Well after having an enforced car commute to work for the last couple of months or so I have recently received 2 new batteries within 2 days, it's a bit like Buses I suppose!
My chinese sourced LiFePO4 36v 12ah battery arrived just 2 days after being despatched on 09.01.12 which surprised me as I thought that it would come via surface transport.
UPS must have flown it over from China.
They stung me for another £48 COD which I suppose was for Import duty, this still left the overall cost as just under £300 which included a charger, bottom plate with connector and slide rail.
Then last Saturday my Bearprint 2 year warranty replacement battery finally arrived - this is a LiPo 36v 16ah battery like the original.
I really have to compliment Bearprint for looking after me, when ever I have needed help they have been there for me - now with the most expensive warranty item of all the battery.
This ought to see me out well beyond the remainder of my 2 year warranty period after which I will be on my own!
Here is a link to a picture of both new batteries side by side, they are almost identical in size:-
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/CX9I0Jc_mhXjO4K0qb3kRNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink
No matter what I do I just cannot seem to embed the photo in the post.
I used the Chinese 12ah LiFePO4 batttery for the first time last Friday after fitting the new bottom plate with electric connector and it's own slide rail.
It appeared to be fully charged but gave up assistance at about 8 miles and turned off around 10!
I feared for the worse but after charging it at work it got me home in a much better fashion still showing 4 lights immediately after stopping at home.
It's too early to say if it will do the job I need it to do and if it will be reliable and long lasting.
What I hope to do is to alternate between the 2 batteries every week or maybe fortnight as I have to swap out the bottom plate, connector and slide rail when going from one to the other.
This will I hope seem to double the life of each battery.
It will be very interesting to make a comparison between the LiPo 16ah and LiFePO4 12ah batteries.
If needing another from China it would be cheaper next time as all that would be required would be the battery on it's own providing the charger lasts and does not fail.
Best wishes to all.
Barry.