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Battery life

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E53).
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marinaman
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Battery life

Post by marinaman » Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:33 am

Morning all

Used car one month ago to the day,  went out and just fired up could tell though the batt was well deplated, nothing left on only whatever the car may use stood outside.
Any idea if this is right that a month stood doing nothing would lead to discharge.
After short run  all back to normal rapid turnover and start up

Have put on trickle charge to top up.  Battery big Bosch new last March when we got car.
Thanks
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X5Sport
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Re: Battery life

Post by X5Sport » Thu Nov 09, 2017 5:14 pm

Sounds correct.  A month will deplete a battery as there are systems like the alarm running.

BMW Dealers will fully charge a car in storage monthly.

Certainly our E46 and E71 show signs of being flat after a month.  The E71 puts a warning that reports ‘Excess battery discharge’ up and has since brand new (it’s 7 years old now).
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Re: Battery life

Post by marinaman » Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:09 pm

Ahh  a relief then    thanks very much  have got it on a trickle at moment

Many thanks
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Re: Battery life

Post by Smeeagain » Fri Nov 10, 2017 3:31 pm

[quote="marinaman"]
Morning all

Used car one month ago to the day,  went out and just fired up could tell though the batt was well deplated, nothing left on only whatever the car may use stood outside.
Any idea if this is right that a month stood doing nothing would lead to discharge.
After short run  all back to normal rapid turnover and start up

Have put on trickle charge to top up.  Battery big Bosch new last March when we got car.
Thanks
[/quote]

Just for the record, for future uses, and I appreciate you now have it on trickle charge, but these cars need at least 20 minutes of running to keep them charged, although unlike old cars where you actually had to drive them, I believe they have 'intelligent alternators' or other such marketing bollocks, that mean you don't need to drive the car to charge them. X5Sport can advise on this point

Smee

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X5Sport
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Re: Battery life

Post by X5Sport » Fri Nov 10, 2017 5:14 pm

You need 20 minutes of driving to put the starting charge back.  Cars with IBS may also only use their alternators on the overrun too (something about Efficient Dynamics?) and when the battery actually needs it.  The IBS also tracks the battery state and changes the way it charges as the battery ages - hence the coding change being needed.

You definitely need to drive it to charge it, except with a conditioner/charger.  Leaving it idling will block the DPF.
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Re: Battery life

Post by Smeeagain » Fri Nov 10, 2017 8:27 pm

Thanks for the correction

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