Winter storage, removing battery, risk of alarm ringing?
 

Hi

I have a 1999 base that I have to store soon for 4 months. I am in Canada and I have a battery tender that I have used without issues every year I had the car (I.e. 3 years). This year, I plan to store it in a friend’s garage. The issue is that researching best practices for winter storage on this forum I read about the alarm ringing when the battery gets weak or slowly dies, or simply when disconnecting the battery.

While I plan to use the battery tender, a long power shortage at my friend’s house, or the tender getting accidentally unplugged, could lead to the battery discharging slowly and eventually dying. I don’t want the alarm to go off and disturb my friend and her family so I thought of unplugging the battery and bringing it home to my garage. Yet, I am not sure of the alarms on North America 1999 Boxsters do go off when the battery dies. I read that this seems perhaps the case in the UK. From another tread “On UK spec cars you need to turn the ignition on (idiot lights illuminated) before the battery is disconnected otherwise the alarm will sound with your head above it! Guess how I know? Also leave ignition on for reconnecting for the same reason.”

My questions are
1) does the alarm sound off when a 1999 base’s battery is dying or weak?
2) When disconnecting the battery, do we need to put the key in ignition so the alarm does not go off or is this a UK thing?

Thanks

Bumped (sorry!)

Anyone knows? I mean does the alarm sounded off when your car battery died, for those who had this happened and are in North America? 1999 base....

No idea if the alarm goes off when batt is low...

But, it is the 3rd winterization of my 2002 base and I always remove the battery with no issues.

I recommend removing the battery if not connect to a tender. This will prevent damage to your battery cause by freezing.

Good luck

I've had 2 times where my battery died, nether time did alarms go off. On both occasions the battery died very suddenly without warning. Since then I use a maintainer when it is stored over winter in an unheated garage and also during the driving season if the car is sitting for more than a few days.

Here in Winnipeg with the potential of 40 below anytime in Jan or Feb keeping the battery on a tender is a must if you hope to have a viable battery come spring. I've never removed the battery to store it.

I disconnect my battery all the time with no issues.

I disconnect the battery and bring it home charge it in the spring when I'm ready to take it out, I put a piece of 2x4 on the front latch so nobody closes the front trunk, put the car in neutral make sure the handbrake is off put the cover on it and forget it till May.

I bought a Porsche Battery Tender/Charger for $100. Best investment to date.

I have never had the alarm go off when disconnecting the battery, or when it was dying/weak. Actually, I can only think of one time my alarm has gone off in 12 years of ownership. If you think this may be a UK specific thing, the UK Boxster website is called boxa.net, you might have better luck there. :cheers:

Thanks all. The Boxster is all tucked away for the winter, with a battery tender, in a friend’s garage that keeps the temperature above freezing.

From what I gathered from the responses, it seems that my fear of the alarm sounding when removing the battery or when battery power being depleted beyond a certain point is not founded, and perhaps a UK / European thing, not a NA ‘feature’.

Cheers!