Won't start - faulty battery?

[the_laughing_mole]

Hi, my 1150GS has decided it doesn't want to go out and play in the cold weather and won't start - giving the clack clack of the solenoid but no engine turning . Charged it up with my Optimate 3 (through the accessory plug and also tried straight onto the battery terminals) - Optimate shows charging and then eventually a 'Green' charged light. Turn on ignition and lights and instrument lights come on fine. Hit the ignition switch, clock resets, get the solenoid clack clack, but no turning of the engine. Put on the Optimate again to charge and same thing happens.

Is my battery dead (and if so, why is the Optimate showing charged?).

Help appreciated - it may be cold out there but the weather is fabulous for a ride through the New Forest and I want to get out there!!

 

[Steptoe]

Asking on the internet if your battery on your bike at your house is flat isn't going to give you a definitive answer is it , anything anyone says is just a guess - and having a guess it could also be the starter motor.

have you a multimeter or other electric meter. You need to measure the volts/amps in the battery . Or try jumping it from another source.

 

[Pukmeister]

It could be a high resistance contact somewhere on the bike that isn't letting the electricity flow enough to crank the bike. Check your starter motor terminals aren't corroded. It could also be a worn set of contacts in the starter relay. It could even be internal to the starter motor eg worn brushes or dirty auxiliary contacts on the solenoid e.g. solenoid engages the pinion but the contacts that then feed the motor windings are worn or dirty.

I've had a worn out battery before that sensed OK on an optimate but wouldn't hold a full charge.

You could always try a set of jump leads to help the battery along a bit. If it starts with the aid of jump leads, its most likely the battery. If not, it's the bikes wiring or starter motor.

EDIT: Steppers beat me to it, you really need a multimeter and a methodical approach if the jump leads won't start it.

 

[the_laughing_mole]

Steptoe - thanks for the speedy reply. I know the battery isn't flat as it's powering the lights etc OK. But since clock resets when I try to start it and motor won't turn, the voltage must be too low - but I'm confused why the Optimate shows that the battery is charged??

I'll try and dig out my old voltmeter to check it and cables to jump it from the car. If it was the starter, would there have been any signs it was going - didn't sound bad last time I started it.

Thanks for your help.

 

[the_laughing_mole]

Thanks Pukmeister - some good suggestions there. I'll check out the battery first.

 

[cookie]

jump it from your car to the bike battery terminals. if it starts, the battery's knackered.

Is my battery dead (and if so, why is the Optimate showing charged?).

1) probably.

2) because they are not as much use as many people would have you believe.

 

[John Armstrong]

Optimate thinks it's charged = yes. Is it at full capacity = maybe.

From my limited knowledge the only 100% test is the batterys electrolyte specific gravity. Which may be a bit hard to check on a gel battery

So on gel batteries, like Ni-Cad, the only way to tell 100% will to discharge it and see how long it takes to flatten at a set discharge rate. Leaves you with a flat battery though, but at least you'll know if it was ok before

 

[The Slow Granger]

Seems like its time for a new battery..

Hi jacking this as I have same problem... Please can someone tell me (and The Laughing Mole!) the currrent best deals on a suitable replacement battery for a standard 1150 (with Hella illumination fitted!) as post Chrimbo funds are limited!

If you are a dealer and this is £onfidential please pm and let me know if you have any in t'shop.

Steve

 

[cookie]

Optimate thinks it's charged = yes. Is it at full capacity = maybe.

From my limited knowledge the only 100% test is the batterys electrolyte specific gravity. Which may be a bit hard to check on a gel battery

So on gel batteries, like Ni-Cad, the only way to tell 100% will to discharge it and see how long it takes to flatten at a set discharge rate. Leaves you with a flat battery though, but at least you'll know if it was ok before

...or you could just put a load tester on it.

 

[John Armstrong]

...or you could just put a load tester on it.

Is there a bike sized one? Seen a few for car ones, might have saved me from buying a new battery if there was.

 

[cookie]

i just use a cheap automotive model from machine mart. a bike battery only uses a small proportion of the scale, but seems to work.

 

[davegs]

Battery

Don't mess about just put jump, leads on it my battery went kaput but still worked the lights, justr do the jump lead thing and all will be revealed.
Dave gs.

 

[davegs]

Turkeys

Asking on the internet if your battery on your bike at your house is flat isn't going to give you a definitive answer is it , anything anyone says is just a guess - and having a guess it could also be the starter motor.

have you a multimeter or other electric meter. You need to measure the volts/amps in the battery . Or try jumping it from another source.

How did the turkey go down, we assume it will be doing so for a while judging by the size of them!.

 

[ELIMINATOR]

I thought that it was best jump starting by connecting direct to the starter, otherwise the crap battery would be dampening the current that the starter needs.

Laughing Mole, I'm within about 8 miles of you, if you want any help, send me a PM

 

[the_laughing_mole]

Have unearthed my old jump leads so will give it a shot from my car tomorrow. Battery showed 12.6v across the terminals once charged according to my multimeter. Thanks for the kind offer of help Eliminator and good to know there's a GSer so close - have to have a rideout (when it's warmer ).

If the battery proves to be shagged, what are the recommendations for replacement (1150GS) - my first thought was off to Bahnstormers for a BMW replacement, but I see mention of the Odyssey battery instead? What price is a replacement battery likely to be (last experience of changing bike battery was with my CBR600 in 2001 - I think prices may have risen since then...

Thanks for all the help - don't feel so alone in a cold garage with a lifeless bike with all this advice and experience!

 

[Pukmeister]

Sorry Mole, but open-circuit terminal voltage on a battery only tells so much, the definitive way to tell if a battery is past its useful life is to load-test it. It sounds to me like your use of the starter motor is almost proof enough that it's in need of replacement. Your lights working means nothing as they only draw a few amps, not hundreds of amps like starting a cold engine might need.

A battery being charged is like a sponge sucking up juice. If it is an old 'sponge' that doesn't absorb as much as it used to (due to its internal chemistry failing), the optimate thinks it is full of juice because it has stopped sucking, not because it is actually full anymore.

I hope that description makes sense.

A pity my sea container hasn't arrived with all my stuff in it, otherwise I could have brought over a fully charged spare bike battery (albeit for a 1200) and given it a try.

 

[cookie]

I thought that it was best jump starting by connecting direct to the starter, otherwise the crap battery would be dampening the current that the starter needs.

i suggested connecting to the battery terminals as that will prove the connection to the starter at the same time

as regards your second point, connecting it an extra foot away from the battery terminals will not prevent drain into that battery

 

[MattW]

Just 2p from me.

I just changed the battery on my 1100 (marginal starting, ABS wouldn't initialise, clock reset etc). It used to have a conventional wet lead acid battery and I changed it for an OEM gel. It now starts fine and everything works as it should.

However....
Before I changed it, my 'smart' charger (a Ctek) said the old battery was charging fine and was healthy. Thing is when I took the old battery off it had 1" of electrolyte in it (i.e. about 4" below the minimum fill line)!
Don't necessarily believe your clever charger.

 

[Steptoe]

Wanted: 1100 hard parts

off topic - but i've got 7 hard parts, only leaves you another 1093 to go.

 

[the_laughing_mole]

Jump started it fine from my car battery - so at least starter etc is OK. Taken out battery, electrolyte levels look OK, so it must have given up the ghost - RIP! Could be the original as it's a lead acid one marked BMW, which would make it 7-8 years old..... not bad eh?

Planning to buy a replacement BMW battery - guess it's a gel one these days? Will it be OK with an Optimate 3 charger? Just have to wait until Bahnstormer is open from its Xmas break....