delivery costs, so its very tempting. I'm thinking in the range of 12v 7ah.

Reviews online aren't really helpful, mostly just people confirming their new battery works but no follow ups down the line.

Just looking for some reassurance that they don't suck really,
Thanks!

 

[sjpt]

Their main downside is weight. Most bikes are 36v so you would need 3. Check what the continuous power draw is; it would need to be at least 7 amps, probably a bit more. They were common on ebikes till about 10 years ago (usually 24v I think?)

 

[epeddler]

Thanks. I agree on the weight aspect.

As for current draw I know Yuasa make high rate batteries such as the SW280, REW45-12 and NPW45-12. They also have the cyclic ranges starting at 10ah, but again it starts getting costly. I guess they're/used to be the more common types fitted to these bikes.

Are modern lithium packs in the same ballpark much more expensive? The Lucas (LSLA7-12) was my first choice simply because they're cheaply available locally without shipping costs lol.

 

[sjpt]

I see those are around £25, so £75 for three. A lithium pack will be well over £100, probably nearer £150. The cheap ones are often really bad. I can't see the current rating for the Lucas; I expect someone who knows these things better will be along soon.

 

[Nealh]

Carrying extra weight around with those will reduce range as you are using more power just for the convenience of carrying the cheaper batteries. Lithium will have about twice the power and range through out their discharge curve, the SLA likes to be charged always as it power comes from one off boosts rather then continuous as on ebikes. Although they do an adequate job and were the only real option many years ago they were bettered by NiCad & Nimh, lithium though is king for bikes operating continuous discharge.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Anyone have experience with these? I notice they're a more budget orientated option, but it all adds up.

Don't really want to buy them if they're cheaper for a reason compared to say, Yuasa. But I'm right next to a major Lucas distribution hub and trade counter so can get them cheap without delivery costs, so its very tempting. I'm thinking in the range of 12v 7ah.

Reviews online aren't really helpful, mostly just people confirming their new battery works but no follow ups down the line.

Just looking for some reassurance that they don't suck really,
Thanks!

Very inefficient, and as already mentioned, very heavy, which means even more energy wasted just to cart them around....
My advice is not to use them on a bike....
Andy

 

[epeddler]

Oh thanks everyone! I guess I'll move with the times and look into more modern battery chemistries them. Which one currently has the best balance between price, weight and lifespan?

I see those are around £25, so £75 for three. A lithium pack will be well over £100, probably nearer £150. The cheap ones are often really bad. I can't see the current rating for the Lucas; I expect someone who knows these things better will be along soon.

Locally I can get the Lucas 12v 7ah versions for £13 including vat, £18 for the next size up (9 or 10 ah can't quite recall).

 

[Benjahmin]

A 7Ah lithium battery will give you about 25 miles, sla's won't come near that. Also they do not like being deep cycled (charge to dis charge) and it shortens their life. Their voltage drops off very quickly under continuous current draw, so providing less power.
Sla's are good for long term storage where they are charged post load draw or floated on a continuous charge.
There really are very good reasons why sla's are no longer used on bikes, despite the vast difference in cost.
If you want a bike that actually gets you somewhere - li-ion. If you want to mess about with the electrics and learn in the process - sla will do it.

 

[vfr400]

Oh thanks everyone! I guess I'll move with the times and look into more modern battery chemistries them. Which one currently has the best balance between price, weight and lifespan?


Locally I can get the Lucas 12v 7ah versions for £13 including vat, £18 for the next size up (9 or 10 ah can't quite recall).

7AH for an SLA battery is its capacity, but not how much you can draw from it. Typically, you'll get half of that, so 3.5AH, which is pretty well useless.

SLAa are three times the weight, half the capacity and half the life of lithium, so lithium is 12 times as good in terms of what you get for your money, but it's only twice as expensive.