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      10-11-2014, 05:35 PM   #1
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M4 Battery Charging Via 12V Accessory Port?

I only use my M4 for weekend fun drives and the rest of the time it rests out of the elements in my garage. (My daily driver in the local Los Angeles traffic is a Sienna minivan.) I just bought a Ctek lithium battery charger to keep it topped and want to connect it in the simplest, easiest fashion without having to lift the hood each time I use it.

Does anyone know if I can use the cigarette lighter/accessory plug for this purpose?

Thanks.
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      10-23-2014, 08:44 PM   #2
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I was thinking of the same thing about getting the CTEK LITHIUM US for my M4 since it will be garaged for 3 months. I called my local BMW service department and they told me that you could use the cigarette lighter/accessory plug for this purpose with the trickle charger they sold. I asked them if they had any Li Ion trickle charger and they told me they didn't even know that the M4 had a Li Ion battery, so I became weary of their recommendations.

I'm assuming that you bought this:
http://smartercharger.com/products/b...ek-lithium-us/

Does the CTEK lithium battery charger you purchased came with a cigarette lighter/accessory plug?
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      10-23-2014, 08:55 PM   #3
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I have a solar one I use for another car, but have to see if I can use it for the bimmer.
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      10-24-2014, 04:45 AM   #4
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No, the newer BMWs do not have an active cigarette lighter/accessory receptacle when they are shut off. You need to connect it directly to the battery in the right side of the trunk.

I have the charger here, just waiting for my car that is on a boat right now...

Best of luck!
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      10-24-2014, 04:59 PM   #5
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Yes, I bought the same charger that your link shows. However, I got it new on ebay for under $90, including shipping. It did not come with an accessory plug.
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      10-25-2014, 11:49 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fun2drv
No, the newer BMWs do not have an active cigarette lighter/accessory receptacle when they are shut off. You need to connect it directly to the battery in the right side of the trunk.

I have the charger here, just waiting for my car that is on a boat right now...

Best of luck!
Most (all?) modern BMW's have charge points under the bonnet since the battery is difficult to access.
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      10-25-2014, 12:01 PM   #7
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You can wire the charge points to have a pig tail so it sticks out of an area such as just behind the grill.
Not a hard thing to due even for the mechanically challenged, just make sure the exposed end (plug in) has some type of cap when not in use.
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      10-26-2014, 02:53 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fun2drv View Post
No, the newer BMWs do not have an active cigarette lighter/accessory receptacle when they are shut off. You need to connect it directly to the battery in the right side of the trunk.

I have the charger here, just waiting for my car that is on a boat right now...

Best of luck!

I'm not so sure you'd want to directly connect it to the battery in the trunk since most BMW vehicles have an "Intelligent Battery Sensor" to prevent damage to the battery.

Did some digging and I may go this route through the hood of the car to the windscreen.


I'm not sure if the M4 has charging capability though the cigarette outlet which could be from inside the car or from talking to CTEK, an outlet in the trunk. Can someone confirm?
In any case, CTEK does offer a cigarette outlet option for other chargers, not sure if it will work for the M4.
http://smartercharger.com/products/a...nect-cig-plug/

I wish BMW manuals has more amplifying data on storing our vehicles.
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      10-26-2014, 08:15 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vuaim View Post
I'm not so sure you'd want to directly connect it to the battery in the trunk since most BMW vehicles have an "Intelligent Battery Sensor" to prevent damage to the battery.

Did some digging and I may go this route through the hood of the car to the windscreen.


I'm not sure if the M4 has charging capability though the cigarette outlet which could be from inside the car or from talking to CTEK, an outlet in the trunk. Can someone confirm?
In any case, CTEK does offer a cigarette outlet option for other chargers, not sure if it will work for the M4.
http://smartercharger.com/products/a...nect-cig-plug/
You cannot charge a M3-4 through the lighter...but I do believe there are charge points under the hood just like our 435.
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      10-26-2014, 08:24 AM   #10
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The manual warns against charging from the accessory sockets. This may or may not be standard boilerplate liability coverage, but I would be reluctant to go against it without some reasonable assurance it can be safely ignored.
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      10-26-2014, 09:24 AM   #11
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Has anyone tried to see if the alligator clips actually reach to both the (+) and (-) terminals under the hood? I have the CTEK charger, but my car is still on a boat coming to the US form my ED. I'm not sure that there is enough wire length on the alligator clip attachment to reach both terminals...

Thanks!

BTW - Once and for all, you CAN'T use the accessory plugs inside the car. There is no power when the car is shut down... People keep asking the same question here...
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      12-08-2014, 03:53 PM   #12
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OK so I tend to "Cabin Up" my car during the winter months, when salt is on the road, and plug my Optimate 6 to the battery to keep it topped up and ready. I hadn't realised the M4 had a Lion battery until I went to connect my Optimate 6. So I am correct in assuming I cannot use the Optimate 6 and, if not can I use this?http://www.optimate.co.uk/optimate%20lithium.htm
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      12-08-2014, 03:55 PM   #13
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Oh, and from what I have read it must be connected to the charging point under the bonnet (Hood) and not directly to the battery.
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      10-09-2015, 08:37 AM   #14
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Yep, just picked mine up(the charger) and it says for batteries installed in a car connect the red to the battery pole and the black to the chassis away from battery and fuel pipe(assumes negatively earthed battery) so the under bonnet(hood) connections look like the only way.
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      10-09-2015, 10:44 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fun2drv View Post
Has anyone tried to see if the alligator clips actually reach to both the (+) and (-) terminals under the hood? I have the CTEK charger, but my car is still on a boat coming to the US form my ED. I'm not sure that there is enough wire length on the alligator clip attachment to reach both terminals...
If you are asking about the clips that come with the CTEK charger, they reach.
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      10-09-2015, 10:50 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jewels View Post
You cannot charge a M3-4 through the lighter...but I do believe there are charge points under the hood just like our 435.
There are charge points under the hood. I've got the same CTEK charger, and I hardwired the pigtail to the charge points under the hood, with a fuse, even.
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      11-15-2015, 08:08 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave 90TT
Quote:
Originally Posted by jewels View Post
You cannot charge a M3-4 through the lighter...but I do believe there are charge points under the hood just like our 435.
There are charge points under the hood. I've got the same CTEK charger, and I hardwired the pigtail to the charge points under the hood, with a fuse, even.
How did you hardwire the CTEK pigtail? Specifically how did you do it for the larger positive terminal?

I just hooked mine up with the clips but would prefer to have the pigtail on there permanently for the convenience.
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      11-15-2015, 08:27 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sh55 View Post
How did you hardwire the CTEK pigtail? Specifically how did you do it for the larger positive terminal?

I just hooked mine up with the clips but would prefer to have the pigtail on there permanently for the convenience.
Most Ctek kits come with M6 terminals, you need the M8 terminals for the F8X.

http://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-261-Co...ZM5VC66NH82NAK

Red goes to the Red Post, Black to the Metal post. Done.
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      11-15-2015, 08:29 PM   #19
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you CAN use this too:

http://www.amazon.com/Cigarette-Adap...ctek+cigarette

This is pretty much what comes with the Mclaren Li-On Charger and I've used it in my F80.
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      11-15-2015, 09:14 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TrakBch View Post
Most Ctek kits come with M6 terminals, you need the M8 terminals for the F8X.

http://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-261-Co...ZM5VC66NH82NAK

Red goes to the Red Post, Black to the Metal post. Done.
Thanks, so the Red post has a bolt on it or a way to unscrew it to attach the pigtail (sorry, I didn't see a way to do it but I'm new to BMW charging terminals)

Quote:
Originally Posted by TrakBch View Post
you CAN use this too:

http://www.amazon.com/Cigarette-Adap...ctek+cigarette

This is pretty much what comes with the Mclaren Li-On Charger and I've used it in my F80.
I don't think the F8X supports charging through the accessory port per other posts, but either way I'd rather charge under the hood
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