Flat battery

[smithy_6_7]

Hey people of the BMW world.
So I have a 65 plate Gsa te and twice the battery has gone flat on me the bikes not even 18 months old yet.

I know battery's can go but I'm surprised this has happened twice in a matter of weeks I rode it all week to work about 40mile per day plus yesterday for an hour parked it up and then went to start it this afternoon and it cranked over once and nothing flat.

I have been messing around with the power socket putting a new cable on and left my 12v USB socket on with a tiny blue light.

But surly a little blue light can't be draining a mighty BMW battery.

My sat nav has been connected all week and still is.

Could there be a drain from something.

I have no alarm on it.

I'm very confused.

Anybody had a similar problem.


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[dave hendy]

Ever since my first Bmw in 2005 which went flat after about a week of no use (after Japanese bikes which lasted months) I have mine plugged into an Optimate every night. Although it lasts without whilst when away touring! Doesn't seem to take much to make them go flat


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[smithy_6_7]

That's depressing to hear Iv had experience with an alarm on a bike which last about 2 mins before going flat.


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[Deleted account 190920001]

It's not the tiny blue light flattening the battery. The fact that you can see the light means the system isn't shutting down. This means the computers are still running hence flat battery after roughly 8 hours. It could easy be your USB socket that is causing the problem. Basically don't connect anything except a trigger to the bikes electrics. Get a second fuse box (I would recommend a PDM 60)and go straight to battery.

 

[smithy_6_7]

Oh I see now at best it was on for 2 hours. But still I see your point.
The system should be shutting down after 15mins I believe.


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[JJH]

You are not very clear on what has happened. Is the sat nav connected to the USB socket with the blue light. Is the blue light staying on all the time when engine is off. JJH

 

[smithy_6_7]

Oh I see now at best it was on for 2 hours. But still I see your point.
The system should be shutting down after 15mins I believe.


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I see

The sat nav is on the cradle came installed on the bike as Standard.

The power socket/ hella I was putting a cable from there into my tank bag.

In the 12v cig socket on the other end in my tank bag I had one of those USB sockets that when there's power to it a light comes on.


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[Nutty]

You've played with the bikes electronics by wiring a third party device in, and now the battery goes flat. There's your issue.

 

[smithy_6_7]

There is no third party device.
That's what the socket is there for. To plug in and play.

It's was there as standard.


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[JJH]

Just undo what you done and see what happens JJH

 

[smithy_6_7]

Prob the best idea it's on charge see what happens when I leave it at work tomorrow


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[zoltan]

Ever since my first Bmw in 2005 which went flat after about a week of no use

I never had my bike on charge, had my latest LC since Oct.

 

[dave hendy]

I never had my bike on charge, had my latest LC since Oct.

Haven't taken the chance since, it's too easy to just plug it in


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[Nutty]

There is no third party device.
That's what the socket is there for. To plug in and play.

It's was there as standard.


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You said "I have been messing around with the power socket putting a new cable on and left my 12v USB socket on with a tiny blue light. "

 

[smithy_6_7]

lol ok iv not messed with the bike. Just a phrase really being messing about not with the bikes cables or anything like that.


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[fred_jb]

I see

The sat nav is on the cradle came installed on the bike as Standard.

The power socket/ hella I was putting a cable from there into my tank bag.

In the 12v cig socket on the other end in my tank bag I had one of those USB sockets that when there's power to it a light comes on.


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I have two 12V to USB adapters wired into a single DIN plug which is left permanently plugged into the standard cockpit 12V socket, and I have had no problems with the battery. One of the adapters powers my GPS speedo, and the other is for powering my Sony Action Cam when I have it attached to the bike.

When I switch the ignition off, the power to any device connected to this socket goes off after a minute or two, controlled by the CANBUS which it connects through. I believe this is what it is supposed to do. This being the case, it seems unlikely that this is what is running down your battery as long as your 12V socket is the factory installed one.

Is the blue light in your USB adapter definitely staying on permanently, not just for a few minutes? If so, then this seems wrong. In this case are you sure the wiring to your DIN socket has not been changed to go straight to the battery for some reason?

 

[fred_jb]

Just to add to this - if the blue LED is staying on permanently, then it is not just the power drain from the LED, but also the 12V to USB (5V) conversion circuitry which will still be active, and that also drains a certain amount of power.

 

[smithy_6_7]

I have two 12V to USB adapters wired into a single DIN plug which is left permanently plugged into the standard cockpit 12V socket, and I have had no problems with the battery. One of the adapters powers my GPS speedo, and the other is for powering my Sony Action Cam when I have it attached to the bike.

When I switch the ignition off, the power to any device connected to this socket goes off after a minute or two, controlled by the CANBUS which it connects through. I believe this is what it is supposed to do. This being the case, it seems unlikely that this is what is running down your battery as long as your 12V socket is the factory installed one.

Is the blue light in your USB adapter definitely staying on permanently, not just for a few minutes? If so, then this seems wrong. In this case are you sure the wiring to your DIN socket has not been changed to go straight to the battery for some reason?

Hmmmmm
Normally the socket does go off after a minute or two.

Iv never had a problem with it before.

My first thought was battery has had it but for 18month old was unlikely (possible)

I'm going to charge it up and see if it holds charge.

Normally your turn ignition off and then after a few minutes turns off.

When I plugged it in I went for some food came back about an hour or two later and the light was still on.

I started it by accident and it didn't start up just cranked over and then reset.


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[dr nosh]

Oh I see now at best it was on for 2 hours. But still I see your point.
The system should be shutting down after 15mins I believe.


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50 seconds more like.

 

[Stevie4scoops]

Hey people of the BMW world.
So I have a 65 plate Gsa te and twice the battery has gone flat on me the bikes not even 18 months old yet.

I know battery's can go but I'm surprised this has happened twice in a matter of weeks I rode it all week to work about 40mile per day plus yesterday for an hour parked it up and then went to start it this afternoon and it cranked over once and nothing flat.

I have been messing around with the power socket putting a new cable on and left my 12v USB socket on with a tiny blue light.

But surly a little blue light can't be draining a mighty BMW battery.

My sat nav has been connected all week and still is.

Could there be a drain from something.

I have no alarm on it.

I'm very confused.

Anybody had a similar problem.


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It will drain it over a period of time. Additionally, USB chargers permently energised will use powered even if they are not connected to a phone.