Parasitic drain?

[Lamonster]

Seems like the Spyder battery both RS and RT have or can have a parasitic drain on the battery. I know there are several ways to test for this and I plan on doing my own testing but I wanted to see if anyone here has done this and located the cause if any. It's seems about half the folks here can't leave a Spyder without being on a charger for more than two weeks. There has to be something pulling down that battery.

[Marker]

Seems like the Spyder battery both RS and RT have or can have a parasitic drain on the battery. I know there are several ways to test for this and I plan on doing my own testing but I wanted to see if anyone here has done this and located the cause if any. It's seems about half the folks here can't leave a Spyder without being on a charger for more than two weeks. There has to be something pulling down that battery.

I have not done any testing and would not know how to test for that. When I first got my2010 RTs SE5 spyder I did not ride it for about 1.5 weeks and starting was difficult so now I leave it on a battery tender jr when not riding and it starts fine. I will be interested in your findings

[SPYD1]

I just thought that was normal. Last year when I broke my hand I could not ryde for a month and the battery was dead when I tried to start it. That was is nice weather. In the cold now it is very weak after a week and a half. I keep it on a tender now.

[bill pitman]

Put an ammeter in series with the battery, should show any draw on the battery. Then pull fuses until amps reading goes away.
Could be a very small current reading. <500ma. maybe
I believe this method would work in finding the problem.

Bill

[boborgera]

I'm thinking , It's a combination of the clock and the security sensor for the chip in the key.

[Lamonster]

Put an ammeter in series with the battery, should show any draw on the battery. Then pull fuses until amps reading goes away.
Could be a very small current reading. <500ma. maybe
I believe this method would work in finding the problem.

Bill

That's one way, another is to read any voltage across the fuses with the key off. I know how to do it but was asking if anyone has done it and what they found.

[MMcc]

Three areas I found that draw a minimal current; 1. The iPod connection in the trunk. If I am not going to ride for a while I just unplug the iPod. The second is the trunk release. I have used the rocker switch after I had shut down the spyder. If I forget to latch the trunk after opening it I think the microswitch sticks on and when I do latch it I can still use the rocker switch for about 30 seconds. The third seems to be using the kill switch and then turning off the key. I was told by the dealer that the buzz I hear is related to the throttle bodies. If I just shut down using the key the buzz goes away in 20 to 30 minutes. If I use the kill switch first and then the key switch I have heard the buzz for a much longer period of time, at least 2+ hours. When that happens I turn the key on and then turn on the kill switch. Then just turn the key off. Buzz quits in under 1 minute.

[cjackg]

I belive that Dave01 had continuing problems with this but recently his dealer (with BRP interest) worked over his RT with some success. There were some posts on this but I cant seem to find them.

[bruiser]

Guess I've been fortunate in that I haven't had a problem, yet. Spyder sat for 2 1/2 months back in April/May started right up. Sat for nearly two weeks recently and started right up. For those that asked:

Testing with key switch off- using vom meter, set meter to mA-A. Insert pos lead in mA-20A terminal. Neg to comm. Disconnect negative battery cable, connect positive lead to negative post, connect negative lead to negative cable. Parasitic draw normally should not be more than 100mA (milliamps). If you do have excessive draw start by removing fuses one at a time until you isolate the draw. Don't forget to check any nonfused circuits like relays and capacitors.

You can use a low voltage test light for this if you don't have a vom.

[docdoru]

I belive that Dave01 had continuing problems with this but recently his dealer (with BRP interest) worked over his RT with some success. There were some posts on this but I cant seem to find them.

That's correct: a new battery installed by the shop, keep the voltage constant for a month; as soon as he start ryding his RT for 2 days, drop to 11 V...

[bruiser]

I forgot to mention that a dirty battery case can cause whats called surface discharge. To test for this set your vom to voltage, touch the positive lead to the battery case near the positive post, touch the negative lead to the negative post. You shouldn't have anymore than 0.5V surface discharge. Anymore than this and you have a problem. Dirt, moisture and corrosion will cause surface discharge.

[AMTJIM]

While in electronics school ,I remember the instructors metioning unintentional parasitic circuits when cards are being doped up, the purpose of clean room. Some board components eat power, diodes were the biggest if I remember right. Not sure if members on here with LED lighting type diodes are having more problems then others with out lighting. I often find myself in dark tunnels on aircraft running wire or trouble shooting, many of the LED flashlights and headlamps I use always seems to have some illumination even when switch off. Could be carbon traces in the switches or just their comment about diodes. The more moisture you encouter could cause more conductive corrosion, I have had 0 problems with this Spyder...but remember the first one I had? Not sure how this applies to me yet even though I am in the desert. I am motos only again and ride the Spyder...my version of all things, rain or shine. The Buell is just for fun.

[r1100rider]

I'm sure you all know this but a battery that is in hooked will lose 1% a dA day or 30% a month also my BMW car with comfort access (key in pocket) starting will keep the. computers excited if it is within 30 ft of the car with draws more maybe the chip in the spyder does this to I've had no trouble with my rs even a month or more off the charger

[NancysToy]

I'm sure you all know this but a battery that is in hooked will lose 1% a dA day or 30% a month also my BMW car with comfort access (key in pocket) starting will keep the. computers excited if it is within 30 ft of the car with draws more maybe the chip in the spyder does this to I've had no trouble with my rs even a month or more off the charger

There's an interesting wrinkle. Perhaps the IPS enters into it.

One other thing to ponder. Just as some batteries take a charge better than others, or can be more fully charged than others, some batteries lose their charge more readily than others. I have seen this a number of times, where changing out the battery slows or stops the dischage during rest. I think it may be from minor differences during the battery manufacture, but that's just a theory.

[flamingobabe]

[QUOTE=NancysToy;403701]There's an interesting wrinkle. Perhaps the IPS enters into it.

this is interesting....I never take my IPS out of my Spyder...unless in a shady place....if I don't ride ever week the battery will be dead...just purchased a battery tender...hoping this helps...think I'll try taking the key out when parked and see how long it takes to drain the battery...but then we could just ride more often and not have this problem.....

[Lamonster]

There's an interesting wrinkle. Perhaps the IPS enters into it.

I guess that's possible but BajaRon just fired up his Spyder that had been sitting off a charger for 2.5 months and he never takes his key/IPS out of the Spyder. Maybe you can find where the manual says leaving your key in draws current on the Spyder, enough to make a good battery go dead in a week.

[boborgera]

The reason i mention it in post # 5, Is i was told that the security system [chip] on my Tri Glide can run the battery down if the Trike sits for long period's, So it wouldn't surprize me if the Spyder's chip works in a similar way. Just a thought.

[sandrunr1]

As an old mechanic, and I mean old, disconnect one side of the battery in a area that is dark, not pitch dark and touch lightly to the post watching it to see if a spark happens. If it does, there is a draw. If not, no draw. This to those of you who have no tools, (ie) meter, test light and so on.

[Pennyrick]

This doesn't answer Lamont's question but I thought I would add my 2¢ worth.

I leave the key in my Spyder when it is in the garage all the time. I bought the RT in June, 2011 and in September the battery failed. The dealer replaced it under warranty and lately I have been experiencing a bit of lag in the starting motor before the engine fires... it seemed to me that is an indicator of the battery being weak.

Just to be on the safe side I am going to use the tender to bring the battery to full charge and I am going to begin taking the key out regularly.

My wife's 2010 RT never had a problem and she always took the key out of the Spyder even when it was garaged.

Her 2012 RT limited is treated the same way but she does leave the I-pod plugged into the rear socket all the time. I had thought that socket was switched to the ignition (I know the socket on the left side is not switched). Can anyone confirm that the IPod connection still carries current when the Spyder is turned off?

[NancysToy]

I guess that's possible but BajaRon just fired up his Spyder that had been sitting off a charger for 2.5 months and he never takes his key/IPS out of the Spyder. Maybe you can find where the manual says leaving your key in draws current on the Spyder, enough to make a good battery go dead in a week.

I guess that answers that question. Just chasing possibilities, to cross them off the list one-by-one.

[boborgera]

As an old mechanic, and I mean old, disconnect one side of the battery in a area that is dark, not pitch dark and touch lightly to the post watching it to see if a spark happens. If it does, there is a draw. If not, no draw. This to those of you who have no tools, (ie) meter, test light and so on
.

You'll always have a draw; The clock will be one for sure.

[Lamonster]

I guess that answers that question. Just chasing possibilities, to cross them off the list one-by-one.

It's worth looking at but either way it's a key issue not a IPS issue if there is a draw. Not everyone who owns a IPS keeps it in the Spyder at all times.

[NancysToy]

It's worth looking at but either way it's a key issue not a IPS issue if there is a draw. Not everyone who owns a IPS keeps it in the Spyder at all times.

I wouldn't think it would be an issue with variations between keys, just having a key in proximity to the security module constantly, or not. Ron's experience, and that on your previous RT, indicate that is not likely. BTW, I was not implying anything bad about the IPS, just that when using one the key would be left in the ignition at all times.

One troubleshooting technique you may wish to try is the old trick of disconnecting the battery for a day or two, then checking the charge. If it stays up disconnected, parasitic draw is the likely culprit. if it loses it's charge disconnected, it is a battery problem. A good lead-acid (including AGM) battery that is fully charged, then disconnected, should hold it's charge for at least a couple of weeks to a month.

[Lamonster]

Just found out that there is zero draw from the key being in unless it's turned on. Now if for some odd reason you have only one key programed it will look for a second key to link up to and that will cause a draw. I have a couple of things I can check now but my guess is they will not be a cause of a good battery going dead in a week.

[Dudley]

Just found out that there is zero draw from the key being in unless it's turned on. Now if for some odd reason you have only one key programed it will look for a second key to link up to and that will cause a draw. I have a couple of things I can check now but my guess is they will not be a cause of a good battery going dead in a week.

No draw from our RT. I also leave the key in all the time (the RT is locked in it's Spyder Cave).