I'd guess a lot would depend on the amps that's going into the battery.
battery problems on my r1200gs
- Thread starter tefflon
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Chris Terry
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Is'nt the current drawn by the battery dependant on the battery's internal resistance?
what happens on the bike then?
many charging systems will wander outside both of those parameters
what happens on the bike then?
many charging systems will wander outside both of those parameters
The bike's alternator won't be running for days on end, like a trickle charger might.
Cue the dinosaurs and comments on 1200 GS running times
Cue the dinosaurs and comments on 1200 GS running times
Is that a nervous twitch you have there
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A battery that needs charging will 'draw' as many amps as it requires to restore its chemical state for fully charged. The rate the charger supplies those amps is the factor here. Older trickle chargers were not designed to handle the amps/volts combination required by an AGM cell.
The CTEK charger has three settings, eg CAR/BIKE/WINTER modes. On a normal wet lead-acid cell you would obviously use the BIKE mode, however with an Absorbed Glass Mat cell you set the charger to its WINTER mode, which allows greater steady state amps and provides the correct voltage within limits for the Hawker.
When I purchased my Odyssey cell, the CTEK was a recommended charger on the Hawker website, however they now plug their own charger instead.
The CTEK charger has three settings, eg CAR/BIKE/WINTER modes. On a normal wet lead-acid cell you would obviously use the BIKE mode, however with an Absorbed Glass Mat cell you set the charger to its WINTER mode, which allows greater steady state amps and provides the correct voltage within limits for the Hawker.
When I purchased my Odyssey cell, the CTEK was a recommended charger on the Hawker website, however they now plug their own charger instead.
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Chris Terry
Registered user
I got myself a CTEC XS3600 to keep my new BMW (disposable)battery as good as it should be. If I had to pay the full price for a replacement I would (and probebly will) get an Odessey. The CTEK manual is a bit unclear on the setting for my AGM cell, so I have just set it to "bike & summer"
I'm hoping I'll be good for a year or 2.That's a thought, the battery was 1/2 price as a "good will" as outside the warrentee. So I should get a 2 year guarantee on it
.Deleted account 210609001
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That's news to me. I have the Odyssey battery and CTEK 3600 charger. I didn't see anything in either set of instructions to say it was necessary to have it on the winter setting.
I've used the charger when the bike's been left for a week or more and had no problems, but I've been riding it a fair amount recently, so perhapsd a flat battery wouldn't be an issue anyway. It's now at a friend's while we have some building work done at home, so it may not be ridden for a couple of weeks or more.
Not doubting you, Puk, but where did you get this info from, Please?
PhilM
Registered user
After being faced with the dreaded CLICK, again, this morning. I've splashed out on a new Odyssey and charger, £145 delivered. 
from Motorworks.
from Motorworks.ChrisDolphin
Guest
Week last Thursday I had the dreaded clicks on my Dec '06 GSA. Use the bike every work day for 100mile commute. Jump started it with leads from the car - no problem. 50 mile morning leg of my commute and picked up some fuel - only to turn it over and....click...click. BMW service vehicle came out and I requested he ensure he had a battery onboard. He checked the bike whilst I was in the office and came back to me with "Loose earth on battery" - I was suprised cos I hadnt noticed that when I jumped it. He produced a little print out from some kind of meter that suggested the battery was fine. Following Monday (didnt ride over the w/e) - click click. Bike went into North Oxford. They did a software upgrade (to rectify the faulty mpg on the computer as it was reading 18mpg and I know its around 35) and monitored the battery saying it was fine. I asked them to keep it all day and try in the evening - they did - it wouldnt start. They replaced the battery. Havent had a problem since........so.....wait until the next time I guess !
Same here Chris re my 1200 ADV.........new Batt, now okay, but one thing else extra from the dealer.........Take out my Garmin plug from the bikes elec socket 
When leave it stood, even overnight the GS will then "shut down" quicker "quote"
Trouble is never had too on my Standard 1200?
Anyway.......
TD
When leave it stood, even overnight the GS will then "shut down" quicker "quote"Trouble is never had too on my Standard 1200?
Anyway.......
TD
'Nuffsaid
Registered user
TomTom rider at fault ......
I had a bit of a "moment" at Vines, when i went down saying that the BMW batteries were crap and that and they should give me (another !) replacement. They did a full diagnostic on the bike - It turned out the cradle the TT Rider sits in, draws current via the Canbus when it is plugged in, this means you have to unplug the Cradle when you stop ....
So, I left with a red face feeling like a total plonker, but grateful to Vines, and have had no battery probs since - question is - do you have a TT Rider or something similiar that could run a small drain on the Canbus?
Steve
I had a bit of a "moment" at Vines, when i went down saying that the BMW batteries were crap and that and they should give me (another !) replacement. They did a full diagnostic on the bike - It turned out the cradle the TT Rider sits in, draws current via the Canbus when it is plugged in, this means you have to unplug the Cradle when you stop ....
So, I left with a red face feeling like a total plonker, but grateful to Vines, and have had no battery probs since - question is - do you have a TT Rider or something similiar that could run a small drain on the Canbus?
Steve
Chris Terry
Registered user
But the Canbus switches off the power to the socket 10 mins after the ignition is turned offI had a bit of a "moment" at Vines, when i went down saying that the BMW batteries were crap and that and they should give me (another !) replacement. They did a full diagnostic on the bike - It turned out the cradle the TT Rider sits in, draws current via the Canbus when it is plugged in, this means you have to unplug the Cradle when you stop ....
So, I left with a red face feeling like a total plonker, but grateful to Vines, and have had no battery probs since - question is - do you have a TT Rider or something similiar that could run a small drain on the Canbus?
Steve
But the Canbus switches off the power to the socket 10 mins after the ignition is turned off
Apologies for the long post
My '06 GSA was booked into Vines workshop with exactly the same sort of problem.
I use a PDA which is powered by a voltage converter that I butchered from a car charger. I wired this directly into the back of the auxiliary power socket beneath the seat because I wanted it to remain powered up for the short period after the ignition was turned off and it wouldn't need a fuse. (It used it to power a GPS unit under the seat as well).
I had been having intermittent problems with the battery draining overnight. I made some observations after I had turned the ignition off and found the following.
If I disconnected everything, including the voltage converter, CanBus shuts down, no battery drain.
If I left the PDA on the bike powered up CanBus shuts down, no battery drain.
If I disconnected the PDA straight away but left the voltage converter connected, which would generally be the norm, the CanBus failed to shut down and next morning flat battery
I spoke to Darren from Vines after reading the quoted posts and he explained the following. (Darren, please correct me if it's wrong)
If a unit drawing a small current (I was drawing about 120 milliamps) is left attached to the CanBus system via the auxiliary socket circuit then the CanBus can be prevented from shutting down properly. The computer keeps checking and trying to shut down but for some reason fails. This action causes a considerable drain on the battery. Neither Darren nor BMW know why this happens.
We discussed using the power connector below the headstock which is used to power the BMW Navigator unit and which many other people have used as a power source for GPS units etc. This is on a different circuit to the acccessory socket(s). One interesting thing Darren mentioned was that some non-standard items permanently attached, e.g. powered cradles, can keep this circuit live until the steering lock is applied (when the system knows it can shut the power off) or they are physically disconnected.
BMW have apparently stated that BMW approved accessories do not cause these problems because they are physically disconnected when you remove them. They are of the view that there is no problem with the CanBus and will not entertain any warranty claims on failed batteries where non-standard accessories like this are fitted. Not the most helpful attitude.
I personally feel there is a software fault that should be rectified but it doesn't look likely.Hope this helps and Darren, thanks very much for taking the time to explain.
Peter
My TT rider mount is spurred off the front beak accessory socket on my 1200. My Navigator 2 cradle comes off the BMW headstock power connector. I guess I should have the problem you mention. Touch wood my battery has been fine but I always use my CTEK since before the TT rider was fitted and haven't been on any tours long enough to drain the battery via the TT rider cradle (yet).
I don't doubt for a moment that the BMW Canbus senses current drain and switches accordingly so its probably true that small current draws are ignored in the switching, probably to prevent spurious on/off cycles like the earlier battery drain mod problem with the accessory socket.
As for the CTEK on Winter mode for AGM cells, I'm pretty sure I read this in the CTEK manual IIRC. I have been using mine for over 12 months on the "winter setting for AGM cells" and had no problems with my Hawker battery thus far.
I don't doubt for a moment that the BMW Canbus senses current drain and switches accordingly so its probably true that small current draws are ignored in the switching, probably to prevent spurious on/off cycles like the earlier battery drain mod problem with the accessory socket.
As for the CTEK on Winter mode for AGM cells, I'm pretty sure I read this in the CTEK manual IIRC. I have been using mine for over 12 months on the "winter setting for AGM cells" and had no problems with my Hawker battery thus far.
According to Darren a Navigator cradle is not a problem. The Tom Tom mount, if connected to the accessory socket circuit, and if it draws a very small current after the Rider unit is removed, may cause the problem but it is not a certainty. CanBus is great until it does things like this and no-one is prepared to fix the software. No current draw, large current draw, it copes but when something continually draws just a small current it can throw a wobbly.
I suspect that there may also have been a batch of duff batteries that some have had exchanged under warranty which is why there are so many threads about them.
Yes it is a relatively small battery but it should NOT, IMHO, need to be constantly trickle charged every night just to keep it going. I might expect a battery to struggle if a bike had been laid up for some months but not a few days or a week, and certainly not overnight. I often commute to London (70mls round trip). The alternator kicks out 720W (GSA). That is more than enough to power everything, including brake servos etc and keep the battery charged. All I have to do now is re-wire the bugger
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