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      06-14-2020, 11:07 PM   #1
kh75park
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2018 X1 xDrive F48 Battery and Charging

Hi.
I have a few questions about battery and charging for my 2018 BMW X1 xDrive F48, purchased in USA. Part of the question is surfaced by some other posts, but if you can give a direct answer here, I'd really appreciate it.

1. How can I tell if my X1 has regular battery or AGM battery? I cannot see the battery unless I disassemble some of the parts. Nothing in the manual or any of the documents I have tells me this info. I think it's AGM, but I just am not sure if it really is or not.

2. I have one of those CTek battery charger which has both normal mode and AGM mode. I've been charging in normal mode because I don't know if my battery is AGM or not. Then I read somewhere and got an impression that if I charge AGM battery using normal mode (instead of the AGM mode), it might damage the battery. Is that true? Does it in any way damage the battery if the battery is AGM and I use normal mode to charge?

3. There is this positive and negative jump-starting connection in the car. At least for the negative post, is it directly connected to the battery's negative post? Or is it connected to some metal grounding?

4. If my battery is AGM, will it be safe to use AGM mode to charge? I think AGM mode uses higher voltage to charge? I read one review that that using charger in AGM mode blew up headlight bulbs due to high voltage and etc. And even the manual mentions some warning about the board using 12V and in case higher volt is used for charging that I need to connect only to the jump-starting connections (implying I should not connect negative to some metal bolts/nuts)

I guess all of above questions are really just trying to gather information in order to answer these two main questions:
A. Is it safe to charge AGM battery using normal mode?
B. If I have AGM battery, should I use AGM charging mode and connect negative to the jump-starting connection or to some metal bolts/nuts?

I know it's a lot of question in a single post, but they are all related. So if someone can provide a clear answers to some of my questions, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you in advance.
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      06-15-2020, 01:52 AM   #2
Peter_R
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Edited out. Not required by O P.
__________________
2007 BMW 325d M Sport remapped (E91).
2012 BMW 320d Sport (F31).
2013 BMW X3 xDrive 30d M Sport (F25).
2020 BMW X1 xDrive 2.0i MSport (F48).
2022 MB EQB 300 4MATIC AMG Line Premium

Last edited by Peter_R; 06-16-2020 at 03:22 AM..
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      06-15-2020, 05:01 PM   #3
kh75park
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter_R View Post
If you read all the posts in the following thread, the majority (if not all) of your questions should be answered.
https://f48.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1707298
I'm sorry, but this is the exact type of answer I was trying to avoid getting. I did read through that exact post before I decide to post my own. In my post, I did mention "Part of the question is surfaced by some other posts" referring to that and some others. Only thing that post tells is that I have to lift some pieces to check the battery and it mentions nothing about charging AGM battery in normal mode with CTek charger and whether that does any damage to the battery or not.
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      06-15-2020, 05:08 PM   #4
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Edited out not required by OP.
__________________
2007 BMW 325d M Sport remapped (E91).
2012 BMW 320d Sport (F31).
2013 BMW X3 xDrive 30d M Sport (F25).
2020 BMW X1 xDrive 2.0i MSport (F48).
2022 MB EQB 300 4MATIC AMG Line Premium

Last edited by Peter_R; 06-16-2020 at 03:22 AM..
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      06-15-2020, 10:10 PM   #5
Skyline2.0
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kh75park,

I can't comment re. proper use of the CTek battery charger, but this repair instruction may be helpful for your other questions: https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...ery/1VncM9cU7O.

Here's the main page with more information about the X1 battery (not all of which may apply to you): https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...61-20-battery/

The first link shows how to gain enough access of the battery to see the top labeling. I've personally had to remove the trim covering the battery to access the brake fluid reservoir when I did my brakes and it wasn't difficult.

If you remove the front cowl panel cover, I think you'll be able to glean the information you need re. your battery type. If not, removing the cover with the red positive terminal isn't much more work. Note:
the expanding rivets on either side of the cowl panel are reusable - just pull up on the smaller pin part and it'll release.

Hope this helps.
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      06-16-2020, 05:46 AM   #6
oakey46
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kh75park View Post
Hi.
I have a few questions about battery and charging for my 2018 BMW X1 xDrive F48, purchased in USA. Part of the question is surfaced by some other posts, but if you can give a direct answer here, I'd really appreciate it.

1. How can I tell if my X1 has regular battery or AGM battery? I cannot see the battery unless I disassemble some of the parts. Nothing in the manual or any of the documents I have tells me this info. I think it's AGM, but I just am not sure if it really is or not.

2. I have one of those CTek battery charger which has both normal mode and AGM mode. I've been charging in normal mode because I don't know if my battery is AGM or not. Then I read somewhere and got an impression that if I charge AGM battery using normal mode (instead of the AGM mode), it might damage the battery. Is that true? Does it in any way damage the battery if the battery is AGM and I use normal mode to charge?

3. There is this positive and negative jump-starting connection in the car. At least for the negative post, is it directly connected to the battery's negative post? Or is it connected to some metal grounding?

4. If my battery is AGM, will it be safe to use AGM mode to charge? I think AGM mode uses higher voltage to charge? I read one review that that using charger in AGM mode blew up headlight bulbs due to high voltage and etc. And even the manual mentions some warning about the board using 12V and in case higher volt is used for charging that I need to connect only to the jump-starting connections (implying I should not connect negative to some metal bolts/nuts)

I guess all of above questions are really just trying to gather information in order to answer these two main questions:
A. Is it safe to charge AGM battery using normal mode?
B. If I have AGM battery, should I use AGM charging mode and connect negative to the jump-starting connection or to some metal bolts/nuts?

I know it's a lot of question in a single post, but they are all related. So if someone can provide a clear answers to some of my questions, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you in advance.
As already indicated, you have read the previous posts on this subject, which are pretty comprehensive and partially lifting the cover over the battery area was, for me, only a simple two minute job - and easy to refit afterwards. My comments below relate to a UK spec X1, so may vary in the USA and this emphasises the suggestion that you may need to talk to your local BMW dealer..
I have a CTEK MXS 5.0 battery charger and an AGM battery (you can see my pic of the top part of my battery in one of those posts). I have no qualms about using the CTEK, which is essentially the same one that you can buy from BMW (at least in the UK). It charges in the various stages mentioned in the CTEK instructions and I use the AGM mode for this.
My pal has a 2020 X1 with an EFB battery and he uses the same charger as mine, in standard battery mode, to keep his battery topped up (during the Covid-19 lockdown).
In your 'Point 4' you mention about 'some warning about the board using 12V', and my Owners Handbook points out that you should NOT connect the charger to 12 volt sockets in the car. I read somewhere on the forum that the in-car socket is connected to a circuit board in the rear of the car that shuts itself down after a set period of vehicle inactivity, so maybe that is what you have picked up on.
Again, the handbook specifically states 'Only charge the battery via the jump-starting connections in the engine compartment and with the engine switched off.' Simply follow the Owners Handbook guidance on 'Connecting the Cables'.
I trust this, and the other responses you have seen sufficiently answer your questions but, if not, then as I indicated above, talk to your BMW dealer service department.

Last edited by oakey46; 06-16-2020 at 05:54 AM..
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