Keep the battery charged
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Racer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 385
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From: Newcastle, UK
Keep the battery charged
A mixture of winter cold and short journeys has meant that my 928 has died on the drive again, is there anyway (apart from trickle chargers) to keep the battery charged. I realise that the cold is one of the main factors in draining the batteries, is there maybe a way of heat insulating the battery? ANy other suggestions welcome...
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I'm using a VW beetle solar panel charger, you can get them on ebay for about $20. Seems to work fine. Just lay them on top of the cargo cover, or put a box of some kind in the back under that big rear window so the sun can get to it.
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From: Sydney AUS
I know it has been cold in the UK recently. But not Ice road truckers cold.
Cold doesn't kill batteries unless it gets cold enough to freeze them and once the engine is running and the alternator is charging the current from charging will keep them warm enough to charge.
Whatever the temps, unless it's in the minus twenties or worse, short journeys meaning multiple engine starts and with the lights and probably heated rear window switched on will take more out of the battery than the alternator can replace. A voltage sensing trickle charger is the simple answer - just plug it in everytime you're at home. I have both of my 928s connected whenever they're at home - wired in a gold plated phono socket to the permanently live supply to the seat height adjusters, socket located in the hump under the handbrake - just plug it in whenever a 928 is int he garage. Easy. No more flat batteries.
Got fed up spending £100/year on batteries.
Cold doesn't kill batteries unless it gets cold enough to freeze them and once the engine is running and the alternator is charging the current from charging will keep them warm enough to charge.
Whatever the temps, unless it's in the minus twenties or worse, short journeys meaning multiple engine starts and with the lights and probably heated rear window switched on will take more out of the battery than the alternator can replace. A voltage sensing trickle charger is the simple answer - just plug it in everytime you're at home. I have both of my 928s connected whenever they're at home - wired in a gold plated phono socket to the permanently live supply to the seat height adjusters, socket located in the hump under the handbrake - just plug it in whenever a 928 is int he garage. Easy. No more flat batteries.
Got fed up spending £100/year on batteries.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 385
Likes: 1
From: Newcastle, UK
Cold doesn't kill batteries unless it gets cold enough to freeze them and once the engine is running and the alternator is charging the current from charging will keep them warm enough to charge.
I have both of my 928s connected whenever they're at home - wired in a gold plated phono socket to the permanently live supply to the seat height adjusters, socket located in the hump under the handbrake - just plug it in whenever a 928 is int he garage. Easy. No more flat batteries.
Got fed up spending £100/year on batteries.
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From: Ball Ground, GA
Porsche put a battery terminal under the bonnet for just that purpose...
If you want it even easier, put a fused lead from the jump start terminal and combine with a ground lead, then run the pair to the grille area, and put a phone jack, phono jack, or any other slip-fit jack on the end. A matching plug on a battery maintainer (NOT a battery charger!) and you are good to go. The slip-fit plug lets the maintainer stay in the garage when you back out without remembering to unplug the system.
If you really want the battery to last a long time, you need to add a desulphator to the system. One approach is shown here:
http://home.comcast.net/~ddenhardt20...esulfparts.htm
A UK source:
http://www.courtiestown.co.uk/batter...esulfators.htm
If you want a charger and desulfator in one commercial package:
http://www2.northerntool.com/auto-re...tem-167988.htm
None of these are recommendations, just ideas to get you started.
If you want it even easier, put a fused lead from the jump start terminal and combine with a ground lead, then run the pair to the grille area, and put a phone jack, phono jack, or any other slip-fit jack on the end. A matching plug on a battery maintainer (NOT a battery charger!) and you are good to go. The slip-fit plug lets the maintainer stay in the garage when you back out without remembering to unplug the system.
If you really want the battery to last a long time, you need to add a desulphator to the system. One approach is shown here:
http://home.comcast.net/~ddenhardt20...esulfparts.htm
A UK source:
http://www.courtiestown.co.uk/batter...esulfators.htm
If you want a charger and desulfator in one commercial package:
http://www2.northerntool.com/auto-re...tem-167988.htm
None of these are recommendations, just ideas to get you started.
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From: ATL, GA w/a 996TT
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From: Ball Ground, GA
For long-term usage, a "battery maintainer" is much better than a "trickle charger".
A battery maintainer cuts off completely when the battery is fully charged. A battery charger, even a trickle charger, will over-charge the battery, shortening its life.
A battery maintainer cuts off completely when the battery is fully charged. A battery charger, even a trickle charger, will over-charge the battery, shortening its life.
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I believe a battery maintainer and trickle charger are in all practical senses the same thing - I'm unaware of trickle chargers you can buy today that do not have voltage & current sensing just like any battery maintainer - so I use the term interchangeably...
I'd suggest you consider a block heater as well - this will significantly ease what will probably be your coldest start every day saving juice that you will otherwise need to recharge. Try to avoid heavy use of the rear screen defroster if you can - e.g. help it. by cleaning the screen yourself mechanically..
You can integrate the whole battery maintainer and have a 110V plug in for the maintainer and the block heater - I'd do this if I lived somewhere cold and had to leave the car out.
Alan
I'd suggest you consider a block heater as well - this will significantly ease what will probably be your coldest start every day saving juice that you will otherwise need to recharge. Try to avoid heavy use of the rear screen defroster if you can - e.g. help it. by cleaning the screen yourself mechanically..
You can integrate the whole battery maintainer and have a 110V plug in for the maintainer and the block heater - I'd do this if I lived somewhere cold and had to leave the car out.
Alan
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