[Pirate]

I have been speaking with the Deltran people (Battery Tenders) directly asking if there is anyway I can make my old Battery Tender Plus work with the new S bike... Apparently I can... Here's what they said...

On the new BMW's, everything runs off a serial data bus. BMW turns off the accessory outlet when the bike is not running. I believe this is to prevent discharging the battery with an accessory while not riding. For a charger to be able to work through the accessory outlet it needs to pulse the outlet to keep it awake after charging. (Maintenance mode) Our chargers do not do that and the outlet will go to sleep after charging. BMW of Daytona installs our ring terminal accessory (pic below) to all their batteries because they like our charger better.

The only purpose for plugging your current Battery Tender Plus into the outlet is that the battery will get charged, but it will not be maintained because the factory socket will go to sleep. If you want to charge and maintain your battery you cannot plug the Battery Tender into the accessory outlet on some models of the ’05 BMW motorcycles. You have to use the ring terminal accessory that we provide with the chargers. We do not make a charger that can keep the particular new accessory outlets awake.

Attached is a picture of our ring terminal assembly. Attache it to your battery and lead it out to the side in a convenient location.
I wish BMW Germany would not make things so difficult for you guys, when they make changes they don’t seem to see the impact it will have on you. We really don’t have anything that will keep the accessory adapter awake on the new 05’s. I’m sorry. The part number for the ring terminal accessory is 081-0069-6.

Joe Harding
Deltran
801 U.S. Hwy. 92 East
Deland Fl. 32724
Phone: (386)736-7900

 

[Catatafish]

Thanks Jerry. That's what I've been doing and it's been working well. Glad they endorse it. It fits pretty well under the battery cover and pokes out just a tad under my handlebars. Although it is getting crowded under my battery cover with my screamer and hardwire Escort.

 

[cesarb]

I too have the GPS and Escort radar wiring connected to my battery terminals so I bought the BMW AGM charger and simply plug it in after I ride. I have not had any charging problems with this charger except one, I now have an extra Tender Plus!

 

[rlmr]

Sorry guys, I raised the following question some time ago but never received an answer, can you assist.

With my K100RS SE (1989) I could leave the bike for three or four months (due to work and weather over the winter) and never touch it. I could then turn on the ignition, pull in the clutch and prod the starter button and the bike would fire into life on either the first or second push of the button. I have no electrical power in my bike garage so keeping the battery on charge was never an option.

Now I have spent all that money on the latest hi-tec K1200S, will I really need a battery charger hooked up to the bike every time I leave it for longer than a few days? I would love to have the facility to keep the battery topped up... but that's something I don't have.

Please put my mind at rest.

 

[Catatafish]

The reason I own a Battery Tender is so the over all life of the battery will be extended. 2-3 times longer life according to the manufacturer. Last winter I'd leave my RS unattended with no Battery Tender, sometimes for a couple of months and it would start fine. But over the years the battery doesn't bounce back so well. A battery tender just keeps it in better shape, so it lasts longer. And, if you ever do lose your charge, it helps charge it back up if there is still a trickle of life left in it.

 

[wyeknott]

For a charger to be able to work through the accessory outlet it needs to pulse the outlet to keep it awake after charging. (Maintenance mode)

That is what the BMW charger is supposed to do. But, as I mentioned in a recent thread, after receiving a software update, the accessory socket goes to sleep after one charge cycle (i.e. sequencing through all four lights on the BMW charger). And that's not going to maintain a battery. For now use the direct battery connection route with the charger of your choice.

 

[rlmr]

A battery tender just keeps it in better shape, so it lasts longer. And, if you ever do lose your charge, it helps charge it back up if there is still a trickle of life left in it.

Good. That is what I had hoped.

However whilst,my old K100RS sat most of the winter my friend Bruce had his Triumph Sprint in his heated garage, plugged into his "Optimate" (same idea, charges then monitors & maintains)... and guess who needed a new battery in the Spring.

Nevertheless I do think its a good idea... so long as its not an essential.

Thanks for the info.

 

[bhaynnes]

That is what the BMW charger is supposed to do. But, as I mentioned in a recent thread, after receiving a software update, the accessory socket goes to sleep after one charge cycle (i.e. sequencing through all four lights on the BMW charger). And that's not going to maintain a battery. For now use the direct battery connection route with the charger of your choice.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the "one wire system" that the S employs. Could be that a special (and prolly expensive) BMW charger is needed.

 

[wyeknott]

I wonder if this has anything to do with the "one wire system" that the S employs. Could be that a special (and prolly expensive) BMW charger is needed.

True, but the problem is that the "special BMW charger" (that's the $115 small grey one with the four LED status lights) is no longer working with the K12S after I had a software update. It worked as advertized before the update.

Does anybody know what the float/maintenance voltage is supposed to be for these sealed batteries?

 

[cesarb]

I better not get the updated software if my new BMW (grey) charger will not maintain the battery after charging it. What's updated with the new software anyway?

 

[wyeknott]

What's updated with the new software anyway?

I believe it was for the ZFE module (central vehicle electronics). I'm still trying to find out what the version number was.

 

[Erik]

We discussed a permanent work around for the ZFE controled power outlet a few days before i-bmw went south. If you search the archives in the K1200S section under "workaround" you should be able to find it.

 

[mconrad]

If you run the charger direct to the battery as shown in Pirate's post, your battery will stay charged. It's also the way my mechanic advised me to do it. Simpler is better.

 

[ggle843]

Battery Tenders

I have kept my S on the Battery Bender since delivery. I ran the lead direct to the battery, and have attached the socket end of the to the front brake cable with a nylon tie. Works great! I have been using Battery Tenders for 10 years, and have had only one fail me (an abnormal power surge in Florida), which Deltran replaced for shipping charges only.

Gardner

 

[rlmr]

Spoke too soon...

With my K100RS SE (1989) I could leave the bike for three or four months (due to work and weather over the winter) and never touch it. I could then turn on the ignition, pull in the clutch and prod the starter button and the bike would fire into life on either the first or second push of the button. I have no electrical power in my bike garage so keeping the battery on charge was never an option.

Now I have spent all that money on the latest hi-tec K1200S, will I really need a battery charger hooked up to the bike every time I leave it for longer than a few days? I would love to have the facility to keep the battery topped up... but that's something I don't have.
QUOTE]

End of November... not had time/weather to use the bike for 4 weeks... needed to jump the battery from the car as just turned over and died.
2-weeks later... not even enough power to go through the pre-start electronic check sequence... take battery off and charge it in the house. Refit and starts first time.
Have taken the battery out to re-charge again and am now monitoring the post-charge voltage, hoping I have a faulty battery and not a faulty electrical system on the bike.

BTW... the old K100RS had not been used for 6-weeks and whilst my new £10,500 machine lay "dead" the old bike fired into life first prod of the starter. My son was rather pleased as he has inherited the K100

 

[sportrider]

I killed 2 birds with one stone!

I ran dc power to my tank bag, which uses a battery tender style connector, so all I have to do is put the tender in the bag and plug it in. Inside the bag I use a Y cable that converts battery tender style connector into 2 cigar type outlets for radar and xm.

If anyone wants to do it, here's the parts list from Powerlet.

Parts List: PKT005 Fused Battery Lead
PTB001 PowerMate Tank Bag Kit
PAC030 Dual cigarette lighter outlets

Total cost: $60.70
Powerlet 1-877-752-7835