Can't figure this one out!

[Big_E]

Can't get my battery tender to work through the driver power outlet like it always did before. Plug in my BMW to 2 prong adapter to the driver power outlet, have 12.8 volts at the 2 prong plug, plug in the tender & it don't light up. Plug the alligator clips in to the same end of the tender cord that was plugged in to the outlet, clip on to the battery & it works. Don't get it! 12.8 volts at the end of the power outlet cord tells me it's good. Plugging the alligator clips to the end of the Tender cord tells me that end is good. Put the 2 good ends together & it's not good.

[astuber]

Does your wind screen move? The fuse for the wind screen is also the one for the power outlets. Might be something as simple as a blown fuse.

[Big_E]

Does your wind screen move? The fuse for the wind screen is also the one for the power outlets. Might be something as simple as a blown fuse.
12.8 volts at the end of the power outlet cord tells me it's good.

[astuber]

If I understand correctly, you have 12.8 volts at the power outlet. Correct? Then that would definately eliminate a blown fuse as the cause.

I have had one of the wires come loose in the connector from the Battery tender to the power outlet. The cap unscrews and the wires attach with set screws. Something to look at.

[Big_E]

I have 12.8 volt all the way to the 2 prong Tender plug, that eliminates a problem in the round plug. See why it's making me crazy?

[RaffyK]

Ok. Try this.

Make your connection to the bike first and then plug in the battery tender to the wall outlet. See if it helps.

[jzeiler]

Also plug something into the outlet that draws power. You may have a high resistance in line that shows 12.8 volts to the meter but will not power a load.

[Jinks]

Can't get my battery tender to work through the driver power outlet like it always did before. Plug in my BMW to 2 prong adapter to the driver power outlet, have 12.8 volts at the 2 prong plug, plug in the tender & it don't light up. Plug the alligator clips in to the same end of the tender cord that was plugged in to the outlet, clip on to the battery & it works. Don't get it! 12.8 volts at the end of the power outlet cord tells me it's good. Plugging the alligator clips to the end of the Tender cord tells me that end is good. Put the 2 good ends together & it's not good.

Look at the end of the cord for the BMW adaptor (the one that plugs into the bike power outlet). One of the small plugs, either on the adaptor or on the cord from the Tender, is compressed. It'll look normal, but if you run an awl, a small screwdriver, or knife blade into it & expand it you'll widen it enough to make contact again. Pretty common problem with that type of connection.

[Big_E]

Something this simple is killing me! O.K. I replaced both the BMW plug & the flat plug even though all test showed them to be good, still reading voltage at the flat plug, plug in tender, don't work. plug in alligator clips to tender, connect to battery, it works. Windshield works, fuse good, also voltage at flat plug means good fuse. Why me?

[BecketMa]

Heard a rumor that corrosion inside the jack can cause this.

[jzeiler]

You may have corrosion on the connector behind the plug. It will show 12.8 V on a meter but will not support a load. Plug some thing in that uses juice( a light, tire pump etc.) and see if it works. If it doesn't then clean up the connector.

That is about the only thing left.

[CharlieVT]

Known problem with bmw type plugs. To check, unscrew the the bmw plug and check two little screws the mechanically secure the wires into the terminals inside the plug.
If the little screws are loose, intermittent contact occurs.
This might be your problem.

[Big_E]

Connection inside the plug was good, but I even replaced the plug. Also plugged in an air compressor & it works.+@#^&S*&#@%

[vernvernvern]

Can't get my battery tender to work through the driver power outlet like it always did before. Plug in my BMW to 2 prong adapter to the driver power outlet, have 12.8 volts at the 2 prong plug, plug in the tender & it don't light up. Plug the alligator clips in to the same end of the tender cord that was plugged in to the outlet, clip on to the battery & it works. Don't get it! 12.8 volts at the end of the power outlet cord tells me it's good. Plugging the alligator clips to the end of the Tender cord tells me that end is good. Put the 2 good ends together & it's not good.


The simple thing might be ....are you 100% sure you are positive to positive and negative to negative at the plug?

Anything but a charger would work either way at the plug. The charger has to have the correct connection. + to + and - to -. The plug on the bike might be backwards. I'd say the charger is wired right.

Just another suggestion. Hope you figure out the problem.
Vern

[Big_E]

The same setup's been working for 2 years, now it don't. On the BMW plug, is the center + & the outer ring -?

[vernvernvern]

The same setup's been working for 2 years, now it don't. On the BMW plug, is the center + & the outer ring -?


Yep. That's the way it should be.

Something in your connections isn't making good contact.

I give up!.........Good luck though!

[astuber]

I know it's not much help but your measurement of 12.8 volts at the outlet and the plug is confusing me. The output of the charger will have to be higher than the battery voltage or there will be no current flow from the charger to the battery.

I have the BMW charger for gel batteries and I cannot get any reading if it is not plugged into a load. Connected to the power plug above the shifter, I read 14.4 volts with the red light on the charger flashings. I leave the battery charger on all of the time and my battery reads 13.8 volts.

[Big_E]

What I mean is I get no lights on the charger when plugged in to the outlet above th shifter, but when I hook up the clips direct to the battery I get lights on the charger. All the connections are good to where the charger's flat 2 prong plug connects. Doesn't make any sense!

[Big_E]

I give up, I'll just continue to pop the seat open & hook up to the battery. With enough time & the right 13 step program maybe I'll get over this & get on with my life.

[Texas42]

I don't think that there is anything wrong with the bike or the charger but it must be that there is something wrong with the little pig tail connector. Do you have another bike that you can confirm that it works?

[Big_E]

I don't think that there is anything wrong with the bike or the charger but it must be that there is something wrong with the little pig tail connector. Do you have another bike that you can confirm that it works?
Replaced the whole thing, plugged in air comp. & it works, it also worked before I replaced the pigtail.

[Big_E]

I don't think that there is anything wrong with the bike or the charger but it must be that there is something wrong with the little pig tail connector. Do you have another bike that you can confirm that it works?
I know nothing is wrong with the bike cause it will run the air comp. I know nothing is wrong with the charger cause it works with the clips. Put the 2 working ends together & it don't work.

[grifscoots]

I know nothing is wrong with the bike cause it will run the air comp. I know nothing is wrong with the charger cause it works with the clips. Put the 2 working ends together & it don't work.

Hear that music? It is the theme song from The Twilight Zone!

[STARFIGHTER]

If nothing's wrong with the bike..........
and nothing's wrong with the charger.........

It must be the connection between the two...................

[Big_E]

If nothing's wrong with the bike..........
and nothing's wrong with the charger.........

It must be the connection between the two...................
The end from the bike works when I plug the comp. in it, the one from the charger works when I plug in the alligator clips to it. Both good, working ends together don't work.

[pinero]

Interesting..... I thought mine was the only strange one...... I have the same problem, but on the passenger outlet. I plug the charger to the driver outlet.

[Texas42]

The passenger outlet is switched on my 2002, but if you plug in the charger then switch off the ignition it will power the radio and all of the accessories because it keeps the relay open, scarred me once I couldn't get anything to turn off with the ignition.