Batteries for SI Board?

[bimmer8604]

Well I finally have my 5 speed done, and my SI batteries are dead so i have no tach, Mpg, or temp guages. What are the best batteries to get? Do i have to order them or would radio crap have 'em?

Kyle

[Rigmaster]

Re: Batteries for SI Board?

Well I finally have my 5 speed done, and my SI batteries are dead so i have no tach, Mpg, or temp guages. What are the best batteries to get? Do i have to order them or would radio crap have 'em?

Kyle

Depends on what type your SI board has- if it's the original board, you should have "AA" size batteries, and you can use almost any "AA" size rechargeable NICAD batteries (make sure you charge them up before you install them).

There is quite alot of info floating around about this, do a search on this or some of the other BMW sites for more detailed info.


Bret.

[Turningermanese]

Radio Shack sells a set, forget which model number though. They have the solder tabs on them and are pretty close to the right mAh.

[ryan_george]

I went to a battery store to try and find some, and I ended up getting some from a cordless phone battery. They work fine.

[nando]

I wired up an external battery pod for my friend's 318is, when they die again he can spend $3.00 on some new AA's without even having to open the gauge cluster. of course your average DIY'er probably won't be able to wire it up properly. but if you think you can I'd go that way, then you never have to worry about it again.

[bimmer8604]

I wired up an external battery pod for my friend's 318is, when they die again he can spend $3.00 on some new AA's without even having to open the gauge cluster. of course your average DIY'er probably won't be able to wire it up properly. but if you think you can I'd go that way, then you never have to worry about it again.

Did you just mount it in the space below the cluster? Or in the glove box somewhere? Im curious about the external battery idea, very clever....

Kyle

[Axxe]

Probably just an external block above the knees. How long do new batteries last?

[nando]

Probably just an external block above the knees. How long do new batteries last?

yeah, it just sits inside the cover above your knees. no idea how long they last, but it's been over a year and they're still working.

[hella 325]

does the SI board have anything to do with the tach?

[hella 325]

does anyone know?

[robert325is]

does the SI board have anything to do with the tach?

yah no SI board=no tach

[BMW BMXER]

I wired up an external battery pod for my friend's 318is, when they die again he can spend $3.00 on some new AA's without even having to open the gauge cluster. of course your average DIY'er probably won't be able to wire it up properly. but if you think you can I'd go that way, then you never have to worry about it again.

Genious! I should do that, one of these days when I finally take out my slowy dieing cluster.

[E30//MAN]

I lost all my guages, but I replaced a fuse and brought my tach back up. You should check.

[hella 325]

thanks guys