New battery draining!

[gazza01]

Has anyone got any idea what could cause a new odyssey battery to drain over 3-4 days? Its in a 2004 gs. I have no sat nav or any other accessories fitted. If I use the bike daily its fine but if I leave it 3-4 days its dead!!
I have tested the alternator and its charging the battery correctly.
I have also had the bike into the local garage he thought it was corroded wiring to the auxiliary point under the seat so removed it but that's not fixed the problem.

 

[Paul Everton]

Next time your not gonna use the bike for 3-4 days, disconnect the battery by removing both leads then after 4 days connect both leads back on the battery ... If the battery is then flat you know the fault lies with your battery and not your bikes electrical system .... This is assuming the alternator is work fine too as you said it is .... This method will tell you what's at fault ... Battery or bike ?

 

[Pukmeister]

How long have you owned the 2004 bike? Has it had all its dealer software updates?

The early bikes had a string of software updates done before they sorted the battery drain/aux socket power problems. Perhaps your bike slipped through the net?

 

[Sgt Bilco]

I was talking to someone yesterday about Odyssey batteries. Despite all the hype surrounding them, they sometimes can drop their amperage to about 8 or 9 overnight thus making you think it's a duffer. Apparently, most batteries may drop to 11 or 12 which is OK. It's worth checking to see if this happens.

This pal of mine is a BMW mechanic in California and he says it's not uncommon over here and will not fit Odyssey batteries and they are a complete waste of money !!

 

[ghiribizzo]

they sometimes can drop their amperage to about 8 or 9 overnight thus making you think it's a duffer.

Right?
How many torques do they produce?

 

[Bendy toy]

Dry cell batteries (LiFePo) can be really small and still start the engine in good conditions. When really cold they will get a serious volt drop and need to warm themselves before they'll deliver the volts and current so need a different cold weather technique. Also they need to be big enough to get warm and have enough left to start the engine.

Maybe Odyssey batteries also suffer the cold volts drop and need to be tried a few times to warm the cells.

Odyssey batteries also seem to have a problem with smart chargers. I didnt see Optimate mentioned here, but worth a look anyway.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1276645

I thought my standard BMW Exide was failing but after 10K miles in my hands, its just as lazy as it ever was and the bike always starts. I dont use an Optimate whiles its parked, but the bike gets used at least every 3 days.

 

[Wolfgang]

Lazy Battery ?

Bendy,
I've just fitted a new BMW/Exide battery to my 1100RS last week after the old Numax gel battery died without warning.
You're right about lazy.
This new one does n't have enough go for the ABS at a cold start.
After riding around for a bit & a second start the ABS will work.
Could n't be bothered with a the faffing about changing the teminals for an Odyssey.

Weird ?

 

[Pukmeister]

Had an Odyssey on my first 2004 model 1200 and it was very good. My current 2008 GSA struggles to crank when hot, just about to fit a Motobatt unit as it is half the price of an Odyssey unit.

AGM cells like the Odyssey need a charger that delivers the correct Amps rate at the correct voltage, I used a CTEK MultiXS3600 on mine without any issues (approved by Odyssey).

 

[gazza01]

How long have you owned the 2004 bike? Has it had all its dealer software updates?

The early bikes had a string of software updates done before they sorted the battery drain/aux socket power problems. Perhaps your bike slipped through the net?

OK its not the battery had it disconnected for the last couple of days and its held its charge. The bike has been serviced regularly according to the service book but by a Honda dealership. So I'm guessing I'll need to contact BMW to see if any updates have been done on it.

 

[cookie]

AGM cells like the Odyssey need a charger that delivers the correct Amps rate at the correct voltage, I used a CTEK MultiXS3600 on mine without any issues (approved by Odyssey).

How does it manage with the unsophisticated charging system on the bike then?

 

[Bendy toy]

The GS charging system is as sophisticated as that used on any modern car so any battery built to be used on a modern bike should be fine. AGM batteries are still lead acid so the rules about charging currents should be the same. Generally, charge current no more than 10% of the battery Amp-Hour capacity. An Optimate will be fine, but wire it direct to the battery with its own plug dont use the canbus-fed socket to connect the charger.

LiFePo batteries such as Ballistic have long service life, wont need a conditioning charger and give a big punch in small size, but seriously not cheap to buy.

 

[trainman]

The GS charging system is as sophisticated as that used on any modern car so any battery built to be used on a modern bike should be fine. AGM batteries are still lead acid so the rules about charging currents should be the same. Generally, charge current no more than 10% of the battery Amp-Hour capacity. An Optimate will be fine, but wire it direct to the battery with its own plug dont use the canbus-fed socket to connect the charger.

LiFePo batteries such as Ballistic have long service life, wont need a conditioning charger and give a big punch in small size, but seriously not cheap to buy.

but interesting to note that Optimate offer a special charger for these now, at a bit more money than their normal chargers? my guess would be that a top up charge from a normal charger wpnt do any harm (as that whats the bike is doing), but if you get it flat I would be worried as that's when the care of the battery seems to differ to a normal lead or AGM

 

[cookie]

The GS charging system is as sophisticated as that used on any modern car so any battery built to be used on a modern bike should be fine.

so pretty much the same as they have been for years then ie. not very sophisticated at all?


beats me why they *need* a special charger off the bike, but any old crude charging system, such as the one on my airhead and guzzis, apparently does no harm to them and works fine

 

[Bendy toy]

My point was why suggest the BMW GS has an unsophisticated charging system when (just like any other vehicle) its as good as it needs to be. Why do we have to measure everything by sophistication? Good enough is all we need.

The lead acid battery does not need anything fancy in the charging department which is a good part of why we still use them. They go back well over 100 years dont have a good power to weight value and poor energy density but they give a good current punch and they work.

Classic case of its not broke. What a shame the same idea isnt used in other areas of automotive design. We get the same old same old dressed up with computers but end result is no better and less reliable. Canbus for example.

 

[Pukmeister]

How does it manage with the unsophisticated charging system on the bike then?

I always wondered the same thing myself, but Odyssey had info in the box that stated basic chargers are either constant voltage or constant current (cant remember which) and the charging rate can harm an AGM cell. Sounds daft, but it was a clause in the battery warranty.

 

[Pukmeister]

What a shame the same idea isnt used in other areas of automotive design. We get the same old same old dressed up with computers but end result is no better and less reliable. Canbus for example.

In terms of network data, CANBUS is uber-reliable. It works very well and gets an undeserved reputation as folk don't understand the electronic black magic.

 

[Bendy toy]

Canbus *can* do lots of stuff. What a shame BMW didnt bother to use (m)any of them.

TBH I would not complain about canbus if it did anything (on the GS) that normal wiring cant do. Relays are reliable and allow small switches to operate heavy loads. More complexity maybe but the huge number of wires in the canbus loom is hardly a simple wiring system.

Why have three indicator switches when canbus allows all sorts of options for how just two could work. Quite obviously the old tradition survived so we got the disadvantages of both mechanical and electronic systems.

Why does my headlight flicker very slightly when I touch the brakes? Canbus being busy for a moment? The battery is fine BTW.

Why do BMW not allow the user to program the switchgear? It should be easy enough with canbus. e.g. Indicator switch functions, auto cancel delays, heated grip temperature, Trip mileage display by default (rather than total miles). For the grips we get a clunky switch offering cold, warn and warmer, when one button could cycle though a range of heat values.

 

[gazza01]

Any chance this could be a bad earth as suggested by local mechanic?