K11 Owners Group

[sbsmith]

My LT has been discharging the battery from full charge to dead after
sitting for three to four days. I've checked the battery and all seems fine as do the fuses. Question is is there any common electrical problem associated with this bike that I should be aware of? Will a faulty ground cause the battery to discharge? Does anyone have a strategy for finding an electrical problem short of tearing out the wiring harness? I'm hoping to ride the bike from Fairbanks to Gillette in July IF I can solve this issue. This has been a great bike up 'til now with no other problems.
Thanks,
SB Smith

[Flying Duck]

Many auto parts stores will test batteries for free. That's the first thing I'd do.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

[kioolt]

Maybe your battery is just on its last leg. One thing you can do check it is to disconnect it for the three to four days you say that your bike is discharging it. Hook it back up after the third of fourth day. If it's dead then its not your bike discharging it, it's just a bad battery.
_________________
2004 R1150RT 186,800 miles
1991 K100LT 128,700 miles
1982 R100RT 106,900 miles
Total 422,400 BMW miles
AMA,BMWRA,BMWMOA
The cheapest thing on a BMW is the nut that connects the handlebars to the seat.

[chopper_harris]

Your battery will discharge via the +ve feed, so a duff earth is not an issue. That would only manifest itself as poor starting or reduced efficiency of lamps/horn etc.

Do you have a multi-meter (Digital ones are best, and available for little $$)

You are looking for a parasitic current drain, in the 5mA to 500mA range.
Has the wiring been 'adapted' to feed extra circuits - driving lamps, GPS ?

With the ignition off, pull each fuse in turn, and measure across the exposed terminals with your meter set to 'mA Current DC' :

1 - Instruments, rear/brake light
2 - Parking light
3 - Indicators, clock
4 - Power sockets
5 - Motronic
6 - Fuel pump
7 - Horns, fan

8-10 - Optional supply

Only fuse 3 should have any draw, typically 5-20mA

To isolate the battery, the easiest way is to undo the bolt on the gearbox (adjacent to the coils), separate the brown wires and insulate them.
If the batery voltage continues to fall, you have an internal fault on the battery.

Good luck
_________________
C1 200 (2001)
R100 RS (1990)
NSU Quickly N (1964)
Honda 400/4 F1 (1977)
MotoGuzzi 1000C (1978)
Suzuki TL 1000 R (1999)
Kawasaki KLV1000 (2005)
K12R Sport (2007) - Wifeys

[sbsmith]

I found the culprit of my electrical problem. It was the Intercom system installed by a previuos owner. Once removed, all is well. Thanks to all for the help.