Intermittent headstock power on 2006 1200GS.

[lagauk]

Has anyone experienced headstock power supply issues where the power is intermittent?

I have a TomTom 410 mount fitted and sometimes when I attach the sat nav it immediately turns on showing the mount is powered even though the engine hasn’t yet been started.

Frequently, whilst riding, the sat nav reverts to its own battery indicating the headstock power supply has turned off even though the engine is running.

My understanding was that the headstock power supply, being switched power, would be on when the engine was running and power down after a set time following the engine being turned off but for me this isn’t happening….at least not all the time.

Any thoughts on what might be the cause would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Lag

 

[Bendy toy]

Temporarily wire it direct to battery. If the shutting down persists you have a sat nav mount problem.

 

[lagauk]

Temporarily wire it direct to battery. If the shutting down persists you have a sat nav mount problem.

Thanks Bendy but I don't think that's the issue. There should not be any power coming from the headstock connector if the ignition is off.

The canbus isn't turning off the power to the accessory connector every time the ignition is off. It's random. Sometimes the power is off and the sat nav only turns itself on when the ignition is on and sometimes the sat nav turns on after docking to the mount before I've even put the key in the ignition because the mount is receiving power from the the canbus.

 

[Bendy toy]

Who knows, electronics do strange things when contacts are dirty. Can you test the connector and sat nav end of the cable with a voltmeter?

 

[Bem]

Temporarily wire it direct to battery. If the shutting down persists you have a sat nav mount problem.

I`m with bendy on this one. My 2005 had a similar problem with a Garmin 400 - after stressful episodes of switching off or running out of battery at awkward moments a replacement mount was the instant solution.
Fault in the mount would typically be shorting out which would give the impression to the canbus that there was a load connected.
HTH.

 

[lagauk]

Who knows, electronics do strange things when contacts are dirty. Can you test the connector and sat nav end of the cable with a voltmeter?

Yes I can test the connections and will do as soon as my multimeter comes back to me. Won't that just prove if there is power or not though?

 

[lagauk]

I`m with bendy on this one. My 2005 had a similar problem with a Garmin 400 - after stressful episodes of switching off or running out of battery at awkward moments a replacement mount was the instant solution.
Fault in the mount would typically be shorting out which would give the impression to the canbus that there was a load connected.
HTH.

Thanks for the reply Bem. I'm not very good with all this electrical stuff and I understand what you and Bendy are saying and they're valid points but what's confusing me is why there is power in the headstock connector without the ignition being on? A faulty mount wouldn't provide power to the headstock connector.

As I understand it, and would be happy for someone to correct me if I'm wrong, once the ignition is turned off and the key removed the canbus then turns off the power to the sat nav connector after a pre determined time has passed and this is indeed what happens often with my bike. However sometimes this doesn't happen and the next day when I slide the sat nav into the mount the sat nav turns on.

The fact there is power to the sat nav before the ignition is turned on is to me showing a fault with the canbus not turning it off. That's the whole point of switched power. There should be none until switched on but in my case I'm getting power before the ignition is on and with no key in the ignition.

It's very frustrating as it's so intermittent but I do appreciate all the replies.

Cheers

 

[IanPorter]

Could a faulty mount be tricking the satnav into thinking it’s got power and it then powers up on its internal battery?

Just because it’s switched on doesn’t mean it being powered from the bike I guess

You’d need to let it happen again and then check the connector for power at the socket BEFORE turning the ignition on to see if there is power there

 

[lagauk]

Could a faulty mount be tricking the satnav into thinking it’s got power and it then powers up on its internal battery?

Just because it’s switched on doesn’t mean it being powered from the bike I guess

You’d need to let it happen again and then check the connector for power at the socket BEFORE turning the ignition on to see if there is power there

Thanks IanPorter. Your guess is as good as any. Will check the power at the socket as soon as I can.

 

[Bem]

Thanks IanPorter. Your guess is as good as any. Will check the power at the socket as soon as I can.

Sorry, didn`t quite finish my thoughts there - yes a faulty mount will "trick" the canbus into staying on permanently .
Disconnect the gps from the connector, wait for five minutes and I am sure it will be dead = faulty mount.

 

[Pukmeister]

Did your 2006 GS have all its software/firmware updates during dealer servicing?

There were several revisions issued by BMW around 2006 to try and resolve power socket handling issues, it took them about three attempts to get it right. Perhaps your bike missed one of them ?

 

[lagauk]

Sorry, didn`t quite finish my thoughts there - yes a faulty mount will "trick" the canbus into staying on permanently .
Disconnect the gps from the connector, wait for five minutes and I am sure it will be dead = faulty mount.

Cheers will check the connections to see.

 

[lagauk]

Did your 2006 GS have all its software/firmware updates during dealer servicing?

There were several revisions issued by BMW around 2006 to try and resolve power socket handling issues, it took them about three attempts to get it right. Perhaps your bike missed one of them ?

Not sure. the bike hasn't been dealer serviced since I've owned it. I try to avoid dealers as they're too expensive.

 

[patzx12]

My old 05 GS does that.
I am going to dump the Canbus connection and wire it to the back of the accessory plug.

 

[Santa-2512]

Yes you can have power at the canbus socket with the ignition off

But only for about 30 odd seconds after the ignition is off...

Just a quick check have you wired it to the +12V feed and not the +xxv pulse feed?

It should be on the +12v feed (when powered up) i think the pulse feed it about +10v.

When you turn the ignition off the nav will stay powered for about 30 secs then ask if you want shut off or stay on battery power -

if you miss the prompt,and it goes to battery it can give the appearance of staying live

 

[lagauk]

My old 05 GS does that.
I am going to dump the Canbus connection and wire it to the back of the accessory plug.

I'm thinking exactly the same. Would prefer to by pass it and know it's working correctly.

 

[lagauk]

Yes you can have power at the canbus socket with the ignition off

But only for about 30 odd seconds after the ignition is off...

Just a quick check have you wired it to the +12V feed and not the +xxv pulse feed?

It should be on the +12v feed (when powered up) i think the pulse feed it about +10v.

When you turn the ignition off the nav will stay powered for about 30 secs then ask if you want shut off or stay on battery power -

if you miss the prompt,and it goes to battery it can give the appearance of staying live

Thanks Santa will check that once my multimeter comes back to me.