Trickle charging

General discussion of the BMW R1200RT/R1250RT
bargood
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2020 4:30 am

Trickle charging

Post by bargood »

I just purchased a 2013 R1200RT. This replaced my 1996 R1100RT. Since I only use the bike on weekends I keep the battery charged by using a Battery Tender. I plug it into the accessory port. On the old r1100 it worked great. On my 2013 r1200rt it starts to flash red after a short time which means it isn't charging. Any idea why? Wonder if anyone else had or has that problem. Thanks. 
User avatar
David.
Subscriber
Posts: 8300
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2014 7:29 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Bike Model and Year: R1200RT (Camhead) 2012
Been liked: 387 times
Great Britain

Re: Trickle charging

Post by David. »

Looks like CAN-bus was introduced in 2004, https://motorcycleinfo.co.uk/bmw-r1200g ... indexc97d/

Is the battery tender/charger CAN-bus compatible.
PeteM
Posts: 285
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2019 9:28 am

Re: Trickle charging

Post by PeteM »

bargood wrote: I just purchased a 2013 R1200RT. This replaced my 1996 R1100RT. Since I only use the bike on weekends I keep the battery charged by using a Battery Tender. I plug it into the accessory port. On the old r1100 it worked great. On my 2013 r1200rt it starts to flash red after a short time which means it isn't charging. Any idea why? Wonder if anyone else had or has that problem. Thanks.

You need a specialist CAMBUS charger, lastest Optimates do this but older ones do not (although even the latest ones need to be set correctly),but I had problems with mine so ended up shelling out for a proper BMW one which works faultlessly
User avatar
David.
Subscriber
Posts: 8300
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2014 7:29 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Bike Model and Year: R1200RT (Camhead) 2012
Been liked: 387 times
Great Britain

Re: Trickle charging

Post by David. »

Which battery tender/charger have you got, can it be hardwired to the battery with an appropriate lead.

I use a 2004 Datatool charger via a lead bolted to the battery.

Image
Last edited by David. on Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Beagle
Posts: 582
Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2018 7:42 pm

Re: Trickle charging

Post by Beagle »

Either connect a trickle charger direct to the battery or get the canbus version and use the auxiliary socket.



User avatar
David.
Subscriber
Posts: 8300
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2014 7:29 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Bike Model and Year: R1200RT (Camhead) 2012
Been liked: 387 times
Great Britain

Re: Trickle charging

Post by David. »

Battery Charger thread, viewtopic.php?t=9

Accumate 6V/12V Battery Charger, https://www.mdsbattery.co.uk/accumate-6 ... gJ1pvD_BwE

BMW Motorrad Battery Charger (UK plug),  https://bmw.europe-moto.com/gb/motorcyc ... gInOvD_BwE
Last edited by David. on Sun Jun 21, 2020 2:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Frank123
Posts: 112
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2016 1:28 pm

Re: Trickle charging

Post by Frank123 »

BMW trickle charger is the best bit of kit to keep your bike battery fully charged all of the time especially during long winter and Covid19 lockdown days/weeks.
User avatar
Beagle
Posts: 582
Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2018 7:42 pm

Re: Trickle charging

Post by Beagle »

Frank123 wrote: BMW trickle charger is the best bit of kit to keep your bike battery fully charged all of the time especially during long winter and Covid19 lockdown days/weeks.

Agree its brilliant, plug in the auxiliary socket and a warning sign on the Bike  cover reminding me its connected and you can forget it.


https://www.nippynormans.com/k1600gtgtlsportbaggerga/optimate-44-bmw-can-bus-goldline-dual-charger
Last edited by Beagle on Mon Jun 22, 2020 12:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
NLC
Posts: 40
Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 7:26 pm

Re: Trickle charging

Post by NLC »

I would recommend plugging a pigtail directly into the battery and using the charger in standard mode. Charging via CanBus for example via an Opitmate you are only using a fraction of the feature on the charger.
User avatar
David.
Subscriber
Posts: 8300
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2014 7:29 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Bike Model and Year: R1200RT (Camhead) 2012
Been liked: 387 times
Great Britain

Re: Trickle charging

Post by David. »

Are BMW volts & amps really better than other makes.
PeteM
Posts: 285
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2019 9:28 am

Re: Trickle charging

Post by PeteM »

NLC wrote: I would recommend plugging a pigtail directly into the battery and using the charger in standard mode. Charging via CanBus for example via an Opitmate you are only using a fraction of the feature on the charger.

That's why I use a BMW charger, it talks to the bike and the two work together to keep the battery in the best possible condition.
simbo
Subscriber
Posts: 1464
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:33 pm
Location: Greater Manchester
Bike Model and Year: RT 2011
Has liked: 80 times
Been liked: 143 times
Great Britain

Re: Trickle charging

Post by simbo »

PeteM wrote:
That's why I use a BMW charger, it talks to the bike and the two work together to keep the battery in the best possible condition.

😂😂
The GS 'is' the better bike :-)
User avatar
David.
Subscriber
Posts: 8300
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2014 7:29 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Bike Model and Year: R1200RT (Camhead) 2012
Been liked: 387 times
Great Britain

Re: Trickle charging

Post by David. »

Unless the battery has been neglected and is very flat (sulphated),  the Optimate 4 (dual CAN-bus version) should work just fine through the accessory socket.

This program is designed for charging, testing and long term maintenance of batteries mounted in vehicles fitted with CAN-bus.

Optimate 4, Instructions for use, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/ ... ctions.pdf
User avatar
NLC
Posts: 40
Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 7:26 pm

Re: Trickle charging

Post by NLC »

PeteM wrote:
That's why I use a BMW charger, it talks to the bike and the two work together to keep the battery in the best possible condition.
I’d rather take the money I saved and buy my mates a few rounds. BMW charges £68 for the special oil. At the end of the day it is oil. The “special” charger is BMW profiting from white labelling someone else’s product.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
NLC
Posts: 40
Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 7:26 pm

Re: Trickle charging

Post by NLC »

David. wrote: Unless the battery has been neglected and is very flat (sulphated),  the Optimate 4 (dual CAN-bus version) should work just fine through the accessory socket.

This program is designed for charging, testing and long term maintenance of batteries mounted in vehicles fitted with CAN-bus.

Optimate 4, Instructions for use, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/ ... ctions.pdf
David I have spoken to Optimate about this. Answer from them is to not use the Canbus. Many of the Optimate functions are disabled in the Canbus mode.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post Reply