F8 Trickle charging

I can share my experience but it is just one data point. I received my 2022 F8 in February of 22 and it was on the factory trickle charger every min that it was not being driven. The car left me stranded at a gas station in April. Then again near my home a few weeks later. So yes, I would say that the factory battery that I had in my car needed to be on the charger all of the time. After I replaced the battery with a standard AGM battery. I have not had an issue but it is still always on the trickle charger. I have now taken it out for lunch and after a 3hr lunch it starts but I now keep a jump pack with me at all times.

 

I had the dealer install a new Interstate battery prior to me picking up the car (F8). I’ve had it on a CTEK trickle charger every night since. Anti-Gravity batteries, and similar, are more forgiving but still need an occasional plug in I believe. So short answer is yes, keep it on the trickle charger and keep a battery jumper like the Noco boost on hand at all times.


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I only plug my F8 in if I won’t be driving it for a week or more. Had it since July 22, no issues yet with the battery. I also have about 4200 miles on it, so it’s also not for lack of starting cycles. I’m on my third or fourth battery in my 812 by comparison, and I always plugged it in anytime it was parked in my garage. Now it’s no longer a ferrari battery, I’m hoping it’ll last longer than 6 months.

 

Every Ferrari I own drains any battery I put in it if I don't start the car every weekend. So if it goes two weeks without starting the car it usually dies. Not sure about the F8 but hopefully they fixed the issue so there's no parasitic draw.

 

Somehow I feel this issue is a fixable one. Ferrari should focus their attention and improve things. Whether due to a flawed charging strategy while driving, or a poor quality Fiamm or sloppy programming of the various subsystems which results in larger than necessary parasitic loss

 

For at least one positive experience, my 2021 F8 (18 mos old now), I've kept it on the trickle charger that came with the car when I'm not driving it - with a few days where I didn't have it plugged in (forgot). So far no issues after 3800 miles.

 

Better battery would solve a lot of problems. They seem to degrade way too quickly, and are inconsistent in quality. Anyone who is concerned about being stranded somewhere due to a dead battery should have their battery replaced with something not FIAMM. The only thing I've noticed when a battery is getting close to dead is that the engine start is slightly slower, or you get a Christmas tree of dash lights (but don't turn the car off or it might not start again lol).

 

I’ve had mine (F8 s)since 1/25/21 and I’m still on the original battery. I drive mostly weekends and use the trickle charger in between . I do not lock my car in my garage at home so no drain while charging. Now I’m sure after posting this my battery will probably crap out.

 

2 years on the same battery, Kirk? That's gotta be a record for you.

 

I’m going to ask a silly question since I don’t know. Where is the battery and do you just hook up the Noco boost to it when needed? F8 battery same lithium battery like Pista? Thanks

 

Thanks I have a Noco Boost and will put it in the frunk. Just want to know what to do with it if/when….

 

When I had a 488 Spider I had a couple of instances where I had to use the Noco Boost due to a low battery - I connected it to the battery posts (behind the passenger footwell) and it worked great. Have a '22 F8 Spider and have not (yet) had battery issues (fingers crossed).

 

In the 458, passenger foot well. Easily opens up, I keep a Noco in each of my cars. This is a picture of my eight year old factory battery almost failing. I would never jump start any of my cars off another car, I would have absolutely no problem jump starting any of my cars of a Noco or Beatit jumpstart kit.

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I only use the charger on my F8 and F12 when I know I won’t drive the car within 2 days after my last drive and I’ve never had an issue. Any battery being on a charger all the time will degrade the battery over time. This past weekend I drove my F8 on Friday and then again Sunday. I put it back on the tender this evening.

On my F12, same thing and also since the battery on that car is in the engine compartment I never plug it in the charger while the engine is still hot. If I drive my car Sunday morning I don’t put it on the charger until the next day.

I may just be lucky but I haven’t had any issues. With either car. My F8 I’ve only had for 6 months and F12 for 2 years and the battery is 3 years old. I’ve put 900 and 5,300 miles on them respectively so they do get driven instead of staying on their chargers all the time. perhaps that’s why I haven’t had any issues. Of course now that i say that both batteries will be dead the next time I go to drive them lol


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22 F8, kept on a CTEK 7002 24/7. Battery failed and had to be replaced (with an Interstate AGM) within 11 months. Same exact scenario as with my 488.

 

2020 F8 I got 2 years and 5 months from my factory FIAMM, I always had the charger connected when not driving it. Replaced by my dealership under warranty with an interstate. One thing I’ve already noticed: After driving the car with the FIAMM, I’d connect the charger and it would take hours/overnight to get the green light indication. With the interstate, the green light comes on just about immediately.

It’s a shame that a car with high parasitic draw and heavily dependent on electrical power is equipped with such a crappy battery!

 

If your daily driver, like a Toyota, would you put up with the Ferrari battery charging issues, make you realise Ferrari electrics are pretty poor.

 

I have found that keeping them plugged in does little. The batteries still die. Starting them often seems to work much better. My 458 keeps blowing out the chargers, so it’s left me with no choice. The 812 seems to do better, but it’s not even three years old and is on its second battery.

 

My 458 was dead today when I went to start it up, last drive was 5 days ago.

Had to get a boost, weird since I had previously gone longer without driving it, was away for 10 days in Canada over xmas and came back to Miami and it fired up no problem.

 

Any battery on a continuous trickle charge will end up with a scale on the plates, mine is on a 24 hour timer and only comes on a few hours a day so it gets chance to discharge a bit, then charge it up. You can also try a 7 day timer and find a setting that gives a good difference between its discharge level and full..

 

Starting it without driving it should drain more power from the battery than replenishing it. At least on the V12 and likely on the V8 also. Trickle chargers have a descaling sequence that should help. I leave mine on the charger. Original one lasted 6 years. Second one is over 2 years old and no issues. YMMV.

 

A good heavier charge rate on a half charged battery knocks some of the scale off the plates, we had banks of batteries for emergency lights at work, being on trickle charge most of their life. Always had the volts but over time they would only power the lights for a limited time as they got older and needed replaceing.