[WagonHo]

Originally Posted by visionaut

Cool, but you really should tap in your charging connections under the hood, else it can cause IBS issues. See attached.

From the front, you can feed your CTEK wiring out to the front bumper air vents. It should hopefully work just as well as charging from the tail.

When I did mine I added a CTEK 56-380 Comfort Indicator Panel mounted in my outer right vent. To connect I just pop the rubber cover to the side and jack in. Mini LEDs on the little panel pulse red, yellow or green. I also use a CTEK extension wire off my charger to reach when I’m parked in the opposite direction. It’s pretty tidy and discreet… I think they make something similar for the later-style CTEK connectors too…

More pics: https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...2&postcount=26

.

I did a bunch of research and saw warnings like that, but I have not seen a single example of anyone actually having a problem. I suspect the risk to the IBS is low to nil even if this bypassed the IBS, but I don't think it does.

The IBS is attached directly to the negative battery post clamp, so it's not actually being bypassed at all. The square plastic box attached to the bottom of the negative post clamp in the picture is the IBS.

Also, the BMW/CTEK tender is a "smart" tender and has temperature and voltage sensors of it's own. That compensates for bypassing the IBS and prevents any condition that would damage the IBS or battery. The connector is also designed to go directly on the battery post clamps.

To me that leaves it as a matter of preference and this works for me in my garage setup, for being quick, and for being tucked out of sight.

BMW tells me that I should change my oil every 10k (I do 5k), that my diff and trans fluids are lifetime fill and actually shouldn't be changed (I changed them at 70k), and that my staggered tires might roach my xDrive, too. So far, so good.

[moppity]

Originally Posted by visionaut

From the front, you can feed your CTEK wiring out to the front bumper air vents. It should hopefully work just as well as charging from the tail.

More pics: https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...2&postcount=26

Does that placement cope ok with weather? Is it sealed well enough to take a load of water spraying on it for example?

Thanks!

[visionaut]

Originally Posted by moppity

Does that placement cope ok with weather? Is it sealed well enough to take a load of water spraying on it for example?

Thanks!

Yep. The attached rubber cap keeps the connector dry. And the way the connector is designed with a separator between the pins also helps prevent a possible current path. I’ve been using it over 5 years, rain/sleet/snow.

[im_an_alien]

What they said. Probably my most useful mod, have had this set up for years now. Added advantage of not having to worry about being locked out of the trunk with a dead battery, plus the car can be covered up for storage.

[moppity]

*clicks buy on amazon* 😂

Thanks folks!

[LA430]

Originally Posted by im_an_alien

Attachment 3646242What they said. Probably my most useful mod, have had this set up for years now. Added advantage of not having to worry about being locked out of the trunk with a dead battery, plus the car can be covered up for storage.

I LIKE this!! Do you have a link to the indicator connector?

[im_an_alien]

Originally Posted by LA430

I LIKE this!! Do you have a link to the indicator connector?

Search for CTEK comfort connector. There is new style but the old school one like I have should still be available, you'll just have to search wider. I'll look up where I got mines from.

[visionaut]

Originally Posted by LA430

I LIKE this!! Do you have a link to the indicator connector?

Looks to be the same LED Comfort Panel wiring I cited: CTEK 56-380
https://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-380-C...002OHXX60?th=1

Agree it’s a super useful mod…

[im_an_alien]

Originally Posted by visionaut

Looks to be the same LED Comfort Panel wiring I cited: CTEK 56-380
https://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-380-C...002OHXX60?th=1

Agree it’s a super useful mod…

Yup, that's it...

[visionaut]

The BMW part # is: 61432289105. Same item minus the CTEK logo. Sometimes actually cheaper…

[visionaut]

Originally Posted by WagonHo

I did a bunch of research and saw warnings like that, but I have not seen a single example of anyone actually having a problem. I suspect the risk to the IBS is low to nil even if this bypassed the IBS, but I don't think it does.

The IBS is attached directly to the negative battery post clamp, so it's not actually being bypassed at all. The square plastic box attached to the bottom of the negative post clamp in the picture is the IBS.

The reason to use the front terminal points, according to BMW’s IBS info:

“Only charge the battery via the jump start terminal point. Only then can the voltage supply be registered by the vehicle.”

So by charging from the rear, you’re just relying on the CTEK, and you are bypassing the cars Advanced Power Management. So none of your charging or measurement data gets stored in memory.…

More on how APM works:

“The IBS continuously measures the following values on the battery:
Terminal voltage
Charge current
Discharge current
Battery temperature

For data transfer, the IBS is connected via a LIN bus (LIN stands for
Local Interconnect Network) e.g. with the following control unit:
Digital Motor Electronics (DME) or Digital Diesel Electronics (DDE) or
Electrical Digital Motor Electronics (EDME).

The APM (Advanced Power Management) with the intelligent battery
sensor (IBS) determines the state of charge while driving and when the
vehicle is at a standstill with the help of measured data:

Vehicle standstill
When the vehicle is at a standstill, the measured values (open-circuit
voltage measurement) are queried in cycles to detect energy losses.
The measured values are entered in the IBS in the memory and
transferred to the DME, DDE or EDME after restarting the engine.

For the history of the state of charge, the following values are stored in
the DME, DDE, EDME:
- Battery state of charge of the last 5 days.
- Charge status histogram showing periods in the ranges 0 - 20 %,
20 - 40 %, 40 - 60 %, 60 - 80 % and 80 - 100 %. The charge status
histogram is reset in the following cases: programming the DME,
DDE or EDME or registering a battery exchange.”


So while it works, it’s probably not a good as using the front terminals that are properly tied into the APM/IBS system.
.

[Runner340]

I briefly considered getting the Ctek Comfort Indicator Panel mounted to the grill but I also know me. When I want to take the car out the last thing I want to do is back out of the garage with the charger plugged in. So I prefer the more in my face approach having the hood up and the charger clamped on the charge posts.

[im_an_alien]

I actually did that once (backed out with the charger plugged in at the grille), it just unclipped without messing up anything

[Skyhigh]

Reading those few last posts, one would think we are in an EV forum… how often do you guys need to charge your start-up battery!? Why is it such a big deal to open the bonnet - you just pull twice )

I charge only when I am about to not drive the car for a month (1-2 times a year) and then it is not a big deal to open the bonnet and just connect to the terminals. Why make it more complicated

[LA430]

Originally Posted by Skyhigh

Reading those few last posts, one would think we are in an EV forum… how often do you guys need to charge your start-up battery!? Why is it such a big deal to open the bonnet - you just pull twice )

I charge only when I am about to not drive the car for a month (1-2 times a year) and then it is not a big deal to open the bonnet and just connect to the terminals. Why make it more complicated

I travel for work a lot so maybe 4-6 times a year my car doesn’t get driven for 3-6 weeks. I plug in the tender when I leave. I have it under the hood right now, but I like the clean solution of just having a terminal to do it. I’d probably still put it under the hood and mount it to a trim piece.

[im_an_alien]

Mine is stored up to 6 months during winter, so plugging in is a must. The car also doesn't see daily driving, it may sit for a week between drives.
Also, why open the hood when you don't have to? Pulling the hood handle twice is easy, but this is easier.

[WagonHo]

Originally Posted by visionaut

The reason to use the front terminal points, according to BMW’s IBS info:

“Only charge the battery via the jump start terminal point. Only then can the voltage supply be registered by the vehicle.”

So by charging from the rear, you’re just relying on the CTEK, and you are bypassing the cars Advanced Power Management. So none of your charging or measurement data gets stored in memory.…

More on how APM works:

[I]“The IBS continuously measures the following values on the battery:
Terminal voltage
Charge current
Discharge current
Battery temperature

For data transfer, the IBS is connected via a LIN bus (LIN stands for
Local Interconnect Network) e.g. with the following control unit:
Digital Motor Electronics (DME) or Digital Diesel Electronics (DDE) or
Electrical Digital Motor Electronics (EDME).

The APM (Advanced Power Management) with the intelligent battery
sensor (IBS) determines the state of charge while driving and when the
vehicle is at a standstill with the help of measured data:

Vehicle standstill
When the vehicle is at a standstill, the measured values (open-circuit
voltage measurement) are queried in cycles to detect energy losses.
The measured values are entered in the IBS in the memory and
transferred to the DME, DDE or EDME after restarting the engine.

For the history of the state of charge, the following values are stored in
the DME, DDE, EDME:
- Battery state of charge of the last 5 days.
- Charge status histogram showing periods in the ranges 0 - 20 %,
20 - 40 %, 40 - 60 %, 60 - 80 % and 80 - 100 %. [...]

The APM explanation helps explain my point Consider the data circuit:

The IBS reads battery state data from the negative terminal and is the data's only entry point into the APM system either way.

NEG Terminal (dis/charge, voltage, temp data) -> IBS -> LIN BUS -> DME, DDE, EDME. Charge flows into the battery via the positive terminal whether connected at the jump point (via uninterrupted cable - no inline sensors - to the positive terminal) or the battery. . . both are upstream of the IBS. The IBS is still in series in my setup and is collecting good data for ABM

I suspect the reason BMW says jump/charge at the front (beyond liability) is that the IBS sensor is physically delicate and easily damaged leading to issues.

Anyway, I like your build and your clean install, LA430's too. To each their own but a dongle in the grille is not for me and when parked up, this keeps the garage sorted.

[WagonHo]

Originally Posted by Skyhigh

Reading those few last posts, one would think we are in an EV forum… how often do you guys need to charge your start-up battery!? Why is it such a big deal to open the bonnet - you just pull twice )

I charge only when I am about to not drive the car for a month (1-2 times a year) and then it is not a big deal to open the bonnet and just connect to the terminals. Why make it more complicated

Ha, right? I didn't mean to inspire such passion.

Mine has been on the road only once since early November and likely won't be for another couple of months I find the system runs the charge down pretty badly within two weeks or less without it. With the tender, there's nothing to think about, the battery is cared for, and the car stays dry, clean, warm, and safe..

As for why. . . It was something to do, was easy, is now a small feature, and there is nothing complicated about it.

[sbst]

i literally just threw on my ctek for the first time today. ol girl gonna need it for these next few days. (MN here….)

[visionaut]

long weekend hookups…

[Alarbus]

Originally Posted by WagonHo

When it's this blasted cold outside it's the small projects that keep me going, but I definitely need a heater for the garage.

Minisplit. You can DIY it via Mr Cool, or have a contractor install a system, but it's a fantastic way of keeping it tolerable in winter AND summer.

[p0p]

Lots of fun getting to the 6th one. NGK Plugs done as well; gapped at .28.
Interesting on both the f30 & g07 was champion.