Suggestion for trickle charger wanted

[2001saxster]

I'm looking to purchase a trickle charger for my 01 Boxster which will be spending more time in the garage now that I have a second car. Any suggestions on what brand and model to get and best place to purchase from?

Thanks

[Steve Tinker]

Are you looking for a trickle charger or a battery maintainer - there is a subtle difference ?

A battery charger is what you charge the battery with when it is flat (discharged) and usually means disconnecting the battery from the car and charging for several hours.

A battery maintainer lets you maintain a fully charged battery while the car hibernates for a prolonged period - it doesn't "charge" the battery, only maintains the voltage which is what I assume you mean....
Porsche have their own brand maintainer (expensive) and C-tec is a well regarded brand here in Australia

[JFP in PA]

You do not want a trickle charger, you want a maintainer; as Steve said, they are totally different animals. Steve is also correct on selecting a Ctek over a cheaper unit; the Ctek's all have a specific function in all their charge profiles to deal with premature battery sulfation, which is a major factor in premature battery death.

[Flavor 987S]

Originally Posted by 2001saxster

I'm looking to purchase a trickle charger for my 01 Boxster which will be spending more time in the garage now that I have a second car. Any suggestions on what brand and model to get and best place to purchase from?

Thanks

You can buy a Porsche battery maintainer from Sunset Porsche for about $43.

[Topless]

Choose the right maintainer for your battery. A lead acid battery benefits from sulfation protection. An AGM or Gel Cel battery works best with a more gentle charge at slightly lower voltage.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Topless

Choose the right maintainer for your battery. A lead acid battery benefits from sulfation protection. An AGM or Gel Cel battery works best with a more gentle charge at slightly lower voltage.

AGM batteries require slightly higher charging voltage than conventional flooded batteries, but are relatively immune to current rates. The can also suffer sulfation. Gel cels require lower current rates to prevent gas bubbles from forming and disrupting the gel while being charged.

Always be sure any maintainer is correct for the type of battery you are using; better units (like the Ctek) have settings for different types of batteries....

[Johnny Danger]

For those who are still in the market for a simple cost effective battery maintainer, I just picked up a Deltran Tender Junior complete with the cigarette lighter adapter
for $36.00 including shipping . It's virtually identical to the one Porsche offers for much less money .



Deltran Battery Tender Junior Charger 12V @ 0.75A Smart Maintainer - Xtreme Parts World

[milliemax]

I use to buy them by the case at Harbor Freight Tools to give away to my customers when I owned a battery co. Buy a battery and get a free "maintainer"!!!. The ones with the direct hook up to the terminal with a disconnect are a little more "sure" that the cig lighter style. I use to pay about $2 - 3 dollars each. They are also called "float chargers" Sold that company in 03 and I am sure the price is up a bit now.

[cbbepop]

Originally Posted by Johnny Danger

For those who are still in the market for a simple cost effective battery maintainer, I just picked up a Deltran Tender Junior complete with the cigarette lighter adapter
for $36.00 including shipping . It's virtually identical to the one Porsche offers for much less money .



Deltran Battery Tender Junior Charger 12V @ 0.75A Smart Maintainer - Xtreme Parts World

So is this what you are using now? How is it? I have a 2001...can I charge/maintain my battery through the cigarette lighter?

I been disconnecting my battery every winter which I been told now is not a good idea....:/

[MaxD]

I'm using a Napa 85-201 to maintain an Odyssey PC680 . About $28.

Should work on lead acid or gel cell batteries.

Max

[JFP in PA]

A major advantage for the entire Ctek line is that all of them address sulfating in batteries, which is a major factor that shortens the life expectancy of any lead/acid battery, including AGM’s like the Optima. All Ctek’s run a de-sulfating mode in every charge cycle, something that no Battery Tender models, or most other low cost brands, do; plus they run periodic tests on the battery to make sure everything is alright. All Ctek’s also have specific settings for special batteries, like the Optima’s, which require a slightly higher charging voltage than conventional flooded cell batteries.

"You get's what you pay's for"………

[schnellman]

+1 on CTEK -- Whether it says "Porsche" on it or not only effects the price.