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[Nicky Pass]

So it got up to a balmy 42 degrees in Chicago yesterday, so I wanted to go and polish and wax my bike.  I turned it to the accessory mode and let the radio play for about 20-25 minutes.  I had it on a tender....and it has been all winter (it only has 1 mile on it).  I went to turn up the volume a little more, and the bike shut off.  I thought it was strange, so I turn the switch off, then back on again and all was fine.  The battery tender was in charging mode (solid red on my Battery Tender Plus).  So i finished up with the radio off, and checked on it like 2 hours later and the tender was in full charged mode (Solid green).  I call the dealer and the service guy I know said that the BCM will shut everything off if the voltage gets to 11.5-11.8.  If it starts at like 12.8, am I to assume i just drained the battery because I was listening to the radio?  I know there is a ton of electronics and the headlamp was on to...so I think its okay.  I checked it today, and the battery gauge went to around 13....then settled at around 12.5, then I just turned it off.

Thanks for any help!

[HighOnHD]

Hey. Just in case you are not aware the way you put it in accessory mode is with the trigger switch. Leave the on/off switch off. Then hold the trigger switch a couple seconds. Since you said the headlight was on it sounds like you were not in accessory mode.

[Nicky Pass]

Hey. Just in case you are not aware the way you put it in accessory mode is with the trigger switch. Leave the on/off switch off. Then hold the trigger switch a couple seconds. Since you said the headlight was on it sounds like you were not in accessory mode.

So that is why it killed the battery?

[FLHTCUSE7]

Either that or the bike has a protection for not leaving the ignition on. Most modern vehicles do and with the can bus system I assuem the never HDs does as well. Probably have nothing to do with battery drain.

[grc]

Even though you were connected to a Battery Tender, the highest output model only provides about 1.25 amps and the Junior model 0.75 amps.  You were running a much heavier load than 1.25 amps, thus the Tender couldn't provide enough current to keep the battery fully charged.  Battery Tenders were never intended to be used to power the bike or it's accessories.

BTW, a fully charged AGM battery should have an open circuit (no-load) voltage of 12.7V to 12.8V in the temperature range common in your area.  It's highly unlikely your battery has been damaged by this one incident.

Jerry

[Nicky Pass]

Even though you were connected to a Battery Tender, the highest output model only provides about 1.25 amps and the Junior model 0.75 amps.  You were running a much heavier load than 1.25 amps, thus the Tender couldn't provide enough current to keep the battery fully charged.  Battery Tenders were never intended to be used to power the bike or it's accessories.

BTW, a fully charged AGM battery should have an open circuit (no-load) voltage of 12.7V to 12.8V in the temperature range common in your area.  It's highly unlikely your battery has been damaged by this one incident.

Jerry

I kind of figured that with the headlight on and the radio on over 1/2 volume, the tender would not keep up.  Lesson learned!

[phantomxrt]

Not a dumb question at all Nicky.

But the answer has already been stated. You had your ignition on, which will create dramas real quick if done repeatedly to listen to the radio.
The trigger switch is on the top of the left switch block. Just press it and you'll have accessory mode with nothing going through your voltage regulator or engine management system. Radio only. Happy days!