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Originally Posted by nazali
^^^ that right there is total awesomeness ! fantastic explanation...
SO... for the dumb at heart, why after my 100km drive did the car say "battery discharge while stopped" and only went after a night on the ctek
oh wait, maybe I have answered my question, the alternator on newer BMW's only charge the battery on overrun, not on good old cruising ?
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Partly depends on the electrical demands, while you drive that distance. The over-run phases are key to maximising the charge.
I've experimented with an older battery, 30 miles does not improve the voltage, (or SoC) of a partially discharged battery. The 'start' and energy used in the trip, blunts the charging, particularly if there isn't much over-run. My typical trip is near constant speed driving, so not a good way to try and charge the battery.
Same apples to a new battery, the 30 miles is not enough in itself to keep the battery in top condition, (if there are several days between use), when the locked/alarmed consumption slowly depletes the battery anyway. I'd get away with it, if I used the car most days, but definitely not if only once or twice a week.