Any recommendations on external power supplies to supplement length of recording time in parking mode and mitigate battery drain? Something that charges when the bike is on and provides power directly to teh K2 when I turn off the bike?
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As the power supply is associated with the ignition, and motorcycle have very limited space to store other big battery, seems like to be difficult to get extra power supply when bike turned off.
Rock, I have been in touch with OCDtronics who answered all my questions. Space is limited on a bike and if I wish to allocate some to a backup battery that is my choice.
Cross posting from another forum...
I have found myself with the same dilemma: how to protect the bike battery. The solution I found is not relying on the products' protection; rather I was also thinking about using an auxiliary battery, which may be quite small. The cost of the Cellink seems absurd to what I need (a simple 12v battery able to life support any accessories without affect bike's battery).
The way I'm drawing it is using a relay (SSR - solid state relay, dc-dc, 40A) to control the disconnection of the main battery from the fuse block (probably a fuzeblock, in my case) .
Components used: . SSR (DC-DC, Fotek??) . Fuzeblock FZ-1 (6 outputs, 12v or +12v switched, 10A each) . Aux battery (if not ready made, 4x LiFoPo4 cells with a BMS)
Main batt would be connected to the fuse block, but through the relay, which would be connected to a +12v switched; Aux battery also connected to the fuse block;
When running, the switched +12v would allow current from the main battery to the fuse block, allowing powering the accessories and charging the aux battery. When not running, the +12v switched would be without power disconnecting the main battery from the fuse block; it would still be connected to the aux battery, powering accessories.
Any thoughts??
Maybe I could attach a simple drawing, if anyone is interested...
Regards
I recently fitted the K2 and am dismayed that this has got such an effect on my battery.....Im useless with electrics on the bike, so have purchased a Denali Cansmart to provided the ignition power rather that break into the electrics on the bike affecting the warranty. If a simple switch is put in on the red connector to the battery, that is turned off when the bike is garaged for the night on a bike trip, would that work, what would be the disadvantages of that be.
For info when at home I connect the bite to an optimal charger.
The problem with the "simple switch" is the load it has to handle.
If you want to cut the power to your Denali Cansmart, which can manage some high loads, is one thing; if you want to cut the power just to the K2, it's a completely different thing.
On the first scenario you could use a beefed up switch, or you would be most probably better using a switch and a relay (relay handles the loads, switch controls the relay). On the second scenario - the one I see as more reasonable - the correct switch would do the trick easily, but you would miss the parking feature...
As I want have the cake and eat the cake ;) , my scenario involves a second (very small) battery to take care of the minimal load (+/- 50 mA). The only trick here is isolating to the main battery, so any accessory won't take any load from the bike's battery.
There are ready made battery isolators (campervans use it a lot), but they are usually bulky items if we think about the bike's free space... (like so)
I'd also like to chime in that Shorai batteries and similar can provide a much higher 19 amp hour battery smaller and lighter. Its not an entire second system but a nice cushion to give you a little extra confidence if you are using the parking mode on a daily rather than extended basis.
https://shoraipower.com/batteries-c41
Until Innovv provides a real solution, here are my suggestions in order from easiest to most difficult:
1) Test to see how long the K2 takes to drain your battery. It may turn out to be a non-issue on your bike; I have left my bike for 5 to 6 days, on two separate occasions (parking mode OFF), and the bike fired right up (2018 Harley). Other people are reporting battery drain in as little as two days. So test YOUR bike, maybe you have a problem and maybe you don't.
2) Plug in a "battery tender" device whenever possible. In the garage, by all means, pick up a Battery Tender Jr for like $35, and keep the bike plugged in. That will maintain your battery at peak charge and also, by extension, keep the K2 powered up.
3) Turn off parking mode. That will lessen the drain on the battery, but obviously this is only an option if you don't need parking mode.
4) If you're leaving the bike for several days, you can either (easy) unplug the power cord to the K2 recorder unit, or (pretty easy) wire a cutoff switch to the red power lead. Either of these tactics will reduce power drain to zero, but obviously both will eliminate the parking feature. Leaving the power cord unplugged is an easy option, but you would want to make sure that rain couldn't infiltrate the open socket or cable end.
5) Carry a jump-start battery with you. These can be inexpensive, and can bail you out if the K2 has drained your battery.
6) Explore other options such as wiring in a second battery like the other posters above have discussed.
to everybody, please write privately to INNOVV, I did yesterday and Rock answered as the issue is something new and never heard.... If they receive an email from everybody maybe they will be forced to face the problem.
Hi Andrea, I am not sure if the misunderstanding about the emails, as mentioned on the different threads for your posts, that we have been working on the converter re-design.
I fully understand you would like leave more posts to force us to make change. Please trust that we set up the forum is to listen to the feedback, and have taken the action.
@Rock Liu Thank you for the support.
I am happy now that I see active actions from you.
I will wait the new power unit and will surely do a test and review here.
Rock. Will be looking forward to the resolution and the supply of a new power unit
@Andrea Z. @Ian Worthing
Keep improvement and taking quick action is the only way to go further.
I appreciate all input from the forum, and the support as well, being proud of that.
I am going to install a simple switch to the power (red) wire on the K2. I have made changes to some of the settings on the system. Do the settings revert to the factory settings when I switch off the simple switch?
No. You can safely disconnect the K2 from power without loosing any settings. I do the same every time I switch of Ignition, using a timer relay.
@Frostie Thanks for the info.