Optimate flashing red light

[RAYK47]

Hi all

Went to my bike on Sunday to check it over before my commute to the office this morning and there was absolutely no power, not even a drop. 

I have an optimate 472 always connected but the bike had not been used for about 3 or 4 weeks. However the optimate has been showing a flashing red light which optimate say could be a break in the connection.  

I always put the error down to the fact that I have a ultimate add-ons USB port directly connected to the battery, the port has a blue LED that I thought might be why the errors were showing so thought nothing much of it.

So I bought. New yuasa battery and disconnected the USB ports.  I then put the optimate back on and it is still showing a red flashing LED.

Can anyone help with what could be the problem, my only thoughts are the optimate being faulty combined with the LED draining the and the very che cold weather we have been having killed the battery. 

I would like to reconnect the USB but I am concerned that it is causing issues. 

[Gerontious]

Optimate might need a reset. The way to do this, I was told was to use the crocodile clips. Turn on the optimate. Touch the clips + & - together briefly. Turn off the optimate and then turn it on again and that should clear the error.

[keith1200rs]

6 hours ago, Gerontious said:

Optimate might need a reset. The way to do this, I was told was to use the crocodile clips. Turn on the optimate. Touch the clips + & - together briefly. Turn off the optimate and then turn it on again and that should clear the error.

That toggles between CANbus mode and normal depending on the Optimate model but you need to turn the power on WHILE the leads are shorted.

[Gerontious]

54 minutes ago, keith1200rs said:

That toggles between CANbus mode and normal depending on the Optimate model but you need to turn the power on WHILE the leads are shorted.

This was an old model. Not one with canbus mode. So direct to battery. It didn’t spark or anything like that. It just reset the software (apparently)

Edited March 28, 2023 by Gerontious

[RAYK47]

thanks gents, i will try that and reconnect it to test

[Stu]

Before trying things like that I would download the manual for your charger and read it. 

 

Then if unsure check with optimate themselves to make sure that advice is right. 

[Gerontious]

3 hours ago, Stu said:

Before trying things like that I would download the manual for your charger and read it. 

 

Then if unsure check with optimate themselves to make sure that advice is right. 

 

The user manual for that particular model. the 470 is quite laughable. but the key line is:

 

 

Quote

 

14. DC CONNECTION PRECAUTIONS

a) Connect and disconnect DC output clips only after setting any charger switches to off position and removing AC cord from electric

outlet. Never allow clips to touch each other, however should this happen no damage will result to the charger circuit & the automatic

charging programme will just reset to «start».

 

 

 

As you can see they do say 'don't do this'. but then they say if you do, nothing bad will happen and the charging program will just reset to <start>.

 

which I assume is what is required in this instance.

 

It will either fix it or it won't. if it doesn't then there's something else going on. I have a more powerful version of the same charger, the 470 is 0.8Amp. mine is a 5Amp. I was told by the manufacturer that 5A was the recommended charger Amperage for my battery.

Edited April 2, 2023 by Gerontious

[billy sugger]

Have you tried the optimate on the old battery as a direct connection? Although mine is a newer version the flashing red on mine means it's in recovery mode. My battery, though not old,lost its cranking amps but would not charge properly while the battery was on the bike (flashing red light) but was fine once removed from the bike so bought a new battery and now keep the old one connected to the optimate as a spare

[Gerontious]

2 minutes ago, billy sugger said:

Have you tried the optimate on the old battery as a direct connection? Although mine is a newer version the flashing red on mine means it's in recovery mode. My battery, though not old,lost its cranking amps but would not charge properly while the battery was on the bike (flashing red light) but was fine once removed from the bike so bought a new battery and now keep the old one connected to the optimate as a spare

Its a Lithium. 

 

or at least I assume it is as the charger mentioned is for Lithium only.

Edited April 2, 2023 by Gerontious

[RAYK47]

Apologies for not responding but you are correct, it seems it's a lithium charger.  I feel very stupid and this probably explains why I sometimes get errors reported.   I was given it a long time ago and it didn't occur to me it was a lithium one, plus it used to work fine. 

 

For the time being I am just going to leave it disconnected, it's getting warmer now and will get a lot more use as well. 

 

 

[fullscreenaging]

Just for info. 
I’ve  had my optimate, (it’s an optimate 4 I think) connected to my bike since mid October. The first time a started my bike up was Tuesday 4th April and the bike started first press of the button. 
The Optimate cycles the charge by draining and then recharging and other fancy stuff to keep it in good condition or something like that. Long time since I read the manual.