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m325i

Battery Chargers

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Hi

I was wondering if you guys could advise me on battery chargers. 
Family have a 335i that has been sitting and error codes are from a (slightly) flat battery. 
I was advised to try a charger.

What is the cheapest option that will do the trick? I see they vary quite a bit on TM. 
It’s not so much for tending, more to actually charge this up. 
 

TIA!
 

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I think Brent @BM WORLD has mentioned 'battery coding'. I don't know what that is or what benefit it brings, but it could be a factor.

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Batteries on new cars need to be registered if they're replacing the same capacity battery, there's additional coding required if the replacement battery has different specs.

Both of these only apply if you're changing the battery though, not just charging it.

@m325i - you'll probably need a charger with a restoration mode, like the CTEK (which are the favoured chargers on the market). 

Edited by M3AN
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+1 on the CTEK units, I believe BMW's battery charger accessory is also just a BMW-branded CTEK.

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I regularly use a CTEK clone I got from Jaycar about a year ago. It has trickle charging modes for wet cell and AGM (which many/all? newer BMWs are fitted with). 

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/6-12vdc-1-5a-8-step-intelligent-lead-acid-and-lithium-battery-charger/p/MB3900

EDIT: Takes a 70AH AGM from below <25% to 100% in about 12 hours or so...

Can vouch for it's goodness and auto charging and cutoff capabilities. 

The IMPORTANT thing with these cars is to connect to the jump/charging point under the bonnet, NOT directly to the battery in the boot (ever).

BMWs branded charger is a CTEK charger...highly recommended too but a lot more $$. 

 

Edited by HalfJobHarry
more info.

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8 minutes ago, The Bimmer said:

european dealers using deutronik chargers. 

Perhaps but they're hardly consumer-level chargers. 

6 minutes ago, HalfJobHarry said:

I regularly use a CTEK clone I got from Jaycar about a year ago. It has trickle charging modes for wet cell and AGM (which many/all? newer BMWs are fitted with). 

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/6-12vdc-1-5a-8-step-intelligent-lead-acid-and-lithium-battery-charger/p/MB3900

EDIT: Takes a 70AH AGM from below <25% to 100% in about 12 hours or so...

Can vouch for it's goodness and auto charging and cutoff capabilities. 

The IMPORTANT thing with these cars is to connect to the jump/charging point under the bonnet, NOT directly to the battery in the boot (ever).

BMWs branded charger is a CTEK charger...highly recommended too but a lot more $$. 

 

Meh. That charger you linked to is 1.5A so will take days to charge a nearly flat battery. That's actually less amps than the maintenance mode on my second charger (Protector brand I think).

I'd challenge anyone to find a quality 5A charger designed for vehicles for less than the CTEK I've linked to.

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3 minutes ago, M3AN said:

Perhaps but they're hardly consumer-level chargers. 

Meh. That charger you linked to is 1.5A so will take days to charge a nearly flat battery. That's actually less amps than the maintenance mode on my second charger (Protector brand I think).

I'd challenge anyone to find a quality 5A charger designed for vehicles for less than the CTEK I've linked to.

Yeah no dispute from me there, but works well enough for me to top up batteries every now and then on the car(s) don't drive for 3 weeks or so. Speed is not a huge concern for me there :D 

You've linked to a great charger for a really good price for a CTEK at that ampage for sure. I'm merely sharing my experience with a cheap charger that hasn't blown anything up as a bottom dollar alternative. 

 

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Of course, that is true, there will be many applications the one you have are suitable for. Funnily enough the charger for my RC batteries is 10A running off a 20A power supply, all of these car chargers are pussies really! 

Except those Deutronik beasts @The Bimmer mentioned above.

 

 

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I have to ask - why?
Why is (re)charging a battery now so complicated? Is it a dealership thing? Can they charge for this service?

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21 minutes ago, gjm said:

I have to ask - why?
Why is (re)charging a battery now so complicated? Is it a dealership thing? Can they charge for this service?

I don't think it's complicated, but like anything valuable or volatile you want to treat it with care and respect.

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49 minutes ago, gjm said:

I have to ask - why?
Why is (re)charging a battery now so complicated? Is it a dealership thing? Can they charge for this service?

The manufacturers are chasing every bit of economy and emissions reduction they can get and as a result the onboard charging systems are now much more sophisticated and less wasteful of energy.  The car is trying to optimise the charging regime, which changes as the battery ages or if a bigger or smaller battery is used, which is why it needs to be coded when a new battery is installed. 

Charging via the connections under the bonnet allows the electronics to keep track of the extra charge going into the battery, whereas connecting direct to the battery does not.

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I too run a CTEK MXS5.0, f**king brilliant.  And as it's close to fathers day, pricing is excellent, as Dave has linked to.  Quality unit, almost capable of reincarnation.

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9 hours ago, Olaf said:

I too run a CTEK MXS5.0, f**king brilliant.  And as it's close to fathers day, pricing is excellent, as Dave has linked to.  Quality unit, almost capable of reincarnation.

I am tempted because it's an awesome price...

EDIT: Holy C*rap ! I didn't fully realize the price and have pulled the trigger on this one....that's sale of the century! 

Edited by HalfJobHarry

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