Is it charging ??

[Clive795]

Firstly I have done a search and read the resulting hits but am still not sure of the answer so.........

I have an 04 bike that doesn't get used much in the winter.

I had to jump start it last month and so bought a BM charger which appered to be working as per the instructions - after overnight charge green 3/3 LED on.

I then took the bike in for the brake check and a software update.

Now the bike is sitting in the garage connected to the charger as before but the charger only shows the green 'on' LED and the red '0' LED. According to the instructions this means the battery is receiving full charge. I have noticed that every now and then the red LED goes out and then comes back on. What is never happening is the LED's for 1/3,2/3,3/3 coming on. I take this to mean the battery has not been charged enough for the charger to reduce its input.

Is the battery knackered ? or is the charger not working ?

It is difficult for me to find the time to get it back to the dealers at the moment so some advice would be useful.

Clive

 

[Cestria]

I noticed my BWM charger started to behave a little strangely after I had the software update (for the alleged flat battery problem) It behaved prettymuch as you describe.
After reading the manuals....last resort-its a man thing ....I started using the recommended procedure to connect the charger, instead of just plugging it in and switching it on i started to.

1 Switch on the bike ignition (can bus alive) let the bike fully 'boot'
2 Plug in the charger to the bike socket
3 Switch on the charger (let the charger led's do their diagnostic thing)
4 Switch off bike ignition.

Now all is well and the charger is working OK - the bike seems full charged (no ABS issues etc etc).

When first connected and the charger has decided the state of charge of the battery (this can take a couple of hours) the 0, 1/3 or 2/3 led will come on showing the state of charge of the amout of charge depending on how you interpret the manual. Then after being on several hours to overnight the green 3/3 led will light will come on and and stay on for quite a while. Then the leds on the charger will occasionally go to 0, 1/3, 2/3, for a while and then it goes back to 3/3 (green light) and stays like that, again for a while (cant be more specific about timings- I'm not THAT anal! ) but I put this down to the charger going through its battery maintenance (driving simulation) routine like it describes in the manual. I have never seen the red 'fault' light come on during use.

Hope this is some help.

 

[Marco]

I have noticed that every now and then the red LED goes out and then comes back on. What is never happening is the LED's for 1/3,2/3,3/3 coming on.
Clive

I noticed exactly the same with my BMW battery charger; I will try the procedure described by Cestria but one question: did you put the alarm on while the battery is charging ?

 

[wilbjr21]

Maybe it's just me. I do read manuals. I do find out how to do things properly and I don't seem to too many problems. Is this "not reading a manual" thing something like the English Ruling Class thing of boasting of not being able to do maths (I think that's something they would want to hide). Could be why the Germans have the best Engineers and we are full of lawyers and "arty" types.

 

[chasr]

You may find the following exchange of emails with BMW interesting. I have (big time) paraphrased their repsonses.

-----Original Message-----
To: BMW chaps

Subject: R1200GS Battery Charger

Hi,

I've just bought my second R1200GS, and have had the BMW GS charger
since it first came out. I would like to ask whether the 4 lights
should sequence during the maintenance cycle. In other words, once
the battery is charged - Green light on - is it normal to see the
light return to Red, then through the 2 Amber lights back to Green.

The reason I am asking this question is that with my 1st 1200, the
light remained on steady Green, but with the new 1200, the lights
cycle through. I am concerned that, according to the charger manual,
the battery is losing voltage and 're-setting the charge cycle.' In
other words, the new battery may be faulty.

Thank you,
_______________________
Dear chasr

Ta for your email.

Battery temperature is critical to the charging process. The
lower the temperature of the battery, the higher its resistance.

If it's v.cold, the charger deems the battery to be flat due to its high internal resistance and attempts to charge it. After 3 attempts to charge the battery, the charger will then switch to error.

Try charging in a warmer area, or buy the updated charger.
Yours sincerely, etc
________________________
To: BMW chaps
Subject: R1200GS Battery Charger

Dear BMW Chaps,

Ta muchly. I would be very grateful if you would clarify one or two points.

Firstly, regarding the low temperature & the 3 charging attempts resulting in an error light; this is not quite what is happening with my battery. The system is getting to stage 3/3 (steady green) quite happily, but after a while re-sets back to steady red for a minute or so, then quickly goes back to steady green, sometimes pausing for a minute at stage 2/3. The charger does not switch to error. My dealer suspects the battery is faulty and has offered to replace it. The charger 'manual' states that at stage 3/3, the battery is fully charged, and the system goes into maintenance mode. In this maintenance mode, will the lights cycle through, or does the charger just display (green) 3/3?

Finally, is there any harm in leaving the charger plugged in for long periods, with the sequence of charger lights I have mentioned above?

best rgds,
___________________
Dear chasr

Ta again.

Our 1200GS charger did not cycle through the lights as you have informed us. We would therefore suggest that your battery is knac***ed; talk to your dealer.



Actually, with apologies to BMW whose replies were prompt, detailed & informative - but covered by copyright, threats of death if published etc, I think they might be wrong. It can't be just coincidence that Cestria has noticed the same sequence of lights as me.

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Charging

My 'optimate charger' worked on my 1150 but I soon found out that it would not work on my 1200. Then I found the price of the BMW charger and decided that I would remove the seat and connect up directly to the battery terminals - a very simple procedure( at last) on this model.

 

[Cestria]

Actually, with apologies to BMW whose replies were prompt, detailed & informative - but covered by copyright, threats of death if published etc, I think they might be wrong. It can't be just coincidence that Cestria has noticed the same sequence of lights as me.

Chasr - that is very interesting and like you say unlikely to be coincidence that we have noticed what seems like identical behaviour.
I've allways assumed that my battery is OK as I have had no problems which would indicate anything else.
Have you had your battery replaced ? If so how did the charger behave then ?

 

[The Machine Cat]

"Try charging in a warmer area, or buy the updated charger."

What the hell is an "updated" charger ?!!!

 

[nadeem]

what're the views on the normal optimate available from the likes of Nippy Norm's? I've been using one for the last year with no probs and the dealer advised me to keep on doing so...

 

[Frank Warner]

I'm unable to find the bm part number for their "warmer area". Any help? Cost?

----
If you want to determin if the battery is charging then measue its' voltage. >12.9 volts = charging.

Me? I'd be puting a non can bus connection to the battery and using a conventional charger ... at the mo things don't look great on the can buss charging.

 

[chasr]

"Try charging in a warmer area, or buy the updated charger."

What the hell is an "updated" charger ?!!!

I am told it is one that doesn't respond to the increased battery resistance below 10 degrees by going back through the charging cycle.

 

[chasr]

For all of those who have/use Optimates; this subject has been discussed to death since the introduction of the 1200 (do a search if you don't believe me). For anyone else who feels the need to post, just cut & paste the following;

I have an Optimate. My dealer/mate/girlfriend says wire it direct to the battery. I do this. It works. I will be the first to complain if it fries my canbus. The BMW charger is a rip-off.

 

[chasr]

Have you had your battery replaced ? If so how did the charger behave then ?

Just coming up to the 600 mile 1st service. I'll get the battery replaced, then report back.

I've got a feeling it is linked to the last software update, but I never really checked my last 1200 - it was always on Green when I looked. As you now know, you have to watch it for a few minutes to see it cycle. Of course, it may well be linked to this low temperature thing, causing the charger to recycle - but why didn't I see that happen before? Or, the battery is knack**ed. Or my 1st 1200 showed Green, but wasn't actually charging (have you noticed that if you pull the charger plug from the bike, the light stays on Green?).

Who knows?

 

[Thunder]

what're the views on the normal optimate available from the likes of Nippy Norm's? I've been using one for the last year with no probs and the dealer advised me to keep on doing so...

Nadeem

I asked the same question as I have used the Optimate for my last couple of bikes and the dealer confirmed as long as the connections were made direct to the battery it would be fine.

Where you would have a problem with the can bus is attempting to connect via the accessory socket with anything but the BM charger.

 

[Clive795]

Thanks for the replies,
I think I have been following the right procedure with the charger but i will check again tonight.
Temperature may be an issue as the bike is in an unheated garage - but then most are so whats the point of a charger that has problems in the cold !

I have a feeling that I am going to have to leave it on the assumption it is charging and then find I have a flat battery when I want to use it !!


Clive

 

[nomad]

I use an optimate directly connected to the battery.Had no problems at all.In fact it's rarely used on my 1200 as it's always on SWMBO's bike & I've never suffered a battery problem.Bike's now 2 years old.

 

[chasr]

I use an optimate directly connected to the battery.Had no problems at all.In fact it's rarely used on my 1200 as it's always on SWMBO's bike & I've never suffered a battery problem.Bike's now 2 years old.

You didn't use the cut & paste