Pre facelift E63 AMG battery charging?

[Boristheblade]

Currenty the car is only doing short runs, as I only work 3 miles from home.

I have a tracker fitted, this gives me all sort of info, I've noticed it's showing the battery is down around 12.20V to 11.80V. (11.80 after sitting all weekend).

The car starts no problems.

Is it ok to put the battery on charge in situ, connected directly to the battery terminals?

I can do this at work and give it a good charge.

 

[Abb]

Unfortunately we cannot offer in advice without first seeing pictures of your steed! Forums rules

 

[Abb]

You can connect to the 'jump' terminals under the bonnet AFAIK.

 

[ShaunB]

Yeah, use the jump terminals under the bonnet, don't connect directly to the battery terminals

 

[steveskeggy]

Why bother?
If it starts OK, and isnt affecting the systems, why mess with it?
If you are that concerned, just start the engine and run it for 10 minutes each day.
Not only will that top the battery up, but it will circulate the oil around the engine, pumping the cam followers up, and keeping the bearings nice and oily.

 

[st13phil]

If you are that concerned, just start the engine and run it for 10 minutes each day.

Not a good idea, I'm afraid.

If you're going to run the engine then you should do so for long enough that the fluids (water and oil) reach their normal operating temperature. On a big engine in cold conditions that can be up to 30 minutes actually driving it under load, and longer if just idling. Running an engine for short periods just allows corrosive condensate to form which can do significant damage.

 

[Rpp999]

Use an optimate?

 

[AMGeed]

I have just connected up my C-tek battery conditioner on my facelift E63. Not using it for a week or more will take some charge out of the main battery so rather than be caught out if the weather gets suddenly colder, I like to keep it fully charged. 24hrs should see the battery back to full charge.
I use the fly leads that are connected directly to the battery and just plug in to the socket in the engine bay. I'd take a photo but its dark now.

 

[steveskeggy]

Not a good idea, I'm afraid.

If you're going to run the engine then you should do so for long enough that the fluids (water and oil) reach their normal operating temperature. On a big engine in cold conditions that can be up to 30 minutes actually driving it under load, and longer if just idling. Running an engine for short periods just allows corrosive condensate to form which can do significant damage.

My S55 warms up in 10 minutes.
As the M156 in his E63 is the replacement (next gen) for the M113 in my S55, the warm up time will be very similar.
While it was true that older engines, where the cooling fan was fixed to the front of the water pump, didnt warm up so quick, modern engines have electric fans that dont cut in until the engine has reached operating temperature.
This helps with getting the engine to warm up quicker, which also gets the cats up to operating temp, reducing emissions.
I think all Mercedes engines these days are made of Aluminium, and modern coolant prevents "corrosive condensate", besides which, he does not need to run the car for 10 minutes every day, as he is still using the car.
I fact, he is probably doing more damage to the engine driving it 3 miles to work, then 3 miles back every day, as cold air running through the radiator will cause a longer warm up period than a 10 minute stationary run!
In fact, I would recommend a 10 minute warm up before going to work, and after driving home.
The typical warm up period for a modern engine is between 5 and 15 minutes.

 

[st13phil]

The typical warm up period for a modern engine is between 5 and 15 minutes.

Wrong.

The coolant may be up to temperature in 10-15 mins, but the oil won't be. My M157-powered E63's would typically take 20-30 minutes of driving, not idling, for the oil to get above 70c when ambient temperatures were in single digits. And the corrosive condensate I mentioned is formed in the lubricated parts of the engine as a byproduct of combustion, not in the cooling system. It’s essential for the oil to get up to operating temperature to allow the condensate to evaporate off.

I do agree that the 3-mile commute journey the OP mentions is harmful. Short runs like that kill cars.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

My S55 warms up in 10 minutes.
As the M156 in his E63 is the replacement (next gen) for the M113 in my S55, the warm up time will be very similar.
While it was true that older engines, where the cooling fan was fixed to the front of the water pump, didnt warm up so quick, modern engines have electric fans that dont cut in until the engine has reached operating temperature.
This helps with getting the engine to warm up quicker, which also gets the cats up to operating temp, reducing emissions.
I think all Mercedes engines these days are made of Aluminium, and modern coolant prevents "corrosive condensate", besides which, he does not need to run the car for 10 minutes every day, as he is still using the car.
I fact, he is probably doing more damage to the engine driving it 3 miles to work, then 3 miles back every day, as cold air running through the radiator will cause a longer warm up period than a 10 minute stationary run!
In fact, I would recommend a 10 minute warm up before going to work, and after driving home.
The typical warm up period for a modern engine is between 5 and 15 minutes.

Running an engine without load will maximise the amount of time required to warm up - I mean the engine oil rather than coolant - and so that means the engine oil won't even be up to temperature before you switch off again.

Short runs following cold start aren't great for engines, but at least it achieves an objective, ie going somewhere. I can't see what letting a cold engine run for 10 minutes would actually achieve, it may take more out of the battery than it puts in.

 

[Alps]

stick a CTEK on it if the car is in a garage, if not I wouldn't worry and just make sure you do a long drive once every couple of weeks.

 

[Hakon]

The oil does seem to take along time to get to temperature in the M157 compared to previous engines.
I leave mine on a Ctek regardless but the device, no matter the vehicle always say the battery needs a charge / top up

 

[Alps]

The oil does seem to take along time to get to temperature in the M157 compared to previous engines.
I leave mine on a Ctek regardless but the device, no matter the vehicle always say the battery needs a charge / top up

maybe the secondary battery is duff? if not it might be worth getting the alternator tested.