Jump Starting OK with On Board Computer?
 

I have an 03 Boxster with on-board computer. Just bought a 300 amp jump starter, but the directions say caution about using it with on-board computers.
Any experiences out there? thanks.

Why did you buy a jump starter for the Boxster? Just get a good battery and a $50 battery maintainer.

Good job reading the directions....most people skip that part! :)

I've jumped mine once with a Sears Die Hard Starter/Charger and everything came out just fine. But to be on the safe side, I would recommend a Battery Tender as mentioned previously.

Whenever possible avoid boosting and put on a trickle/maintainer.

I have a 1-2 amp trickle charger/maintainer. The jump starter can also be used on my wife's car--a Honda.
Just replaced the battery on my Boxster, an 03 I bought used recently.
I use the car a couple of times per week in the winter. Temp in the 30s. Unheated garage. Doubt I'll need a trickle charger with a new battery in the Boxster under those conditions(?)

Trickle chargers and battery maintainers are NOT the same thing. You shouldn't leave a trickle charger connected to a battery for a long period of time, but you can do it with a maintainer.

Jump starters can damage sensitive equipment with the surge of current that they provide. That's why your OBC gives that warning. I'd go by the owner's manual on that one.

I have a Black and Decker 1-2 amp charger that serves as a maintainer and charger. it turns on and off to maintain the charge. They call it a "smart" charger/maintainer. In my experience, you can build up enough charge to start the car in about 48 hrs.

The Boxster manual isn't too clear on jump starters: It shows how to jump start your car using the battery of another vehicle (standard procedure), but doesn't say anything about cordless jump starters with their own batteries. It does say you shouldn't charge with more than about 20% of your batteries rated charge. That would be around 15-20 amps I guess.

The cordless jump starters that just use their own batteries are perfectly safe to use as far as I know.