USB DIN Plug draining the battery.

[Dazlad]

Hi all, I have a 2019 Tiger 1200 and have brought a USB DIN plug to go in the socket just in front of the tank.

I have not used the bike for a couple of months now & have left it in the garage connected to an Optimate battery trickle charger, which I thought would keep the battery alive.  I have just tried to start the bike, only to find that it is completely and utterly dead...so much so that there is nothing happening at all...you can't even operate the alarm...there is absolutely no charge left in the battery, at all.

I did leave the USB DIN plug in the socket throughout but there was nothing else plugged into that; now I know that, even when there is nothing plugged into the USB port, that a tiny amount of energy is used, but surely the trickle charger would have been able to cope with keeping the alarm and DIN plug going?

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?
Any recommendations on a decent replacement battery (I've tried unplugging and plugging the charger to the bike, without the DIN plug in, but it can't recover the dead battery)?
Any recommendations on a Trickle Charger (with the capability of recovering deep discharged batteries); I may as well replace that too, as it's quite old but still works fine...I think?

[NiK]

I'd place my bet on a defective Optimate (though that would be the first I'd heard of).
Yes an USB plug in the front socket (i.e., permanently live) will drain your battery over months (probably less), but your Optimate should have taken care of this easily. Was it connected directly to the battery terminals?

[Dazlad]

Originally Posted by NiK

I'd place my bet on a defective Optimate (though that would be the first I'd heard of).
Yes an USB plug in the front socket (i.e., permanently live) will drain your battery over months (probably less), but your Optimate should have taken care of this easily. Was it connected directly to the battery terminals?

I have the Optimate leads connected permanently to the battery and just plug it in every time I park it in my garage.

Any recommendations on a decent trickle charger, with the ability to recover dead batteries?  I know this battery is probably past recovery point but if I need to replace my Optimate, I may as well go for one with all the bells and whistles.

[NiK]

Well, Optimate is still the best battery salvage device I know of!
I have an Optimate 2 (20 years old or so) which is still perfect (it recently salvaged my car's battery which was down to almost nothing).
That said, batteries are chemical components and when they go all the way down, there is little to no chance of saving them.
Over the last 20 years, I found out that salvaging a bike's battery is more difficult than a car's.

[Ed Harley]

Originally Posted by Dazlad

Hi all, I have a 2019 Tiger 1200 and have brought a USB DIN plug to go in the socket just in front of the tank.

I have not used the bike for a couple of months now & have left it in the garage connected to an Optimate battery trickle charger, which I thought would keep the battery alive.  I have just tried to start the bike, only to find that it is completely and utterly dead...so much so that there is nothing happening at all...you can't even operate the alarm...there is absolutely no charge left in the battery, at all.

I did leave the USB DIN plug in the socket throughout but there was nothing else plugged into that; now I know that, even when there is nothing plugged into the USB port, that a tiny amount of energy is used, but surely the trickle charger would have been able to cope with keeping the alarm and DIN plug going?

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?
Any recommendations on a decent replacement battery (I've tried unplugging and plugging the charger to the bike, without the DIN plug in, but it can't recover the dead battery)?
Any recommendations on a Trickle Charger (with the capability of recovering deep discharged batteries); I may as well replace that too, as it's quite old but still works fine...I think?

On my 2016, when I put the adapter plug in the socket and connect the charger, I have to switch power on so that CAN-bus opens and there is a connection from charger to battery.

Once I have swiched it on I can turn the power off and remove key and let charging go on.

Could this be the case with your 2019 too?

[llama]

Originally Posted by Dazlad

Any recommendations on a decent replacement battery (I've tried unplugging and plugging the charger to the bike, without the DIN plug in, but it can't recover the dead battery)?
Any recommendations on a Trickle Charger (with the capability of recovering deep discharged batteries); I may as well replace that too, as it's quite old but still works fine...I think?

BikeMaster TruGel MG14ZS. It's been treating me well. I had some fun finding the right size (
https://www.tiger-explorer.com/index.php/topic,21605.msg246825.html#msg246825)

For charging I have an older CTEK 4.3A charger that does cars and motorcycles. I also have a newer CTEK Powersports charger than can do lithium batteries (my 690 Duke came with one). For my 2018 XRT I use CTEK's DIN adapter and charge right through the front DIN plug. No need to turn the bike on or anything to get it to work.

[JG_XRT]

Since the front socket is always live, that's where I plug in my trickle charger.

That's what I would suggest to avoid the problem

[NiK]

Originally Posted by Ed Harley

On my 2016, when I put the adapter plug in the socket and connect the charger, I have to switch power on so that CAN-bus opens and there is a connection from charger to battery.

Once I have swiched it on I can turn the power off and remove key and let charging go on.

Interesting! I have to try that on my '18 (though I'm pretty sure that I used the front socket successfully before without having to turn the bike on).

[Ed Harley]

Please disregard my comment above regarding power outlet and CAN-bus etc.

This was bothering me so I went and tested: it is "hot" and there is no need to switch ignition on.

Now, this senior moment in turn started to bother me and it took me a while to recall that my previous BMWs did require this key cycling.

Sorry for this misleading dis-information. 

[Dazlad]

Originally Posted by NiK

Well, Optimate is still the best battery salvage device I know of!
I have an Optimate 2 (20 years old or so) which is still perfect (it recently salvaged my car's battery which was down to almost nothing).
That said, batteries are chemical components and when they go all the way down, there is little to no chance of saving them.
Over the last 20 years, I found out that salvaging a bike's battery is more difficult than a car's.

Yeah, I think mine's a Optimate 2 as well...probably about as old too.
I've recovered dead batteries before but I've never had one this dead - before, I've had some response from the alarm and the electrics switch on but not enough power to start it.  Those occasions, I've been able to recover them.
I need to do some work to find out if the battery is completely gone.