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Does your battery do this at switch on?


Peter Room

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2014 R1200RT wethead, info display set to voltage, ignition switched off for at least 10 minutes.

 

When I switch ignition on, speedo & tacho needles sweep to max then back to min. At this stage, the display shows 7.5v and takes between 10 and 12 seconds to increase to 12v.

 

If I then switch off without pressing the starter button, and switch back on within 10 seconds, the display shows about 12.2v.

It looks like a capacitor charges up on first switch on and is still charged at second switch on.

 

Several times recently, starter cranking has failed or been poor. I suspect I pressed the starter button before capacitor chargeup had finished & voltage risen to 12v (I did not have the voltage displayed).

 

We are having daily min/max temperatures of 25 to 35 deg C ( 77 to 95 deg F) in Brisbane and temperature might be an issue. Are bikes in similar and in colder climates doing the same?

 

The original battery lasted just 14 months and this battery is 18 months old. The display shows 14.2v when running so the alternator should be good.

 

Could the voltage display taking 10 seconds after needles back to min at switch on be a sign of a failing battery?

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It takes about 60 seconds maybe 70 for canbus to shutdown after key off. I think you are seeing that. In other words key on everything is starting up drawing on the battery, BMSK or ECU, the dash, running lights and anything else that requires electric. Then it settles out to 12V. Once you turn key off or press the button off, like I say canbus does not shut down right away.

 

If you are worried pull it and have it tested.

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Bad battery. Age is no guarantee of a battery being good. 14.2 volts when running is on the high side of average, possibly meaning the charging system is trying to make up for a weak battery.

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2014 R1200RT wethead, info display set to voltage, ignition switched off for at least 10 minutes.

 

When I switch ignition on, speedo & tacho needles sweep to max then back to min. At this stage, the display shows 7.5v and takes between 10 and 12 seconds to increase to 12v.

 

If I then switch off without pressing the starter button, and switch back on within 10 seconds, the display shows about 12.2v.

It looks like a capacitor charges up on first switch on and is still charged at second switch on.

 

Several times recently, starter cranking has failed or been poor. I suspect I pressed the starter button before capacitor chargeup had finished & voltage risen to 12v (I did not have the voltage displayed).

 

We are having daily min/max temperatures of 25 to 35 deg C ( 77 to 95 deg F) in Brisbane and temperature might be an issue. Are bikes in similar and in colder climates doing the same?

 

The original battery lasted just 14 months and this battery is 18 months old. The display shows 14.2v when running so the alternator should be good.

 

Could the voltage display taking 10 seconds after needles back to min at switch on be a sign of a failing battery?

 

Morning Peter

 

That 7.5 volts showing at first key-on is a puzzler but might not be indicative of your actual battery voltage.

 

I guess to be sure you should put a DC voltmeter across your battery posts & repeat the key-on test.

 

If the actual battery voltage is the same 7.5 volts then you probably have a battery issue.

 

If the actual battery reading is much higher (like 12.2-12.7v) then more than likely your low reading is in the bikes onboard voltage acquisition system.

 

It doesn't sound like a charging system issue as 14.2v volts charging is just about right.

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You might want to check your positive battery terminal. Mine was loose when I checked it and was causing problems not starting and different voltages

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You might want to check your positive battery terminal.

 

And the negative one. A loose connection on either terminal could possibly create intermittent hard starting issues.

I agree on testing the actual battery voltage while the bike "boots up" and the on-board voltage reading ramps from 7V to 12V.

 

Mikko

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Thanks for the ideas guys but I was mainly looking for data - do your bikes' displays show the same voltages at the same stages after switching on ignition?

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I just went to the garage and checked mine. Key on, sweep the dials, voltage showed 12.9. It stayed there for about a minute and dropped to 12.8... Turned it off, waited 5 minutes, same exact results. Mine was delivered Feb 2014 and still has original battery.

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