Battery Charging

"maxima1" > wrote in message
om...
>>
>> Thanks. I've purchased the BMW battery tender and it's perfect. Only $90
>> Canadian and it just plugs into the lighter socket.
>
> Sort of like perpetual motion. You plug one end into the cigarette
> lighter and connect the clips to the battery. That certainly is
> convenient, and no wasted AC power!
>
> If it came from BMW you can assume it will work for your car, but
> please note that some cigarette lighters are really power ports and
> are not functional when the car is off---no charge would ever pass
> unless the car was in the accessory or "on" position.
>
Not true on the E46, Z3 or Z4 in the U.S.

Tom

tech27 wrote:
> "Matt O'Toole" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Trickle chargers are great if you want to leave the battery in the car, so
>>you
>>don't have to mess with reprogramming radios, etc. Or you could just go
>>for a
>>half hour drive whenever the weather and roads are nice enough. You
>>should do
>>this anyway to exercise your AC system.
>>
>>Matt O.
>>
>
> I know about running the AC system, but that's mainly to keep the seals
> supple. If the car is stored inside it's not necessary. The most important
> thing I wanted to relate to you is that it is NOT recommended to drive a
> stored car as you suggested. Even assuming that you want to keep full
> insurance coverage on it )-; , the big problem is that driving it then
> letting it sit for an extended period causes moisture to build up after the
> car is stopped. This is not good and is worse than just parking it, letting
> everything dry, and leaving it alone. So I've been told on good authority.
>
>

This does not make much sense to me. If this were the case, then
driving it daily would be as bad or worse!

Where exactly is this "moisture build-up" supposed to occur? The only
place that I can see (assuming that you are only driving in fair
weather) would be in the exhaust system. Personally, I would (and do)
run that risk.

BTW - after many years of owning roadsters that do not get driven
regularly in the New England winters, I have found that the savings of
taking the car off the insurance for 3-4 months is not worth the hassle
of dropping and adding it to the policy. Granted, that may vary with
your location. Besides that, the car would not be covered in the event
of a catastrophe (fire, etc.) by my home-owners policy. And then there
are always thoise few really nice days where the sun is shining an the
temps sky-rocket to above freezing and the roiads are dry enough...
Those are actually some of the most satisfying driving days ever, after
being cooped up so long...

-Fred W

"Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote in message
...
> In article io.net>,
> I'd say the jury's out. Of course, if you are going to run it, it's
> important the whole car gets well and truly warmed through. So just
> running the engine for a few minutes until the gauge reads normal isn't
> such a good idea.
>
> --
> *Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery? *
>
> Dave Plowman London SW
> To e-mail, change noise into sound.

As was told to me, the problem is with driving/running the car, then leaving
it sit for an extended period, then repeating.

"maxima1" > wrote in message
om...
>>
>> Thanks. I've purchased the BMW battery tender and it's perfect. Only $90
>> Canadian and it just plugs into the lighter socket.
>
> Sort of like perpetual motion. You plug one end into the cigarette
> lighter and connect the clips to the battery. That certainly is
> convenient, and no wasted AC power!

Yeah. Really works, but I think I'll plug the other end into an AC outlet
just to be sure.
>
> If it came from BMW you can assume it will work for your car, but
> please note that some cigarette lighters are really power ports and
> are not functional when the car is off---no charge would ever pass
> unless the car was in the accessory or "on" position.

I'm pretty sure that BMW has thought of this.
>
> Matthew
> 00 528i Sport

"Fred W" > wrote in message
...
> tech27 wrote:
>
> This does not make much sense to me. If this were the case, then driving
> it daily would be as bad or worse!

No. It's not about driving it every day, it's about driving it then letting
it sit for much longer periods in between.
>
> Where exactly is this "moisture build-up" supposed to occur? The only
> place that I can see (assuming that you are only driving in fair weather)
> would be in the exhaust system. Personally, I would (and do) run that
> risk.

Exhaust and internals. Anything that air can get to can potentially get
moisture and corrosives as the water reacts to other compounds.
>
> BTW - after many years of owning roadsters that do not get driven
> regularly in the New England winters, I have found that the savings of
> taking the car off the insurance for 3-4 months is not worth the hassle of
> dropping and adding it to the policy.


You'd need to insure an new M5 in Canada to appreciate the economy of doing
this.

Granted, that may vary with
> your location. Besides that, the car would not be covered in the event of
> a catastrophe (fire, etc.) by my home-owners policy.

I maintain the insurance for fire/theft/etc. Just not collision/accident
liability (the lion's share of the cost).

And then there
> are always thoise few really nice days where the sun is shining an the
> temps sky-rocket to above freezing and the roiads are dry enough... Those
> are actually some of the most satisfying driving days ever, after being
> cooped up so long...

True. On those days maybe I'll just back the car out into the sun and sit in
it. (-;
>
> -Fred W

"tech27" > wrote in message
o.verio.net...
> True. On those days maybe I'll just back the car out into the sun and sit
in
> it. (-;

I just had a visual of you doing that in a subdivision somewhere and your
neighbours looking out and shaking their heads...

:-)

-Russ.

>
> For $90, I'd want a new battery...

Keep in mind that this is $90 CANADIAN. What is that, something like
$20??

But really, a modern smart charger is worth the investment. A CTEK
3300 retails for $69.99 and is available through any Interstate
battery dealer. It will keep all batteries at peak performance
including Optima (Red or Yellow tops). It is NOT like a wall wart in
operation; it ramps and cycles the charge current to actually
refurbish the cell surfaces. And it is idiot-proof in use.
A well-designed charger like that will make a standard battery last 10
years in the above mentioned storage scenario. BTW, CTEK makes the
Mercedes and Porsche chargers.

Matthew
00 528i Sport

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

> And I'd baulk at paying 90 dollars for a trickle charger - it should
> cost no more than any other wall wart type PS, perhaps 20 or so.
>
> For 90 dollars you should be able to get a general purpose charger
> that will also be ok for trickle charging.

Actually, a 13.2V regulated power supply makes a perfect trickle charger. These
are sold in electronics hobbyist stores and catalogs, for tinkering with 12V
gadgets, marine electronics, avionics, etc. You should be able to get a 2A unit
for under $30, and lower current ones even cheaper.

Matt O.

maxima1 wrote:

>> For $90, I'd want a new battery...
>
> Keep in mind that this is $90 CANADIAN. What is that, something like
> $20??

Not anymore!

Matt O.

tech27 wrote:

> As was told to me, the problem is with driving/running the car, then
> leaving it sit for an extended period, then repeating.

There's something to be said for that, depending on the conditions. You
mentioned putting it away clean and dry and leaving it that way. This is
probably a good idea if it's going to get wet, dirty, or especially salty if you
take it out again during the winter. But if it's damp where the car is stored,
it may make sense to warm it up and dry it all out occasionally.

Storing a car isn't an issue like it used to be though. I wouldn't worry about
it too much.

Matt O.