Dead Battery......Have I done something wrong????

[Jedmeister]

Hi All,

A word from the wise please....... I've started wiring all the usual toys on my 1200 GSA (Satnav, Autocom, camera etc.) and I went out this afternoon to go for a little ride and the bike was completely dead.....no display or anything! I checked the battery and it's low (about 6 volts) - whilst I appreciate this is not enough juice to start the bike, I would have thought the LCD screen would have come on Am I wrong to think this?

I've used a BMW lead for the Zumo 550 and plugged it in the the dedicated socket, and whilst I have started wiring the Fuzeblock and Autocom, didn't actually connect either -ve or +ve leads to the battery. The bike doesn't have an alarm so no drain there........The only thing that was connected was the switched circuit in the Fuzeblock (which I took from the outlet under the seat). Have I inadvertently caused some sort of drain on the battery or am I paranoid about my own abilities? I haven't ridden the bike for 4 weeks because I injured my foot but this wouldn't cause the issue would it?

Any words of advice (apart from I should of had this work undertaken by a professional ) greatfully received.

Thanks all.

 

[Monty]

Hi,

I suspect your battery has expired, and it is just coincidence that you have been tinkering. Mine went without warning a couple of weeks ago having shown no signs of any problems until then.

I also did not get any LCD display once the voltage dropped below 11v.

Matt

 

[Jedmeister]

Thanks Matt - you mentioning having no LCD has put my mind at ease somewhat. Bike's due to go for a service at Bahnstormer on Friday - might ask them to put an Odyessy(?) battery in whilst it's there........

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Advice

If you are certain that the battery is flat (check voltage across terminals) then the first thing to do is give it a proper charge. ( Probably better to disconnect terminals.) Then you will know definitely if the battery has (coincidentally) expired (which I must say sounds most unlikely.)

 

[Jedmeister]

Hi Brian, the battery is definitely flat (actually took reading and only showing 6.76v) - I know what you mean about coincidence (although I can hope) - To be honest, a potential leak I can deal with (I will thoroughly check), it was the lack of anything (including LCD ) that really worried me but Matt had a similar issue so maybe things aren't as serious as first feared..... (I can but hope).

 

[John Armstrong]

I'd guess that if you saw 6v across the battery then its best changed sooner rather than later.

 

[RickG]

If you can check the battery voltage does that mean you are using a multimeter?

If so you can check the drain current (with the ignition OFF) to see if you have inadvertantly wired up something oddly.

Charge the battery and when you hook it up with the meter in-line, if it's reading significantly more than about 10mA then you've got something inadvertantly drawing the juice.

I too suspect it's just died and this is a coincidence

 

[Jedmeister]

Thanks Rick - I'll check that out a bit later and see

 

[finn]

Warranty

Thanks Rick - I'll check that out a bit later and see

If your still in warranty call BMW breakdown and ask the they will replace with a new 1 lots of problems with them also get an odyssey bugger to fit but supurb

 

[Jedmeister]

Thanks for the replies everyone - the good news is the bike isn't broken as I was able to ride it this evening after a couple of hours charge (just need to figure out if the battery is duff or I've wired something incorrectly).

Probably best get a new battery anyway as in my experience, once a bike battery has been flattened like that, they don't tend to hold their charge as well (and I'm off to Ireland in 6 weeks - don't want to breakdown there).

 

[SpyInTheCamp]

as in my experience, once a bike battery has been flattened like that, they don't tend to hold their charge as well

It maybe depends on how old it is now. I flattened the battery about a year after I got it but then it last almost another four years afterwards.

Either way, I'd get the BWM dealer to check it for you.

Kai