The audio module battery drain problem

[DonTom]

After a lot of bragging that it never happened to me, even without the latest audio software update . . . well, today was my turn.   Happened after a 150 mile ride. First my audio went dead and then when I turned off the ignition, my GPS did NOT switch to battery (The GPS is powered by the audio module -- the stock Triumph GPS power cable is used from the left side of the bike which comes  direct  from the audio module). The GPS not switching to the internal battery timer is a good indication of an audio module that won't shut down.

So I decided to do some testing and experimenting with my  audio module when I got back home.

When  the audio module  gets stuck "on", the current draw is just under one amp. About 975 ma to be exact. That will drain a new and well charged 20 amp-hour battery in around 20 hours. So that explains a lot of batteries going dead before the audio software update.

I have always wondered what would happen if I powered the audio module so the power to it shuts off with the bike. So today was the day for me to experiment with such.

I discovered that the 975 MA is constant when the module is on.   It is not affected by audio volume and such. It's normally less than one ma when the bike is shut off.

Instead of waiting for an audio  software update  . . . .

I first removed the audio fuse. Then I got  a five amp fuse and deliberately blew it out with a car battery.  I put this blown fuse  in place of the audio fuse but with a two inch wire on the fuse output blade  of the blown  fuse (the blown fuse is to hold the wire down) and then ran it to the output side of the heated seat and grip fuse. So now the heated accessory fuse is running the radio. This means the engine must be running to use the radio. It also means the engine must be running to use the audio menu. And one more issue is that it goes back to the defaults whenever the ignition is turned off.  But XM channels and such stay put.  Seems the power on the audio  fuse at all times is only for the audio setup menu. Doesn't seem to affect anything else except audio menu options.

However, the defaults is exactly what I want. One of the defaults is to use the Bluetooth headsets. So if I want to use the speakers, I will have to switch each time after starting  the engine. But I never use the speakers anyway.

There is one other minor issue. Before I start the bike it will now say "audio not found" when I turn on the ignition. A few seconds of engine operation that messages goes away and right to my favorite XM radio channel on the Bluetooth headest.

The added current of the audio module is still well below the ten amp rating  of the heated grip/seat  fuse even with everything at max.

I could not find any convenient fuse to wire to,  that will work whenever the ignition is on, which would be better than needing the engine to be running. But this was a very simple modification that takes only a few minutes to remove, if I want to but it all back  and simply update the audio software.

I don't know if I will even bother to do the audio update. One thing for sure, I don't have to worry about the drain problem this way--with or without the updated software. And everything works the way I want at the defaults.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[1150newguy]

I was wondering about that type of fix myself. I have not had any issues with my 2014, but if I had I was going to try exactly what you just did. More as an experiment to satisfy my own curiosity. I did the update even though I had no issues, it only takes about five minutes if that.

[DonTom]

Originally Posted by NavyDad

I was wondering about that type of fix myself. I have not had any issues with my 2014, but if I had I was going to try exactly what you just did. More as an experiment to satisfy my own curiosity. I did the update even though I had no issues, it only takes about five minutes if that.

My modification doesn't take any longer. Yeah, I mainly did it because I was curious why it was designed that way. Now I know--it's audio menu memory--not radio channel memory as one would normally expect.

If one uses the audio menu a lot, or mostly speakers, or uses radio when the engine is not running, then my method is no good. But all the menu defaults workout perfectly for me and this makes the battery drain problem impossible to happen. And now if the module dies, a simple switch of the ignition will fix it instead of having to remove the audio fuse.

BTW, with the new audio software update has anybody here had their radio go dead in such a way where the fuse had to be removed for a few seconds to get the radio back, as happened sometimes with the old version?

BTW, I have had the radio crash three times in two years, but the other two times did not leave the module stuck on and GPS switched off normally, unlike today.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[john348]

dontom good easy fix.  The GPS is a good indication but I wired mine for ease at the time to the back of the glove box and being lazy have never put it to the correct outlet.  I am working on a radio connected battery volts sender and a receiving display to collect multiple such senders.  But unfortunately work is getting in the way one day I will get it finished.

Thanks for sharing your good fix (obviously mine is a UK model so we don't seem to get the issue although my bike has gone flat once???)

[trophied]

Had to have the audio update on mine, and since then the speakers AND the bluetooth are both on - strange.  I just leave the speaker volume turned down to avoid the echo effect of the bluetooth transmission delay.

[DonTom]

Originally Posted by trophied

Had to have the audio update on mine, and since then the speakers AND the bluetooth are both on - strange.  I just leave the speaker volume turned down to avoid the echo effect of the bluetooth transmission delay.

It seems something went wrong there. Did you try removing your audio fuse for a few seconds to see if that problem clears?

If not, I would try to upload the updated software again.

But I guess it's not a big deal since you can turn the volume down. In fact, I added Bluetooth to my 1984 Venture in such a way that both runs at the same time so I need to keep the speaker volume down or off to get Bluetooth without the echo, but that is a simple volume control which is very fast to turn down, adjust or turn off.  It now has XM radio as well as SD/USB music.

BTW, I even added Bluetooth to my 1971 BMW. It's quite easy to do with one of these.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[trophied]

I don't mind just keeping the speaker volume down.  I was kind of hoping that the volume control would work on the bluetooth side too, but no, it's fixed volume.  I used a Sena bluetooth transmitter wired into the audio on my K1600 so that I could use a Sena bluetooth instead of the high dollar BMW comm system that had its own set of problems.

[DonTom]

Originally Posted by trophied

I don't mind just keeping the speaker volume down.  I was kind of hoping that the volume control would work on the bluetooth side too, but no, it's fixed volume.  I used a Sena bluetooth transmitter wired into the audio on my K1600 so that I could use a Sena bluetooth instead of the high dollar BMW comm system that had its own set of problems.

Well, you don't want one volume control to control both or you will always have the echo-like  problem. IIRC, the TTSE's volume would work with the Scala Rider G9, but not with the N-Com units. But the mute and such will work on both. Not all Blutetooth uses the same standards, as I am sure you have already discovered.

-Don-  Reno, NV