Battery Bug > Dead Battery!

[tinytrains]

I installed the battery bug two weeks ago and have not been able to ride since then due to travel. I started the bike this morning and it struggled to run on one cylinder and quit. Then refused to turn over. This battery is only a few months old, and it read 70% after starting when I installed the bug. This morning it read 6% after trying to start.

The bug is now disconnected and the battery charging. I am going to measure the current draw tonight.

Have those of you with Battery Bugs have any problem when the bike sits for a few weeks?

Thanks,
Scott

[Woland]

I might have misunderstood your post but if it read 70% after being on the bug then the battery is bad.

[tinytrains]

After the bug was installed, with the battery charged at 12.8V, it showed that the voltage dropped to 70% (9V) during starting. Which is as I understand it, normal. Most my cars showed about the same.

It could be the new battery is bad. Not sure what is going on right now.

[tinytrains]

I measured 3.2 mA in with the back light off, which should take 22 weeks to drain a 12 AH battery. 2 weeks is 1 AH.

The battery is 11 months old and should do better. It starts right up normally. I guess I should get it tested.

Scott

[mogu83]

I've had the old style (no back light) on for over a year with no problems.
BTW: What color is the back light??

[MTBeemer]

I have a Bug on two bikes. On my R12R with a 4 year old battery it says the starting power is at 43%; on the GSPD with a battery that is 2 months old it reads 71%. I think in the 70s is as about as good as it gets. The readout is always the worst performance the battery has ever given while the Bug has been continuously attached. I had trouble starting the GSPD the other day. I got it going after several attempts and a 10-15 seconds of cranking. The Bug was saying 41%. After a long ride I disconnected the Bug by pulling the fuse then reconnected and started the bike; Bug now reads in the 70s again.

[tinytrains]

I really think it is the back light. My battery has a higher than normal voltage of 13.0V. This keeps the back light on drawing 23mA. It eventually goes off, but then comes on again as the charge builds back up and and repeats the cycle. This runs my battery dead after a couple weeks if I am out of town. Since I removed it, the bike spins right over.

I could not read it with sunglasses anyway, unless the sun was behind me. I will just keep it as a clip on for testing.

Scott

[MTBeemer]

If the back light goes off below 13v (and it does), then it cannot be the back light that is causing any change in the battery once it hits 12.9v or lower.

[tinytrains]

If the back light goes off below 13v (and it does), then it cannot be the back light that is causing any change in the battery once it hits 12.9v or lower.

Once the light goes out, the discharge stops. But then the voltage builds back up due to the chemical processes in the battery and the back light comes back on and the process repeats. I have watched it happen.

[MTBeemer]

If the back light goes off below 13v (and it does), then it cannot be the back light that is causing any change in the battery once it hits 12.9v or lower.

Once the light goes out, the discharge stops. But then the voltage builds back up due to the chemical processes in the battery and the back light comes back on and the process repeats. I have watched it happen.

No doubt, but that cycle should not result in a battery with a charge of less than 12.9v.

[MTBeemer]

If the back light goes off below 13v (and it does), then it cannot be the back light that is causing any change in the battery once it hits 12.9v or lower.

Once the light goes out, the discharge stops. But then the voltage builds back up due to the chemical processes in the battery and the back light comes back on and the process repeats. I have watched it happen.

No doubt, but that cycle should not result in a battery with a charge of less than 12.9v.

I'm monitoring two bikes with the Bug. I believe it will turnout that letting a bike sit for a long period with the Bug will run down the battery, but how fast that happens is to be determined. I bet you'll be okay for at least a month. When my bikes sit for anything more than a week they get placed on a battery tender so no problem. One could also disconnect the Bug by removing the fuse that was used during the install.

[mogu83]

I have an early one without the backlight and it would be nice to have one with the backlight

[tinytrains]

No doubt, but that cycle should not result in a battery with a charge of less than 12.9v.

A battery can read show full voltage and still be dead. It has enough energy to drive a voltmeter, but start an engine.

After 2 weeks of sitting, the bike started, but ran like crap, and when I turned it off and tried to restart, the battery had no energy left. I removed the battery bug, recharged the battery and everything is fine again. I am an electrical engineer, but this one has me puzzled. Even with the back light on, a 14 AH battery should run it well over 2 weeks. Of course, this bike needs a LOT of power to spin that motor over (ever try and push start an R1200?) The battery is a year old, so I suppose it could be going, but it has shown no other signs.

Thanks for the feedback.

[MTBeemer]

You may be an EE, but I slept in a Holidy Inn Express last nite. All electrical stuff is arcane knowledge and Indian lore to me