Richard_Wallace

No, you do not need to lock your car (you can of course), mine has been on the charger a number of times throughout the 2.5 years I have owned either my 992 4S coupe I sold or my new 992 Targa 4S. Same procedure, but just locking at the end, but works if you don't lock it as well.

Joan Alcover

You are right ...
BUT ...
If you do not lock your car, the "parasitic draw" on the battery will be much higher than if you do lock!
The reason is that if you do not "tell the car" that you are not about to drive it (by locking it) many of the accessories and assistance functions remain on and draw energy form the battery.

Then, if your trickle charger loses power from the mains ..... your battery will be drained (or go into "protected mode", if it is a Lithium-ion type) in 2-3 days instead of 3-4 weeks!
And then, opening the frunk to connect an external battery and start the car (and pull the Lithium-ion battery out of "protected mode") will be an experience, believe me!
This has happened to me once!

Drew46

Are you saying that I cannot leave my car unlocked in the garage for 3 days without using the trickle charger. I use a trickle charger if I think the car is going to sit for a week or more.

Joan Alcover

The best answer to your question is "try it out".
There have been many accounts of owners leaving the car unlocked in their garage, with the keys close to the car (thus continuing to "communicate with the car") and finding the battery "dead" or "in protected mode" (case of Lithium-ion batteries) after a few days.
Again, you have to try to find out what the situation is in your specific case.

Richard_Wallace

I can clarify (after 2.5 years of ownership) with a lipo battery. I leave my car unlocked with the keys in it, and have let it sit for 3-4 weeks, no issue not on a charger.

When I do put it on the trickle charger, I also leave it unlocked with the key in it - again no issue if the charger gets disconnected, or the power goes out, etc.

Not sure about that post and what specifically happened to drain his battery.

I have not had that happen - and the battery life (compared to my other cars with lipo) is quite good. My Mclaren or F12 before that, was 2-3 weeks tops. I have gone 4 weeks with my 4S without driving (during covid) with the car unlocked and key inside the car - no issue.

Couple of clarification points: Your car will go into sleep mode in about 30 minutes, the key will not communicate with the car, nor will it continually drain the car. However, with that said. If you go to my porsche app and constantly check the status of your car, etc. that can drain your car over a number of checks and times (if you are constantly doing that) - of course that would happen if it is locked as well.

Also remember your alarm also drains the battery as well, there are some older tests in the 991 side on locked or unlocked, not sure there was any conclusive evidence that the drain was higher on either scenario.

CodyBigdog

That’s what mine does…and i directly connect to the LiPO battery.

Richard_Wallace

It should not shut down with a full battery, it should go into maintain mode.

On the LiPo - you need to connect both the power and ground directly to the battery. Do not connect the ground to the ground screw... Connect both to the battery, in which it should not shut down.

If they are both connected directly to the battery and your charger is shutting down after a while - I would guess bad charger, try a direct banded Ctek that supports LiPo. It should stay on (as if you were to leave it plugged in for a few months), you want it to maintain continually not shut off when full.

K-Nut

New Lithium battery have internal disconnect, if you not connect battery charger with ignition on, battery will disconnect both leads (meaning battery contacts will be disconnected) so even if you clamp charger directly to battery leads it will not charge if it’s in lock mode.
it’s so simple turn ignition on, connect charger to battery or foot well outlet wait couple min , turn off ignition and battery will not lock and will continue charging.
this is case on my 992 GT3

Richard_Wallace

I did not have that issue on my 2020 992 C4S (I had it direct to my Lipo battery after about 3 months of ownership got tired of plugging it into the footwell as it is hard to reach). With that said, I am still using the footwell plug on my 2022 Targa 4S, as I have not wired it direct yet. Maybe they have a chip or something different in the newer models (or GT3) - I will hook mine up likely this weekend direct to see if there has been a change to the newer batteries.

If that is the case, that makes it interesting to every try and lipo jump start the car, as if it ever runs down makes starting interesting.

German1967

It seems to me the charging through the footwell connector involving various steps and a secret handshake is way too cumbersome. Why not a fixed connection to + battery terminal and a negative ground and have the charging cable pigtail hang out the frunk cover? I asked the dealer to fix install the charger cable that way prior to delivery and now it is just a simple cable connect and over with.

Richard_Wallace

That is the way to do it for sure. Now the question is, with the LiPos do you still have to cycle the ignition on to get it to stay powered with direct connect. I know the 2020 did not need it, but does the 2022 LiPo's.

audi4t

This works - plug and play - no handshake - about $25 from Amazon I now have it on a $5 timer since it doesn’t need to be charging the battery 24/7 - 4 hours a day keeps the battery fully charged.

CodyBigdog

Thanks for that suggestion. Yes, I have been connecting the neg side to the ground screw. No idea it would make a difference. Thx.

Joan Alcover

Hhhmmm.....
If I connect my CTEK Lithium XS directly to the battery and the lights of the charger show that it is charging, I wonder how the battery can discharge and go into protected mode .... assuming I forgot to turn ignition on when I connected the charger to the battery.
Any rational explanation?
Or did K-Nut mean "Once the Lithium ion battery has entered protection mode, then even if you clamp the charger directly to the battery it will not charge"?

K-Nut

exactly what I am trying to explane , after ignition off battery goes to sleep mode and even battery leads are disconnected from inside , trust me I was messing with 992 GT3 and the only way it start charging after I turn ignition on and connected charger
my car was sitting with out charging for a few day , probably this is what triggered battery sleep mode