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BMW canbus charger


jimswms

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can I leave the BMW battery charger hooked up for awhile? Now that its snowing and I won't be riding the GS much, I'd like to just hook up the charger and unhook it the next time I ride, whether that be a couple days, weeks or gasp months. Now that it's snowed I ride unless it's below freezing. I don't do black ice!

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Yes. But every time the main power goes off, you have to turn the ignition on/off again for the CANBUS to sense it. This is assuming you use the accessory port. Safer bet is to connect the supplied cable for the direct battery/charger connection (or use the alligator clamps). Then no such worries.

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Yes. But every time the main power goes off, you have to turn the ignition on/off again for the CANBUS to sense it. This is assuming you use the accessory port. Safer bet is to connect the supplied cable for the direct battery/charger connection (or use the alligator clamps). Then no such worries.
If you're using the BMW type-2 charger (part 71-60-7-688-865), you can leave the charger plugged in 24x7 and it will continue to communicate through the canbus after the battery is initially fully charged. However, you need to connect and power up the charger using the below sequence:

 

1. Turn the ignition "ON"

 

2. Connect the battery charger to the accessory socket then connect the power plug to a 110 volt outlet.

 

3. Turn the ignition key to the "OFF" and remove.

 

For some reason, this sequence isn't detailed in the documentation that came with the charger (at least not with my charger) but it works like a champ.

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thanks. I've got an extra powerlet plug I installed wired directly to battery, through a fuse. Can I just plug into this, and avoid the whole key in ignition-recognize canbus bs?

 

thanks,

Jim

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thanks. I've got an extra powerlet plug I installed wired directly to battery, through a fuse. Can I just plug into this, and avoid the whole key in ignition-recognize canbus bs?
Yep.
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This charger issue tics me off no end. I want to believe y'all not sure what to believe. Dealers says hook it straight to the battery. Not through the accessry thing-of-a-bob.

 

I am going to the battery until I can get the gizmo

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Here, add this to the confusion

 

My '05 GS Owners Manual instructs to disconnect battery cabels before connecting to '04 style BMW Battery Charger.

 

The BMW Accesories Catalog cautions to do the same with the '04 style charger...

 

Specifically:

GEL AND FLOODED LEAD ACID BATTERY CHARGER (pt# 99 99 0 005 656)

"NOTE: 2005 Model year and later, disconnect the battery before charging"

 

DMilan

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Genuine trickle charger designed for canbus models are not available in my country, and the translated/modified ’05 RT owner’s manual says to disconnect battery cables no matter what charger is being used.

 

I choose to ignore the instructions and use my 1.25 amp charger; namely “battery doc”. It’s been connected to the gel battery for almost a month now without any boo-boo.

 

I'll think about a convincing stroy to tell the dealer if something goes wrong before the extended warrenty expires. thumbsup.gif

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Here, add this to the confusion

 

My '05 GS Owners Manual instructs to disconnect battery cables before connecting to '04 style BMW Battery Charger.

 

The BMW Accessories Catalog cautions to do the same with the '04 style charger...

 

Specifically:

GEL AND FLOODED LEAD ACID BATTERY CHARGER (pt# 99 99 0 005 656)

"NOTE: 2005 Model year and later, disconnect the battery before charging"

 

DMilan

I think it's a typo. It's suppose to say, "NOTE: 2005 Model year and later, disconnect the charger before riding."

 

 

 

 

 

 

At least that would make a bit more sense.

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They have you diso the cables to keep any transient voltage/spikes out of the bikes systems. Protection of modules and sensitive components

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They have you diso the cables to keep any transient voltage/spikes out of the bikes systems. Protection of modules and sensitive components

 

Thanks for the warning. I'll have the charger disconnected once the battery has been fully charged. If this little 1.25 amp still breaks any component on the bike, and then I may consider trading it in for another makes.. perhaps new Yamaha or Kawasaki would be ideal. tongue.gif

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Don't really intend to keep questioning the correct sequence of hooking up the new charger through the accessory port, but when I went this weekend to my dealer, I inquired as to some of the points raised by the readers on this subject. They speculate that depending on the "build date" of the Can-bus bikes, the procedure has been modified as follows: The aspect of turning on the key first, etc. was the correct way with their first units, but now they experience that they can plug in the new chargers to the port with the key off. The charger goes through its correct charge cycle in proper sequence with the lights progressively showing the various charge states. In fact, if the key is turned on first, charger utilized, key turned off, the emergency flasher light stays on (05 units, which has been now changed on the 06 units).

 

The end result for me is that I am as confused as ever on what to do for the correct charging during periods of extended storage of the bike. Does any of this make sense and is the dealer correct in their supposition as to software changes, etc.? What is your guess? Thanks.

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There are a lot of variables in addition to all of the bad information bandied about both at the dealers and here.

 

That dealers (two different dealers in my experience) are reluctant to sell the Canbus-compatible charger, and that we read that the charger is not at all available where BMW bikes with the system are available (as in Japan) ... it is all very BMWish (or is that -esque?).

 

There is a service bulletin, I got one with my charger. It is bulletin 61 004 04 (039) and it is at the bottom of this post. However, it reads, "The charger and its connection with the On-Board Socket is not short-circuit proof, so it is important to follow exactly the points noted below."

 

detailextra.gif

 

Speculation here, but turning the ignition on boots the ZFE. Now inserting the charger plug into the socket, and subsequently suppling house power, activates the charger within the system logic. It is now safe to turn the ignition to off, with the system safely communicating (i.e., allowing the current in to maintain battery charge).

 

Whether or not the key is on or off is also subject to further details. If the key is off but the system is still polling, perhaps the charger will be recognized. If the key is off and several minutes later the system is now off, will it successfully poll a charger then plugged in. I'd doubt it, but perhaps the software has been rewritten. Of course, such a mod would necessarily increase the power requirement for the ZFE to do all of this polling of the socket ... but then that's why you'd get a battery charger in the first place.

 

Finally, I'm not sure whether or not having to turn the ignition on or not in order to initiate a long-term charging sequence is really an issue.

 

 

 

 

extraextra.gif

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Following correspondence with Accumate in the Uk might be of interest:

 

First email to Optimate:

 

Hi, wonder if you can help with this query?

I have just bought an RT1200RT.

 

Seems the electrics on these are rather strange, in that the aux sockets cut out after 15 minutes. Strange tech to me!

 

Is it OK to use my Optimate lll to charge/maintain charge on this bike via the socket, or must I go direct to the battery?

 

Your advice on best procedure will be much appreciated.

 

Optimate’s reply

 

Thank you for your enquiry, your motorcycle is fitted with a CANBUS system which has 2 sets of criteria for the accessory socket; the first is as you mentioned and the second is to remain on until the current drawn drops to in the region of 200mA. Unfortunately this makes it impossible to charge a battery via the socket, so you would need to connect direct to the battery using either an additional socket or using the permanent connection lead.

 

Response email to Optimate:

 

So, just to double-check, if I wire a socket (probably your rubber-capped wire-in connector) directly to the battery terminals, can I charge using the Opti without having to isolate the battery, still leaving everything else connected?

 

While I knew where I stood with the old systems, this Can-bus is a source of mystery to me: I know what it does, but how is a different matter!

 

Optimate’s reply:

 

If you connect the accessory socket direct to the battery then you would be able to charge the battery in situ, this will not affect the CANBUS system. This technology has been used on cars for a few years now and has only just filtered through to the bike world. Why BMW chose to limit the socket with their system is rather confusing, especially when you consider that their own charger can only be connected in this fashion.

 

You should be able to purchase the accessory socket from most motorcycle dealers. Regards,

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Oke, not really smart but before reading any of this I just connected my optimate through the socket to recharge the battery when it was dead last week. I did look in the manual and used the correct order, turning ignition on connecting optimate en turning key off.

 

No problem with my R1200ST!! Left it on for about 3 hours and the it started without any problems.

Am I just lucky?? Or is BMW beeing to much on the safe site?

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They have you diso the cables to keep any transient voltage/spikes out of the bikes systems. Protection of modules and sensitive components

 

Thanks for the warning. I'll have the charger disconnected once the battery has been fully charged. If this little 1.25 amp still breaks any component on the bike, and then I may consider trading it in for another makes.. perhaps new Yamaha or Kawasaki would be ideal. tongue.gif

 

The output of my Deltran Battery tender is quite a bit cleaner than the approved BMW charger. Having said that the electronics in the bike should be tolerant.

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  • 2 years later...

It is very unlkely that any expected level of transient or spike would have any effect on the system since the the battery can be considered to be a HUGE smoothing capacitor in the circuit. (It wouldn't smooth a lightning strike - nothing does - not even BMW lmao.gif)

 

Personally, from time to time over the winter months I connect my Optimate to the accossory while the ignition is switched on, then turn the ignition off. When the battey is charged the Canbus switches the Optimate off. Works fine for me.

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New variant on the question.

I have added an auxiliary plug for my Gerbings that is connected directly to the battery by way of the fuse box.

 

Am I correct that the canbus charger will fuction just like any other charger this way? i.e. Just plug it in and let it charge with no special voodoo dances?

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Am I correct that the canbus charger will fuction just like any other charger this way? i.e. Just plug it in and let it charge with no special voodoo dances?
Yes.
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Frustrated_Diver

Here's one more thing to consider when using the BMW charger (sorry, i don't have the model number with me). As the weather got cooler, i started using the heated grips and tush warmer on my 2007 R1200RT. When Bertha returns to the garage each evening, i hook her up to the charger using the prescribed incantations. However, even after a full night of being feed, a full charge was not happening (final green light would not come on). As soon as i retrained myself to turn off the heaters the charger started doing a full charge again. For some mystical reason, even though the bike was switched off and the grips and seat were not being heated, the CANBus system did not like the fact that lazy me had left those switches in the on position.

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However, even after a full night of being feed, a full charge was not happening (final green light would not come on).

 

I am having problems with my charger as well. I have the gray cube model that I plug into the acc. socket.

 

When your charger stopped at 2/3 did it go to error by any chance as that is what I am experiencing now. confused.gif

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I have a 2007 R1200R and a 2006 BMW canbus-aware charger. I just connect the charger through the accessory socket after the bike is turned off and the key removed and the battery charges fine.

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+1

 

I said this in an earlier post...When I used the "prescribed" way, I had a fault. But when I just plug my (I assume an '07 BMW charger) into my '07 RT with no special routine it works.

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I said this in an earlier post...When I used the "prescribed" way, I had a fault. But when I just plug my (I assume an '07 BMW charger) into my '07 RT with no special routine it works.

 

Same with my '06 RT for about a year - but then I started getting the red error light. As recommended by the techs at Bob's BMW, I now cycle the ignition on and off prior to plugging the charger in and it works fine (although it does take about 6~8 hours to finally get to the full charge indication). Go figure!

Tom

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That was my post earlier about just plugging it in...Did it again this morning and it showed full green after awhile (not sure how long, I just got back from an errand and it was 3/3rds when I pulled in the garage). I'm still not doing anything special. In fact, when I plugged it in this morning, the charger was still plugged in (oops!). It doesn't seem to make any difference. I'll keep doing it this way until the gremlins figure out I've been cheating and get back at me.

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