Battery chargers
- Thread starter flybobbie
- Start date
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Anonymous
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Busterboo said:
Yes in simple terms, all these units use a purpose designed chipset specifically for battery /psu use...
So they all do the float/pulse/check/fast/slow/trickle charge stuff..
All of them do a great job compared to the old battery boilers (like the one that caught fire)..personally I would just connect it up once a month and that would also show how well the battery was holding its charge by the time it took to get it back to the 'float' condition..
Out of interest how do most people connect the chargers to their cars ? I have a BMW motorcycle with a canbus wiring system which I connect to an Optimate “ intelligent “ charger. The bike effectively turns itself off electrically 15 seconds after turning the ignition off so the Optimate is connected across the battery terminals with an in line fuse, are the cars connected in the same way ? Thinking about using the unit alternate weeks on bike and car.
Thankyou in anticipation.
Car is 2010 23i Alpine white with red Kansas leather.
Thankyou in anticipation.
Car is 2010 23i Alpine white with red Kansas leather.
The E89 have a bms module so strictly speaking you should use the charge points under the bonnet, otherwise the bms will not report the state of charge of the battery correctly. Saying that, lots of people do put it across the battery and it doesn’t seem to cause any issues.
Been using the Lidl chargers for years and they work faultlessly. They can and do condition batteries but importantly they should be regarded as battery conditioners more so than out and out chargers. The max output is 3.8 amps which will charge a battery but put simply will take longer to do so.
They are perfect for maintaining a battery when it is left unused/charged for weeks/months on end. I've used one on the Z for the last 6 years and the voltage out is still 12.6 even though the battery is 10 years old. Of course you can go and spend 5 or 6 times the Lidl cost to achieve the same result but if you just want to "maintain" then you will not find a better deal. I'd also add my brother in Australia would typically spend 3 months over here in the UK and go back to a flat/knackered battery but I bought him a Lidl which he has used with complete success and that was connected non-stop for3 months. Obviously if the power fails then upon power-up the charger does default to no charge albeit the second one I bought (for my other car) just a few weeks ago might not, something I will check and advise on.
They are perfect for maintaining a battery when it is left unused/charged for weeks/months on end. I've used one on the Z for the last 6 years and the voltage out is still 12.6 even though the battery is 10 years old. Of course you can go and spend 5 or 6 times the Lidl cost to achieve the same result but if you just want to "maintain" then you will not find a better deal. I'd also add my brother in Australia would typically spend 3 months over here in the UK and go back to a flat/knackered battery but I bought him a Lidl which he has used with complete success and that was connected non-stop for3 months. Obviously if the power fails then upon power-up the charger does default to no charge albeit the second one I bought (for my other car) just a few weeks ago might not, something I will check and advise on.
Fireball said:
I use an optimate on mine, just buy a spare connector and attach it to the points under the bonnet and your good to go
