Help with electrical draw/battery problem
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,224
Likes: 24
From: Indiana
After rereading the Optima faq and reading the latest comments in this thread, I am leaning towards replacing my red top with a yellow top. What is the real world effect or problems with reduced raw amps? Is this a starting issue?
*****,
How long have you been using the yellow top? Does your car sit for peroids of time in between drives? Which model do you use?
My driving habits vary greatly. Sometimes I drive the car daily for a couple of weeks and sometimes it sits for 1-2 weeks with maybe one day of driving. Would the daily driving peroids damage the yellow?
*****,
How long have you been using the yellow top? Does your car sit for peroids of time in between drives? Which model do you use?
My driving habits vary greatly. Sometimes I drive the car daily for a couple of weeks and sometimes it sits for 1-2 weeks with maybe one day of driving. Would the daily driving peroids damage the yellow?
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,100
Likes: 363
From: Upstate NY
Brian,
If you're car is going to sit for two weeks, just buy and plug into the cig lighter a Porsche battery maintainer. That way you don't have to reset the radio code and clock. I leave the maintainer plugged in all winter.
If you're car is going to sit for two weeks, just buy and plug into the cig lighter a Porsche battery maintainer. That way you don't have to reset the radio code and clock. I leave the maintainer plugged in all winter.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 293
Likes: 1
From: San Jose
Brian,
Having a little less amps is not noticeable from the Yellow Top; car turns over easily. Been using this for about 2 years now. The car is driven about 2-3 times a month so it sits for extended periods. Would not worry about overcharging the battery from normal driving; won't happen.
As Mike mentioned beforehand, a battery maintainer is a good idea; life support for Porsches. I use a Schumacher automatic battery maintainer and modified the terminals so it's a male cigarette plug and plug it into the car's cigarette ligher as opposed to using it in the engine compartment (where it was originally designed for). The charger is a sturdy unit and was designed to withstand outside weather condtions and has sophisticated electronics to make sure you don't overcharge; not bad for about $28 (Walmart has the same unit under the Walmart brand but you really have to look for it since stock is usually low on these slow items).
However, I had to do some surgery on my positive battery cable to get the Optima Yellow Top to work. If I were to do this again, I would buy/fabricate a terminal extender and keep the cable stock. The Yellow Top has terminals that are more in-board compared to the red-top (haven't seen a red-top lately, but assuming this is the case since most people don't complain about how difficult it was to install the battery).
Positive battery cable looks totally stock now after soldering all the connections and then shrink wrapping everything in burial-grade heat shrink tubing.
*****
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After spending some time on this thread and reviewing my notes on the electrical problem I decided to put both fuses back into the circuit and see if the problem has gone away. Charged the battery up with the maintainer and unplugged it. We'll see how many weeks this car can sit without flattening the battery. Next time I check it will be about 2 weeks later. Got my fingers crossed it'll start right up ...
Having a little less amps is not noticeable from the Yellow Top; car turns over easily. Been using this for about 2 years now. The car is driven about 2-3 times a month so it sits for extended periods. Would not worry about overcharging the battery from normal driving; won't happen.
As Mike mentioned beforehand, a battery maintainer is a good idea; life support for Porsches. I use a Schumacher automatic battery maintainer and modified the terminals so it's a male cigarette plug and plug it into the car's cigarette ligher as opposed to using it in the engine compartment (where it was originally designed for). The charger is a sturdy unit and was designed to withstand outside weather condtions and has sophisticated electronics to make sure you don't overcharge; not bad for about $28 (Walmart has the same unit under the Walmart brand but you really have to look for it since stock is usually low on these slow items).
However, I had to do some surgery on my positive battery cable to get the Optima Yellow Top to work. If I were to do this again, I would buy/fabricate a terminal extender and keep the cable stock. The Yellow Top has terminals that are more in-board compared to the red-top (haven't seen a red-top lately, but assuming this is the case since most people don't complain about how difficult it was to install the battery).
Positive battery cable looks totally stock now after soldering all the connections and then shrink wrapping everything in burial-grade heat shrink tubing.
*****
-----------
After spending some time on this thread and reviewing my notes on the electrical problem I decided to put both fuses back into the circuit and see if the problem has gone away. Charged the battery up with the maintainer and unplugged it. We'll see how many weeks this car can sit without flattening the battery. Next time I check it will be about 2 weeks later. Got my fingers crossed it'll start right up ...
Racer
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 293
Likes: 1
From: San Jose
Just wanted to provide an update on the battery situation:
I put the 2 fuses back about almost two weeks ago and then charged up the battery (Optima Yellow Top) and let it sit by itself. The immobilizer was activated. Battery trickle charger was not installed. Car just sat there for almost 2 weeks.
The car started up on saturday with no problem. Turned right over.
I guess the issue I had with the battery drain disappeared. I think it was linked to some issues with the pin switches associated with the immobilizer.
Brian, did you get your battery problem fixed?
*****
I put the 2 fuses back about almost two weeks ago and then charged up the battery (Optima Yellow Top) and let it sit by itself. The immobilizer was activated. Battery trickle charger was not installed. Car just sat there for almost 2 weeks.
The car started up on saturday with no problem. Turned right over.
I guess the issue I had with the battery drain disappeared. I think it was linked to some issues with the pin switches associated with the immobilizer.
Brian, did you get your battery problem fixed?
*****
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,224
Likes: 24
From: Indiana
Define fixed.
Since the F1 race I have driven my car every day without any problems (this was a perfect fix for many things
). I sealed my driveway on Sunday with the car in garage so it is going to sit for a couple of days. It will be interesting to see if it dies. I would like for it to fail so that I can go argue for a new battery. I have a Schumacher auto charger that has been sitting in my tool chest since I bought the car but I have never gotten around to installing it because I have never needed it until now (which is the most confusing thing about this whole deal). No matter what I will be installing that in the next.
Since the F1 race I have driven my car every day without any problems (this was a perfect fix for many things
). I sealed my driveway on Sunday with the car in garage so it is going to sit for a couple of days. It will be interesting to see if it dies. I would like for it to fail so that I can go argue for a new battery. I have a Schumacher auto charger that has been sitting in my tool chest since I bought the car but I have never gotten around to installing it because I have never needed it until now (which is the most confusing thing about this whole deal). No matter what I will be installing that in the next.
