61 21 030 Charging battery

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 BMW M Roadster, 2002 BMW M Coupe, 2001 BMW M Roadster, and 2001 BMW M Coupe. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

NOTE: Only chargers with the following properties are suitable for charging a battery in vehicle with connected electrical system:

Current limitation
Exponential drop of charge current when 14.2 V is reached Always use the B+ terminal in the engine compartment.

U/I charge curve shows:

Charging with maximum current up to gassing limit voltage of 14.2 V. The charging process in the range of approx. 13.2 V - 14.2 V can take up a relative long period of time because charging is conducted with very low currents in this limit range. The battery is full charged with a charge current of < 5A.

Fig 1: Identifying U/I Charge Curve

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Battery chargers without these properties can lead to vehicle damage (lights).

NOTE: Remove battery from vehicle when using unregulated chargers (refer to Operating Instructions). .