Trickle Charger

[Stock4Evr]

I had a BMW trickle charger on a 2003 325i which plugged into the unused cigarette lighter socket. Having traded that car in for a 2016 320i can I used the charger on this car? Are there certain specifications that I should look for? All comments are welcome.

[Ric in RVA]

Lighter socket is off when car is off. You wont be charging anything.

Can you wire to battery terminals and plug in? Make sure it draws zero current if it is attached and not plugged into wall. Some chargers will kill a battery if not charging it.

[NorthernDancer]

Secure the BMW charger in the trunk and hook up to battery.

[Stock4Evr]

Originally Posted by Ric in RVA

Lighter socket is off when car is off. You wont be charging anything.

Can you wire to battery terminals and plug in? Make sure it draws zero current if it is attached and not plugged into wall. Some chargers will kill a battery if not charging it.

It did work on the 2003 model. Are you saying it will not work on the 2016? The unit does not draw from the car but put into the car.

[fun2drv]

In newer BMWs the lighter socket is not powered when the car is not running. In the older models, it always had power so you could use it for the trickle charger to charge the battery. Now it is an open circuit when the car is not running, so plugging a trickle charger will not do anything. In the newer cars, it is recommended that you use the terminals under the hood rather than connecting directly to the battery in the trunk.

If you look at the battery terminals in the trunk you will notice that there are a number of wires connected to the battery. Not the simple two wires like in the older cars.

[z32 fairlady]

https://no.co/products/charging/multipurpose

I highly recommend the line of smart chargers above. Some trickle chargers may cause the battery to "overcharge" and possibly degrade the integrity.

I have use the G7200 frequently on my 71 240Z. I've also used it on my wife's 2008 135i for the repair feature on the original battery which was recently replaced. It certainly bought us some extra time before replacing it it August of this year.

[tock172]

Get a CTEK, and buy the pigtail that connects to the battery. CTEK is the original equipment trickle charger manufacturer for BMW, Porsche, GM, Ferrari, etc.

[bm996tt]

Have CTEK on my cars also=works great, I connected my 135is under hood where you jump car.

[tracer bullet]

I connect mine under the hood as well. It's a slight annoyance but not a big deal.

[MightyMouseTech]

I have a solar powered one that plugs into the OBD2 port. Easy peasy.

[bm996tt]

I have an CTEK cord extension so I can run it down low by front bumper so I don't have to lift hood etc, just haven't installed it yet lol.

[bmw1racer]

I bought an extension for my CTEK and routed it up near the passenger side wiper... That way, I don't have to open the hood when charging.

[Stock4Evr]

Originally Posted by tock172

Get a CTEK, and buy the pigtail that connects to the battery. CTEK is the original equipment trickle charger manufacturer for BMW, Porsche, GM, Ferrari, etc.

Can I just connect the CTEK to the car, using the under the hood connectors, and forget about it until I drive again? I just do not want the battery to drain, using all the on-board gadgets, when it is just sitting in the garage.

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by Stock4Evr

Can I just connect the CTEK to the car, using the under the hood connectors, and forget about it until I drive again?

That's exactly what I did:

[Craig in Alabam]

Hi Folks,

I've never thought it was any trouble to pop the hood to hook up the battery tender. That way I can inspect the engine for any leaks, wipe off any dust and generally check things out. If I'm going to leave the charger on overnight I put a rag over the latch and lower the hood to relieve stress on the hydraulic struts that hold it up.

Cheers!
Craig

[mackeroni]

Originally Posted by Stock4Evr

Can I just connect the CTEK to the car, using the under the hood connectors, and forget about it until I drive again? I just do not want the battery to drain, using all the on-board gadgets, when it is just sitting in the garage.

Yes. You don't have to install a pigtail. You can use clamps to connect to the posts under the hood.

[bm996tt]

I attached the CTEk connectors directly to jump points, you can spread wires apart easily to get length and remove nuts on both locals to attach. Easily seen when you take a look lol.

[Converted1]

Also a CTEK user here, you can actually sneak the plug through a space in the radiator support next to the PS headlight. Route the wire along the headlight edge and close the hood fully with the charger leads connected. I’ll take a pic if I have a chance.

[cjb762]

I just picked up a couple of these from Costco for $39.99 each. If you have a membership, it is a pretty good deal. They get great reviews on Costco.com and amazon.com.

https://www.costco.com/Battery-Tende...100241973.html

[cjb762]

Originally Posted by cjb762

I just picked up a couple of these from Costco for $39.99 each. If you have a membership, it is a pretty good deal. They get great reviews on Costco.com and amazon.com.

https://www.costco.com/Battery-Tende...100241973.html

Just got a flyer that Costco will have these on sale for $29.99. Pretty amazing deal at that price.

[tjm129]

Thanks for this!!!

Just did the same with my 1M and a Griots Battery Tender. I have looked right at this several times, but never hooked my charger up here, and kept hooking directly to the batter and tried to wedge the trunk open...

TJ

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

That's exactly what I did:

[Gangplank]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

I have a solar powered one that plugs into the OBD2 port. Easy peasy.

More info please.