So Charging A 296, Let's Discuss

Indeed, my car is stored for winter for about 6 weeks now. It switched to long term parking mode automatically and the app indicates the battery is at 75%.

The battery warning reads: Optimized battery level. Long Parking mode enabled.

I hope this is fine as the car will most probably be stored till July.

 

80% max charge is also good (for the battery) for daily use, not just for long term parking?

 

You would think so but the only option seems to be 100% in Qualy mode or 50% with Performance mode. I'm considering setting a timer on the charger supply to provide power one day per week rather than every day but this is not what Ferrari recommend. However, as I mentioned before, the battery has a replacement date anyway so perhaps there is just no point in worrying about charge levels, performance mode, qualy mode etc.. just drive it as you want and stick it on charge every day. I suspect this is what Ferrari think owners will do.

 

It was noted above that 0% is not truly 0%, and so in the same way 100% might not really be 100%. It could even be when the car says 100% in one situation it is not the same as 100% in a different situation (driving v charging). The car is so clever that perhaps it is always looking after the battery in various unseen ways. But I am just guessing.

 

What app? Ferrari app?

 

Yes.

 

Can anyone help

 

I have a 22 and no remote access to view battery level in app.

I always drive in qualifying.

Sometimes in a week it gets dangerously low and I worry if I don't keep HV charged that the 12V could go out.

Sometimes I check on it in a week and it's barely moved. If it's too low I suffer and take a drive for 10-15 minutes to charge it up.

It seems to be in Long Term Parking mode always.

I can't plug in where I park usually, so either I check on it weekly if not using it or may try directly attaching to 12V and plugging a tender to that into a portable UPS.

 

How did you charge the 12v? Is there a magnetic plug or is it the standard +/- with alligator clips? I don’t have mine yet (4 more days to wait) so sorry for asking something that may be obvious

 

I have a 25 296 GTS and have had some intel on the charging issue. Performance mode will take the battery down to 50% and keep it there. I use hybrid to leave the neighborhood and switch to Performance. When I am 10 mile from home, I switch to Qualifying which charges the battery quickly. By the time I get home its at 100% (15 miles). I use a 20 amp isolated circuit and keep it on the charger when home. I drive it once or twice a week. I drove under 5500 RPM for the first 600 miles, and now it can be unleashed, so I get whatever performance I need. No issues with either battery. I think it is important to keep it plugged in when not in use. That way you should have no issues with either battery.

 

Ferrari service here said that there are 2 12v battery types but with mine (I assume non-Lion) you can just pop the footwell piece, get at the 12v, and tend it as normal but there is no external connector to do so.

Not sure if that's supposed to work if it's run down, and I often park where there's no outlet, but I have tended cars from an external UPS just fine in the past. The UPS will run down eventually but UPS + the 12v itself was fine for more than a few weeks.

I haven't tried this with 296 in practice though.

 

What’s the point of charging the battery in the last 10 miles if you’re going to plug it in anyway?

 

strange, does the car charge the battery on qualifying mode? Is the level at 0% when you took the video?

 

AFAIK, to charge that 12v battery you plug the car in with its EV charging cable.

 

Yes. In qualifying mode it fully charges the battery. In my experience it only takes about 10m from halfway. Ferrari recommences performance mode for daily use as it is a. Lend of battery and CE. If at the end of your destination a charger is. It available and you anticipate a long period with no use then switching to qualifying mode will recharge the battery fully. Or use the separate charging command in the vehicle menu.

Using hybrid mode will run the battery down in electric mode before turning on the CE. But you will have little reserve for an overnight or two and perhaps get stuck without a charger.

 

Yes, that is what is supposed to happen.

Twice, my 12V battery has not been charged when the car is plugged in and has gone flat.

Ferrarie have a software update to fix this on 'some' cars. I've had mine done and so far so good.