[zamba0321]

Can someone post some pics on how to tap the power from an E93
Battery. Not sure if I should tap from the main battery lug bolts or
Tap onto one of the red wires from underneath those plastic caps.

The ground I can probably get from a bolt on the chassis nearby ..

I need about 10 amps

Thanks for posting, I couldn't find much with a search ...

[MendotaMike]

You'll want to order the following parts from your dealer (really cheap - under $10.00) so you can plug right into the factory battery connection system:

61136920092 (metal connector)

plus either

61136925166 (double connector housing)
or
61136925176 (single connector housing)

See diagram at link below:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...46&hg=61&fg=30

Just ordered the same parts myself. I'll be putting together a thread when I do my install.

[Ea$y]

How do you know if you need the Double or Single? It's really hard to see behide the plastic cover.

[MendotaMike]

It depends on which spots you have open on your battery. They were really cheap, so I ordered both, and I'll just use whichever one works best.

[zamba0321]

great info, I will order both parts as well, see if my local dealer carries them first...
I saw some postings saying that these connections might not be live, there's some
fuses before the terminals so we'll have to see if they are stuffed or not ..

[MendotaMike]

I probed mine before ordering. I've got live posts under two empty connector slots (one single, one double). As posted elsewhere, the empty connector slot all the way to the right was dead.

[fdriller9]

Fyi, if you blow the non replaceable fuses in the factory distribution block you need to get a whole new one. If I remember correctly, it is expensive. Mainly because it has a safety mechanism in it that disconnects the battery in the event of an accident.

[MendotaMike]

Good point. I've ordered a StreetWires wiring kit (including an inline fuse) to hook up my PDX-5, which itself isn't that much of a power hog, so I think I'll be safe. The riskiest part is undoubtedly during the installation process itself.

[MendotaMike]

In case it might help someone, here are some pictures of what the BMW battery connectors look like (yeah, I know, the pictures are a little big - sorry about that). The first picture shows one of the connector housings (a single, BMW also sells also a double) with the internal metal connector next to it. The second picture shows my 4 ga. wire with the metal connector soldered on. The metal connector isn't anywhere near large enough to crimp on a 4 ga. wire, but the housing is easily large enough to acommodate the wire. So I stuffed (carefully) the crimpable end of the wire into the stripped cable, spun a very small wire around the stipped wire/connector combo to secure it, heated it all up with a very small torch (a kitchen torch for creme brulee', actually), and loaded it all up with solder. The solder job took really well, nice and solid. The final picture shows the final assembly after sliding the metal connector into the housing.

All ready to hook up to the battery (after I install the fuse holder, of course).

[kaigoss69]

This may be an idiotic question but how did you manage to solder that (presumably) 8 gauge wire to the connector. I tried for like 30 minutes and the only thing getting hot was my fingers! I ended up crimping the damn thing, which of course is less than ideal.

[fdiprete]

Just asked vp about this in his thread.

[MendotaMike]

Originally Posted by kaigoss69

This may be an idiotic question but how did you manage to solder that (presumably) 8 gauge wire to the connector. I tried for like 30 minutes and the only thing getting hot was my fingers! I ended up crimping the damn thing, which of course is less than ideal.

As mentioned in my post, I used a small but very hot blow torch to heat the exposed wire and the metal connector. I had just a little melting right at the beginning of the insulation, but it worked out pretty good. Oh, and it's a 4 gauge wire, not 8. 8 would probably be crimpable, no way with 4.

[kaigoss69]

Originally Posted by MendotaMike

As mentioned in my post, I used a small but very hot blow torch to heat the exposed wire and the metal connector. I had just a little melting right at the beginning of the insulation, but it worked out pretty good. Oh, and it's a 4 gauge wire, not 8. 8 would probably be crimpable, no way with 4.

Cool! I read right over that, LOL.