CruisinUSA

I'd like to install a quick connect lead for a battery conditioner in the front trunk. What is the best way to it, so it's easy to access and cleanly integrated? I'm curious to see people's setups.

I don't want to use the cigarette lighter option because I'll still need to plug in my Xantrex TrueCharge 2's temperature sensor anyways.

981BGTS

Here in the UK I use a Ctek CT5 charger for stop start battery's. It comes with a lead which permanently connects to the battery and the cars ground and a quick release plug which I leave poking through the battery cover. I just need to pop the hood each time to connect.

slivel

Same.

BondJ

And another. Ctek 5 with the pigtail

jdavis8361

Here's my CTEK set up. The dealer connected the short wires to the battery. The coiled wire connects between the charger that's located on my workbench and the connector coming out from under the battery cover.

I sometimes worry that one day, my battery will be mostly dead and I won't be able to open the frunk to get to the connector.

jD

Ernest72

I do the cigarette lighter in the center console with wire through the door. Works great.

TEF

I attach my battery tender to the lighter outlet in center console for months at a time while my BS is in winter storage. Agree with Ernest that this is easiest and cleanest way to maintain a 981 battery.

ImAzn

hey @slivel ,
Would you happen to have a photo of your connector when it is not connected to the battery tender? Does it just sit between the bottom of the hood and the cover?

jdavis8361

For the entire time I owned it, I used the cigarette lighter socket in my 987.1CS to maintain its battery. When I tried to do the same with my new-to-me 981CS, I experienced the same thing that the first poster in this thread did:
https://rennlist.com/forums/gt4-spyd...ette-port.html
That's the reason I changed to my current setup.
I just now connected my CTEK to the cigarette lighter socket in the 981, and it again was shut off as it was before.
I have no idea why some people are able to use their cigarette lighter socket and some of us aren't.
Maybe this is what I need to have done is as per the technical bulletin mentioned here: https://rennlist.com/forums/981-foru...81-cayman.html Maybe not.

Ernest72

I had read that it might not be on when the car was off. But I have a cig lighter usb thing that lights up. When the car was off I checked and it was on. So it’s been working. Wish I had a better answer for you.

ICNU

Mine has always been plugged in down in the passenger footwell socket, and I'm one of the lucky ones that never shuts off since day one when I took it home in 2013. Whether it stays on or shuts off on the same models cars, including the 911 is all over the map with zero consistency it seems. Some have had luck doing some sort of lock, unlock sequence along with with specific timing in between those steps before plugging it in, and even that doesnt work consistently for those with the issue according to all the various discussions on the forums about this. Its crazy, and you would think at least same year cars would all have a common software and programming functionality between them?

981BGTS

The Ctek or any other battery charger should not be connected to the negative terminal of the battery. If you remove the plastic battery tray and the 2 covers over the top suspension mounts you will find an earth point.

Its position may be shown in your handbook (Page 231 in mine, under 'External power supply/jump starting' and 'Charging the battery')

jdavis8361

Thanks BGTS.

The Porsche dealership must not have read that part of the owners manual (page 248) before they installed a new battery and hooked up the CTEK for me.

The CTEK user manual gives the same instruction, but the guys at the dealership probably couldn't be bothered to read it either.

dav9515

i use a Battery Tender (brand) and connected to the battery posts so it stays on permanently and then ran the wire under the plastic cowl and it comes out on the drivers side where the back corner of the hood meets the fender by the driver's side view mirror. When i'm not using it i just cap it and push it down under the hood and when i'm charging i just grab it out and plug it in. Very simple and easy to use, i do put a microfiber towel under the connection point to ensure over time there is no rubbing on the paint in that spot.

slivel

Here you go.

There is a warning in the manual about connecting jump starters or chargers directly to the negative terminal and instead use the earth point under the tray. I can't think of a reason for doing this other than it being a liability thing and it may lessen the possibility of a person connecting jump starter or charger with reverse polarity and causing damage or explosion if the battery is outgassing hydrogen and a spark jumps during connection. My CTEK has been connected directly to the pos and neg battery terminals for 7 years now with no issues. If you prefer to stay within the Porsche guidelines, then just splice on a short extension to the neg wire and connect to the earth point.

On my wire routing, I bring the pigtail out through the gap shown in the picture.

I also have and recommend the cool little accessory from Antigravity called Battery Tracker. Less than $40 and uses Bluetooth. It gives you battery health, charging system health, cranking voltage to an app on your smart phone. They have a tracker for Lithium and non-lithium batteries.