[winther1]

in preparation for the xhp flash and BM3, I'm considering getting a battery charger. particularly as I'm getting a low battery warning after just 2 days of non-use (it does have a dashcam running).
I know you usually get what you pay for, but is this up to the task of keeping the battery topped up while flashing? Only 8amp:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BUDDYGO-Int...M&sr=1-16&th=1

[t5pilot]

Looks ok. It should do the job anyway.

[winther1]

Originally Posted by t5pilot

Looks ok. It should do the job anyway.

Thanks - then this seems like a bit of a steal at £16
Just to be sure, is the connection in the front or back on the F36?

[t5pilot]

Originally Posted by winther1

Thanks - then this seems like a bit of a steal at £16
Just to be sure, is the connection in the front or back on the F36?

Under the bonnet. You have a negative earth post & a positive terminal with a red plastic cap on it.

[Techno 9000]

For charging, use the points under the bonnet.

8 amps is plenty to charge the battery, but remember what is in the Xhp manual. They say that up to 30 amps may be taken during flashing (even with all accessories, air con, seat heating, light, radio etc turned off), so I would recommend using your charger overnight to get your battery up to 100% charge before flashing.

[t5pilot]

And just leave it connected when flashing too.

[winther1]

I'm doing a 1 hour motorway drive on Monday mornings which I understand is enough to charge the battery 100%. When I get home I will plug in the charger and do the flash

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by winther1

I'm doing a 1 hour motorway drive on Monday mornings which I understand is enough to charge the battery 100%. When I get home I will plug in the charger and do the flash

Normal driving, even over time/distance doesn't charge the battery to 100%. Energy management leaves battery capacity for over-run energy 'harvesting'. Anything above ~80% SoC, is gained by lots of over-run charging, not by conventional or even 'intelligent' charging.

[Armaan]

Is a charger worth getting then? I've ordered the above one as it was a deal and I got the battery low warning light this week. Car gets driven 30 mins a week to try to keep the mechanics in order.

Thanks

Armaan

[SkyJawa]

CTEK MXS5.0

[winther1]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

CTEK MXS5.0

I was about to buy that one but for went for the other option as it was 8amp vs 5 on the CTEK

[sunjas]

I bought the CTEK MXS5.0 during the first lockdown as I got battery discharge warning. Brilliant bit of kit that conditions the battery and re-charges. Highly recommend. CTEK do other versions of this charger too.

S.

[AlanQS]

I got a Noco Genius 5 for my wife's Fiesta. Even with a new battery, it goes flat after a week or so. After fully charging it, it went for weeks without needing it again so it is quite good. BUT, it's only 5 amps and it is sooo slow - 0ver 12 hours and with Scottish weather outside, that's tricky to do. It has too small an amperage, I feel.

I got a Rohr DFX-150 after the last debacle but, paradoxically, I haven't needed it, yet. But it outputs 15 amps and appears to have all the facilities of the Genius so I have high hopes.

[Techno 9000]

Originally Posted by Armaan

Is a charger worth getting then? I've ordered the above one as it was a deal and I got the battery low warning light this week. Car gets driven 30 mins a week to try to keep the mechanics in order.

Thanks

Armaan

Yes, completely worth getting. You have to realise that it takes many hours to properly recharge a large battery. Overnight or a similar length is about right, unless the battery is deeply discharged. If the charger is small enough it can be tucked away in the engine bay along with the socket of the mains extension lead, out of the elements.

[machman767]

@winther1, did you go for the one you originally mentioned?

[Armaan]

Originally Posted by Techno 9000

Yes, completely worth getting. You have to realise that it takes many hours to properly recharge a large battery. Overnight or a similar length is about right, unless the battery is deeply discharged. If the charger is small enough it can be tucked away in the engine bay along with the socket of the mains extension lead, out of the elements.

I thought as much. Especially through the winter it's not likely to get used as much and now I've got the warning, I'd rather be safe. Ordered the one in the original post and it's arriving tomorrow - will charge it for 8-10 hours Saturday and see how it goes. Driveway with traffic on road and public through road means I can't leave it overnight.

Thanks for the reply

Armaan

[winther1]

Originally Posted by machman767

@winther1, did you go for the one you originally mentioned?

Yes, received it today

[machman767]

Let us know how you get on with the chargers, still waiting for the 07/2020 update to install, guess the battery isn't charged enough with short journeys at the moment.

[ukbeemerboy]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

CTEK MXS5.0

I have one of these, brilliant piece of kit

[gippy]

sooooo i just charged my car overnight with a 4amp smart charger i had lieing around. It now reads full.
When i measure the voltage at the battery in the boot it reads 12.25V.
anyone else have similar reading/result?
still not sure if its safe enough for me to begin xhp flashing....i assume it is.

this is what i used - worked well on other things, £30 on ebay
http://www.absaar.com/v2/en/products...absaar-pro-4-3

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by gippy

sooooo i just charged my car overnight with a 4amp smart charger i had lieing around. It now reads full.
When i measure the voltage at the battery in the boot it reads 12.25V.
anyone else have similar reading/result?
still not sure if its safe enough for me to begin xhp flashing....i assume it is.

Is that with the car unlocked and awake? Suspect it is. If so, voltage will be lower than in sleep mode.

I know my car reads about 0.3 Volts lower when fully awake, (without ignition being on).

Don't you need a power supply to flash? There's a current topic on this subject, where it possibly all went wrong without a power supply.

[gippy]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Is that with the car unlocked and awake? Suspect it is. If so, voltage will be lower than in sleep mode.

I know my car reads about 0.3 Volts lower when fully awake, (without ignition being on).

Don't you need a power supply to flash? There's a current topic on this subject, where it possibly all went wrong without a power supply.

yup unlocked and awake.
aaah ok.
well that's what i'm trying to figure out, according to my charger it's now full, and so running on trickle charge. And i just don't know whether with only 4Amps that is good enough to sustain the battery above 12V for 15 mins whilst xhp is flashing and drawing current..

or i just spend the £50 to get a 30A+ charger just to flash xhp. or try and borrow one from my local indy.

EDIT: well i've just bought the cheapest 30A charger i could find with a UK plug, £40 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-24V-B...-/303486804821
i might as well be safe than sorry.