Battery maintainer light always on? Worried?
03-18-2006, 11:23 PM
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Battery maintainer light always on? Worried?
on my 03 C2, I used the porsche battery maintainer; the red light would go on when i plugged the unit into the car. It would go off in an hour or two.
On my new 06, the light stays on constantly. I'm worried that I might be damaging something. Is there anything to worry about? more/different electronics in the 06?
The car could sit for a month or two before I get a chance to drive it (hence the maintainer)
the battery maintainer is the old style, not the new dual mode version.
On my new 06, the light stays on constantly. I'm worried that I might be damaging something. Is there anything to worry about? more/different electronics in the 06?
The car could sit for a month or two before I get a chance to drive it (hence the maintainer)
the battery maintainer is the old style, not the new dual mode version.
03-19-2006, 12:16 AM
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I used the old style on an 04 CTT. Had non-smoker pkg. (no lighter outlet) so plugged it into any 12V socket. Same thing ..Red Light go out after a while.
Now using new style on 06.. Directions say only plug it into cigarette outlet. Works fine. When car brand new, usually takes around a day to develop full charge. How long have you been charging?
Where do you have yours plugged in?
Now using new style on 06.. Directions say only plug it into cigarette outlet. Works fine. When car brand new, usually takes around a day to develop full charge. How long have you been charging?
Where do you have yours plugged in?
03-19-2006, 01:06 AM
#3
There've been some posts on here about the battery and the maintainer. IIRC, the battery is an 80 amper and the maintainer .5 amps. So, if the battery is fully discharged, the maintainer would take about 160 hours to re-charge the battery (in theory anyway)
I don't drive the Porsche everyday, so I use the maintainer about every 3-4 days and it seems to take about 6 hours and change before the light goes out. First time I hooked it up, it was on for about 8 hours, then another 4 or so the next night before the light went out. You might try using it for about 2 days straight to see if the light goes out. If it doesn't the maintainer may be defective?
And as noted, plug it into the cigarette lighter toward the rear of the center console
HTH
I don't drive the Porsche everyday, so I use the maintainer about every 3-4 days and it seems to take about 6 hours and change before the light goes out. First time I hooked it up, it was on for about 8 hours, then another 4 or so the next night before the light went out. You might try using it for about 2 days straight to see if the light goes out. If it doesn't the maintainer may be defective?
And as noted, plug it into the cigarette lighter toward the rear of the center console
HTH
03-19-2006, 11:09 AM
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If the red light is on constantly (and assuming for the moment that the Porsche Tequipment battery maintainer is fine), then there is a possibility of:
A. a load being placed on the battery (light on, hood ajar or fault in the vehicle wiring harness/modules)...your dealer can isolate this.
B. the battery is drawing the current due to a discharge state....and should eventually return to 'red light off'. In this case, connect a proper battery charger (not trickle charger/maintainer) for a day or so, then reconnect the Tequipment battery maintainer and the red light should go off.
C. the battery is faulty, due to internal damage due to vibration or it has been thru a deep discharge cycle a time or two (happens on dealer lots sometimes and in transit). In this case, and assuming it's under warranty, have the dealer do a load/impedence test on the battery. IIRC, Douglas Batteries is still the current OEM supplier to PAG/PCNA for batteries; there have been some quality issues as of late with their batteries.
A. a load being placed on the battery (light on, hood ajar or fault in the vehicle wiring harness/modules)...your dealer can isolate this.
B. the battery is drawing the current due to a discharge state....and should eventually return to 'red light off'. In this case, connect a proper battery charger (not trickle charger/maintainer) for a day or so, then reconnect the Tequipment battery maintainer and the red light should go off.
C. the battery is faulty, due to internal damage due to vibration or it has been thru a deep discharge cycle a time or two (happens on dealer lots sometimes and in transit). In this case, and assuming it's under warranty, have the dealer do a load/impedence test on the battery. IIRC, Douglas Batteries is still the current OEM supplier to PAG/PCNA for batteries; there have been some quality issues as of late with their batteries.
03-19-2006, 12:33 PM
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I agree with Itc.
The thing creates .5 amps so theoretically it could take longer that 160 hours to charge the 80 AH battery if severely discharged.
Also, could indicate PCM trouble. Try this: make sure you remove a CD from the player when you park the car.
I suspect my car is conatsntly drawing more current than it should. Mine is battery maintainer addicted, though my red light does eventually go out.
The "no CD in unit while parked" habit helped my situation. I eventually had entire PCM replaced.
The thing creates .5 amps so theoretically it could take longer that 160 hours to charge the 80 AH battery if severely discharged.
Also, could indicate PCM trouble. Try this: make sure you remove a CD from the player when you park the car.
I suspect my car is conatsntly drawing more current than it should. Mine is battery maintainer addicted, though my red light does eventually go out.
The "no CD in unit while parked" habit helped my situation. I eventually had entire PCM replaced.
03-19-2006, 01:16 PM
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Ok, CD is out. I know my car sat on the dealer's showroom floor for 1-2 months ('cause I was looking at it)
I'm gonna watch it. I think it was off this morning until i opened the door. Now it's on again. I'll have to keep checking to see if it stays on. If it stays on for a couple more hours, i'm going to unplug it.
thanks guys for the input.
I'm gonna watch it. I think it was off this morning until i opened the door. Now it's on again. I'll have to keep checking to see if it stays on. If it stays on for a couple more hours, i'm going to unplug it.
thanks guys for the input.
03-19-2006, 03:18 PM
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I pulled the CD out of the cd player and now the lights off. Don't know if that is a direct cause-effect but no light. What's that all about??
thanks guys, guess I don't have to worry about buring something up
bob
thanks guys, guess I don't have to worry about buring something up
bob
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03-19-2006, 05:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Bob/Ft. Worth
I pulled the CD out of the cd player and now the lights off. Don't know if that is a direct cause-effect but no light. What's that all about??
thanks guys, guess I don't have to worry about buring something up
bob
thanks guys, guess I don't have to worry about buring something up
bob
This makes me think leaving a CD in even a properly working PCM unit is bad. I know it was bad for my faulty unit. My defective unit wouldn't eject the CD and ruined the battery over the few weeks it required to get it all figured out and fixed. Ask your service guy about it and get the latest Technical Bulletin info. My problems with PCM were a while ago... .
