GPS kills bike battery, normal?

[chrisz]

An interesting thing happened the other day. Last year (spring time) I installed a new Odyssey battery in my RT, all went well during the summer. The battery has been on a trickle charger all winter, and mid March of this year I took the bike for it's first ride of the season, all's well so far.

Last week I installed a Garmin GPS and connected it via Garmin supplied harness directly to the battery. As the GPS' intenal battery was fully charged, I left the GPS hooked up to the bike battery without riding it. A week later I go to start the bike and nothing, even the clock display is dead. The GPS battery is also dead. I've since recharged the bike battery, and it took some time to recharge the GPS battery (initially it would not accept the charge, it was so dead). Anyhow I now disconnect the GPS from the bike battery if not being ridden. My question, does this not sound odd, that both bike and GPS batteries would drain to nothing... within a week?

[Kathy R]

Which model of Garmin do you have?

Did you leave it turned on or off?

[dirtrider]

Morning chrisz

 

NO it doesn't sound odd. The GPS internal battery charger is always drawing power as long as it is hooked up to the battery. Not a lot of draw (won't usually run a car battery down) but can deplete a motorcycle battery pretty quickly.

 

For short times like stopped during a day ride no problems leaving it connected but it should be powered down for extended sitting times like parked for a few days.

 

[chrisz]

Kathy R,

Garmin model 765T. I did turn off the GPS, however I now think that only the display goes black, the unit can still draw juice from the bike battery if it's hooked up.

 

dirtrider,

Lesson learned.

[Kathy R]

Kathy R,

Garmin model 765T. I did turn off the GPS, however I now think that only the display goes black, the unit can still draw juice from the bike battery if it's hooked up.

 

Thanks, Chris. The reason I asked about the model is two-fold:

* I have left my 550 turned turn off, but sitting in the active cradle overnight. Mine is a direct to battery hook up. I keep my bike on a battery tender too.

* When I searched Google there seemed to be different answers, depending on the model of GPS.

 

I never had a problem, as you describe, but I guess I'll think twice about leaving the GPS in the active cradle overnight.

[Caddis]

Interestingly this just happened to me, too. I left my Zumo 220 connected. Even though it was turned off, my bike battery was nearly dead after about a week. I wondered if that was to be expected, but I guess the answer is yes.

[Bill Tracy]

chrisz,

Try this... the 11xxRT's have the radio harness wired in place regardless of having a radio installed on the bike, and that harness terminates under the radio box towards the front of the bike.

 

Find the purple and brown wires in the radio harness. The purple power wire is switched by the ignition lock on the bike, and the brown wire is a ground. Wire your GPS harness to these radio wires and install a 2 amp fuse in slot #8 of the fuse panel. The current will be turned off when the handlebars are locked, and turned back on when you unlock the handlebars. You just need to make sure your handlebars are locked if the bike will be sitting for awhile, and I'll bet your GPS even has a setting to automatically power it on and off with the current.

[chrisz]

Bill Tracy, thanks. Welcome aboard!

 

During installation I was looking for a switched power source, didn't find one, likely due to the fact I didn't have a fuse installed or that I normally don't lock my bars at home in the garage...

 

Will have to check this out this weekend.

[hopz]

chrisz,

 

Two words of advice... switched... power.

 

Since you have an RT then look under the headstock for a plug taped to one of the members there. Under the tape is a plug. The factory wiring harness has it there for the factory GPS.

 

Take a look at this thread. You may have to join the zumoforums to see it, but you need to be there anyway.

http://www.zumoforums.com/index.php?topic=2798.0

[Dave39]

Same thing happened to me last year. I left my Nuvi connected to the battery after a ride. I thought it was OK since the GPS was turned off. After sitting that way for a week or so, I found myself faced with a dead motorcycle battery.

[chrisz]

My switched power supply is currently being used by my makeshift oil cooler fan. Was hoping to find another switches power supply, but no luck. Will just have to remember to pull the power cord from the GPS.

 

Thanks all.

[Bill Tracy]

chrisz,

So, I assume the switched power source you are referring to is the one I described from the radio harness? If that's the case then the current to your makeshift oil cooler fan is only switched off if you lock your handlebars, and that would be the cause of your battery drain.

[chrisz]

Bill,

 

With the engine turned off after a ride, the 2 small computer case fans only run for about a 2 minute duration, (I can hear them). I installed the fans some years ago, and never got stuck with a dead battery before (and I don't lock my handlebars).