Since getting my 1098 in 2008, it has almost never been used in the wet and is always kept in my garage with an Optimate connected to the battery via a permanent connector. Last week, the Optimate showed the battery state as 'Weak' so given that it was 6 years old and we were coming into the winter, I replaced the battery. However, the Optimate still shows 'Weak' with the new battery but if I put the Optimate onto the old battery which is not on the bike, it now shows 'Good'. Clearly something normally connected to the battery is effecting the Optimate status. I have checked the terminals for corrosion etc. but it all seems fine. Anyone have a similar problem? Any ideas? Thanks.
This was the first thing I thought of but I have checked everything including charging the battery with the permanent connector on it, but just not in the bike.
Yes I do have an alarm but it has been on the bike since I bought it. Anyway, last night I looked at the Optimate before I went to bed and it was showing Good but I have just looked this morning and it is showing Weak again. One other point is that I used the bike just a few days before I noticed the initial Weak condition and it started easily and the starter motor appeared to have as much oomph as usual. My feeling is that given the spotless condition of the Optimate leads and connectors and the unlikeliness of the new battery also being faulty, it may be the Optimate itself misbehaving. Of course, it could be the alarm or some other electronics causing a problem but this would be more difficult to prove. I think I will just monitor the situation for a while and also see if I can find someone with an Optimiser I can borrow for a test. Thank for the help guys.
Surely if the Optimate works fine off the bike then it points to the problem being with bike electrics not the optimate? I binned the alarm on my 1098 after about 5 years as it started playing up, so it could be the culprit. When alarms go wrong they are a pain!
not the case, for instance... My Optimate 3 showed weak battery all the time even with a new battery on, now and again it would show a green light then go back to amber. Got hold of the Optimizer 900 and tried that, showed the battery as fully charged (green light) so tried it on the old battery and the same green light. This was with the alarm on the bike (had it removed anyway as didn't see the need for it). Now on the Optimizer shows green light all the time.
I agree there could be a fault with the optimate, but TimsBike states that the old battery shows good when not on the bike. I have had spurious amber lights from time to time, particularly when I have swapped the optimate from one bike to another, or theres been a power cut or anything to disrupt the optimates cycle. In these cases I put the crocodile clips on the optimate and short them out by touching them together, according to the instructions this re-sets the optimate. Might be worth trying!
Never knew that! It is version 3 and same age as the bike. I had a Weak light on the old battery when not connected to the bike this morning, so it all seems a bit hit and miss and difficult to pin down the exact problem. However, trying another Optimate or similar should help.
There was a problem with optimate 3's failing a while ago.... anyways you can get an optimizer 600 for £20 so worth a punt, try what peter says and then make your mind up
doesn't touching the leads together change the charging program from normal to can bus charging or something like? at least i think it does on the 4 series.
