Electrical Drain

Since buying my GRiSO in 07 I've always had a problem with batteries. If I don't use the bike for 3 or 4 weeks the battery runs down and it won't start without a charge. I always assumed it was due to the fact that power is constantly running through the bike (i.e. the flashing LED on the dash) and something i have to live with so I keep it on the trickle charger, problem solved. Well, last weekend i replaced the rear directional lights with led's, and once installed I noticed that 2 of the 12 led's in each directional light are dimly lit. I put a meter to the directional wiring and discovered that there is a power drain, which went undetected with the original directional lights because the drain was too small to light to incandescent bulbs. So now the fun begins, tracing this back to the problem. Before ripping the bike apart I wanted to see if anyone had a similar experience they could advise on? BTW I haven't gotten to replacing the front directional lights yet but I suspect to have the same result because they are wired to their corresponding rear light.
Thanks
Rick

While I don't know whether this is relevant or not it is a fact that the dashboard detects whether or not the indicator circuits are complete and obviously the way it would do this is by running a tiny current through them and simply recognising if the circuit was open or closed. I would of thought that it only did this when the ignition was on but maybe not? Perhaps there is a very low level current drain constantly?

A simple answer would be to disconnect the battery if you're leaving the bike unused for any length of time. Yup, you'd have to re-set the clock every time you reconnected and you'll loose the fuel trims if you're running a closed loop map but that is hardly the end of the world.

Pete

I suppose its the can-bus thing. When the light is off, the ecu sends a small voltage to the lamp, expecting a small current to go through. If there is no current, the lamp is "gone" and the ecu shows an alarm at the dashboard.

I don't know if the ecu is supposed to keep the can-bus active even when the main switch is off - its either a mulfunction or a bug.

The words "bug" and "battery" reminds me something, can't recall were or when I heard/read it, could be totaly nonsense, here it comes:

There is a bug at the ecu program, that may result in ecu "stucking" in the key programming function, thus draining the battery. This may or may not happen, randomly, when the ecu is powered up, after the battery or the main fuse is connected. To overcome this, after the ecu is powered, one should turn the main switch on for at least a minute withough starting the motor, and then turn it off and remove the key for at least a minute.

**** edit ****
Pete made me remember that there is something in the manual...
I'm copying:
"CAUTION
When the motorcycle will not be ridden for over twenty days, disconnect the 30-A fuses, otherwise the multifunction computer will keep drawing current and the battery will deteriorate."

I always thought it was the clock ticking away that ate the battery.... I always pull those 2 30A fuses when I'm off on rotational jobs.

Why not just put the battery on a trickle charger?

Me?  I had an 'incident' years ago with one and am now a little guns shy!!

Southboston wrote:

Since buying my GRiSO in 07 I've always had a problem with batteries. If I don't use the bike for 3 or 4 weeks the battery runs down and it won't start without a charge.

All modern bikes do this. I've been using low voltage battery maintainers on my last seven bikes over the last five or 6 years without any battery issues (two Goldwings, a Triumph Sprint ST, two Thunderbirds, a Bonneville, Triumph Trophy SE, and now the GRiSO). All would lose battery juice and run down if sitting and not riding for 3 or 4 weeks, but it hasn't been an issue as long as I kept them on battery maintainers. I currently have permanent leads installed on both bikes, my generator, my riding mower and both scooters. They're all always plugged in. One problem with bike batteries is all it takes is for them to completely run down a couple of times, then they are not worth a crap and wont hold a charge after that.

Errrrrh, guys...two to three weeks will drain batteries on any bikes really...
I use a battery tender but then again, I ride every day and I rotate between both Grisos.
Disconnecting the battery is the next best thing if you're not gonna run a tender but why? Those devices are cheap enough to not buy one.
Even with the battery out of the bike, I'd use a tender...
So get with the program and plug the thing...