[charpour]

Hi,

In two weeks from now, I have a business trip and will be away for around 6 weeks. As a result, my car (330d with around 1k, still break in period) will stay "inactive" for that long. Is there anything I need to worry about? I've read somewhere in the manual that the engine/brakes shouldn't stay inactive for more than a month. Furthermore, some people say that with the diesel fuel it's not a good idea to leave the car with a full tank. That is, they recommend a tank filled with as little fuel as possible.

Any opinions around that?

Thanks

[jhuber]

Had mine sit for just over a month during a business trip and had no issues, I have 335i though. Either way I would let diesel get down at least below 1\4 tank that way when you get back you can fill with mostly new diesel, maybe consider disconnecting battery but will likely be fine with just 6 weeks. If you have a trusted friend have them come fire it up, drive her around the block to get brakes working and avoid flat spots on tires (again, this isn't really an issue at 6 weeks) I have been deployed for months on end and this was a concern, had a friend drive at least every other week during the longer ones.

[HFW003]

I went overseas about two years ago for two months, came home and the car (328) started first time.

Can't help you with the diesel though, that's the devils work!

Just so you know, same for the Ducati as well

[White340]

Overinflated the tires so they don't get flat spots for sitting too long.

[VividRacingII]

I always place my keys to my close family member or trusted friends when I go out of town for over two weeks. In case of anything happens, someone can help out.

Pump more air to your tires, leave half tank of the diesel. Have your family member to start the engine every 7 days for like 10mins.

[Billfitz]

The main concern is the battery, because the car electronics will drain it. A trickle charger will take care of that. It should be connected to the jumper posts under the hood.

[EBS0712]

Recommend a "Battery Tender" which will keep the battery charged but will not overcharge or create any life issues. As suggested connect it to the jumper posts under the hood.

[VCuomo]

I wouldn't worry about flat spots on your tires, 6 weeks of sitting is not long enough to cause that.

I would not disconnect the battery; instead, purchase a Battery Tender and hook it up before you leave.

I also wouldn't worry about the fuel in the tank going bad in just 6 weeks.

Also, read the manual and follow what it says but remember that 6 weeks is really not a very long time for a car to sit (the battery going dead is the main thing).

My $.02 - you get what you pay for!

I hope your trip goes well!

[DHS]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

The main concern is the battery, because the car electronics will drain it. A trickle charger will take care of that. It should be connected to the jumper posts under the hood.

Trickle chargers will over time over charge and ruin a battery. You want a battery maintainer NOT a trickle charger.

[charpour]

Thank you all for the suggestions. What am I'm planning to do as per your recommendations are the following:

• Inflate tires a little bit to ensure no flat spots
• Have the fuel tank filed to around 1/2
• Buy and connect a battery maintainer to avoid any problems with it

With regard to to the last point, as I haven't done that before, that is to connect a battery maintainer, could you please recommend some specific brand and whether I need any additional connectors ? Moreover, is there a need for the hood to be open all the time while the battery maintainer is connected (I've no idea how to connect it at the moment)?

Oh.. and one more. The maintainer needs to be connected all the time to a power supply socket?

Thanks again for the helpful recommendations.

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by DHS

Trickle chargers will over time over charge and ruin a battery. You want a battery maintainer NOT a trickle charger.

While there is a technical difference between the two, the descriptive terms have become interchangeable, just like Coke and Pepsi. For that matter true trickle chargers are almost non-existent. Virtually all modern chargers have circuitry to prevent over-charging, no matter what their capacity. What's referred to today as trickle chargers are those too small to rapidly charge a battery.

is there a need for the hood to be open all the time while the battery maintainer is connected (I've no idea how to connect it at the moment)?

Most are small enough to be temporarily placed in the engine compartment. You do have to run an AC supply cord through the grille so that the hood can be left closed.

The maintainer needs to be connected all the time to a power supply socket?

If they're not plugged in they don't work.

[charpour]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

While there is a technical difference between the two, the descriptive terms have become interchangeable, just like Coke and Pepsi. For that matter true trickle chargers are almost non-existent. Virtually all modern chargers have circuitry to prevent over-charging, no matter what their capacity. What's referred to today as trickle chargers are those too small to rapidly charge a battery.
Most are small enough to be temporarily placed in the engine compartment. You do have to run an AC supply cord through the grille so that the hood can be left closed.
If they're not plugged in they don't work.

Now this could be a problem as I'm parking the car in my company's common garage spaces and I don't think there are any power outlets on the walls. Is there any alternative to keep the battery alive (e.g. reduce its usage to the minimum in order not to drain within those 6 weeks)?

Unfortunately, having someone drive the car every other week is not really an option

[chiefneil]

Originally Posted by charpour

Now this could be a problem as I'm parking the car in my company's common garage spaces and I don't think there are any power outlets on the walls. Is there any alternative to keep the battery alive (e.g. reduce its usage to the minimum in order not to drain within those 6 weeks)?

Unfortunately, having someone drive the car every other week is not really an option

If that's the case then personally I wouldn't worry about using a float charger (terminology police can give me a thumbs up there). I know years ago in other forums there were reports of batteries going dead after a couple weeks but BMW adjusted the sleep algorithms and I haven't seen anybody posting about dead batteries from inactivity for quite a while.

I'd pick up one of these in case you need a jump when you get back, and otherwise just leave the car alone and take your chances. This is a good gizmo to have in the trunk anyway, been meaning to get one myself since batteries these days tend to die without any warning.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...omotive&sr=1-6

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by charpour

Is there any alternative to keep the battery alive (e.g. reduce its usage to the minimum in order not to drain within those 6 weeks)?

No. The car electronics must run all the time, so disconnecting the battery to keep it from being drained is not an option. The car itself will reduce power drain to a minimum, but it can't turn everything off. You may not have a problem, since you won't have cold weather where you are and the battery isn't old, but it is a possibility. Where I live I plug it in every night in winter, to extend battery life.

[EBS0712]

The specific brand that is recommended by the BMW CCA technical guys is a Battery Tender. It sells on Amazon for about $28. Hunt down an outlet and use a long extension cord if necessary.

[DHS]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

While there is a technical difference between the two, the descriptive terms have become interchangeable, just like Coke and Pepsi. For that matter true trickle chargers are almost non-existent. Virtually all modern chargers have circuitry to prevent over-charging, no matter what their capacity. What's referred to today as trickle chargers are those too small to rapidly charge a battery.

Don't know where you get your information but there are a number of true trickle chargers still available the majority of of which will ruin batteries if left connected for a length of time. The devil is in the details and trickle chargers never were, are not now and never will be the same as maintainers or float chargers. I also suspect many do not equate Coke to Pepsi nor Pepsi to Coke.

'A trickle charger works by charging your battery at a rate similar to the rate at which it discharges. However, it is possible to cause damage to your battery by leaving it on the charger for too long. While a trickle charger works at a much slower rate than a regular battery charger, they are not designed to be left on a battery indefinitely. Depending on how depleted your battery's charge is, you may need to leave it on the trickle charger for a few hours or for a day or two. It is important to monitor the battery while it is on the charger and remove it immediately upon receiving a full charge. Otherwise, the battery could be ruined or even catch fire. A good use for a trickle battery charger is for a battery that has not been in use for several months as it is better for a battery to be recharged at a slow rate.'

versus

'A float charger works much in the same way as a trickle charger--by delivering a slow charge to the battery. However, the float charger is designed to prevent over-charging of a battery. It can sense when the battery has received a full charge and thus ceases charging until the battery begins to lose its charge. When it senses a loss in charge it will automatically resume charging. Due to this feature, the float charger can be left on a battery indefinitely. A good use for a float charger is for a vehicle that is rarely driven, but that the owner wants to be able to access at any time without having to recharge the battery.'

[charpour]

Hi again,

I've bought the CTEK MXS 5.0 (http://www.ctek.com/lt/en/chargers/MXS%205.0) to do the job (finally managed to find an outlet on the wall where I park the car).

However, I'm a bit unsure which charging program to use with it for my 2016 F30 330d's battery.

It should be either 'Normal battery program' or 'AGM' option I reckon. I've attached a screenshot from the manual which explains the different options. Could you please help me out in choosing the right one?

Thanks in advance!

[chiefneil]

Originally Posted by charpour

Hi again,

I've bought the CTEK MXS 5.0 (http://www.ctek.com/lt/en/chargers/MXS%205.0) to do the job (finally managed to find an outlet on the wall where I park the car).

However, I'm a bit unsure which charging program to use with it for my 2016 F30 330d's battery.

It should be either 'Normal battery program' or 'AGM' option I reckon. I've attached a screenshot from the manual which explains the different options. Could you please help me out in choosing the right one?

Thanks in advance!

Interesting. I have the CTEK 4.3 and the normal program includes AGM.

Anyway, I know my 335i uses an AGM battery. You can do a little googling to see if your 330d does as well.

[charpour]

Originally Posted by chiefneil

Interesting. I have the CTEK 4.3 and the normal program includes AGM.

Anyway, I know my 335i uses an AGM battery. You can do a little googling to see if your 330d does as well.

Now, that's where all the confusion is.. I think my car also has an AGM battery, however the 'Normal battery mode' says "and many AGM batteries", whereas the pure AGM option says "Use for charging most AGM batteries
like Optima and Odyssey. ".

The difference since to be the 14.4V/5A (Normal battery mode) vs 14.7V/5A (AGM mode).

I'd imagine that both would do but I'd prefer not to take any risks.

Oh and by the way, is it easy to close the hood after you attach the cables (having the device sitting externally)?

EDIT: some additional information I found with regard to the AGM mode: "AGM option is perfect for maximising performance and life of most Stop - Start batteries" still unsure though which is the one I should use.

Thanks

[chiefneil]

Originally Posted by charpour

Now, that's where all the confusion is.. I think my car also has an AGM battery, however the 'Normal battery mode' says "and many AGM batteries", whereas the pure AGM option says "Use for charging most AGM batteries
like Optima and Odyssey. ".

The difference since to be the 14.4V/5A (Normal battery mode) vs 14.7V/5A (AGM mode).

I'd imagine that both would do but I'd prefer not to take any risks.

Oh and by the way, is it easy to close the hood after you attach the cables (having the device sitting externally)?

Thanks

I've only used the CTEK on my wife's X5. I just run the cable through the grill while the hood is up, then ease the hood closed. I'm careful closing the hood as the alligator clips with the CTEK are lightweight and slip/move easily on the charging post.

In my case I leave the CTEK outside the car, but in a parking garage I'd leave the unit under hood and run the extension cord through the grill (assuming the slats are wide enough to get either the plug or receptacle through).

Regarding the AGM confusion, I'd say just call or email CTEK and see what they have to say.

[sgjohnston]

Originally Posted by charpour

Hi again,

I've bought the CTEK MXS 5.0 (http://www.ctek.com/lt/en/chargers/MXS%205.0) to do the job (finally managed to find an outlet on the wall where I park the car).

However, I'm a bit unsure which charging program to use with it for my 2016 F30 330d's battery.

It should be either 'Normal battery program' or 'AGM' option I reckon. I've attached a screenshot from the manual which explains the different options. Could you please help me out in choosing the right one?

Thanks in advance!

I used AGM mode on a 2007 118d, which was left for six months without being moved. The only problem was the tyres losing air, it fired right up immediately when I returned, and no perceivable battery problems in the long term.

[charpour]

Below is the response I got back from CTEK:

HI

If you have an AGM battery, you use AGM setting
If you have other flooded lead/acid or GEL battery use normal car mode.

If you are unsure, use normal mode.
Be sure that light number 7 is lit (green) before you leave your vehicle unattended for long time maintenance. This is to ensure that there are no severe battery problem, that might hinder the charger to fill (and maintain) the battery.

Charger stays in level 7 for 10 days, If the program is not interrupted or the battery activated (doors opened, radio played, vehicle started…) , the 8th level is illuminated after ten days, and the charger is in the ultimate stage of long time maintenance mode.

Thus, I guess I mayuse either mode, AGM charging slightly faster.