39KiwiTouring 2 Report post Posted January 3, 2011 As above basically want to park the touring up for more likely the rest of this year at least, have other vehicles and not interested in selling it. I have done this before with other cars with all intent purposes to give them a run every week, that happened about twice in total last year. So will it be o.k to disconnect the battery in the E39, pretty full on terminal set up back there, should I take the negative off only?, will this re-set everything, worth doing, should I just give it a blat every month? Expensive battery in these so whats the verdict. TIA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted January 3, 2011 Really 6 of one, half doz the other. Yes you only need to disconnect one terminal. Yes it will reset everything Batteries don't like sitting doing nothing though - nor do cars for that matter. If you don't drive it - you really need to charge the battery periodically to preserve it anyway If me - I would be driving the car once a month or so. That said, our E12 is known to sit for a couple of months between outings, with every so often - a flat battery. This too from an auto sparky that should know better. Should really practice what I preach Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted January 3, 2011 praps invest in a smart trickle charger......If you do drive make it a good one,not just a trip round the block make it long enough so everything is up to temp for a good while,and run the aircon and cycle the heater through hot and cold Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmw335i 16 Report post Posted January 4, 2011 airbag light MAY come up on the dash if u disconnect the batt also. itl need to be recoded by someone with diagnostic equiptment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
39KiwiTouring 2 Report post Posted January 4, 2011 Thanks guys I will leave the trickle charge solar panel thingy on the dash plugged into the ciggy lighter, is that what you mean Paul? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted January 4, 2011 airbag light MAY come up on the dash if u disconnect the batt also. itl need to be recoded by someone with diagnostic equiptment. No it wont Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted January 4, 2011 Thanks guys I will leave the trickle charge solar panel thingy on the dash plugged into the ciggy lighter, is that what you mean Paul? Wont work - the cig lighter is not connected to live battery supply. Meant to mention the option of battery charger/maintainer. If using one - make sure it works correctly - I have seen plenty of times where these things have cooked batteries Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Braeden320 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2011 I'd give it a run once a month if it was me, means that all your lubricants and air con etc get a running and the petrol won't go stale. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted January 4, 2011 I'd give it a run once a month if it was me, means that all your lubricants and air con etc get a running and the petrol won't go stale.yes but it has to be a good run Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted January 4, 2011 (edited) Thanks guys I will leave the trickle charge solar panel thingy on the dash plugged into the ciggy lighter, is that what you mean Paul? i dont know what charger you are talking about,but what I mean is a proper smart trickle charger,which would be clipped onto the battery terminals or onto the terminals in the engine compartment.I beleive that you dont have to disconnect the battery from the car when using a charger,after all the alternator charges the battery doesnt it?.However i always disconnect the battery when i charge it,but this is a big charger for when the battery goes flat(ussually because i have left the parking lights on all day) There may be leads available to allow you to just have a lead in the boot to plug the trickle chager in .This is the sort of thing the northern americans and canadians would do every winter.If you are seriously looking to store the car for a year i think there will be some information in the owners manual,and you would need to consider fuel stabilisers and getting the weight of the car of the tyres Edited January 4, 2011 by kiwi535 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DRTDVL 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2011 this probably wouldn't have enough grunt for your battery but a trickle charger that works like this would be good: XS800 CTek charger - http://www.batterydirect.co.nz/bi596.htm Your ideal maintenance charger - Set and Forget - IP65 Rated The XS 800 is above all an optimal maintenance charger for seasonal vehicles with batteries up to 100Ah. It easily charges smaller 12V batteries common to motorbikes, lawnmowers and jet skis and your Vertex DryCell Features Four step, fully automatic switch mode model. Charges lead-acid batteries (Wet, MF, GEL and AGM) from 1.2Ah to 32Ah, 1.2-100Ah maintenance charging. Maintenance pulse charging increases battery life and gives superb performance. Charges even drained batteries. Pulse recover of slightly sulphated batteries. Low back current drain, low ripple and input voltage independent (170-260V). High efficiency: 85% Delivered with two interchangeable connection leads, one with clamps, and one with eyelet terminals. The charger can be connected for months, ideal for seasonal vehicles. Compact design with mounting holes for permanent assembly. 5 year warranty. Charging The XS 800 has a fully automatic, four step charge: Desulphation Runs a complete charge cycle within a fraction of a second. The cycle repeats during the whole desulphation phase. Every cycle recovers some lead sulphate into useful material. Bulk Charging where 80% of the energy is returned. The charger delivers a constant current until the battery voltage has reached the set level. Absorption Final part of the charge up to 100%. The battery voltage is kept constant at the set level, during which time the current drops gradually. Pulse Maintenance charging. The state of charge varies between 95% and 100%. A pulse is sent out to the battery if the voltage drops. This keeps the battery in trim when not in use. The charger can be connected for months at a time. Using the XS 800 gives your battery an optimum service life and operational reliability. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
39KiwiTouring 2 Report post Posted January 5, 2011 Thanks heaps guys, I will keep it in the house shed so I can drive it often enough, keep all 4's on the ground and battery connected and give it a decent drive with heaters on etc. Just going to cruise my diesel van for a while, it's been sitting for 18 months, cheaper than petrol, good for towing have a few holidays plannned with the caravan, so it's good for that, show season, and moving sheep, cleaning up the barn - rubbish to tip, just easier to use the van for all that. I'll wof and reg the bmw later in the year once the 12 months reg on the van runs out and put that back on hold. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
camera doctor 25 Report post Posted January 25, 2011 Older thread I know, but I came accross this today : 3. If a battery is dead, all it needs is a jump. FALSE! Most alternators are designed to maintain car batteries, not recharge deeply-discharged batteries. If your battery has been discharged to the point where it won’t start your vehicle without the assistance of a jump-start from another vehicle, you need to make sure your battery is fully rechargedwith a battery charger as soon as possible. Relying on your alternator to recharge a deeply-discharged battery can lead to a cycle of dead batteries and jump-starts, until either the battery (expensive) or alternator (really expensive) fails. 4. Starting your vehicle up periodically while in storage is good for the battery. FALSE! If you are storing your vehicle for an extended period of time, the best thing you can do for your battery is keep it properly-maintained with a quality battery tender or maintainer. If that isn’t possible, fully-charge your battery and disconnect it from your vehicle. If you leave your battery connected and start your car up once a month or so, your battery is probably getting slowly discharged over time from parasitic draws in your car’s electrical system and from the energy it takes to start your car. Unless you drive your car for at least 10-15 minutes and a reasonable speed, your alternator may not have a chance to replace the energy used to start your vehicle in the first place. May be of assistance to you ?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
39KiwiTouring 2 Report post Posted January 25, 2011 Thanks camera, never easy is it, no quick fix. BMW wof expires in about a month so the van was going to be used after that. Still really interested in storing it as a 98 done 168k, in average to above condition probably $7-8k worth really, it will cost me more to replace in 12 months time as I feel cars will only go up in price this year like everything else. I could always buy one back but better the devil you know so are keeping it for that reason, looks like I might just pull the battery completely out at this stage - well after reading that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
39KiwiTouring 2 Report post Posted July 9, 2011 O.K. update this car has been sitting since February and been run only once done 13k in April or thereabouts. Today totally dead, tried to jump start under the bonnet, but that gave me just enough charge after 2 hours, to open the boot as the battery in the touring is in the boot and there is no other way to open the boot even with a key (great idea) not.. so leads straight onto battery running jumper car for 15 minutes finally started her, no airbag lights totally fine even remebered the time. I have now just disconnected the negative terminal and left boot ajar so I can get at it, and this is what I reccomend if you are storing an E39 disconnect the negative as this just drains your battery into the earth. I would guess it would apply to E38 and 36 etc as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted July 9, 2011 O.K. update this car has been sitting since February and been run only once done 13k in April or thereabouts. Today totally dead, tried to jump start under the bonnet, but that gave me just enough charge after 2 hours, to open the boot as the battery in the touring is in the boot and there is no other way to open the boot even with a key (great idea) not.. so leads straight onto battery running jumper car for 15 minutes finally started her, no airbag lights totally fine even remebered the time. I have now just disconnected the negative terminal and left boot ajar so I can get at it, and this is what I reccomend if you are storing an E39 disconnect the negative as this just drains your battery into the earth. I would guess it would apply to E38 and 36 etc as well. Firstly - should have been able to jump start the car from under the bonnet - more so than from the rear even, due to been closer to the starter. I suspect you have sh#t jumper leads - not man enough to transfer required current. As I said earlier in the post - was never going to affect air bags etc. In regards to the negative terminal, if connected it doesn't "drain to earth" as such, it is merely completing the circuit & as a consequence - keeping the car memory awake (clock etc). Leaving it disconnected won't solve the issue completely either - a lead acid battery will itself self discharge over time even when open circuit. Adding to - a battery that sits in a discharged state will eventually sulphate & become useless. It would still need either a charge maintainer, periodic charging to maintain a charged condition, or a reasonably substantial drive every month or so - comes back to earlier posts:- Driving for an hour or two now will not "charge" the battery, merely puts a surface charge on it - it is still in a flat state. It needs to go on a battery charger for 24 hrs or more to recover it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
39KiwiTouring 2 Report post Posted July 9, 2011 Should I just take out the battery completely and keep on charger?. The leads were two joined together long story but ended up taking the battery out of the jumping car in the end coudn't get to the front of the BMW with the other car batteries on wrong side etc, real hassle all of this it is making a vanos sound now as well, cars hate sitting. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted July 9, 2011 Should I just take out the battery completely and keep on charger?. The leads were two joined together long story but ended up taking the battery out of the jumping car in the end coudn't get to the front of the BMW with the other car batteries on wrong side etc, real hassle all of this it is making a vanos sound now as well, cars hate sitting. if nothing else give the battery a proper charge up,you might save it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
39KiwiTouring 2 Report post Posted July 9, 2011 Sweet guys thanks I'll take it to my local and they can look after it for 4-6 months keeping it charged etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
