milani

I recently acquired a Porsche trickle charger from a Porsche dealership (refer to picture below). I just wanted to make sure that this cigarette-lighter charger is actually going to work with my 1989 944 Turbo S.

Does anyone know if it will work? I know it works fine on my mom’s 05 Boxster, but does anyone know if it’s compatible with mine, and what if any precautions I should take before I plug it in? I’m hesitant to experiment, as I don’t want any electrical issues as a result. Does anyone have experience using this type of trickle charger?

Thanks!

bearone

if it works on the boxter why do you question it?

87951

milani

Because a Boxster is 16 years newer.

bearone

so you had no problem trying it on the boxter 1st, before trying it on your vehicle.

you should have asked the dealer before you bought it and mentioned compatibility with the 951.

87951

Renn 951

I just ordered one of those from Sunset Porsche - really for my new Boxster S because it will likely sit in the garage for some extended stretches this winter. Now my 951 also sits outside under the car cover for extended stretches, but it doesn't have all the electronic systems on board like the newer Porsches have which tend to drain the battery. The 951 will start even if it's been sitting for several weeks, but with many of the newer Porsches that's not the case.

I think it's reasonable to assume that a battery maintainer that is safe with modern Porsche electronics isn't likely to cause any problems with the relatively primitive electronics on a 20 year old Porsche.

George Boss

I bought the same thing at AutoStrasse a few years ago, and it did absolutely nothing in the cigarette lighter. I used the aligator clips instead.
Funny thing is, it did nothing there either. I still ended up discharging the battery. And the one after that. And the one after that.
I found that disconecting the battery terminals and having it charged at a shop in the spring to have worked fine, until my car ate that battery as well......

Notice a pattern here with our cars?

SamGrant951

I use a Schumacher trickle charger that I leave installed on the batt terminals...has a power cord sticking out of it that I just plug into an extension cord/power source...works great.

http://store.schumachermart.com/se-1-12s.html

rickb20

Picked one up at Walmart exactly like the one in the link that Sam included, but I've also seen them at O'Reily's and AutoZone. Always worked great. I think I paid $39. It's designed so that you can mount it to the battery or the car itself and when you wish to charge, simply feed an extension cord between the windshield and back of the hood...don't even have to raise the hood if you mount it just right.

Just recently picked up a smaller model of the same brand to use with my 6 volt lawnmower battery this winter.

milani

Thanks for such a constructive comment , you're a great addition to the community.

An honest thanks for everyone else's input. I've heard from another source, who also has a 951, that this specific charger worked fine with their car. I just wondered if the experience of this board would yield any further information. Looks like I should be safe to try it, at the very least it won’t do anything, and I can sell it to any number of people I know who own later model Porsches. Oh and to clarify, the item was a gift, hence my asking you guys rather than asking the dealership – although it was such a great suggestion... not (from my experience the dealership is incompetent 98% of the time – I'd rather ask the mailman).

Jfrahm

Most of my German cars switch the lighter socket off with the key. Maybe the Boxster is different or has an aux power socket this works in? I do not see it working if the socket is not connected with the key off.

-Joel.

RKD in OKC

Boxster lighter is hot with key off. My Valentine ran the battery dead a couple of times when I forgot to turn it off.

bearone

sorry pal, i just have heartburn when you/anybody is willing to risk someone else's property before putting their own goods on the line and on your mom's car to boot.

87951

milani

Her charger came with her car . Anyway, I'm not sure how this really got onto the topic of my mother. I could have just as easily have said my friend the doctor, I suspect that if I did you wouldn't be breaking my ***** over it, however, if you actually read my post you might realize that contrary to what you seem to think I didn't "test" the charger on the Boxster. Rather, the same charger is plugged into the car right now. I didn't test it, because I don't have to. I know it works - ask anyone with a Boxster, Cayman, or 911 - the charger is universal.

bearone

i read your 1st post, here's part of it.
"Does anyone know if it will work? I know it works fine on my mom’s 05 Boxster".

87951

VWaddict

My car has one. It is an '89 951.

It works perfectly.

I'm not sure how this 'information' helps anything... None of my VWs ever turned off the lighter socket for what it's worth, but -most importantly-, my 951 doesn't do it either.

My car used to be stored indoors under a cover (and over a Carrera GT!) with the tires over-filled and the trickle-charger hooked up. It always worked perfectly.

Keith