Traveling for 3 weeks

ipilcher · 08-02-2014, 02:04 PM

I'm about to head out of town for 3 weeks, and I'm wondering what sitting for that long will do to my battery. Should I disconnect it? (I really don't feel like shelling out for a charger.)

Time · 08-02-2014, 02:07 PM

I wouldn't disconnect it. Either get a trickle charger or don't.

minn19 · 08-02-2014, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///MMB

I wouldn't disconnect it. Either get a trickle charger or don't.

^^This. A decent battery tender isn't that expensive. Especially compared to the issues/headaches you can have with a dead or malfunctioning battery due to neglect.

Michael Schott · 08-02-2014, 03:19 PM

I wouldn't worry about it, but if you are concerned I agree that a decent tender is a good investment. They are pretty cheap.

floydarogers · 08-02-2014, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ipilcher

I'm about to head out of town for 3 weeks, and I'm wondering what sitting for that long will do to my battery. Should I disconnect it? (I really don't feel like shelling out for a charger.)

3 weeks is not a problem. Just make sure you lock it and it should be fine, assuming the battery is good, and fully charged.

newoldbeemer · 08-02-2014, 06:41 PM

I was out for 4 weeks, I just asked my good friend to drive it once a week. A running car is a happy car

.

capt_slow · 08-03-2014, 09:58 AM

Your car will be fine if you lock it. This puts the vehicle in sleep mode and is good enough for me when I go on travel for weeks at a time.

That said, I do have a tender to top off the battery when I come back home or the night before a FDL coding session.

IMO: Get a tender.

SteVTEC · 08-03-2014, 12:31 PM

Yeah get a battery tender. I have one and it works great. It will be fine without though. Cars sit on dealership lots for weeks, and on boats during shipping, etc.

EBS0712 · 08-03-2014, 06:11 PM

I agree that you should get a Battery Tender. Even though your battery will survive the 3 weeks it is much healthier for it to be fully recharged and toped up. It is generally a bad idea to disconnect the battery entirely because the computers like to stay powered even though they may be in sleep mode.

rking117 · 08-04-2014, 01:02 PM

no need to disconnect. would say if you leave it for 2 months or more then sure or at least trickle charge it.

AstonKarim · 08-04-2014, 01:41 PM

Left mine for 5 weeks without trickle charger and it was fine

ipilcher · 08-04-2014, 05:16 PM

Well I did go ahead and pick up a charger for $50 at Harbor Freight.

I'm strongly considering naming this car "Princess," because it's so darn high a maintenance.

Dan_335i · 08-04-2014, 05:47 PM

I left my car for a month. June 25 to july 28. Started up fine. Did not use any chargers

ASV731 · 08-04-2014, 11:14 PM

I left my car on a trickle charger for 3 & 1/2 weeks and when I got back it started immediately. Better safe than sorry considering a decent trickle charger won't set you back that much.

Don N. · 08-04-2014, 11:32 PM

As new as your battery it, you should be fine. My older M3, I only drive it once a month or so without any issues.

mge92 · 08-05-2014, 03:53 AM

Left mine for 3 months and its all fine. Just clean it and pamper it with a wax and wash and it should be fine for the 3 weeks.

08-02-2014, 02:04 PM	#1
ipilcher Captain 430 Rep 932 Posts Drives: 2024 M3 Compensation Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: North Texas, USA iTrader: (0)	Traveling for 3 weeks - disconnect battery? I'm about to head out of town for 3 weeks, and I'm wondering what sitting for that long will do to my battery. Should I disconnect it? (I really don't feel like shelling out for a charger.)
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08-02-2014, 02:07 PM	#2
Time Member 74 Rep 379 Posts Drives: 2015 M4 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Maryland iTrader: (1) Garage List 2015 BMW M4 [0.00]	I wouldn't disconnect it. Either get a trickle charger or don't. __________________ .
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08-02-2014, 03:19 PM	#4
Michael Schott Colonel 343 Rep 2,118 Posts Drives: 2017 VW GTI Sport Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Farmington Hills, MI iTrader: (0)	I wouldn't worry about it, but if you are concerned I agree that a decent tender is a good investment. They are pretty cheap.
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08-02-2014, 06:41 PM	#6
newoldbeemer Major 266 Rep 1,093 Posts Drives: 2012 E92 328i Join Date: May 2013 Location: San Jose iTrader: (0)	I was out for 4 weeks, I just asked my good friend to drive it once a week. A running car is a happy car .
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08-03-2014, 09:58 AM	#7
capt_slow Captain 554 Rep 906 Posts Drives: 2017 F31 328d Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: SoCal iTrader: (1) Garage List 2015 VW Golf SportW ... [0.00] 2017 BMW 328d xDriv ... [10.00] 2020 BMW i3 Rex [0.00]	Get a tender... Your car will be fine if you lock it. This puts the vehicle in sleep mode and is good enough for me when I go on travel for weeks at a time. That said, I do have a tender to top off the battery when I come back home or the night before a FDL coding session. IMO: Get a tender. __________________ 2017 328d xDrive Sports Wagon: Estoril Blue, Black Sensatec, M-Sport Pkg 2020 i3 Rex: Capparis White, Giga World
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08-03-2014, 12:31 PM	#8
SteVTEC First Lieutenant 169 Rep 342 Posts Drives: '11 335i vert Join Date: May 2006 Location: DC burbs iTrader: (0)	Yeah get a battery tender. I have one and it works great. It will be fine without though. Cars sit on dealership lots for weeks, and on boats during shipping, etc. __________________ 2022 G05 X5 40i Phytonic Blue / Ivory 2011 E93 335i Deep Sea Blue / Oyster 2012 E70 X5d Deep Sea Blue / Sand Beige (ret)
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08-03-2014, 06:11 PM	#9
EBS0712 BMW CCA #257 74 Rep 187 Posts Drives: 2014 F31 Wagon / 2020 G20 Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Utah iTrader: (0)	I agree that you should get a Battery Tender. Even though your battery will survive the 3 weeks it is much healthier for it to be fully recharged and toped up. It is generally a bad idea to disconnect the battery entirely because the computers like to stay powered even though they may be in sleep mode.
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08-04-2014, 01:02 PM	#10
rking117 Lieutenant Colonel 118 Rep 1,668 Posts Drives: Z4 3.0i & 320i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	no need to disconnect. would say if you leave it for 2 months or more then sure or at least trickle charge it. __________________ Enjoying an E89 Z4, F30 320i and Fiat Abarth // E85 Z4 (sold), E82 128i (sold), Fiat Pop 500 (sold)
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08-04-2014, 01:41 PM	#11
AstonKarim First Lieutenant 38 Rep 378 Posts Drives: 2022 Audi RS5 Sportback Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Left mine for 5 weeks without trickle charger and it was fine __________________ 2022 Audi RS5 Sportback SOLD 2013 BMW 335i M Sport Xdrive / MPPK / MPE / Alpine White / Black Dakota Leather / M Sport Brake / 19"Style 403m / M Perf Diffuser
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08-04-2014, 05:16 PM	#12
ipilcher Captain 430 Rep 932 Posts Drives: 2024 M3 Compensation Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: North Texas, USA iTrader: (0)	Well I did go ahead and pick up a charger for $50 at Harbor Freight. I'm strongly considering naming this car "Princess," because it's so darn high a maintenance.
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08-04-2014, 05:47 PM	#13
Dan_335i Captain 102 Rep 936 Posts Drives: 2014 335i EBII MSport Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: toronto iTrader: (0)	I left my car for a month. June 25 to july 28. Started up fine. Did not use any chargers
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08-04-2014, 11:14 PM	#14
ASV731 Private First Class 15 Rep 120 Posts Drives: '13 328i Sport Line Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Columbia, SC iTrader: (0)	I left my car on a trickle charger for 3 & 1/2 weeks and when I got back it started immediately. Better safe than sorry considering a decent trickle charger won't set you back that much. __________________ 2013 Alpine White 328i Sportline, Xenons, hot seats, Carbon rear spoiler, Active Autowerkes Exhaust , black grills, Scorpian King 35%, Carbon fiber wrapped interior, Weisslicht LED turnsignals, Rocksford Fosgate 12" Powered Subwoofer, 19" AG M359 in Satin Black wrapped with 245/40R19 Hankook Ventus V12
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08-04-2014, 11:32 PM	#15
Don N. Brigadier General 177 Rep 3,393 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: May 2014 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (1)	As new as your battery it, you should be fine. My older M3, I only drive it once a month or so without any issues.
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08-05-2014, 03:53 AM	#16
mge92 SPEED RACER 375 Rep 740 Posts Drives: BMW X5 M50d BMW M2 CS Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: London iTrader: (2)	Left mine for 3 months and its all fine. Just clean it and pamper it with a wax and wash and it should be fine for the 3 weeks.
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