R1200GS 2016 Battery not charging

bike-jota

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Hi there, I've tried to look for posts similar to my problem but I dont seem to find anything related.

Issue: not enough voltage at battery terminals = 11.78V

New battery (second one just replaced)
Battery voltage by itself=11,78v
Battery connected to terminals, ignition off=11,78V
Ignition switch on, bike off=11.56V

Bike on= 11.25V at battery terminals (this should be 14.5v) -

Regulator output=14.9V
Alternator terminals output= 23v idle
Alternator terminals output at 4000rmp = 77V

Additional information: I've just replaced the rectifier/regulator. I have datatool alarm installed for about 3 years
Fog lights installed about 2 years ago

My battery started to drain about a year ago, I have not used my bike since about 8-10 month ago

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated


Thanks
Alex
 
Will be strange but a firmware upgrade has fixed this problem for other people, BMW not know why but it works, have you upgraded firmware.
 
bike-jota said:
Hi there, I've tried to look for posts similar to my problem but I dont seem to find anything related.

Issue: not enough voltage at battery terminals = 11.78V

New battery (second one just replaced)
Battery voltage by itself=11,78v
Battery connected to terminals, ignition off=11,78V
Ignition switch on, bike off=11.56V

Bike on= 11.25V at battery terminals (this should be 14.5v) -

Regulator output=14.9V
Alternator terminals output= 23v idle
Alternator terminals output at 4000rmp = 77V

Additional information: I've just replaced the rectifier/regulator. I have datatool alarm installed for about 3 years
Fog lights installed about 2 years ago

My battery started to drain about a year ago, I have not used my bike since about 8-10 month ago

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated


Thanks
Alex
Click to expand...

Winjar said:
Will be strange but a firmware upgrade has fixed this problem for other people, BMW not know why but it works, have you upgraded firmware.
Click to expand...

I guess you are referring to the ZFE Control Module? I'm not sure how to do a firmware update...

I'm suspecting that module could be bad and not sending any voltage at all to the battery, or there is a cable that is broken I guess
 
The battery should have at least 12.5 v at terminals engine off,
all 3 of the stator wires should give the same ac volts to earth 25/30 volts app at idle,
 
bike-jota said:
I guess you are referring to the ZFE Control Module? I'm not sure how to do a firmware update...

I'm suspecting that module could be bad and not sending any voltage at all to the battery, or there is a cable that is broken I guess
Click to expand...

It is BMW do firmware update for you, takes 15 minutes on 2016 bike
 
bike-jota said:
Cool, I've booked service with them, let's see what they say

Thank you
Click to expand...

You welcome, at worse you have last firmware and expert idea, also ask to check this

General Module "Light" Part #61358566461
 
The expensive engine out bit appears ok,
If you are still curious and have a few minutes,
When you have 14+ volts at the rectifier output running, Leave the meter connected to it,
then go To battery live This should read 0.25 volt max, if its higher, work along to the next joint/ connection until it drops,
Then focus on that area,
When you say the batteries have been changed, are all the connections on the live stud on the frame present and no volt drop as per above,
The rectifier needs a constant connection to The battery to prevent damage ,
I am assuming you can start the bike with just the battery , no support,?
ideally it would be Fully charged as the network is voltage sensitive and to give working time, ,
A bad battery that wont start the bike will dump the charge,
You can check earth to earth from battery to frame etc as per above process, but there would be a starting issue,
If i get a minute spare i will have a look at the wiring diagram to see what is in the charging circuit to battery,
There should be a protection fuse usually 20/30a on that type of charging system,
this can blow with a bad battery Causing no charging on new one, often on the starter solenoid on regular bikes,
Not sure on the gs lc,
this may be as mentioned in the ZFE And be a software fix, but not certain that would cary a charging load,
 
roamer said:
The expensive engine out bit appears ok,
If you are still curious and have a few minutes,
When you have 14+ volts at the rectifier output running, Leave the meter connected to it,
then go To battery live This should read 0.25 volt max, if its higher, work along to the next joint/ connection until it drops,
Then focus on that area,
When you say the batteries have been changed, are all the connections on the live stud on the frame present and no volt drop as per above,
The rectifier needs a constant connection to The battery to prevent damage ,
I am assuming you can start the bike with just the battery , no support,?
ideally it would be Fully charged as the network is voltage sensitive and to give working time, ,
A bad battery that wont start the bike will dump the charge,
You can check earth to earth from battery to frame etc as per above process, but there would be a starting issue,
If i get a minute spare i will have a look at the wiring diagram to see what is in the charging circuit to battery,
There should be a protection fuse usually 20/30a on that type of charging system,
this can blow with a bad battery Causing no charging on new one, often on the starter solenoid on regular bikes,
Not sure on the gs lc,
this may be as mentioned in the ZFE And be a software fix, but not certain that would cary a charging load,
Click to expand...

Good points, although I can't imagine a wire going bad out of the blue from the battery back towards the rectifier. I would have to unmount the tank and I dont feel like it is necessary
I also thought about a fuse being the culprit. I checked the only 3 fuses I could find underneath the seat, they all look good.
I can start the bike with only the battery. I have recharged the battery to 12.5 v
I was able to find a wiring diagram of this bike and all points to the ZFE Control Module which is responsible to provide 14+V to the battery
....
 
I've found the problem. There is a 50A fuse specifically for the alternator/regulator that I wasn't aware of. I've bypassed this fuse and now i get 14.38V at my battery terminals and now my battery is back to 12.8V with the bike off.

Thanks all
 
Got exactly the same problem on a 2014 RTp. Done all the checks, changed the regulator/rectifyer, still the same. Also checked the 50amp fuse and that is ok. Taking it to CWs on Sat for a diagnostics check. But there is voltage from the Alternator to the Regulator, so fingers crossed it is not the Stator or Alt or that will be £££££
 
bike-jota said:
I've found the problem. There is a 50A fuse specifically for the alternator/regulator that I wasn't aware of. I've bypassed this fuse and now i get 14.38V at my battery terminals and now my battery is back to 12.8V with the bike off.

Thanks all
Click to expand...

Eh? Bypassing the fuse solved your problem?
That means a bad connection in the fuse-holder (fuse is only a piece of wire after all).
Clean it and all should be well.
I wouldn't leave it with the fuse bypassed.
 
AberdeenAngus said:
Eh? Bypassing the fuse solved your problem?
That means a bad connection in the fuse-holder (fuse is only a piece of wire after all).
Clean it and all should be well.
I wouldn't leave it with the fuse bypassed.
Click to expand...

If the fuse has blown there must be a reason why it did. It would take a short circuit on the cable the fuse is protecting to blow that fuse and unless the fault is found it is likely to happen again.

I wouldn't leave the fuse bypassed unless the fault that caused it to blow (damaged insulation on the cable) and it was only to get me home or to where I could get a replacement fuse.

The fault reoccurring without fuse protection will result in a melted cable loom and likely a fire.
 
I meant to say that the problem was the fuse. There is no continuity on the fuse terminals. I'm ordering a new one. The question is why the fuse went. I had previously taken my bike to a garage where they found that the regulator/rectifier was bad. I'm guessing this bad regulator/rectifier damaged the fuse. I will not leave it without the fuse.
If the fuse blows again, then there is still a problem.
 
bike-jota said:
I meant to say that the problem was the fuse. There is no continuity on the fuse terminals. I'm ordering a new one. The question is why the fuse went. I had previously taken my bike to a garage where they found that the regulator/rectifier was bad. I'm guessing this bad regulator/rectifier damaged the fuse. I will not leave it without the fuse.
If the fuse blows again, then there is still a problem.
Click to expand...

You still confuse things ;)

Get a fuse back in pronto, and dont bypass the fuse/ fuseholder,

Until you can definitively say what the fault / root cause was , you still have something thats caused a main fuse to blow

(thats a lot of current / amps needed to do that ) - if you bypass it your only looking at a battery & ecu's to replace if they get subjected to a healthy dose of 50V ;) :(
 
As a precaution the fuse bypass shouldn't be left unattended,
good work finding the fuse, it is common for a faulty battery and or rectifier output stage to blow the fuse,
unlike the earlier bmw bikes with car type electromagnet field controlling the charging,
The LC bikes have the basic permanent magnet system which dumps the excess voltage to earth, common to bikes going back many years,
although compact it is critical to maintain battery charging as it can affect longevity of the battery and rectifier,
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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