battery charge limitation

[Paco Garcia]

Llevo una semana sin poder coger el coche, he tenido varias incidencias hospitalarias en casa que me han impedido hacerlo, el miércoles miré el estado de la batería y estaba al 50%, ya que no tuve tiempo de conducir con él, le puse un Cargador conectado lentamente en el compartimiento del motor, comenzó a cargar sin problemas y estuvo conectado durante 24 horas pero lo curioso es que no pasa del 85% de carga, cuando revisas la carga en la pantalla del auto, sin embargo el cargador indica 100% cargado , repitió un nuevo ciclo de carga y pasa lo mismo, el cargador indica que esta cargando nuevamente por unos veinte minutos, luego deja de indicar 100% de carga, pero el vehículo sigue indicando 85%, ¿a alguien le ha pasado algo? parecido?. saludos paco

Posdata: Por cierto cuando revisé la foto vi que mi auto debe ser el primero que se vendió , mira la fecha

 

[Mitchell300]

Tengo el sistema de doble batería y el estado de carga solo ha llegado al 86%. No he usado cargador de batería durante los 11 meses que tengo el vehículo. La semana pasada el vehículo recibió su primera revisión. Les pedí que miraran el estado de carga. Hasta ahora, el máximo alcanzado es el 85%, pero parece cargarse más rápido que antes. Publicaré más si algo cambia. Disculpas por usar el traductor de Google.
I have the dual battery system and the state of charge has only ever reached 86%. I have not used a battery charger during the 11 months of owning the vehicle. Last week the vehicle got its first service. I asked them to look at the state of charge. So far the highest its reached is 85% but does seem to charge faster than before. I will post more if anything changes. Apologies for using google translate.

 

[Jean Mercier]

I have also the double battery system, and saw it sometimes reach 99% when travelling during several days on normal roads. I don't remember having seen at standstill, only while driving.

Right now, my Chinese battery monitor said 12.8 V, and 99% State of Charge.
Then I opened the car, the voltage dropped to 12.4 V and the car told me that the SOC is 85%.

 

[Shopkeep]

I have the dual battery and have been at 99% SOC multiple times, range is usually 85% to 95%. Car is used regularly and if not being used for more than a week I connect to a Ctek charger.

 

[Paco Garcia]

Thank you for responding, I also have a Dual battery and I have checked it again with the charger, the battery stops charging when it reaches 85%, if you take a long road trip it can increase more, today it had after 400 km, 99%

 

[Shaky]

I have the dual battery set up and took mine from 84% to 94% the other day, I assume it didn’t get any higher as I unplugged it before I went to bed…I only have a NOCO 5v charger on it.

When I first unplug the charger it always shows slightly less than when I start it up the next day, mine gained 4% overnight (whilst not on charge) after I had disconnected the charger.

The most I have seen my battery is at 98%.

Oh and I charge using the “under bonnet” method.

 

[Skydance]

My battery has always been at 84% SOC. Even charging overnight with my Ctec charger was the same. It would loose charge pretty fast and always charged at 1 or 2 amps. During my first service last week, I asked them to test the battery and alternator to determine if there was a fault. They wouldn’t change the battery, no fault found. They said Ineos wouldn’t pay for it if there was no fault found.

Whilst they was trying to program my trailer module for my stop start issues. They did a hard reset from their equipment. They also had three service campaign which I forgot in detail what they were. One was DPF, double nutting the droplinks and something about negative lead.

Magically, I can tell you that my battery issues have fixed itself. Currently 95% SOC, charging at 6 amp’s regularly. Air-con seems to work better although strange behaviour. Switched the car on today, freezing aircon then went warm and equalised itself on the auto setting. Well at least it works and I will now monitor the passenger well condensation drips.

One step closer to having everything fixed. Maybe it’s worth asking your dealer to do a hard reset which can’t be done by disconnecting the battery.

 

[TheDocAUS]

Some real-world observation on my car (Diesel AU Spec, dual battery with 120S and 250SE and solar panel input):

1. The Grenadier is only estimating the State of Charge (with some extra smarts along the way), and I would say SOC figures can be out by plus or minus 3-5%;
2. You know the batteries are getting near 100% when the charge rate drops to around 1 to 3 amps (with no heavy draws);
3. The car does not register the power going in from the solar panel and understates the SOC. But that seems to correct itself after driving for a while;
4. The solar panel charges both batteries, and the main battery is charged by more than a trickle;
5. the observations are consistent with the BLE battery monitor reports on the main and aux battery.

I have seen enough general themes now to practically work out how much power I have and the impacts of drains direct from the battery, like the fridge and Travel Buddy oven.

 

[DenisM]

My battery has always been at 84% SOC. Even charging overnight with my Ctec charger was the same. It would loose charge pretty fast and always charged at 1 or 2 amps. During my first service last week, I asked them to test the battery and alternator to determine if there was a fault. They wouldn’t change the battery, no fault found. They said Ineos wouldn’t pay for it if there was no fault found.

Whilst they was trying to program my trailer module for my stop start issues. They did a hard reset from their equipment. They also had three service campaign which I forgot in detail what they were. One was DPF, double nutting the droplinks and something about negative lead.

Magically, I can tell you that my battery issues have fixed itself. Currently 95% SOC, charging at 6 amp’s regularly. Air-con seems to work better although strange behaviour. Switched the car on today, freezing aircon then went warm and equalised itself on the auto setting. Well at least it works and I will now monitor the passenger well condensation drips.

One step closer to having everything fixed. Maybe it’s worth asking your dealer to do a hard reset which can’t be done by disconnecting the battery.

A dodgy negative (i.e. earth) lead "just might" have been associated with your battery issues

 

[Skydance]

A dodgy negative (i.e. earth) lead "just might" have been associated with your battery issues

Very possible. Need to speak to the dealer about it as it was a service campaign to fit this plus something about holes in the DPF.

 

[Karearea]

A dodgy negative (i.e. earth) lead "just might" have been associated with your battery issues

I’m very interested in these posts as I have a perplexing battery issue too.
“Shiitake” regularly just charges at 2A unless auto stop start is activated then I see huge swings as expected. But basically I can NEVER get the charge above 74%. This was even on a six hour return drive to the dealer for roof rack fixation.
What was even more odd was that one morning after closing down the night before at 73% , when electrical off road mode selected and before cranking, the battery showed a miraculous 84% charged state!
I have electrical eng background and previously had a house bus with a quite detailed house battery and solar setup so this stuff is not alien to me, but it is confusing
The “bad earth” comment actually made me laugh having owned numerous older motorbikes in the past where this gremlin is regularly encountered
But I’m actually wondering if this could be my issue?
Any input gratefully received

 

[TheDocAUS]

I’m very interested in these posts as I have a perplexing battery issue too.
“Shiitake” regularly just charges at 2A unless auto stop start is activated then I see huge swings as expected. But basically I can NEVER get the charge above 74%. This was even on a six hour return drive to the dealer for roof rack fixation.
What was even more odd was that one morning after closing down the night before at 73% , when electrical off road mode selected and before cranking, the battery showed a miraculous 84% charged state!
I have electrical eng background and previously had a house bus with a quite detailed house battery and solar setup so this stuff is not alien to me, but it is confusing
The “bad earth” comment actually made me laugh having owned numerous older motorbikes in the past where this gremlin is regularly encountered
But I’m actually wondering if this could be my issue?
Any input gratefully received

I would install a BLE battery monitor on each battery, which will give you more insight into what is going on. Example of a graph from the BLE from my main battery (more graphs here):

The BLE will give you an insight into the SOC your batteries (they use an estimation based on voltage, not exact but you can do a comaprsion with what the Grenadier says).

 

[Karearea]

I would install a BLE battery monitor on each battery, which will give you more insight into what is going on. Example of a graph from the BLE from my main battery (more graphs here):

The BLE will give you an insight into the SOC your batteries (they use an estimation based on voltage, not exact but you can do a comaprsion with what the Grenadier says).

Thanks Doc I was thinking this should at least give me an “independent” comparison

 

[NQ94]

I may have posted this in the wrong place the other day, some basic BMW chraging info.
Due to the lack of current technical and electrical information and the amount of battery and charging comments on multiple forums I have added some older BMW Intelligent alternator control information from 2006 and the Bimmerpost forum. Looking at the document and reading some of the comments this appears to be the relevant to the Grenadier as an explanation of the charging system and may help with understanding the system better. There would be some changes to the system over time but that would be limited to software and electronic circuit board upgrades leaving the basic mechanical components and charging wiring unchanged.

​

 

[Karearea]

I may have posted this in the wrong place the other day, some basic BMW chraging info.
Due to the lack of current technical and electrical information and the amount of battery and charging comments on multiple forums I have added some older BMW Intelligent alternator control information from 2006 and the Bimmerpost forum. Looking at the document and reading some of the comments this appears to be the relevant to the Grenadier as an explanation of the charging system and may help with understanding the system better. There would be some changes to the system over time but that would be limited to software and electronic circuit board upgrades leaving the basic mechanical components and charging wiring unchanged.

​

That was a great read NQ and explains quite a lot for me. Thanks very much for posting this!
Interesting that the SOC can quite commonly be in the 70-80% range

 

[Tazzieman]

I may have posted this in the wrong place the other day, some basic BMW chraging info.
Due to the lack of current technical and electrical information and the amount of battery and charging comments on multiple forums I have added some older BMW Intelligent alternator control information from 2006 and the Bimmerpost forum. Looking at the document and reading some of the comments this appears to be the relevant to the Grenadier as an explanation of the charging system and may help with understanding the system better. There would be some changes to the system over time but that would be limited to software and electronic circuit board upgrades leaving the basic mechanical components and charging wiring unchanged.

​

Page 7 just about sums it up!

 

[Jean Mercier]

I may have posted this in the wrong place the other day, some basic BMW chraging info.
Due to the lack of current technical and electrical information and the amount of battery and charging comments on multiple forums I have added some older BMW Intelligent alternator control information from 2006 and the Bimmerpost forum. Looking at the document and reading some of the comments this appears to be the relevant to the Grenadier as an explanation of the charging system and may help with understanding the system better. There would be some changes to the system over time but that would be limited to software and electronic circuit board upgrades leaving the basic mechanical components and charging wiring unchanged.

​

Nice find, that could indeed be the explanation! Congratulations!

I still don't understand, if the alternator is smart (and seems to be the case), why is the Smartpass (for those with a double battery) not connected to to the ignition?

 

[Jean Mercier]

Unless ... after thinking about it: the BMW battery management system is doing what the Smartpass is NOT intended to do.
According to our forum member @Mr. Largo WINCH , connecting the Smartpass red wire to the ignition charges the main battery to 100% in a short period of time!
Good for battery status, not good for CO2 emission.
Not sure if I understood it correctly.

 

[Karearea]

Unless ... after thinking about it: the BMW battery management system is doing what the Smartpass is NOT intended to do.
According to our forum member @Mr. Largo WINCH , connecting the Smartpass red wire to the ignition charges the main battery to 100% in a short period of time!
Good for battery status, not good for CO2 emission.
Not sure if I understood it correctly.

I’m not sure I full understand the smartpass involvement in the whole “vehicle charging” system?
I think I understand how it works in protecting the start battery from over discharging by “trickle” charging from the back up, but does it also allow the reverse to happen by “topping up” the auxiliary from an adequately charged starter battery?
Might need to do some more reading

 

[Karearea]

Ok….
Lots of reading and thinking ….
Also that great vid from the US guy with the Ford and BSM explanation posted by another helpful member
I’m beginning to wonder if my aux battery is actually under capacity so when the two batteries “balance” out, this might also be why I’m only seeing mid 70% charge all the time?
Just thinking out loud here but if any other interested parties want to chip in please do
Certainly seems to be a clever electrical system even if somewhat unconventional compared to the old school simple alternator driven systems.
My 1992 Toyota Coaster 7m converted bus was certainly easier to “understand” but actually maybe this approach has advantages