Battery Optimiser

[Wregie]

My M4 is pretty much cabined up for the winter now. With my previous cars I have always connected the battery up to my Optimate 6 when off the road for long periods to keep it ready to go. I hadn't realised the M4 has a LiOn battery which means I cannot use the Optimate 6.
So my question: Do you think this will be suitable http://www.optimate.co.uk/optimate%20lithium.htm

Any other suggestions?

[jbtco]

Not heard of that one I have bought the CTEK lithium XS which can be had a little more cheaply. Only tried it so far to test it and seemed to work ok. Had CTEK for my Z4MC which was little used over the winter and it worked well until I reversed out of the garage with it still connected :-)

[Wregie]

Originally Posted by jbtco

until I reversed out of the garage with it still connected :-)

I've done that before as well.

Optimate are popular with bikers and I use the smaller version on my bike for the winter.

Can you use that one as an optimiser (i.e. permanently connected) or is it just a charger?

[jbtco]

It is a smart charger, only charges when necessary to keep battery topped up.

[Wregie]

Originally Posted by jbtco

It is a smart charger, only charges when necessary to keep battery topped up.

Thanks. I will google it and have a look. I have also read that you should connect any charger?optimiser via the connection points under the bonnet rather than directly to the battery. Does the car have some sort of battery monitoring circuit?

[jbtco]

Don't know, if there is I haven't found any way of getting any info from it. I suspect that it is mainly that the battery is quite hard to get at buried under trim inthe boot.

The point under the bonnet is very convenient. Apparently can't use the cigarette socket as it is not live when car switched off.