[TheMidnightNarwhal]

I want to buy a battery charger just to go by the book for everytime a DIY or precedure calls for one and that way I know I'm not risking running out of battery.

That said how expesive/amps of a charger do I need? I just want input from you guys before buying one.

My guess is even the lowest specced amp ones will at least keep the battery level the same and not allow it to deplete?

[vilord]

Best thing you can buy, at waaaay too much money:
https://www.batterychargers.com/en/p...attery-support

Specs:
You want at least 50 amps
Mode:
You want a constant voltage mode.

I have a $400 snap-on battery charger that is excellent at charging batteries and bringing back from the dead batteries that won't hold a charge.
But, it is terrible for programming. The voltage goes from 12.2 all the way up to 15.6 or so in varying cycles, and anything using ISTA-P fails as a result... i end up just hooking up jumper cables to another car.
(The newer version of the snap-on charger has an added constant-voltage mode...)

[gurusan]

I bought this one from Walmart and am happy with it. Good for charging, MHD flashes, trickle charging...
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stanley-1...xoCImQQAvD_BwE

[ewicky]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

I want to buy a battery charger just to go by the book for everytime a DIY or precedure calls for one and that way I know I'm not risking running out of battery.

That said how expesive/amps of a charger do I need? I just want input from you guys before buying one.

My guess is even the lowest specced amp ones will at least keep the battery level the same and not allow it to deplete?

What are you trying to do? Trickle charge your car for long-term storage? Power all the accessories while you live in it? Start it from dead instantly? Flashing modules? Coding?

Most "precedures call for" the battery to be disconnected so you don't throw any codes, cause any shorts, or whatever while working on your car.

[vilord]

^ good point, what are you trying to do is important.

If you want to be able to flash the whole car with ISTA-P, which could mean half an hour of flashing modules with the headlights turned on, then you need a 50 amp charger or jumper cables.

If you just want to update something here or there quickly, you can usually get away with any old 15-20amp charger like gurusan bought.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by ewicky

What are you trying to do? Trickle charge your car for long-term storage? Power all the accessories while you live in it? Start it from dead instantly? Flashing modules? Coding?

Most "precedures call for" the battery to be disconnected so you don't throw any codes, cause any shorts, or whatever while working on your car.

Originally Posted by vilord

^ good point, what are you trying to do is important.

If you want to be able to flash the whole car with ISTA-P, which could mean half an hour of flashing modules with the headlights turned on, then you need a 50 amp charger or jumper cables.

If you just want to update something here or there quickly, you can usually get away with any old 15-20amp charger like gurusan bought.

No not long storage.

I thought I saw in the Injector procedure it tells you to connect a charger I must have mistaken it with a DIY post. But that is 1st example.

For example take this scenario, I have not used my car for 3 days now and tomorrow I will be doing T stat change. I'll have to run the pump bleed procedure one or 2 time and having not drive the car I expect the battery to lower than usual and instead of just risking having to jump start which will be a pain I rather connect some power to it.

Or another example I coded my car with NCS Expert without issues but I was turning on ignition getting the file, turning ignition off and going back in. With a charger I could have done all I wanted while staying in the car and keeping it on.

Also for MHD flashing. I need to do another flash so it takes ~ 30 mins (not just a map change) . I plan on driving my car to charge up battery with alternator and still connect a charger to it just in case and to slow the drain (since a charger that will actually block battery discharge and charge faster seem pretty $$$)

So that's kind of my intent in getting a charger if you see what I'm looking for.

[gurusan]

The one I bought also varies charging rate depending on what is being used... up to 40A

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by gurusan

The one I bought also varies charging rate depending on what is being used... up to 40A

Altough yours is 15 Amps correct? That 40A is just for jump starting?

Any how I'm in Canada and this is my selection... https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/autom...-chargers.html

Worst case I just buy a expensive one and use it tomorrow then return it. And wait till I buy one on sale.

[gurusan]

No it's adaptive.

"Automatically selects charge rate & adjusts from rapid charge to trickle charge to maximize battery life"

From that list I would take the 119.99 one.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by gurusan

No it's adaptive.

"Automatically selects charge rate & adjusts from rapid charge to trickle charge to maximize battery life"

From that list I would take the 119.99 one.

Yeah that was the one I was considering... 25A biggest most charging power.

EDIT: It's actually 89$ at my local store, onleine price is 120$. I think I'll pull the trigger on that one!

[tcphoto]

I ordered this charger from ECS and have only used it a few times. Funny, I paid $52 and it went up $20.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben.../005979sch01a/

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

I got this thing on sale.

https://www.amazon.com/STANLEY-BC25B.../dp/B01BYFSUJW

It's pretty large but it works really well. It also has a desulfating function, which is nice. I've been happy with it.

I use it for coding and updating my DME. It hasn't let me down.

[gbalthrop]

I just got another charger from HFT a month or two ago for $40 when it was on sale; it's now $53:
https://www.harborfreight.com/10250-...art-60653.html

This has a selection for AGM battery or another for Regular FLA. It can charge at 10 Amps which is ideal for when running bleed procedure on coolant pump, or doing general diagnostics with ignition on and K+DCAN cable/ Laptop attached. It can trickle charge at 2 Amps for "topping off", or it has a 50 Amp switch for Jumpstart.

It also has a gauge showing rough percentage of charge, and an indicator light that goes to Green (from Red) when full charge is attained.

I don't know if HFT has any outlets in Canada, or if they ship there, but if NOT, then I would try to find something with similar specs for <$100. You do NOT need to spend hundreds for the "latest & greatest" (most expensivest).

George

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by gbalthrop

I just got another charger from HFT a month or two ago for $40 when it was on sale; it's now $53:
https://www.harborfreight.com/10250-...art-60653.html

This has a selection for AGM battery or another for Regular FLA. It can charge at 10 Amps which is ideal for when running bleed procedure on coolant pump, or doing general diagnostics with ignition on and K+DCAN cable/ Laptop attached. It can trickle charge at 2 Amps for "topping off", or it has a 50 Amp switch for Jumpstart.

It also has a gauge showing rough percentage of charge, and an indicator light that goes to Green (from Red) when full charge is attained.

I don't know if HFT has any outlets in Canada, or if they ship there, but if NOT, then I would try to find something with similar specs for <$100. You do NOT need to spend hundreds for the "latest & greatest" (most expensivest).

George

Man that's why I like HFT... Wish we had some here.

I'm gonna pick this up https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...1519p.html#srp .

I'll also update my T start thread tomorrow, changing it tomorrow hopefully all goes well

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Hey guys I got a charger different since hte one I was eying wasn't at that store...

This will do for tomorrow and make sure the battery is fully charged before running the pump.

Only thing is there is a selector for "Conventional" and one for "Deep Cycle and AGM".

I looked in my trunk and battery seems to be PN 61212353810. Can't find to much info I'm able to locate old parts sites that used to sell the battery and the only description are "Genuine BMW Ep Battery 90Ah".

So what type is my battery. I can't find any abbreviations to "EP"?

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

...Only thing is there is a selector for "Conventional" and one for "Deep Cycle and AGM". I looked in my trunk and battery seems to be PN 61212353810.

As I read the RealOEM page linked below, that is the "Conventional" (Flooded Lead-Acid or FLA) 90Ah battery, so use "Conventional":
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...04#61212353810

Let us know how it works out,
George

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by gbalthrop

As I read the RealOEM page linked below, that is the "Conventional" (Flooded Lead-Acid or FLA) 90Ah battery, so use "Conventional":
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...04#61212353810

Let us know how it works out,
George

Ok I'll try that. If it's not right I suppose this battery charger is advanced and will give me an error instead of frying everything up lol.

[spazzz]

White is lead acid, black is AGM.

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt..........post#10

[John 070]

I researched this when I was doing my ABS/DSC hydro replacement, and concluded I was not coding so it was not necessary. For coding, yes, needed. All I can do is to suggest you don't use what others have suggested from Walmart and HFT.

The specs are 70A and most devices back then were in the $500-$700 ballpark. I can't believe people are proposing Walmart. Do you guys realize that a cheap $80 charger is not well regulated? If the car demands 50+ amps, the voltage could go to 16V+? Nothing like bricking the DME. With a $500 device it stays steady, does not spike, and can provide 70A clean.

Anyway to each his own I will throw in my suggestion.

This was the quickest link I could find online. this costs over $500 because the power is clean.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/schumac...aign=******ity

What you can also do is to build one yourself, that's what I was gonna do. The device that converts power to 12V for RV appliances, believe it or not, is also clean, and the guts of some of the devices that people resell. With this device, if you go 70A, you need a 20A outlet. The 55A uses the normal 15A outlet. Look at the specs on this and you'll seen the power is clean.

https://www.amazon.com/WFCO-WF-9855-...71751692&psc=1

Again, it's all about clean power. For example, do you realize that if you buy a $100 UPS from Staples, the first time your power goes out, say you have a green device plugged into it, it won't work? Because that cheap UPS is not pure sine wave. But I digress...

[vilord]

BMW calls for a 70 amp *power supply*, not a battery charger. I think that WFCO you linked to is probably the best option for coding. Knowing those are available for around the cost of a high output battery charger, if I end up doing a lot more coding work, I'll probably buy this 75 amp one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F8MC43Q

[Bilbofraggins]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Man that's why I like HFT... Wish we had some here.

I'm gonna pick this up https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...1519p.html#srp .

I'll also update my T start thread tomorrow, changing it tomorrow hopefully all goes well

I use that thing, quite like it... On our F25 X3 we have a Noco Mini 1 mounted.. I also use the Noco 3500...

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by John 070

I researched this when I was doing my ABS/DSC hydro replacement, and concluded I was not coding so it was not necessary. For coding, yes, needed. All I can do is to suggest you don't use what others have suggested from Walmart and HFT.

The specs are 70A and most devices back then were in the $500-$700 ballpark. I can't believe people are proposing Walmart. Do you guys realize that a cheap $80 charger is not well regulated? If the car demands 50+ amps, the voltage could go to 16V+? Nothing like bricking the DME. With a $500 device it stays steady, does not spike, and can provide 70A clean.

Anyway to each his own I will throw in my suggestion.

This was the quickest link I could find online. this costs over $500 because the power is clean.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/schumac...aign=******ity

What you can also do is to build one yourself, that's what I was gonna do. The device that converts power to 12V for RV appliances, believe it or not, is also clean, and the guts of some of the devices that people resell. With this device, if you go 70A, you need a 20A outlet. The 55A uses the normal 15A outlet. Look at the specs on this and you'll seen the power is clean.

https://www.amazon.com/WFCO-WF-9855-...71751692&psc=1

Again, it's all about clean power. For example, do you realize that if you buy a $100 UPS from Staples, the first time your power goes out, say you have a green device plugged into it, it won't work? Because that cheap UPS is not pure sine wave. But I digress...

Oh okay.

Then I'll make sure to just fully charge the battery then disconnect it and run the pump.