Datatool alarm
 

Basically, my bike normally cant go 1 night, let alone more without failing to start the next day. I'm sure it's the battery being drained, by SOMETHING, and some knowledgeable people told me it's the alarm (or even dormant hotgrips).

I have a Datatool, System 4 (I'm quite sure). Does anybody else have this alarm or similar, and are experiencing similar problems?

Re: Datatool alarm
 

In my experience I found that the Alarm drains the battery over a long period of time. Certainly you should be able to leave your bike overnight and be able to start it the next day. No alarm I have come across flattens the battery at the rate you are describing.

Now hotgrips on the other hand, yep they have flattened a battery completely on Liz's SV when left on overnight, ( yes I know we should have taken a switched feed from somewhere )

IIRC wasnt it your bike that you were having starting trouble with a while ago. Did you ever check that your charging circuit was doing its job properly ?

Re: Datatool alarm
 

Try a multimeter to see what current it being drawn with the iginition off. I had the same kind of problem, but it was the battery failing in the low temps - just wouldn't hold charge. New battery and no more probs.

Re: Datatool alarm
 

Alarms always drain your battery!

Re: Datatool alarm
 

But if the battery is in good condition, it won't make any difference over a week or two.

Re: Datatool alarm
 

My hotgrips flattened the battery in about 10 minutes when I left them on, straight after riding today. Sound like I have a dead battery?

Yeah, It was mine having trouble before. Squirrell_hunter came around and it worked perfectly (sods law), but charging the battery always solves it. New reg/rec and stuff too..

I'm going to check that the front spark plug isn't damp, it's next on list of things to do, and I will put in a different battery, but I bought a new one and filled it myself and still had problems.

I will also add the multimeter test to list to do. I think it's the cold weather too (I hope). I had the bike in September whilst it was still nice and warm, but I had a faulty reg-rec so still had problems, and hence cannot compare!

Thanks you guys

Re: Datatool alarm
 

you need to do a leak test with bike off and start pulling fuses till the leak goes then start looking around that path

Re: Datatool alarm
 

I'd be inclined to do that next. You've either got a knackered battery or your bikes not putting any charge into it.

Re: Datatool alarm
 

Yeah but any alarm will eventually drain your bike if not using frequently.

Maybe your bike isnt charging your battery when riding.

Re: Datatool alarm
 

Yes it will, but not over night like the OP says in the first post in this thread. ( unless of course the battery if f8cked or the bike isnt putting any charge into it )

Re: Datatool alarm
 

When I was over it started fine, new battery and reg/rec on the bike though I didn't have my multimeter with me at the time.

Testing the charging circuit is the first logical step. Followed by TSM's suggestion of pulling the fuses if we can't find anything that way. The list of things to do is starting to grow...

Re: Datatool alarm
 

I will multimeter, change battery, and spark plug then.

Is there any way to test how much charge the battery is holding?

Re: Datatool alarm
 

I've got a series 4 datatool, and its not meant to drain the battery completely, once it senses the battery has lost some power (as in just enough to start again) it should turn into imobaliser only........that is presuming it works propperly:rolleyes:

Re: Datatool alarm
 

I noticed you filled the battery yourself. Did you let it rest for a while before fitting it?

Re: Datatool alarm
 

I cant remember, but we followed the instructions for definite, left it as long as it would say etc.

Re: Datatool alarm
 

TBH thats how my failing reg/rec first showed it self, I was hving to put the bike on life support (trickle charger) every night to ensure I'd have enough charge to ride to work and back. If I dared to use the hot grips I could only do it on the motorway or I'd be bumpstarting the bike at the end of work.

As has been said, time to get the multimeter out and check that charging circuit.