1200 optimate problem?

[newman7096]

My 1200 is used daily but always connected to an Optimate when not in use.

I've never had any problems with the optimate or the battery in the past. I just connect it up and the optimate goes yellow and then eventually green.
2005 bike by the way.

Now everytime I return home and connect it up it immidiately turns red!?

I didn't believe the optimate so with the optimate connected and displaying red I turned the ignition on and off which cleared the red and sent it the normal yellow and the eventually green.

I'm having to do this everytime I come home now.

I'm convinced there is nothing wrong with the battery but its stange that its started doing this.

Any ideas?

 

[(RIP) sherpa]

Software!!

I believe its because the Optimate goes through one cycle of the charge process and then the power socket shuts down on the bike.
Solved by putting Optimate direct to battery.

HTH
sherpa

 

[newman7096]

I believe its because the Optimate goes through one cycle of the charge process and then the power socket shuts down on the bike.
Solved by putting Optimate direct to battery.

HTH
sherpa

Forgot to say, it is connected to the battery!

 

[Davy F]

I've found that if I connect my optimate up immediately after turning the bike off, it doesn't seem to charge properly (according to the wee lights). I now leave it a while before connecting it and it charges correctly everytime.

 

[dazco]

is it nessssssssasssrrrry to put it on charge everytime youve been out?

 

[Davy F]

is it nessssssssasssrrrry to put it on charge everytime youve been out?

Yes, if you use the alarm like I do.

 

[Sir James]

I believe its because the Optimate goes through one cycle of the charge process and then the power socket shuts down on the bike.
Solved by putting Optimate direct to battery.

HTH
sherpa

He's right you know , run a power socket straight to the battery ,just like the 1150 ADV

 

[Eastriding2002]

Mine's straight to the battery and does this from time to time too.

Mystified in 'Ull

 

[Tarka]

Asssuming your lead is indeed connected directly to the battery,thus avoiding all the CanBus mullarky....and assuming that your battery is healthy, a cause of the red indicator could be that the female socket has opened up slightly and the connection is not as secure as it should be.

Try CAREFULLY closing the female socket connectors a bit with a very thin screwdriver blade or similar.

Also,check the male and female connectors aren`t dirty.

 

[newman7096]

is it nessssssssasssrrrry to put it on charge everytime youve been out?

You've obviously not heard of the millions and millions and millions of battery faliures then? Don't want to take the chance especially now its getting colder!

I'm also a pessimist!

 

[davidgibson999]

Newman - did you get to the bottom of this?? The reason I ask is that I've been charging my battery directly with the Optimate without a hitch for months until this morning - I went for a brief 10 mile run last night, came in and plugged in the optimate and this morning I noticed the red LED has come on. I unplugged it, switched on the ignition, switched off and plugged into the optimate again. Checked at lunch time and the red LED is on yet again - anyone any ideas? The red LED doesn't come on immediately - it comes on with the test charge indicator...

 

[Janie]

We connect straight to the battery on our bikes and have had no trouble at all...........you should always leave ya bike on charge when not usin it.......better safe than sorry................................

 

[davidgibson999]

I do leave my battery on charge all of the time which is why I can't understand it happening this time. . .

 

[cookie]

......you should always leave ya bike on charge when not usin it.....

only if there's a fault on it you can't be arsed to fix

 

[newman7096]

Newman - did you get to the bottom of this?? The reason I ask is that I've been charging my battery directly with the Optimate without a hitch for months until this morning - I went for a brief 10 mile run last night, came in and plugged in the optimate and this morning I noticed the red LED has come on. I unplugged it, switched on the ignition, switched off and plugged into the optimate again. Checked at lunch time and the red LED is on yet again - anyone any ideas? The red LED doesn't come on immediately - it comes on with the test charge indicator...

When and if the red LED comes on for whatever reason I just turn the ignition on and then turn it off again and this turns the light to the correct yellow. Don't know why it does it but occasionally it does!

 

[davidgibson999]

Left it for four hours, came back and the light was green. Went out half an hour later and it had turned red!

 

[Yoda]

David - I'd suggest to check the Optimate against another battery (car etc).

Also - as Tarka said earlier on, check the contacts on the plug'n'socket. Also the fly lead onto the battery and the in-line fuse.

I use an Optimate on both bikes. Every now and then it throws up a red so I disconnect it, turn it off, reconnect and turn on. Everything is then hunky dory for another couple of months.

If it pans out OK on another battery and your contacts are all OK then I guess the gnome inside the Optimate box is giving you a message .....

 

[tufty1909]

Found this on optimate website, should answer your question. My optimate does the same put it down to alarm drawing amps whilst charger is connected, battery still charges. oh and by the way i connect through the accessory socket with no problem.

The red WEAK LED is on, why?

The WEAK LED indicates that the battery voltage has dropped below 12,2V at some point while the charger was connected, either during the self-discharge test stage of the charging program, or during long term maintenance / storage charging.
The OptiMate continues to maintain the battery even if the red WEAK LED is on.

The red WEAK LED is on, but my battery seems fine. Why?

The WEAK LED indicates that the battery voltage has dropped below 12,2V at some point whilst the charger was connected. This could occur if you cranked the engine with the OptiMate connected, or there is a poor connection between the OptiMate and the battery.
The OptiMate continues to maintain the battery even if the red WEAK LED is on.
Disconnect the OptiMate from the battery, until the red WEAK LED goes out, then reconnect it to the battery. The yellow CHARGE LED should indicate. Once the yellow LED starts flashing steadily, a test result indication can be expected within 30 minutes.