very flat battery

[Dom S]

I don't know if it applies to all AGM batteries, but you'll certainly need better than the Optimate 3+ to resurrect a discharged Odyssey AGM battery. As Steptoe said, something with more omph!

Tecmate say their 5 Amp Optimate 6 is approved by EnerSys for fully charging an Odyssey battery, but the only approved Tecmate one I can actually see listed on the Enersys website is the "12V7AS" which I assume is Tecmate's 7 Amp AccuMate Pro 12/24V (Model TM202).

Either way, it looks like you need a hefty-priced charger to go with your hefty-priced Odyssey (and possibly other) AGM battery if you want to be able to FULLY charge it off the bike.

 

[Mr K]

Tempting fate: My 2004 1200 GS is still on the original battery

....and I use the evil Optimate when she's parked up for a bit.

 

[Dom S]

Sounds like a bike that's been well-ridden (in both senses)

 

[NZRalphy]

Must be the week for battery's .....my new one should be here tomorrow

Has anyone tried bump starting a 1200gsa ??

I tried. A few times. I used progressively more people and different gears.. I used slopes. Nothing would get the bike to crank over.

Must be the feck'n high compression and big pistons that stops it.

I wonder if the water cooled bike with the decompressor will push start?

 

[richtel]

A couple of years ago I Emailed Odyssey in the US about charging with my optimate 3. The issue they had was that the Odyssey (and many others) bulk charge up to a max of 14.4 volts before going into maintenance mode- and in that mode it will only peak occasionally up to a max of 14.4V. The Odyssey ideally needs a bulk charge up to 14.7 volts. Many chargers will do that when in 'snowflake/cold' or 'AGM' mode.

Looking at the list of approved chargers from the post above it does say that for the CTEK 7002 (it's an american 7 Amp model), you should have it in snowflake mode. It also says the PC535 as fitted to the GS should be charged with a min 6A charger.

Could be the Optimate/maximiser/BMW chargers just aren't 'man' enough.

 

[mark2jag]

I tried. A few times. I used progressively more people and different gears.. I used slopes. Nothing would get the bike to crank over.

Must be the feck'n high compression and big pistons that stops it.

I wonder if the water cooled bike with the decompressor will push start?

I couldnt push start mine, so resorted to a tow from a car. Dumped the clutch at about 20-25 miles an hour and hey presto it started.

if you do this, please tell the driver of the car thats towing you not to hit the anchors as soon as he hears the engine running. Dont ask me how i know this.


Mark

 

[Delboy777]

Motobatt is the way forward, beat all the competition including Odyssey. There is a link to the review somewhere on here but i cant find it.

 

[Jon T]

Motobatt?

I've just suffered the same problem. My 3yr old Motobatt was down to about 3V on Wednesday morning, after last being used about a week before. I charged the battery overnight with an old-fashioned Halfords charger & it was up to 14V, but connecting it up again, wierdly, the lights came on with the bike switched off? I switched it off then on again, the warning lights went thru' their usual check but the yellow triangle stayed on, along with the engine warning light. The bike won't even try to start, although the battery is giving about 12.5V with the lights on, 12.7V without.
I'm left wondering if it is a simple case of a dead battery, or whether this combination of warning lights plus the sudden discharge of the battery is symptomatic of some other problem?
Sorry for the slight, but connected thread hijack! All advice gratefully received.

Cheers, Jon

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I couldnt push start mine, so resorted to a tow from a car. Dumped the clutch at about 20-25 miles an hour and hey presto it started.

if you do this, please tell the driver of the car thats towing you not to hit the anchors as soon as he hears the engine running. Dont ask me how i know this.


Mark

Another gem

 

[ebbo]

Motobatt is the way forward, beat all the competition including Odyssey. There is a link to the review somewhere on here but i cant find it.

http://www.intruderalert.com/cafe/index.cfm?page=topic&topicID=157926

 

[Bendy toy]

I couldnt push start mine, so resorted to a tow from a car. Dumped the clutch at about 20-25 miles an hour and hey presto it started.

if you do this, please tell the driver of the car thats towing you not to hit the anchors as soon as he hears the engine running. Dont ask me how i know this.


Mark

When my coil was failing it stalled at 30mph. Dumping the clutch (in 3rd) simply locked the back wheel.

Be VERY careful, the bike is hardly heavy enough to turn the engine over its compression.

 

[adventuredon]

When my coil was failing it stalled at 30mph. Dumping the clutch (in 3rd) simply locked the back wheel.

Be VERY careful, the bike is hardly heavy enough to turn the engine over its compression.

I tried to jump start mine to see if I could, in case it ever needed it. Easily done with the bike in 6th gear and sitting down simultaneously as dumping the clutch. (from standing on the pegs). Gentle hill roll to 10mph. Might be harder off road or on grass...

 

[adventuredon]

I replaced my GS' original BMW battery with one of these. The OE battery is made by exide, and is also an AGM battery.

Dunno if the GSA uses the same size battery, but I'd think it would.

Old battery 6-7 years old.


Shiny new battery


I think I paid £28 ish, but that was trade price.

My OE battery reads 12.5, starts and holds charge ok. I am trying to avoid the sudden no start issue and would rather replace early as opposed to late....So this might be a foolish question...but do these batteries ordered online come with any charge on them? and do they slip straight in? Or do I need an optimate to charge it before swapping mine over? that will be an extra expense I'd like to avoid as bike stands outside all year (no garage)..

 

[Fanum]

I replaced my GS' original BMW battery with one of these. The OE battery is made by exide, and is also an AGM battery.

Dunno if the GSA uses the same size battery, but I'd think it would.

[/URL]

Shiny new battery


I think I paid £28 ish, but that was trade price.

It's only a 12 AH battery.....yes, it will 'do the job', but the standard OEM battery is 19AH (IIRC)

So.....don't leave anything ON when you're off the bike (chargers etc)

When it starts getting weak, it will drop below the level it needs to start the bike quite quickly.

 

[Roymondo]

It's only a 12 AH battery.....yes, it will 'do the job', but the standard OEM battery is 19AH (IIRC)

So.....don't leave anything ON when you're off the bike (chargers etc)

When it starts getting weak, it will drop below the level it needs to start the bike quite quickly.

The OEM battery pictured is also only a 12Ah one. Correct fitment for the hexhead GS (and GSA) is 14Ah according to the manuals, not 19Ah. Besides, it's the Cold Cranking current (in Amps) that will dictate whether the battery is up to starting the engine, not the capacity in Ah.

 

[ahutcheon]

My OE battery reads 12.5, starts and holds charge ok. I am trying to avoid the sudden no start issue and would rather replace early as opposed to late....So this might be a foolish question...but do these batteries ordered online come with any charge on them? and do they slip straight in? Or do I need an optimate to charge it before swapping mine over? that will be an extra expense I'd like to avoid as bike stands outside all year (no garage)..

A new AGM battery should arrive charged - otherwise it's been in storage flat, and they don't like that. I'd give a new one a tickle-up on my Optimate when fitting it, but that's because I can and it does no harm. If I didn't have a charger (and couldn't borrow one or take the battery to a mate to put on their charger for a few hours) I'd put it into the bike and (presuming it started) go for a longish ride to a pie shop or whatever else took my fancy. Shouldn't take too long for the bike charging system to finish perking up the new battery, but it's an excuse to go somewhere by the scenic route.

Feel free to tell whoever's approval you might need that "a bloke on the internet said you had to go to Glencoe". The battery won't care, but if you want the excuse...

 

[adventuredon]

Brilliant. Thanks for the helpful answer. I do consciously ride long routes especially after its stood for a few days. Cheers