BMW Luxury Touring Community banner

Battery Charger ?

7K views 55 replies 18 participants last post by  Renzo 
#1 ·
Is anyone familiar with this battery charger or a user of it for their new 21/22 R1250RT?

Seem like a good deal?






Font Peripheral Output device Gadget Electronic device




Font Rectangle Screenshot Number Document
 
See less See more
2
#3 ·
Thanks,, I'm trying to figure out if it is compatible
with the 21/22 vintages.

The charger is supplied with 3 different connectors and my 2022 owners manual suggests using the upper fairing plug in receptible for charging the battery.
 
#11 ·
I‘ve got no idea how the electronics are different for charging on a CANbus system - but always led to believe that they were. You need a charger capable of keeping the CANbus open and therefore live to the battery. All witchcraft to me.

But it clearly states its not compatible with CANbus models - which was the OPs question.
 
  • Like
Reactions: keith1200r
#13 ·
It doesn’t state either way in the advert above which is why I was slightly suspicious - they usually over advertise if its CANbus compatible. So looked the part number up - there is a link to what I believe is the same model of charger in my earlier post, with the warning regarding CANbus compatibility.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fast1
#15 ·
You should note that BMW's manual typically tell you to avoid using non-BMW chargers, supposedly because they can damage the electronics! How many of us had beleived that one???
 
#18 ·
FWIW.
My '16 RTP has 2 batteries. So, I got a Battery Tender brand charger with dual outputs. Attached a pigtail to each of the batteries. It takes me less than 5 seconds to attach/unhook them before/after a ride. I have a NOCO charger for my car/trucks as well. Both brands have done a superb job IMHO.
 
#19 ·
What I did on my 2022 R1250RT was rewire the rear socket on the left side directly to the battery adding an inline 15 amp fuse on the positive wire. I now can use for my tire pump, the battery charger and a passengers heated gear if riding with someone. If camping a little wire with a 12 V - 10 watt bulb makes for a nice in tent light, setting up the tent at night or a road side stop for some reason is another use.
 
#20 ·
Clever idea. Where was the original rear DIN socket wired and how much removal or dismantling was required to
re-wire direct to the battery?

FWIW, my 22 RT was fitted with a SAE wired connector direct to the battery prior to purchase for direct charging of the battery and providing the versatility of plugging in other 12v products such as my Garmin XT. However it is only a 12" long SAE connector.
 
#26 ·
I did this - so I can charge my battery as well as use for heated gear:


 
#28 ·
There had been a lot of discussions over the years on chargers, CANbus compatible or otherwise. You can find tons of data if you take the time to do a search! I find this post to be quite interesting:

I've been using the BMW Advanced Battery Charger since 2002. Used in the '02 R1150RS and am now using it on my '06 R1200RT. It's not the expensive charger, but it's worked like a charm for 8 years. I plug into the bike's socket then plug into a wall outlet. When the green light is steady I unplug from the wall and then the bike. I've never touched the ignition switch during this procedure. Should I be "Whistlin' past the graveyard?"
You will find the post here: Battery Charger
 
#31 ·
That's my point. We spend a lot of money to ride BMW's. I fail to understand why some aren't willing to spend a little more money to protect that investment. Especially so when "making it work" takes so much effort [IMO]. Buy a proper CANbus charger and Bob's yer uncle.

BTW, the price shown at the link is NOT what I paid for either of mine. They can be - or at least used to be - easy to find for less.
 
#33 ·
I guess that I am the lucky one!! ;) Don't believed in following the crowd, and had gotten a non-CANbus (well, they don't claim it anyway) charger for measly $35 back when I got the '07 RT, and the thing had been quite fine, working through the aux port from then to now! Zero efforts. Didn't have to do anything special. I am still using the same charger right now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fast1
#32 ·
FWIW -- similar to what @darrell (post #19) did -- I've been adding direct-to-battery Powerlet outlets to assorted bikes -- CANbus and otherwise -- for 15 years or so. This includes work on my new C 400 GT a few months ago:

Tire Vehicle Automotive lighting Hood Automotive tire


This scoot was ordered through Max's (Troy, NY, location) and, without even my asking, as part of their prep work they installed an SAE pigtail. This is tucked underneath the bodywork somewhere, and I assume this was directly connected to the battery; they showed me where, when I took delivery, but I promptly forgot the location, as I don't like messing with SAE connectors).

The advantages of a Powerlet/DIN/BMW/Hella connector is that it's trivial, quicker, and easier, to connect than, say, an SAE connector.

The advantages of that location -- and I've been using this under-the-left-thigh location on all those bikes -- is that it's fine for connecting a smart charger or an air pump, but it's ideal (IMO) for connecting heated gear: power for heated vests and liners invariably comes out of them on the lower left, and your added connecting cord, in my suggested location, doesn't interfere with steering, doesn't get mushed against bodywork, is easy to connect or disconnect when seated on the bike, and won't be forgotten to be unplugged as you dismount.

I have a coiled cord (recall old phone cords, if you're old enough) with a male Powerlet on one end and a coax plug on the other end, for heated gear.

For smart chargers, I have a cord with a male Powerlet one end and an SAE connector on the other. I made that myself years ago, but you can buy these at Amazon, if you like: just search, for example, powerlet to sae adapter there.

The on-bike socket I've been adding to bikes -- typically with 14-gauge wire and a 15-amp hot-side fuse -- is this one:


So, I offer this type of setup as just another choice, and if anyone's interested I have a bunch of pics of my C 400 GT work for this mod in my gallery for that scoot starting with this image/caption:


I have a sub-gallery of doing this work on my former Victory bagger here (and this is the only bike farkle I've undertaken that involved the use of mayonnaise):


I'm not very familiar with the RT variants (I did own an R 850 R for three years, and now the C 400 GT, in terms of Beemers), but I'm guessing that there is a similar area in the bodywork that is suitable for this type of mod.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kbob12 and darrell
#34 ·
The following is for general interests only. It's not going to help the OP in anyway, but it should show that a non-CANbus compatible charger can work, which is what I have been saying. CANbus itself has very little to no influence as to whether the charger will work or not. It's all depend on how the onboard computer is programmed. To be clear, I am talking about via the aux socket here, and not about direct-connect.

This is the charger that I have been using since owning my old '07 RT:

Font Rectangle Magenta Measuring instrument Electronics accessory


Info from the spec can be seen on a very much outdated site: Battery Doc Sport Charger and Maintainer | ChargingChargers.com

DON'T go looking for it. It was manufactured by a small company that was bought out by a much larger company, Wirthco, quite a few years ago!

I often look at Webbike world site for reviews, and they did a review of this very charger back in 2005, and I wouldn't call it a good review. Note though, that BMW only started implementing CANbus on their bikes since 2005, and this charger was being sold long before that! Here's the Webbikeworld review:


To be clear, I am not saying that the charger that Fast1 is looking at WILL work in the aux socket, but rational tells me that it might. That rational is also reinforced by the old post that I had quoted earlier.

I am now anxious to hear from Fast1 to see if that charger will work, or not!!! ;)
 
#35 ·
I said right at the beginning that I have no idea how CANBus works but I thought I understood the principe behind it. What you are telling me now Pad seems to go against everything that anyone has ever explained about the system and I’m trying to get my head around what makes a charger CANBus compatible. Why have we all been led down the path that we need a CANBus compatible charger in order to charge through the DIN socket ?

When I read the specifications of your charger on the link you provided - it does state that the lighter socket must be ‘hot’ when the key is out of the ignition. To me, this means either the lighter socket (or DIN socket) is direct wired to the battery or the CANBus is live to effectively ‘switch on’ the socket. We know on the 21/22 RT that the DIN socket remains live for a period of time (up to 15 minutes according to the manual if sufficient current is being drawn) after the ignition is turned off. Therefore, I assume during this time, your charger will charge the battery as the socket is still ‘live’.

What happens after that period of up to 15 minutes ? Does the charger disconnect when the bike shuts down the socket or does your charger keep the socket ‘live’ ? If you plug your charger into the socket after the 15 minutes (when the bike has already switched the socket off), will your charger activate the CANBus to turn the socket back ‘live’ again and therefore start charging ? Is this what makes a charger CANBus compatible - that it can talk to the CANBus to open and keep the socket live ?

It's all depend on how the onboard computer is programmed.
Is this not another way of saying CANBus compatible ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fast1
#50 ·
FWIW

This is what BMW has provided in the 2022 R1250RT manual with regard to the battery and method of charging

Battery Design AGM
12V
16Ah

View attachment 180948

Charging procedure with the battery connected

View attachment 180949


Charging if unable to utilize the onboard socket (DIN receptacle)

View attachment 180950
The location of the port is specified a lot clearer in your manual than what I had in mine! Here, in your manual, it is very clear that charging can ONLY be done with the front port - that's what they mean by "dashboard". My manual should be exactly the same as yours, I guess that I should DL the latest version! ;)
 
#56 · (Edited)
Is anyone familiar with this battery charger or a user of it for their new 21/22 R1250RT?

Amazon
Battery Tender Plus 12V Battery Charger and Maintainer: 1.25 AMP Powersport Battery Charger and Maintainer for Motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs - Smart 12 Volt Automatic Float Charger - 021-0128 https://a.co/d/bPDz1dm


this particular unit is encased in a metal housing not that you will but it has been done by myself and many run over it by accident




View attachment 180915



View attachment 180916
Deltran makes a great quality battery, tender!
I have them on all my stored vehicles and motorcycles, never had an issue.
I don’t work for Deltran,
They also have a Wi-Fi monitoring device for their tenders
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top