Battery drain

[martst1300]

Hi All, I have a 2002 ST1300. I'm having issues with the battery. It drains real quick while sat in my garage. 2 weeks ago went in for service and MOT, new battery fitted at the same time. Am I right in thinking the factory fitted alarm could be the problem? I'm no auto electrician but I can be quite handy if someone can point me in the right direction please. how do I check what its using while switched off?

 

[klaproth]

The easiest way, is to use a digital multimeter, set to the "Milliamps" setting, and then pull fuses 'til you see the draw ( current) fall to almost zero. This involves removing either battery terminal, and putting one lead on the battery terminal, and one lead on the cable termination.
I do notice that my ST1300 does have a lot more draw when the key is off than my NC700X, probably due to the age of the electronics.

Good luck on the search!

 

[Larry Fine]

Two weeks of sitting should not drain a battery to not starting. It should be under warranty; pursue that.

Have you charged it or only jump-started it? Was it slow-charged before installation? Ask the shop.

If you try the current test, start with the meter's highest current range, read, and lower if needed.

As mentioned above, a current reading requires you to put the meter in series with one battery cable.

Note that adding any current above the meter's present current range will probably destroy the meter.

 

[Fawlty]

Do you by any chance leave the key in the ignition? I may be wrong, but leaving the key in the ignition when the bike is stored for long periods may draw current from the HISS system. Perhaps @jfheath could comment on this theory?

 

[RaYzerman]

The current with key off should only be a few milliamps, which is the normal parasitic draw. Depending on what it is, an alarm system will contribute, it could discharge the battery in a couple of weeks.... and according to Yuasa, an AGM is at 50% charge when the resting voltage reaches 12.5V...... thus, when parked for more than a week, you should have it plugged into a battery tender. Make it a habit, and you'll have few if any problems.

HISS system doesn't draw anything extra, key in or not, teeny contribution. Clocks and trip odometers take more.

 

[dwalby]

If you try the current test, start with the meter's highest current range, read, and lower if needed.

Note that adding any current above the meter's present current range will probably destroy the meter.

The first sentence is good advice.

Regarding destroying the meter, every modern multimeter I've ever seen has fused current measurement so the worst that would likely happen is you'd blow the fuse inside the meter and have to replace it. I can't claim its impossible to destroy the meter, but its extremely unlikely.

 

[SMSW]

I'll add to @dwalby's comment about the ammeter's part of a multimeter being fused. Some of the manufacturers seem to think the fuse is part of a scavenger hunt and require taking the meter's clam shell halves apart*. Said fuse is then found on the circuit board. A replaceable fuse SHOULD be readily accessible under a door like the battery cover door, but we all know engineers never service what they design.

If you discharge a battery, it should be fully charged again - this will probably not be accomplished by riding around town. When the battery discharges, lead sulfate forms on the plates. If left in the discharged state it turns to crystalline lead sulfate, permanently removing that area from it's former function of storing and releasing energy. Your battery will now have a permanently reduced capacity. Some modern chargers/maintainers 'spike' the voltage in an 'anti-sulfation' cycle that can reduce or eliminate this deterioration of the battery. However, all lead acid batteries undergo sulfation and eventual reduction in ability to function. This voltage cycle is harmful to Li batteries. What I said above is pertinent for Lead Acid batteries only - flooded, AGM. gel - their chemistry is the same while uses and characteristics vary somewhat.

*We will not discuss how I acquired this knowledge nor the fact that said fuse might very well be of a style that is difficult to obtain. Electricians are supposed to know better and not come close to destroying their expensive test instruments.

 

[Paul]

You can do a parasitic draw test without disconnecting the battery or pulling fuses. Modern blade fuses have windows on the tops that allow testing with meter leads. Set your meter to millivolts and probe the fuse with the meter leads. Any current flow through the fuse will register as a voltage drop in millivolts.
Here is a conversion chart that shows millivolt to current flow.

A you tube video that shows the process with a car.

 

[Igofar]

Do you have any power port outlets on the bike? If so, check inside of them to see if corrosion has bridged the gap and drained your battery.
Also check the back side of the outlets for green corrosion.
Another common place to check are the three connectors behind the large connector on the left side behind the middle body panel.
One should be Red, one Black, and one White. These go to the ignition and can try to hot wire your bike when the corrosion bridges the gap from behind etc.

 

[dwalby]

You can do a parasitic draw test without disconnecting the battery or pulling fuses. Modern blade fuses have windows on the tops that allow testing with meter leads. Set your meter to millivolts and probe the fuse with the meter leads. Any current flow through the fuse will register as a voltage drop in millivolts.
Here is a conversion chart that shows millivolt to current flow.

A you tube video that shows the process with a car.

There is a practical limitation to this technique. For example, the ST1100 draws something in the range of 1-2mA with the ignition off, for the clock. Given that 10A fuses work with 13mA resolution using this technique, and you're working at the very extreme limit of voltage range on a multimeter, it wouldn't seem to be practical for that application.

It would be just as simple to pull the fuse and put the meter probes across the fuse sockets to measure the current directly.

 

[Larry Fine]

This:

It would be just as simple to pull the fuse and put the meter probes across the fuse sockets to measure the current directly.

 

[SupraSabre]

Battery drain can be a PIA.

One thing you haven't mentioned, how long have you had the bike, and have you had this issue from day one?

I have one of the INNOV K2 camera systems on my 2010. It is a battery drain, so I have to keep it on a battery tender all the time. It will drain it in a week.

 

[martst1300]

Wow, thanks for your responses and help. I've had the bike about 8 years, I have had this problem before and I am sure I replaced the battery a few years back and made it a habit of plugging into the trickle charger (I bought a new one of those as well) I didn't plug it in this time due to building work being done at my home but stupidly I didn't think it would be an issue as it's a new battery. I will do the tests you have mentioned though as I'm sure the HISS alarm is faulty (sometimes I have to switch the ignition on to wake it up before I can press the key fob to turn it off). I love riding this bike but it does make me nervous about taking it away for a few days. If there is an issue that needs fixing, is there a Bike electrician locally to Nth Hertfordshire UK that you would recommend on here that could have it?

 

[V4 Rider]

You can get Amp displays which plug into the fuse holder when the fuse is removed.

Get one (for correct fuse size) and work round the fuse box.

A very useful piece of kit to have in the toolbox.

 

[V4 Rider]

The HISS alarm is not controlled by an external fob.

Sounds like you have an aftermarket alarm fitted which seems to be suffering from failure of its internal battery. Not surprising given age of bike.

An alarm will drain battery much faster than bikes own electronics.

Get the alarm removed by an auto electrician.

A good one should be able to do it in an hour.

 

[V4 Rider]

If you fancy a trip to bonnie Scotland have fitted and removed alarms over the years.

Most interesting one was a Cat1 unit that decided to toast itself in remotest Sweden. Took less than an hour to remove two imobilisation circuits.

 

[mortenk]

Disconnect the alarm (I'm sure it's aftermarket, as I have never heard about an OEM alarm system), and see if that changes anything. If you have an amp-meter, measure the current before and after you disconnect, and you have an answer immediately.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

They battery will not drain in only two weeks even if it is not on a charger. Something is draining power.
Disconnecting the alarm system to see if your current drain disappears is a good start.

I have never heard about an OEM alarm system

They were not available on North American ST1300's. ST1300's sold in many European countries came with the Honda HISS system, which basically disables the ignition.
In addition to that, the Honda Averto alarm system was available as an option in Europe. It has a fob, so this may be what is on this motorcycle.

 

[Al st1100]

You can do a parasitic draw test without disconnecting the battery or pulling fuses. Modern blade fuses have windows on the tops that allow testing with meter leads. Set your meter to millivolts and probe the fuse with the meter leads. Any current flow through the fuse will register as a voltage drop in millivolts.
Here is a conversion chart that shows millivolt to current flow.

A you tube video that shows the process with a car.

this works very well in autos with multiple modules that need to go to sleep. I don't think the 1300 has anything but the clock that has B+ with key off and or alarm.

 

[Al st1100]

There is a practical limitation to this technique. For example, the ST1100 draws something in the range of 1-2mA with the ignition off, for the clock. Given that 10A fuses work with 13mA resolution using this technique, and you're working at the very extreme limit of voltage range on a multimeter, it wouldn't seem to be practical for that application.

It would be just as simple to pull the fuse and put the meter probes across the fuse sockets to measure the current directly.

If it has an alarm module ( HISS ) how long does it take for the alarm to go to sleep? I'm thinking like car modules do. because if you pull the fuse then stick a meter in there it would wake the module up.