Battery woes - empty after only 1 week parking!!

[sam2019]

Many people have reported problems with prematurely empty batteries. Yes, lead acid batteries do have certain self depreciation but that usually takes multiple month to get to the point where the starter motor will not work any more. With the Hima this problem can occur after one week in extreme cases.

Recently RE Europe has issued a memo regarding this and identified the gear sensor as the culprit which pulls 7mA because it originally is connected to battery plus at all times but should be only when ignition is on. They apparently issued a replacement cable that will facilitate this change of contact point - however my dealer has never heard of this so here is a self-made solution for those who feel confident to fiddle with the electrics.

It should be mentioned that Hima cables are too thin IMO and usually also very short so one needs a soldering iron and some extra cable.

I will quote from the German technical fb support group verbatim where Stefan Scholz has thankfully provided this solution:

Under the seat / tank is the alternator regulator in an aluminum housing, with 3 connection groups.
3 yellow wires is the AC current from the alternator .
2 black to ground and to the negative wires. (Chassis as return line would lead to electrochemical corrosion on the steel frame because minus is ground).
2 red wires to F1.
At the connector to the red wires is an adapter cable, which leads into a rubber bell, where the actual connector for the controller output cables is located. Pull it out on both sides, and plug the controller connector directly into the coupling in the rubber bell.
You could now nibble off the insulating tube layer from the short bridge cable, take out the naked cable leading to the controller, cut it off and solder on a longer cable. Connect this somewhere to PLUS after the main switch.
I have the horn (which is switched against minus) at the connection side behind the fuse tapped, and a cable led under the seat to control a relay, which switches the USB sockets and accessory connections. From this horn PLUS I then also fed the gear control circuit. I have left the intermediate cable in position, and connected to it by means of a 6.3mm flat connector the corresponding connection leading to the control unit.
Relatively simply would be to get switched PLUS at the brown cable of the diagnostic plug under the seat. I don't like it, because in the event of a short circuit, the power supply to the ECU fails. A horn failure on the other hand, is not as bad.

 

[pimerS411]

Interesting, today my Scram did not start the motor and battery led is blinking. Electronics seems to startup ok incl Tripper.

A) I have a Thunderbox hub installed with standard setup, should seitch off after few seconds when motor is switched off.

B) Any suggestion for a battery maintenance equipment when I will place my Scram to rest for a while during the next winter?

Thank you very much

 

[sam2019]

A) I have a Thunderbox hub installed with standard setup, should seitch off after few seconds when motor is switched off.

no idea what that is

B) Any suggestion for a battery maintenance equipment when I will place my Scram to rest for a while during the next winter?

take it out, buy a trickle charger. if it is in a garage it may be enough to have a cut off switch installed like I do. the battery will be low after 3-4 month but not dead, then just fill it up with a normal charger.

if this never happened before and you had your bike parked for extended time before then I would search for a reason elsewhere, does the battery get charged? maybe the alternator is burnt? or the rectifier? that is one reason why I always install a voltmeter first thing in any new bike (the latest models have voltage in the display thankfully).

 

[pimerS411]

no idea what that is


take it out, buy a trickle charger. if it is in a garage it may be enough to have a cut off switch installed like I do. the battery will be low after 3-4 month but not dead, then just fill it up with a normal charger.

if this never happened before and you had your bike parked for extended time before then I would search for a reason elsewhere, does the battery get charged? maybe the alternator is burnt? or the rectifier? that is one reason why I always install a voltmeter first thing in any new bike (the latest models have voltage in the display thankfully).

The Thunderbox is a hub for accessories, see here:

Thunder Box (TB) - HealTech Electronics Ltd.

The Thunder Box simplifies and safeguards the process of connecting aftermarket electronic accessories to your motorcycle, such as heated grips, GPS, etc...

www.healtech-electronics.com

Cut off switch in oder to either charge the battery or use the battery for the bike? What switch capability should such a switch have, like the A the battery does not to burn the switch contacts?

Got a charger/maintainer and trying to figure out how to separate things around the battery.

Thanks

 

[pimerS411]

The Thunderbox is a hub for accessories, see here:

Thunder Box (TB) - HealTech Electronics Ltd.

The Thunder Box simplifies and safeguards the process of connecting aftermarket electronic accessories to your motorcycle, such as heated grips, GPS, etc...

www.healtech-electronics.com

Cut off switch in oder to either charge the battery or use the battery for the bike? What switch capability should such a switch have, like the A the battery does not to burn the switch contacts?

Got a charger/maintainer and trying to figure out how to separate things around the battery.

Thanks

From what I now read the Thunderhub draws "less than 1 mA" in standby... so I will definitely get a switch in there...
Nevertheless, 1mA for 5 days and the battery is so low it can't start the engine? Maybe it's just not 1mA....?

 

[pimerS411]

Is there a safe (and simple to do) way to get just anything behind the ignition switch, so that actually everything gets switched off when I turn the key to off?
Or would that do the red kill switch on the bike?

 

[sam2019]

Or would that do the red kill switch on the bike?

not the one on the handlebar but one you put under the seat that separates PLUS from the harness.

Segolike CAR Truck Boat Camper 100A Battery Isolator Disconnect Cut Off Switch : Amazon.in: Industrial & Scientific

Segolike CAR Truck Boat Camper 100A Battery Isolator Disconnect Cut Off Switch : Amazon.in: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.in

 

[pimerS411]

not the one on the handlebar but one you put under the seat that separates PLUS from the harness.

Segolike CAR Truck Boat Camper 100A Battery Isolator Disconnect Cut Off Switch : Amazon.in: Industrial & Scientific

Segolike CAR Truck Boat Camper 100A Battery Isolator Disconnect Cut Off Switch : Amazon.in: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.in

Took the Thunderbox usb hub off, disconnecte the battery. Unfortunately I don't have a multimeter capable of measuring the volts.
Charged the battery (the charger has some led indicators, started at 50%, went quickly to 75% and after an hour or less came tp 100%).
The gas pump starts and the motor starts immediately.
Phew....

Thanks for your patience and help.

 

[pimerS411]

not the one on the handlebar but one you put under the seat that separates PLUS from the harness.

Segolike CAR Truck Boat Camper 100A Battery Isolator Disconnect Cut Off Switch : Amazon.in: Industrial & Scientific

Segolike CAR Truck Boat Camper 100A Battery Isolator Disconnect Cut Off Switch : Amazon.in: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.in

Could.you kindly clarify why you suggest to disconnect the PLUS pole?
Installation instrctions for accessories say to first disconnect the MINUS, then the plus and attaching first attach plus and then minus.
I found some offerings of this and similar switches and they all say to install the switch on the minus side.
Why is that?

Thank you

 

[sam2019]

Could.you kindly clarify why you suggest to disconnect the PLUS pole?

well, for a clumsy operator there is a danger in using PLUS over minus:

The Danger of a Short Circuit: When you work on the positive terminal with the negative terminal still connected, the entire car body is "live" and can complete a circuit. If your metal tool (like a wrench) touches the positive terminal and then accidentally touches any part of the car's metal body, you create a direct path for the current to flow from the positive terminal to the negative terminal through the tool. This is a "short circuit."

I guess I use plus because that terminal was easier to reach in the cramped location under the seat. If you are careful it makes no difference.