Battery and PCIII

[Guest Jezb]

This has probably been done to death by now but I need advice.

 

I have a 2005 cafe sport, PCIII, G-Force carbon cans and a battery that will not hold charge!

 

I hook up my optimate every night and usually it will just about turnover in the morning, but today it didn't evenhave the juice for that!

 

So my question is, does the PCIII drain the battery and if not should I just get a new battery and bin the stock one?

 

As a side issue, does anyone know if the lambda sensors on the cafe sport can cause issues when using a PCIII with a downloaded map?

 

I hate getting the wife to jump start my bike in the morning, I don't want to give her any more reasons to be p***ed off with me than I have to!!!

 

Jerry

[Baldini]

I think normal Optimate trickle chargers do not work with these gel batteries - they do not put out enough current to charge them. PC111, correctly fitted, doesn't discharge battery. Sounds like battery isn't getting charged up - try a car charger or a regulated charger suitable for gel batteries.

 

Spark 500 battery was subject of a Guzzi service bulletin recommending replacement. Not sure if they were still fitted to 05 bikes?

 

Alarms take current.

 

KB

[Guest Rocker]

This has probably been done to death by now but I need advice.

 

I have a 2005 cafe sport, PCIII, G-Force carbon cans and a battery that will not hold charge!

 

I hook up my optimate every night and usually it will just about turnover in the morning, but today it didn't evenhave the juice for that!

 

So my question is, does the PCIII drain the battery and if not should I just get a new battery and bin the stock one?

 

As a side issue, does anyone know if the lambda sensors on the cafe sport can cause issues when using a PCIII with a downloaded map?

 

I hate getting the wife to jump start my bike in the morning, I don't want to give her any more reasons to be p***ed off with me than I have to!!!

 

Jerry

92927[/snapback]

[Guest Rocker]

 

Unless you are mightily unlucky (ie a duff Power Commander) you can remove it from your "probable causes" list.

 

Furthermore it will not interfere with the bike's sensors.

 

Rockerob.

[Guest ratchethack]

Wot Rob and Keith said.

 

FWIW, my original Spark 500 battery lasted 6 years without any trouble.

[dlaing]

This has probably been done to death by now but I need advice.

92927[/snapback]

Here we discuss the battery draining through the ECU.

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7857&hl=

Apparently some bikes drain, but I don't think it is a normal healthy situation, rather it appears that the ECUs may be succeptible to damage.

The damage could be caused by low batteries, charging without pulling the number 1 fuse to the ECU, bad regulators, bad relays, etc.

The thread I cited gives ideas on how to test the ECU for draining the battery.

It would be good to know if more bikes are succesptible to this problem, so we can all rush out and buy Cliff's MY15

[Guest Jezb]

I think normal Optimate trickle chargers do not work with these gel batteries - they do not put out enough current to charge them. PC111, correctly fitted, doesn't discharge battery. Sounds like battery isn't getting charged up - try a car charger or a regulated charger suitable for gel batteries.

 

Spark 500 battery was subject of a Guzzi service bulletin recommending replacement. Not sure if they were still fitted to 05 bikes?

 

Alarms take current.

 

KB

92931[/snapback]

 

I thought that car chargers and bike batteries was a bad idea? Something to do with things that go bang in the night!

 

Jerry

[docc]

Many car beattery chargers work at a rate of 5 or 6 amps. Your bike battery will be a lot happier at 1 or 1.5 amps.

 

Check voltage with a good digital meter. The gel batteries should throw 12.7vDC. Unlike wet batteries a drop of even 0.1 makes the battery suspect.

[Baldini]

I thought that car chargers and bike batteries was a bad idea?  Something to do with things that go bang in the night!

 

Jerry

92946[/snapback]

 

My understanding is that old-style water filled lead acid batteries are safe to charge at 10% of their capacity eg: a 30AH battery can safely be charged at 3amps, a 13AH battery at 1.3amps etc. However charging at a max of half this rate is better for battery longevity.

 

With the new gel type batteries I hear the rules have changed. An Optimate trickle charger works at 0.6amps & that is too low for the 13AH gel battery to charge. I don't know why, or what is a safe charging current. The workshop manual gives no upper current limit..."no current limit requested", for charging.

 

KB

[dlaing]

The workshop manual gives no upper current limit..."no current limit requested", for charging.

 

KB

92975[/snapback]

The critical thing is not to exceed 15.0V

At the same time a trickle charger will only partially charge the battery.

A 6 to 7 amp charger that won't exceed 15V is ideal

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/charging.html

or

http://batterystore.com/Odyssey/OdysseyCharger.htm

 

Because I am paranoid and may have damaged my ECU, I recommend removing the ECU fuse before charging. YMMV

 

 

Here is a list of recommended chargers

 

TecMate AccuMate Pro 12V-7A-S Motion Pro Inc. 650-594-9600 (aka optimate) http://www.batterymart.com/p-ACC-12V7A-S.html $86.95++

 

Xenotronix SX 90-1 12V, 6A Xenotronix 800-624-9366 (aka Odyssey Optimiser)

http://www.gotbatteries.com/items.asp?para.../CH301/34S201S2 $99.95++

 

Motocell™ 693601 12V, 3A Custom Chrome 800-729-3332

 

Battery Defender ACC-1206WB 12V, 3A BatteryMart.com 800-405-2121

 

Also Hawker??? is developing an Odyssey Ultimizer to be released second quarter 2006...see http://www.odysseyfactory.com/

 

Warning, Hawker previously, but no longer recommend Deltran's line of chargers

and vice versa

http://www.batterytender.com/notice_odysse...f093b029480870a

 

The Ultimizer is or will be available as a 6,12,25,40,or 50 Amp charger and all will safely charge the Odyssey PC545 or the OEM Spark battery

To read more about the charger, read the PDF that was released 06.06.06

http://www.enersysreservepower.com/documen...LT-001_0606.pdf

[Guest Jezb]

Thanks for all of your comments, last night I took the battery out and charged it using my car charger.

 

I must admit a bit of a sleepless night waiting for something to go bang in the garage, but this morning everything was fine.

 

I re-installed the battery (that sure is fiddly with the ecu so close!!!), removed the powercommander (just to see if the new pipes sorted the usual flat spot without it) and she started first time.

 

No issues with the flat either on the way to work either, probably just lucky this morning hey!

 

Do you think that I should bother using the optimate on a daily basis, or is it not worth it due to the rate of charge it gives?

 

OOH i have enclosed a pic of my pipes, as I am sooooo pleased with them!!!

[dlaing]

Do you think that I should bother using the optimate on a daily basis, or is it not worth it due to the rate of charge it gives?

93009[/snapback]

Nice Bike

I think you should determine if it is draining through the ECU.

Pulling the number one fuse when not riding may prevent your battery draining

If it is draining pretty quickly I suspect using the optimate may help keep the battery more charged but not quite fully charged.

An investment in an Ultimizer, or equivalent, may be a good idea

I have the odyssey optimizer and it seems to keep me going pretty well. It comes with a quick attachment plug and mounts on the wall of my garage next to where I park.