Charging battery while installed?

[Tyannt]

Hi people, was wondering if it's acceptable practice to chatge a low battery in my 95-540 while it's still connected in the car? I use a Vector Smart Charger and have it set on 2 A slow charge...just wondering if I'll do any damage to anything.
Appreciated

[M Quick]

That shouldn't be a problem, at all.
Atleast that's my experience, haven't had a single problem doing it with any of the cars while they're still connected. Though it may depend on battery type (if they are "service free" or not).

[e34Croak]

Shouldn't be a problem.

[Tyannt]

Thanks for the input guys, better safe than sorry! lol

By the way, I have a newer type spiral cell, the type that doesn't gas
made for situations where batteries are inside the car(mine is under the
back seat) Wondering if anyone has used this type and encountered any
probs at all.
Rated at 825 CCA so should be powerful enough I would think?

Hello Miche!
GarrettSR5 makes reference to "I'm driving Miche" ?
Would be talking about you? lol
I assumed it's an inside joke...

[M Quick]

All e34's has the battery under the back seat so :)
And even if you have the older type that needs service and has gas coming out the e34 has a tube that you connect to it that goes down the floor.

I have only used the service-free batterys though, and those should definately not be a problem charing right in the car. It's only the older batterys that may be a little uncertain as they have; gas that likes to "expand" while they gets charged.

825CCA should be enough, yes!

Yeah, he's reffering to me alright! And yeah, i guess ;)

[zubbie]

The more important question is why is it low? Bad battery, car left too long, bad alternator? Have you had it load tested?

FWIW I keep a battery tender hooked to the rear cig lighter socket on my E34 all winter. No problems

[ESSSupreme]

Why not just jump start and let alternator recharge it?

[Tyannt]

Some answers! lol
The battery was low because it had not run for about 3 weeks, then I was away for another 2 weeks.
I chose to trickle charge the battery instead of driving or idling it because I've had a problem with the brakes grabbing and locking up within a mile of driving. Put new calipers, pads and caliper lines on but does the same, sooo hadn't been driving it.
I had posted a thread to do with that.

[lovinlyfe4dub]

Why not just jump start and let alternator recharge it?
That puts alot of strain on the charging system due to all the amps being drawn.

[Tyannt]

The more important question is why is it low? Bad battery, car left too long, bad alternator? Have you had it load tested?

FWIW I keep a battery tender hooked to the rear cig lighter socket on my E34 all winter. No problems

Was recently checking them out...they trickle charge the battery so that it
doesn't go flat when not in use? Sounds like a good idea!

I have a 5W solar charger, was thinking of just leaving it in the car when not in use...

[shogun]

In our wrenching group we have in 2 storage warehouses one of our member owns about 30 E32 750 and E32 Alpina B12 5.0.
All of them have the battery installed and they are all connected to float chargers. Actually we are using the cheapo from Haborfreight since years, no problem at all.
Here some pics of these warehouses
http://www.bimmerboard.com/members/shogun/warehouse2.jpg
http://www.bimmerboard.com/members/shogun/warehouse1.jpg
http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i155/shogun_bucket/?action=view&current=warehouse4.jpg
http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i155/shogun_bucket/?action=view&current=warehouse1-1.jpg
this B12 we will repair now http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i155/shogun_bucket/?action=view&current=warehouse5.jpg
looks worth than it is, even the radiator is not damaged. New Apina front bumper/spoiler we have on stock, fenders plenty.

Solar charger: I bought one some years back for my regular/daily driver, as I drive a lot of short distances. Actually that one can just keep the battery level, but cannot recharge it, at least not the one I have. Often the claim in the ads what Watts they have/produce, but that is theoretical and maybe achieved in a lab. If you buy a solar charger, make sure it is a good one, and you park outside without a cover and have a lot of sunshine.

[upallnight]

Why not just jump start and let alternator recharge it?

Alternator are only designed to maintain a battery, no recharge it when it is dead. You will eventually kill the alternator with this practice.

[T444E]

All e34's has the battery under the back seat so :)
And even if you have the older type that needs service and has gas coming out the e34 has a tube that you connect to it that goes down the floor.

I have only used the service-free batterys though, and those should definately not be a problem charing right in the car. It's only the older batterys that may be a little uncertain as they have; gas that likes to "expand" while they gets charged.

825CCA should be enough, yes!

Yeah, he's reffering to me alright! And yeah, i guess ;)

No they don't. Try again chief.


Why not just jump start and let alternator recharge it?

:lol:lol

[5mall5nail5]

All e34's has the battery under the back seat so :)

Nope.


I use a Battery Tender - works great. I have the charging terminal installed "permanently" (bolted to battery) and simply reach under the car and plug the car in. I had some nasty performance out of my battery for a while. I would get maybe 15 - 20 sec of cranking before the battery would be too dead to move the starter - important when trying to get the car tuned up. I threw the Battery Tender one once and let it go over night, car has never been the same since! Idles 14v instead of like 13.2, cranks as long as you want, etc. In fact, the past month or more I haven't even driven the car much and it starts right up without even having to be on the charger. It really fixed something... and my battery was brand new.