Remote start out of town

H_T · 04-08-2021, 01:31 PM

If one were to leave town for 1 - 2 weeks, and the car is parked unlocked in the house garage, will the battery drain?

If so, should I remote start the car every 3 days for 5 minutes or so? I can also open the garage remotely during this time.

I read somewhere (not sure, maybe tech manual) the battery charging units should not be used on these models.

2021 LCI M550i

Frozen Fractals · 04-08-2021, 04:14 PM

No, the battery should not drain. I went on a two month trip during winter with coldish weather and my car started up just fine after returning. Just make sure you have no accessories (e.g. dashcam, radar detector, phone chargers, etc.) drawing power from the car.

You can absolutely use a trickle charger or battery charger on these cars. I personally use a custom server power supply I made for coding and I-Step flashing and a NOCO Genius G3500 for maintaining the battery during long periods of no use.

Another solution if you don't want to do any of that is to physically unplug your battery during long term storage periods. However, at one to two weeks, I wouldn't even worry about any of that.

H_T · 04-08-2021, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frozen Fractals

No, the battery should not drain. I went on a two month trip during winter with coldish weather and my car started up just fine after returning. Just make sure you have no accessories (e.g. dashcam, radar detector, phone chargers, etc.) drawing power from the car.

You can absolutely use a trickle charger or battery charger on these cars. I personally use a custom server power supply I made for coding and I-Step flashing and a NOCO Genius G3500 for maintaining the battery during long periods of no use.

Another solution if you don't want to do any of that is to physically unplug your battery during long term storage periods. However, at one to two weeks, I wouldn't even worry about any of that.

Ok, that's good to know, thanks!

ejlover06 · 04-09-2021, 03:37 AM

Just out of criuosity, why are you leaving the car unlocked?

GaSelle · 04-09-2021, 05:27 AM

If it´s parked in a locked garage, there is no reason to lock the car. My cars are always unlocked, since they are parked indoors anyway.

As already stated, it´s no issue to use i.e. a CTEK trickle charger connected either directly to the battery or using the terminals in the engine bay. But for two weeks, don´t bother. My car has been parked for weeks without being used due to working from home (Covid-19), and it starts every time.

COBodom · 04-09-2021, 10:43 AM

OP - you will have zero issues starting the car after 2 weeks of non-driving.

H_T · 04-09-2021, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ejlover06

Just out of criuosity, why are you leaving the car unlocked?

Garage is locked, and I have enough wires cameras and security in a safe neighborhood where everybody knows everybody. Anyway motion will let me know if someone gets near.

H_T · 04-09-2021, 01:42 PM

Thanks again everyone!

Qsilver7 · 04-09-2021, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaSelle

...As already stated, it´s no issue to use i.e. a CTEK trickle charger connected either directly to the battery or using the terminals in the engine bay. But for two weeks, don´t bother. My car has been parked for weeks without being used due to working from home (Covid-19), and it starts every time.

Ditto comments above...two weeks, unlocked, parked in a locked garage...should not be an issue.

One caveat in regards to the highlighted text in the quote above...IF the battery is still installed/connected to the vehicle...then BMW DOES NOT recommend hooking up a battery charger/tender/maintainer directly to the battery. This bypasses the IBS (intelligent battery sensor) thus can cause messages from the check control system due to the IBS not knowing why a change in the battery's voltage occured.

If the battery is connected to the car, then ALWAYS charge it using the terminals in the engine bay which are designed for this purpose because the IBS will then be "in the know" as to what is going on with the car's battery.

Warp Ten · 04-11-2021, 10:51 AM

QSilver7 is right to emphasize that a float charger should only be hooked up to the under hood jump start points, the positive one under a red plastic cover with a "+" on it, and the negative one being any good ground point, usually a nearby bolt. Periodic starting and running a bit will not charge a BMW battery. The car needs to be driven to do that or left on a charger for a while. I regularly swap my 540xi and my Corvette Z06 on my lift (two car garage with three cars). In the winter the Z06 is up for four months on its charger and the BMW is my daily driver. In the nicer months, the BMW is up on the lift a lot, sometimes for several weeks at a time. If the weather is going to be nice for a good while I leave the BMW on a float charger like a Battery Tender. I am glad to hear that people have experience with not driving for several weeks or longer and still having the car start up. My experience with both my own cars and with the cars at our dealership is that more than a couple weeks stored is best handled with charger. In the winter at the dealership if the BMWs and Minis hadn't been run for several weeks they often needed a jump start. Better safe than sorry for me. Of course batteries also get old and can fail. After four years, my OEM Z06 battery was about done for; even though the Z06 had been on a float charger all winter, it barely started when I got it down last year. A new battery solved that problem. --Bob

paquet · 04-12-2021, 02:09 PM

Personally, I'm using the BMW charger to trickle charge and keep the battery charged.
Car is locked.
Only thing to change on the BMW charger is to make sure it's set to the AGM Car program instead of the motorcycle/Li-On setting.

(got the battery tender/charger idea from looking at the cars on the dealership floor)

04-08-2021, 01:31 PM	#1
H_T Second Lieutenant 150 Rep 284 Posts Drives: 2021 m550i Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Florida iTrader: (0) Garage List 2021 BMW m550i [0.00]	Remote start out of town If one were to leave town for 1 - 2 weeks, and the car is parked unlocked in the house garage, will the battery drain? If so, should I remote start the car every 3 days for 5 minutes or so? I can also open the garage remotely during this time. I read somewhere (not sure, maybe tech manual) the battery charging units should not be used on these models. 2021 LCI M550i
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04-08-2021, 04:14 PM	#2
Frozen Fractals First Lieutenant 161 Rep 321 Posts Drives: 2018 540i xDrive Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: US / China iTrader: (2)	No, the battery should not drain. I went on a two month trip during winter with coldish weather and my car started up just fine after returning. Just make sure you have no accessories (e.g. dashcam, radar detector, phone chargers, etc.) drawing power from the car. You can absolutely use a trickle charger or battery charger on these cars. I personally use a custom server power supply I made for coding and I-Step flashing and a NOCO Genius G3500 for maintaining the battery during long periods of no use. Another solution if you don't want to do any of that is to physically unplug your battery during long term storage periods. However, at one to two weeks, I wouldn't even worry about any of that. __________________ 2018 G30 540i xDrive M Sport \| Carbon Black Metallic \| KW V3 Coilovers \| F90 Suspension \| F90 Brakes \| 20" HRE FF10 Liquid Black Wheels \| Michelin Pilot Sport 4S Tires \| Ivory White Dakota Leather \| Carbon Fiber Trim \| Executive Package \| Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System \| JL Audio 12W6v3 and XD600/1v2 \| Ceramic Controls \| BM3 Stage 2+ E50 ECU Tune \| xHP Stage 3 TCU Tune \| Dorch Stage 2 HPFP \| MST Cold Air Intake \| FTP Chargepipe \| AA Catted Downpipe \| Remus Catback Exhaust
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04-09-2021, 03:37 AM	#4
ejlover06 First Lieutenant 105 Rep 335 Posts Drives: 2017 G30 520 1.6lt Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Ankara iTrader: (0)	Just out of criuosity, why are you leaving the car unlocked? __________________ 2017 G30 520 (1.6lt) 2016 S1000RR 2014 W205
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04-09-2021, 05:27 AM	#5
GaSelle First Lieutenant 179 Rep 358 Posts Drives: ´23 iX3 M Sport Charged Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: DK iTrader: (0)	If it´s parked in a locked garage, there is no reason to lock the car. My cars are always unlocked, since they are parked indoors anyway. As already stated, it´s no issue to use i.e. a CTEK trickle charger connected either directly to the battery or using the terminals in the engine bay. But for two weeks, don´t bother. My car has been parked for weeks without being used due to working from home (Covid-19), and it starts every time. __________________ ´22 iX3 M Sport "Charged" - Cashmere Silver ´22 Mini Cooper SE "Yours Trim" - Island Blue
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04-09-2021, 10:43 AM	#6
COBodom Lieutenant 594 Rep 453 Posts Drives: 2024 540i Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: US iTrader: (0)	OP - you will have zero issues starting the car after 2 weeks of non-driving. __________________ Current: 2024 540i MSport Prior: 2021 540i MSport, 2018 540i MSport, 2015 BMW 528i MSport, 2012 BMW 528i
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04-09-2021, 01:42 PM	#8
H_T Second Lieutenant 150 Rep 284 Posts Drives: 2021 m550i Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Florida iTrader: (0) Garage List 2021 BMW m550i [0.00]	Thanks again everyone!
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04-11-2021, 10:51 AM	#10
Warp Ten Captain 632 Rep 621 Posts Drives: 2019 BMW 540xi Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Lake Bluff IL iTrader: (0)	QSilver7 is right to emphasize that a float charger should only be hooked up to the under hood jump start points, the positive one under a red plastic cover with a "+" on it, and the negative one being any good ground point, usually a nearby bolt. Periodic starting and running a bit will not charge a BMW battery. The car needs to be driven to do that or left on a charger for a while. I regularly swap my 540xi and my Corvette Z06 on my lift (two car garage with three cars). In the winter the Z06 is up for four months on its charger and the BMW is my daily driver. In the nicer months, the BMW is up on the lift a lot, sometimes for several weeks at a time. If the weather is going to be nice for a good while I leave the BMW on a float charger like a Battery Tender. I am glad to hear that people have experience with not driving for several weeks or longer and still having the car start up. My experience with both my own cars and with the cars at our dealership is that more than a couple weeks stored is best handled with charger. In the winter at the dealership if the BMWs and Minis hadn't been run for several weeks they often needed a jump start. Better safe than sorry for me. Of course batteries also get old and can fail. After four years, my OEM Z06 battery was about done for; even though the Z06 had been on a float charger all winter, it barely started when I got it down last year. A new battery solved that problem. --Bob __________________ 2019 540xi M Sport, Carbon Black/Cognac, 2014 328xi, 2016 Corvette Z06; Previous:2010 BMW 535xi M Sp, 2008 335xi, 1998 M3 Sedan,1980 528i, 1977 320i, 1976 2002
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04-12-2021, 02:09 PM	#11
paquet Lieutenant 630 Rep 433 Posts Drives: 2019 540i M Sport etc Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	Personally, I'm using the BMW charger to trickle charge and keep the battery charged. Car is locked. Only thing to change on the BMW charger is to make sure it's set to the AGM Car program instead of the motorcycle/Li-On setting. (got the battery tender/charger idea from looking at the cars on the dealership floor)
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