CTEK Lithium ion battery charger review with a BMW . Save money with this critical maintenance!

[@Donslife]

Buy one in Canada here: CTEK (56-926) Lithium US 12 Volt Charger: amzn.to/35lrCrH Buy one in the US here: CTEK (56-926) Lithium US 12 Volt Charger: amzn.to/3gcuiP1 linktr.ee/donslife - Links to all of my products and discounts

[@dougholdem2898]

Just took delivery of a 2022 M440XI for my wife. Spoke with the Service Dept Mgr about charging the battery in that we leave town Jan-Mar. Was told to connect charger under hood and NOT to put BMW charger which is made by CTEK on the Lithium setting. Was told the battery under the hood isn't Lithium but the one in trunk is Lithium. He had to check with BMW prior to giving me his answer.

[@Donslife]

Yes some models could have a secondary battery. My M4 (F82 platform) does not. I live or die by the $2000 CAD battery in the trunk. Good news is, a recent code scan shows it in the mid 70 percentile for remaining lifespan. Not bad for a 8 year old battery. Also CTEK makes a bunch of charger models. The one in my video is one of the select few to use in my situation.

[@rohitpabbi5178]

How does this channel not have more views?? Great video man and keep making great content!

[@Donslife]

Thank you Rohit! I suppose I just need more followers and some luck! Regardless, I will keep the content coming!

[@raduc5999]

Perfect! I saw in the battery leaflet that it is desirable not to be charged below 0 degrees Celsius, has anyone tried to charge the battery at low temperatures?

[@vic8315]

Thanks for this video! Are you plugging it into an extension cord?

[@Donslife]

Yes. A shop rated extension cord for this low current draw device is fine

[@Jcauto-t4r]

Mine went straight to number 2 and number 1 is not illuminated, I’m using a BMW charger which is pretty much the same you have .. I wonder if my battery is toasted since it bypassed the 1st light 💡 I just noticed mine keeps getting the right light on ..

[@Donslife]

It might be time! Especially if the charging capacity is a low percentage. Unfortunately the charger can’t tell you that specific detail. Some OBD2 BMW scanners/coders can tell you though. But if the charger isn’t completing its work over a day or two, then it might just be that time to replace.

[@fernandocruz-eg9er]

Nice video thank you I will my right now

[@BigDog9741]

“ The XS lithium charger is made for 12V batteries an specifically LiFePo4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate). So you would not be able to charge a 48V battery with this charger.” per Ctek

[@Donslife]

I agree

[@SholaBaby]

The appropriate one might be CTEK PRO60 or CTEK PRO120.

[@stevesas632]

Is it preferable when leaving this type of charger hooked up over long periods to properly lock the BMW, as i heard it helps the cars senses shut down & go to sleep better?

[@Donslife]

I don’t and have gone several weeks with the charger connected.

[@SholaBaby]

So does it mean that I can also use say a LiFePO4 battery of 105Ah on my 2009 BMW X5 E70 in place of the troublesome, ever dying, ever unreliable AGM battery that I have been using all along? Please advise. Thank you. Regards.

[@cuzzinolaf]

Thanks for sharing this. I bought the same charger a while ago and leave for vacation tomorrow morning. While messing around with my F83 this weekend I saw my battery voltage was at 76% and knew letting it sit for over a week wouldn't be good. Followed the video, installed it the same way, and it is charging. Much appreciated.

[@Donslife]

That is awesome to hear! I am just happy you found it helpful. Thanks for the follow too and have a great vacation!

[@jacksampson7711]

Wow!!! This could be a problem with buying a used m3/m4. Would not want to buy a new (to me car) with a bad battery.

[@Donslife]

It is definitely something to consider. Good news is there are very good alternatives available for less money now, but you need to do perform some simple coding for the computer.

[@jiten1696]

I own an F82 M4. I would way rather have a traditional battery. The benefits dont make up for the downside for me.

[@Donslife]

It adds some unnecessary anxiety 😥

[@basketball798]

Great video will this charge a completely dead lithium battery? My 2015 S65 battery died and am having major issues finding the right charger. Any help would be highly appreciated!!!

[@Donslife]

Completely dead? I don’t think so. Ctek has lots of info on their site that might help if you haven’t looked there yet. You might need a little voltage existing in the battery to initiate the charging cycle.

[@ajleyco3264]

Do you have to do a reset to bypass under voltage protection?

[@shanescarlife]

I had the dealer install a CTek for me before I even took delivery

[@Donslife]

Good Thinking! That battery is pricey!

[@shanescarlife]

@@Donslife Amen! And I knew I'd be parking it for this past winter, so I figured the $200 or whatever was well worth it!

[@marcomarfe9581]

Hello, is it possible that a battery for my 2017 bmw m4 was asked for € 1250, is there an alternative solution ??

[@Donslife]

Yes the Lithium ones are super expensive. The alternative is and AGM battery but you need to have the car coded to accept it properly. The M4 needs the battery electronically registered. There are OBD2 scanners and paid apps that can do it. Your BMW dealership can too of course. Here is a forum link with some info : f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1800141

[@rcorser1]

Does charging the battery monthly increase the life of the battery? Any idea how long the stock/original battery lasts?

[@Donslife]

Those are great questions. I personally feel that connecting the CTEK will help the battery’s longevity anytime you aren’t driving for more than a week. It won’t overcharge or harm the battery in anyway. I read that the batteries can last over 10 years if maintained well. Mine is a 2015, so I am 6 years in and have never had the battery seem weak. I have had the dash warning to run the car so the battery charges, but that is only when the car is sitting for over a week and I didn’t plug it in.

[@rcorser1]

@@Donslife Great. My M4 is 2015 too. :-). Love the car!! And convertible.

[@Donslife]

@@rcorser1 good taste! I post pictures on Instagram too as well as M4 specific videos on the KZbin channel

[@rcorser1]

@@Donslife awesome What’s your IG name? Last year I was considering buying another sports car….drove everything from 911 cab 4s (which I had before)….nothing was as much fun. Not sure on the new M4 grill. Ha!

[@Donslife]

@@rcorser1 donslifechannel on IG. I am contemplating my next car, even considering keeping the M4. I would miss it too much. As for the new generation, I am still digesting it

[@seafireball]

what tools did you use to unscrew so you can hook the + and - cables

[@Donslife]

I used a larger torx bit from my socket set. Maybe a T45

[@andrewmckinney9492]

Thank you for a very helpful video. May I ask, what size of torx bit did you require?

[@Donslife]

Pretty sure I used a T45. However the screws are not overly tight, so you could wrap the head with a rag and clamp onto it with vice grips to loosen as a last resort. I am glad you enjoyed the video! If you haven’t subscribed, having you join the channel would be great! Its free! 👍🏼

[@andrewmckinney9492]

Donslife thank you very much. I really appreciate the response. Subscribed 👍

[@iExotiicVisionZ]

will this charge a dead li-ion 30 battery?

[@Donslife]

It is impossible to say for sure. I would borrow one if you can or see if the dealer can try. There is a chance but it can take a couple days. Otherwise the battery could be too far gone.

[@hailth3king]

i just plugged mine in for winter storage, does it reach 8 automatically after charged through the steps? i left it there do i need to unplug it often? or just leave it

[@Donslife]

You can leave it. It’s ‘smart’ and won’t cause any harm. Thanks for watching the video!

[@hailth3king]

@@Donslife sounds good thanks how long did yours take to reach level 8

[@Donslife]

It can take until the next day sometimes. Maybe longer. If you need to unplug it for whatever reason, it’s okay, but it will start the cycles over

[@hailth3king]

It’s been plugged in for 15+ hours still on stage 2 should I reset it? Or does it usually take long first time doing it never started the car for 2 weeks

[@bradl5030]

thank u!

[@Benny-zo3qh]

Hey Don, I had a mechanic tell me to charge directly to the battery (BMW F10) I always thought this was a no no but my CTEK charge showed an error code when leaving it on over night which might indicate I need a new battery. The mechanic said the CTEK charger is good but won't provide enough power to get my battery where it needs to be from under the hood. What are tour thoughts? Thanks for the video!

[@Donslife]

Excellent question. My research (and I am not a mechanic) was that for BMW lithium batteries, it is recommended to charge and/or boost only from the hood. From what I understand there is circuitry in between the battery and the hood post that monitors and protects battery from various risks including over voltage. This protection monitors the battery as it is charging. Again, I don’t know if what I read is true, but I feel better having the car stop a problematic boost or charge instead of going direct to the battery bypassing everything. I also remember reading that going direct to battery while still wired to the car can cause damage to the circuit and be a costly fix or recode. Again, I am not a BMW tech. I hope this helps! And it’d be cool too if you are following my channel.

[@Donslife]

Also I believe your battery will get exactly the power it needs charging from under the hood. The CTEK measures what the battery needs, just like your alternator and only sends the current the battery needs at that time. This is why this type of charger is the recommended one to use for our systems.

[@SholaBaby]

@@Donslife It is true, Brother. Never charge any modern BMW car of the 21st Century era directly from or on the battery terminals. Do it straight from the hood. That is how all the modern BMW car series were designed and manufactured. I suppose they know what they are doing. 😀

[@BGMG82COMP]

i hooked up my g82 to ctek and the hazard light stays on, does anyone else have this issue? when i dont have it connected, it turns off like normal.

[@Donslife]

Which model of Ctek charger do you have?

[@legendaryveg1270]

how many voltages do you charge the battery to and how do you do it with the ctek? I’m planning on getting one

[@Donslife]

With the CTEK Lithium Ion charger, it puts out up to 14.4 volts while monitoring the battery and only giving it what it needs until charged. Then it changes to a pulse maintenance mode and keeps it topped up. Nice feature if you don’t plan on using the vehicle for a prolonged period. I would go to their website and pick the best one for your vehicle. They have many. Good Luck! I really like mine and highly recommend it!

[@legendaryveg1270]

@@Donslife So it automatically detects what kind of battery you have and the voltage it requires? there no configuration or anything?

[@Donslife]

Mine was ONLY works with LIFEPO4 /Lithium Ion batteries. CTEK makes several different chargers for Lead Acid batteries, 6Volt, 12Volt, motorcycles, etc. I recommend going to their website and picking the correct one. I did research and bought the one for my BMW. My ctek charger is NOT compatible with any of my other vehicles. If I wanted one for all my other vehicle batteries, I would probably get this one: CTEK MXS 5.0 : FOR ALL TYPES OF LEAD-ACID 12V BATTERIES (WET, EFB, MF, CA/CA, AGM, AND GEL).

[@legendaryveg1270]

@@Donslife I see thank you, I bought the ctek from the link you posted

[@ZeeHK]

Really informative video, I’ve got the same charger on my F82. It’s helped me through two winters. I’ll be sharing this video in my local F8X group.

[@Donslife]

Thanks ZeeHK! This CTEK charger has been fantastic! It helps remove any anxiety with regards to taking the best care of the battery. I have a 30 second follow up on the charger in my latest video replacing the Start / Stop button. Thank you very much for the support!

[@mariebossard1640]

- if you don't exceed 80% capacity your battery will last much longer - never charge a lithium battery if the battery is at or below zero Celsius

[@Donslife]

Great tip! I did a lot more research after the video on my specific battery and the good news is, it is capable of enduring about 5000 charging cycles. A Lead-Acid or AGM battery for this car can endure about 350 charging cycles. So if you take good care of this super expensive battery, it should last a long time!!

[@kingming869]

Do BMW only put Lithium ion Batteries in M cars? I was under the assumption that they are all AGM batteries like all other M cars. Having a M235 myself. got me curious if I have Lithium ion or AGM battery, since I am not finding that info anywhere.

[@Donslife]

It will indicate the type on the battery label. I can’t say for sure which models have AGM or Lithium Ion. However if you replace a Lithium Ion with an AGM, you will need to coding done.

[@Salpeteroxid]

You do not have an M-car, only M-cars have Li-ion in the F-series. You have AGM battery. 2-series M-car is called M2 (F87 chassi code).

[@Theonlywone]

Thank you for your video. I own an F90 M5 and I have a BMW charger (produced by CTEK). I have an issue after plugging it in it starts blinking after reaching stage 2. I've made a video about it : kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3zIY6CNjcqmibs Do you have an idea of what could be the problem ? The charger worked fine for about 2 years and I'm now facing this issue without knowing if the problem comes from my car not letting the charging process or from the charger itself. Thanks in advance for your reply! 👍🏻

[@Donslife]

Hi there, I had a quick chat with a CTEK rep. The best thing to do might be to contact CTEK. I have a link for support. They can determine the code/flash sequence you’re seeing. The lithium charger I have may not have the same functionality. I watched you videos and assume your in the UK but if not, let me know www.ctek.com/uk/support

[@Theonlywone]

@@Donslife Hello and thank you for your reply! 👍🏻 I'm located in Belgium, by any chance, have you got and e-mail address for me to reach to them ? Thank you, much appreciate your help!