Go Back   986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners > Porsche Boxster & Cayman Forums > Boxster General Discussions

Post Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-27-2013, 01:52 AM   #1
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Uk
Posts: 1
Optimate 6 Trickle Charge

Is it safe to connect the optimate leads to the battery whilst the battery is still connected to the vehicle, thereby allowing the alarm to be permamently active whilst over wintering?

2001 986

Nimrod is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2013, 02:07 AM   #2
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: It's a kind of magic.....
Posts: 6,261
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nimrod View Post
Is it safe to connect the optimate leads to the battery whilst the battery is still connected to the vehicle, thereby allowing the alarm to be permamently active whilst over wintering?

2001 986
These cars were designed with a battery maintainer (not a trickle charger) in mind; and in particular, the car is set up so you can connect the maintainer by plugging it into the cig lighter socket and running the cord out through a slot left in the weather stripping near the front edge of the door. This way, the car can be left locked and alarmed while the battery is being maintained.
__________________
Anything really new is invented only in one’s youth. Later, one becomes more experienced, more famous – and more stupid.” - Albert Einstein
JFP in PA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2013, 06:03 PM   #3
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Chicago suburbs
Posts: 1,675
Have had my car on a maintainer for years without issue...sometimes for six months at a time.
__________________
JGM
2002 Boxster S
1973 911 Green FrankenMeanie
PCA DE Instructor circa '95
jmatta is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2013, 05:18 PM   #4
Registered User
 
Auf los!'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wilton, CT
Posts: 195
Slot?

Hey, JFP, where exactly is this "slot left in the weatherstripping"? Would you have a pic of this?
__________________
2001 Boxster S 6-speed, 2013 Boxster S PDK
Auf los! is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2013, 02:15 AM   #5
pjv
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Melbourne Australia
Posts: 68
Garage
Nimrod, my 2004 986 (Australian right-hand drive model) does not allow charging via the cigarette lighter socket, and this is correct according to Porsche Australia. Apparently later models do permit charging through the socket. So perhaps you have the same problem. I maintain my battery with a Ctek MXS 5 charger via a quick-disconnect harness permanently on the battery, without disconnecting the battery itself, and have been doing this for at least 2 years without problems. Usually I set the charger to 800 mA, but may use 5 A if in a hurry. So you should be OK doing what you say. If still unsure, try asking a Porsche service centre?
pjv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2013, 02:23 AM   #6
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: It's a kind of magic.....
Posts: 6,261
Quote:
Originally Posted by Auf los! View Post
Hey, JFP, where exactly is this "slot left in the weatherstripping"? Would you have a pic of this?
Slide your hand along the bottom of the door straight down and slightly foward from the outside mirror, you'll find it. There is even a recess in the door metal there as well.
__________________
Anything really new is invented only in one’s youth. Later, one becomes more experienced, more famous – and more stupid.” - Albert Einstein
JFP in PA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2013, 02:25 AM   #7
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: It's a kind of magic.....
Posts: 6,261
Quote:
Originally Posted by pjv View Post
Nimrod, my 2004 986 (Australian right-hand drive model) does not allow charging via the cigarette lighter socket, and this is correct according to Porsche Australia. Apparently later models do permit charging through the socket. So perhaps you have the same problem. I maintain my battery with a Ctek MXS 5 charger via a quick-disconnect harness permanently on the battery, without disconnecting the battery itself, and have been doing this for at least 2 years without problems. Usually I set the charger to 800 mA, but may use 5 A if in a hurry. So you should be OK doing what you say. If still unsure, try asking a Porsche service centre?
This must be an RoW thing; in North America, all year Boxsters can use the lighter socket.
__________________
Anything really new is invented only in one’s youth. Later, one becomes more experienced, more famous – and more stupid.” - Albert Einstein
JFP in PA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2013, 06:23 AM   #8
Registered User
 
Chuck W.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Agoura Hills (LA) So.Cal.
Posts: 1,574
I am with JFPinPA. I leave my Boxster on a Battery Tender 24/7. I only average 2000 miles a year so it will sit for days at a time. My last battery lasted over 7 years which (correctly or not) I attribute to its use.
__________________
1995 Porsche C4 Cab

2016 BMW M2, 6 Speed LBB - ED 7/2016
1997 993 Cab - Sold; 1997 993 Turbo - Sold
2001 Boxster S - Original Owner - 30K Miles -SOLD
Chuck W. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2013, 12:10 PM   #9
pjv
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Melbourne Australia
Posts: 68
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by JFP in PA View Post
This must be an RoW thing; in North America, all year Boxsters can use the lighter socket.
JFP, it may only be an Australian issue. Here we have what are known as 'Australian Design Rules' which sometimes I think are dreamt up by a bunch of seriously constipated individuals who think they know what is best for the rest of us. My Subaru Forester also has this limitation. In the past I had cars which allowed charging via the socket. These rules are a major reason why the Australian car market, being small, does not see many models available elsewhere in the world.

pjv is offline   Reply With Quote
Post Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:23 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page