Use OEM Hyperstrada Power Port for Battery Tender

britm3 · Mar 19, 2014

Guys are any of you using the OEM Hyperstrada power port (powerlet compatible) for hooking up a battery tender?

Not sure if there is anything that would prevent that working - some of the newer BMW canbus bikes have an issue doing that with the power ports.

gatdammit · Mar 19, 2014

Sure do. A battery tender compatible plug hangs downs near the upper rear strut. I think they put it there specifically for tender's.

zippy49 · Mar 19, 2014

Gat, I think he means the BMW-spec outlets. The Tender comes with an SAE connector, a flat rubber thing. My dealer installed the separate, fused Tender leads directly to the battery when I bought the bike.

You can get an adapter, but it's just more stuff to have around. And I have other bikes on my Tenders, swap them around, so I need compatibility. Besides, aren't those power ports switched with the ignition? Not much use when it's off...

Frank Rizzo · Mar 19, 2014

britm3 said:
Guys are any of you using the OEM Hyperstrada power port (powerlet compatible) for hooking up a battery tender?

Not sure if there is anything that would prevent that working - some of the newer BMW canbus bikes have an issue doing that with the power ports.

Yessir! I used it all winter with nary an issue

I can't recall off the top of my head which tender I have, but no issues at all.

gatdammit · Mar 19, 2014

The Battery Tender Junior I bought has 3 different connection options: Clamps, bolt eyelets and the 2-pin connector that plugs directly in to the lower power outlet on the bike.

It works as advertised with ignition off. Pretty sure the lower 2-pin lead was specifically designed for this purpose.

Pinoybear · Mar 19, 2014

Are you all referring to the two accessory power outlets below the seat on the frame or one of the connectors underneath the seat (i.e. remove the seat to get to them?)

TIA,
Eric

suprphreak · Mar 19, 2014

Top is a Powerlet connector which comes from the factory on the Hyperstrada. The female connector which receives this plug is located on both sides of the bike, external but under the seat. This outlet is switched with the ignition, so it will not work for charging.

The bottom connector is SAE, which comes on the Battery Tender, and many small chargers. If that is the style of connector you see on your bike, then it is probably wired direct to the battery and will work. It is not a standard feature on the bike, so your dealer may have installed it. The Battery Tender will also come with that style of connector for you to install yourself.

The above pictured adapter will NOT work for charging your bike! It is just a convenient pic for illustrative purposes.

britm3 · Mar 20, 2014

Got it guys, looking at using that adapter to effectively use one of the power volt ports with SAE connector - however if both ports are switched with the ignition - the battery tender will be doing a whole bunch of nothing.

suprphreak said:
Top is a Powerlet connector which comes from the factory on the Hyperstrada. The female connector which receives this plug is located on both sides of the bike, external but under the seat. This outlet is switched with the ignition, so it will not work for charging.

The bottom connector is SAE, which comes on the Battery Tender, and many small chargers. If that is the style of connector you see on your bike, then it is probably wired direct to the battery and will work. It is not a standard feature on the bike, so your dealer may have installed it. The Battery Tender will also come with that style of connector for you to install yourself.

The above pictured adapter will NOT work for charging your bike! It is just a convenient pic for illustrative purposes.

gatdammit · Mar 21, 2014

britm3, there's an SAE connector hanging just behind the fairing where the top of the rear strut mount disappears towards upper mount. I'm almost positive it is a dedicated battery tender lead and will trickle charge the battery with no power on the bike. The other 2 outlets are Powerlet type.

It's all in the owner's manual.

porkrind · Mar 21, 2014

gatdammit said:
britm3, there's an SAE connector hanging just behind the fairing where the top of the rear strut mount disappears towards upper mount. I'm almost positive it is a dedicated battery tender lead and will trickle charge the battery with no power on the bike. The other 2 outlets are Powerlet type.

It's all in the owner's manual.

I don't have that. I have an SAE connector that is zip tied to the frame on the right just behind the rear cylinder. The dealer told me they added it, it didn't come standard.

gatdammit · Mar 21, 2014

And it's a true Strada? Like not a Motard conversion? That sounds very unusual.

Pinoybear · Mar 26, 2014

Looking in the owner's manual, there is a factory installed connector for a battery tender, but it is not SAE. The DP battery tender comes with a pigtail adapter for this connector to SAE.

I'm wondering if you can get this pigtail without buying the whole DP tender?

Eric

zippy49 · Mar 27, 2014

Pinoybear said:
Looking in the owner's manual, there is a factory installed connector for a battery tender, but it is not SAE. The DP battery tender comes with a pigtail adapter for this connector to SAE.

I'm wondering if you can get this pigtail without buying the whole DP tender?

Eric

I can't find that plug on my bike. But those two factory-installed receptacles are definitely switched with the ignition. I just checked my bike with a voltmeter to verify this. If you buy a Tender, it comes with the SAE connector. It even has its own fuse. It costs less than half of what the DP one does. And if you look at that link, it says it comes with a US (SAE) plug, not the Euro (BMW) one. Nowhere does it claim to be compatible with the receptacles on the Strada.

Those BMW plugs are for GPS and heated gear, not a trickle charger. Why reinvent the wheel?

gatdammit · Mar 27, 2014

All I know is I plug my Tender into the SAE connector near the rear strut and I get appropriate charging indication and eventually the cycle complete/trickle lights.

zippy49 · Mar 27, 2014

Sounds like your dealer just routed it to a different spot. Mine is on the RHS in the crook of the subframe where it bolts to the main frame.

It's not easy to get to the battery, it's in a rubber boot. But a direct fused connection is really the way to go.

Use OEM Hyperstrada Power Port for Battery Tender

britm3

gatdammit

zippy49

Frank Rizzo

gatdammit

Pinoybear

suprphreak

britm3

gatdammit

porkrind

gatdammit

Pinoybear

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