ktmmark
Registered user
Hope you have a good time , i'm off to IOM next thursday for 10 days (no work for two weeks)
Please help - dead battery
- Thread starter Wanderer
- Start date
robp
Guest
Tomcat, I have got an Optimate 3 charger - and a battery that seems to be going flat on a bike that has done 1100 miles and is used every day! I know you said that Vines said you can use this charger with the battery still connected. Is that on a bike with ABS or doesn't it matter?
Rob
Rob
Mouse
Registered user
There's a software update available to cure the battery discharge problem. Speak to your dealer about it.
General opinion seems to be that an Optimate charger won't hurt the bike. Optimate say it's ok to use. The danger is that the desulphate mode of the charger uses a high voltage that could in theory damage the bike's electronics. But the charger won't use desulphate mode if there's any current draw at all, which there will be with the battery in the bike.
That's as I remember it anyway. If your battery is in ok condition and you just want to maintain the charge in it, I'd say it's perfectly safe to use an Optimate. If you are concerned I'd ask either Optimate or your dealer though.
General opinion seems to be that an Optimate charger won't hurt the bike. Optimate say it's ok to use. The danger is that the desulphate mode of the charger uses a high voltage that could in theory damage the bike's electronics. But the charger won't use desulphate mode if there's any current draw at all, which there will be with the battery in the bike.
That's as I remember it anyway. If your battery is in ok condition and you just want to maintain the charge in it, I'd say it's perfectly safe to use an Optimate. If you are concerned I'd ask either Optimate or your dealer though.
robp
Guest
Thanks Mouse, much appreciated.
Best regards
Rob
Best regards
Rob
fatone
Guest
As the owner of a VROD, I've had plenty of experience with flat batteries caused by having an alarm. If the battery is not charged fully when the bike is prepped for delivery, then you'll always have problems because no matter how often you ride any bike, it'll never get the charge back up to maximum. Couple this with the fact that all motorcycle designers try and get away with the smallest lightest battery they can and the fact that big V twins (and Boxers?) need a pretty big turn to get them going, then any minor leakage, fault or short will result in a flat battery if the bike is left with the alarm on.
My question is therefore - what alarm is best for the the 12GS, if one proposes to leave it for several days at a time when doing a long trip?
And how does using the 12 v plug for heating, GPS etc, affect the battery?
Any ideas, much appreciated.
And, finally, I'd recommend the Optimate as the Dog's Bollox trickle charger/battery manager. My Harley has a special plug direct to the battery -absolutely no problems. Also I've used it direct on other bikes, cars, quads etc.
My question is therefore - what alarm is best for the the 12GS, if one proposes to leave it for several days at a time when doing a long trip?
And how does using the 12 v plug for heating, GPS etc, affect the battery?
Any ideas, much appreciated.
And, finally, I'd recommend the Optimate as the Dog's Bollox trickle charger/battery manager. My Harley has a special plug direct to the battery -absolutely no problems. Also I've used it direct on other bikes, cars, quads etc.
Mouse
Registered user
fatone said:
I've got a BMW alarm on my bike, and I often use a GPS and two heated jackets, especially at this tim eo year. I've never had a problem with the battery, even after the bike has been left for a week. But other people have reported problems. I think it's down to the software fix - if everything is working correctly the battery should be fine.
Shep
Shep of the Dessert
Just a quick note
If you switch your ignition on, without starting your engine, then switch ignition off again, this seems to leave something drawing current from the battery, hence the flat batteries. If you are going to leave the bike for more than a few days, just make sure the engine was started the last time you switched on!
Shep
ps This may have been rectified on later software issues.
If you switch your ignition on, without starting your engine, then switch ignition off again, this seems to leave something drawing current from the battery, hence the flat batteries. If you are going to leave the bike for more than a few days, just make sure the engine was started the last time you switched on!
Shep
ps This may have been rectified on later software issues.
fatone
Guest
Shep said:
Aaah, the Roebuck. Still selling Pedigree, and Clint in the darts team?
Shep
Shep of the Dessert
fatone said:
Well i,ve never been to Ruritainia, so you've got me there, & I know lots of blokes who could answer to "fatone"
Who are you? PM me.
fatone
Guest
Shep said:Well i,ve never been to Ruritainia, so you've got me there, & I know lots of blokes who could answer to "fatone"
Who are you? PM me.
No mystery really. A thousand years ago (it seems) I lived in Winchester, had a Triumph Daytona and played darts for the Roebuck Inn.
loosenuts
Guest
could be bad bat
i had a dead bat a few months ago after bike had been stood for a few days, i called out bmw breakdown , the engineer said bad bat ,jumped started bike, i let it charge by leaving bike to run,took it back next day to dealer,they replaced bat free.bike only few months old. engineer said you do get bad bats now and again.
Will said:
i had a dead bat a few months ago after bike had been stood for a few days, i called out bmw breakdown , the engineer said bad bat ,jumped started bike, i let it charge by leaving bike to run,took it back next day to dealer,they replaced bat free.bike only few months old. engineer said you do get bad bats now and again.
GSmonkey said:
You've lost me there, GSm!!
All 12v lead acid batteries will produce about the same voltage for a given state of charge. A bigger one (ie a car battery) will simply not lose voltage so quickly. I really can't see how that would affect the bike in any way!
Greg
Mouse said:
Mouse, you must have a big car!
My bike has a 19Ahr battery, my Vectra a 55Ahr item. Even the V8 Aston Martin I owned only had a 67Ahr battery!!
Greg
Shep
Shep of the Dessert
Greg Masters said:
Hey
If we're gonna start largin' it, my boats got 880ah on a good day!
Shep
TheJoker
Registered user
... and ... and.... AND MY DAD KILLED THE DEAD SEA!!!! 
Mouse
Registered user
Greg Masters said:
I don't have any car, I was just guessing
The point was, that is the bike has an electrical fault, a short say, the larger car battery will allow more current to flow than a bike battery would, potentially causing more damage. However if this was the case I suspect a bike battery would be able to supply enough current to damage something anyway.
Larger batteries have a lower internal resistance, and can therefore supply more current.
Mouse said:
... and an Eccles Cake supplies more currant than a doughnut!
Greg
Hmmmm, people arguing about batteries, reminds me of my time in submarines....
loosenuts
Guest
GSmonkey said:
i was a bit unsure myself tharts why i called out breakdown, i thought if i jump start it ,ill be blamed for any electric probs!
TheJoker
Registered user
loosenuts said:
Sorry if this comes acorss as smug or summat, but the jump-starting procedure is well described in that thing called the "Owners Manual" - looks like a little "book" that came with your bike.
The procedure includes the description of leaving your donor vehicle running whilst starting your poorly GS.
Hope this will save someone some time sometime instead of waiting for BMW Assitance to arrive
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