battery isolation switch?

[john-freda]

Hi, I have a recently purchased R1100S, my question is regarding the battery, as I have to work away, and my garage has no power my bikes are often left for months at a time. On my other bikes I normally disconnect the batteries, obviously on the BMW this isn't really an option so I have thought of putting an isolation switch on the battery, has anyone done this? if so what switch did you use, and where did you find the best place to mount it? Any advice much appreciated, thanks. John.

[dave the german]

Welcome. Have you thought about a solar powered optimate? I believe they are no use to recharge a discharged battery but are good enough to use as a top up charger

[Al]

What is the difference between an isolater switch and disconnecting or removing it, it’s not as if the 1100s has on board computers etc, as I have a garage remote from my house mine is out of my GS at the moment, I just do a TPS reset and set the clock when I connect it.

Al.

[Topcat]

We had a similar problem with a bike fitted with a tracker so needed to keep the battery connected but it would flatten in a few days. In the end we bought a leisure battery - designed to be discharged and re charged many more times than a car battery - fitted a charging lead to the bike and made a plug connection for the big battery. Just plug it in and leave it, unplug and ride off. Even with the tracker it lasts about 4 mths no trouble. Get the biggest battery you can and some terminal clamps, works a treat!

It seems to be more 'gentle' than having the bike on an Opitmate or similar, you are not putting a current into the battery, just making the bike battery much bigger. Someone from here warned about connecting a flat bike battery to a fully charged leisure one so we just make sure both are at a similar state of charge and no problems so far. Also, disconnect before you start the bike, not sure what would happen to the thin connection leads. Not worth taking a chance.

Hope that helps.

Leisure battery with terminal clamps

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Socket from bike battery (charging lead) connected to plug from leisure battery

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Socket similar to that connected to the bike battery

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[SP250]

All good options and the last one would be to get an isolation switch from one of the car / rallying parts suppliers like Demon Tweeks or here http://www.vehiclewiringproducts.co.uk/ ... -isolators and a couple of feet of large diameter cable. Split the positive battery lead and run the switch or plug/socket to under the seat (alongside the top of the shock maybe). You only need to take the seat off to switch the battery on and off then.

[john-freda]

Thanks for all the replies, Al, the battery is such a pain to get to that's why I thought of a remote isolation switch, like the idea of a remote battery though, there is already a optimate lead fitted, so I'll probably go for this option, thanks to all.

[Mitch1100]

Get a Lithium-ion battery