Power drain from grips

[sidpick]

Unusual one...
After doing quite a few miles yesterday, no bike problems at all I go to start my bike at lunchtime today and..... nothing

No fuel pump noise, no abs noise, no lights, very dim rear light, clock gone and all 'tell tale' lights very dim. Switch off and the clock comes back on 0:00

Not normal for me I'd left the heated grips on but they are switched and never stay on when the bikes off...or never before.

Turned off and quickly checked battery charge through accessory socket -
12.7v.

Checked all fuses, all good, removed all and checked up close and continuity tested.

Checked all obvious connectors and wiggled handlebars to see if anything is loose there. No

I removed my alarm system last week and thought it was my dodgy handywork so I decided to lift off tank and check battery connection. again all good, 12.7v kept tester on terminals and turned on, immediate drop to 4.7v all above symptoms again.

Checked every cable that's exposed, nothing obvious, no bad kinks or cuts, all of the wiring points of the old alarm are well covered and the immobiliser circuits wiring are well soldered and covered

Put battery on optimate and it immediately has gone to desulphate.

Although relays are very reliable is there anyway of testing them - as I was accessing the fuse box there were some very strange noises coming from a couple of relays. Would this be cause of the low voltage not energising them or a possible fault.
Has anyone else killed there battery by leaving the heated grips on??

 

[Steptoe]

What model of bike. What grips ??

BMW grips are impossible to leave on, they switch off with the ignition.

 

[sidpick]

its an 04' gs 1150, standard beemer heated grips with the 2 heat settings button on the right handlebar, its never stayed on as you say, its switched off when the bike is off.

Whacked the battery onto optimate and its gone through the phases and now its green just tried it back on the bike, again, dip beam flashed and died, relays are chattering and the instrument panel lighting is dim, its, if I can think of a way of putting it sort of in-time with the abs 'clicking / testing' as it clicks the lights go dimmer,

They are all brighter with the fully charged battery but still only about half.
No switch activates any function (indicators etc)

I've got HiD dip and spots fitted, all 'extra' wiring has been checked and nothing suspect.

Not good.......

 

[Steptoe]

test the battery.

 

[sidpick]

Dug out the original old battery and charged it up overnight.
Popped it in and first press -

Have the 'new' battery on charge now, shows green but I think its going to be used as a doorstop from now on.

Again, thank you Steptoe for pointing out a simple check and fix!

I should learn to trust my work on the bike!

If the fresh battery suddenly develops a similar fault would there be any roadside checks that could be carried out.
Since all this alarm battery killing and now the new battery fritzing I feel like I'm going to have a 50/50 chance of starting if the bikes left for the night.

If the alternator belt's too tight can this cause electrical problems, I fitted a new one in Jan, as per instructions and to the correct torque, and twisted it too just to check.