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Originally Posted by MNBoxster
Despite their widespread popularity, I am extremely distrustful of the ones which plug into the Lighter socket. If you check the Wiring Schematics, the Lighter Circuit is not directly routed to the Battery. The Juice flows all sorts of places first before reaching the Battery, and all you need is one short in the Wiring Harness and you could Fry the DME or some other mega-expensive component.
I'm probably being over-cautious, but I take the time to connect directly to the Battery, takes only a couple minutes and gives me peace of mind in a sort of Better Safe than Sorry way...
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Hi, does it matter whether that juice is coming from the battery end or the lighter socket end? Meaning, in either way, whatever circuits are live or shorted are getting power from one end of the connection or the other - from the battery end or the lighter plug, right? The current from a Charge-O-Mat is really small compared with a standard charger too. The same short will be there in the spring even if you pull the battery in the winter, so I'm not sure I understand the electrical advantages of avoiding the Charge-O-Mat.
Now, on the other hand, I do understand the idea that charging a non-sealed battery while in a stationary car (as in storage) might lead to corrosive outgassing which can eat parts you care about... but that is simply an argument for or against pulling the battery, not the method of charge.
And yes, I use the Porsche Charge-O-Mat lighter plug maintainer
. Works like a charm and it was trivially easy to take a midwinter drive recently when the weather cooperated - just unplugged the C-O-M to leave and popped it back in when I came home - no dirty hands required.