Having Bad Experience with Braille Battery - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

JFP in PA · 06-25-2011, 07:47 AM

While you may have other issues (ignition switch, charging system, etc.), I really think you need to take a hard look at using one of these light weight batteries in a daily driver; these light weight units are designed for off road use, but are being marketed for street use; often advertising electrical output (CCA, reserve amps, etc.) that is measured using non standard methodologies (if these batteries were tested under BCI specs, they are actually much weaker than they claim). These light weight units are simply not designed for, or capable, of normal street usage.

We have had more than one customer install a light weight battery, only to shortly encounter all kinds of electrical and electronic “gremlins”, ranging from Litronics that would not ignite, to weird displays on the OEM electronics, and intermittent electrical issues (starting problems in both cold and warm weather, dim lights, stereo systems issues, etc. In most cases, we could find no organic issues with the car, the light weight battery failed a standard load test, and the problems went away with the installation of a correctly sized battery.

j.fro · 06-25-2011, 09:15 AM

I have a braille in mine and have had similar issues. Fortunately, it's not a daily driver.

darkstormvx · 06-25-2011, 11:32 AM

But would a bad ignition switch cause the car to reset like that? Its never acted up like this until I changed the battery. And your right, I think the weather might effect it. Those days I had the jumps were during a really hot week.

I considered the alt. But it didnt match with instant death of the battery like that. And it is charging otherwise the car wouldnt run now with the short time that battery can run things.

Should i try dthe 21lb? Or take my losses and go with another brand?

JFP in PA · 06-25-2011, 11:55 AM

Any battery you chose that does not meet the correct BCI specs (CCA, reserve amps, etc.) for your car is going to eventually cause these problems. What makes me chuckle is how much extra you have to pay in order to have all this grief. So you decide which battery is best for your world..............

darkstormvx · 06-25-2011, 02:57 PM

I guess ill just get a regular battery and lose weight somewhere else. Itll cost just as much to upgrade to 21 pounds. Maybe I can sell the replacement battery from braille.

ekam · 06-25-2011, 03:40 PM

JFP is right. Lightweight battery + daily driver + audio system = bad news.

Steve Tinker · 06-26-2011, 01:12 AM

Darkstorm - have you tried charging your new battery over a 12 - 15 hours with an external battery charger?
Sometimes new batteries (light weight or not) require an initial, steady state charge over a protracted time frame that a car alternator cannot give...

j.fro · 06-26-2011, 04:03 AM

It's the battery. I put on a new alternator and a new ignition switch and still had the issues. Be careful using just any battery charger. Braille makes their own dedicated charger, and using any other charger voids the warranty.

darkstormvx · 06-26-2011, 07:27 AM

I can get a charger, but wouldnt I run into the same issues anyway? Im assuming it came out of the box with a full charge based on the date of manufacture. And it still ended up dying randomly. I dont operate anything in my car without it running.

I think if the battery needed an initial charge the manufacturer would've indicated it. In any case, the very next day after install I made a 450 mile trip to DC and back. Wouldnt that be sufficient to charge it?