Cheap battery.
Cruisin'
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Thanks Rob.
This is a low mileage car which sits a lot. Car was on Porsche battery tender. Always leave on the tender as it is not supposed to overcharge. No previous symptoms. Started about 3 weeks ago and ran fine. Don't think if froze as I usually turn on garage heat but may have missed a night or two so freezing is a possibility.
Did not hear it explode. Turned key and nothing. Checked battery and found much of battery top shattered. I assume an explosion because of the numerous shards of plastic I found. Noticed today while cleaning a small break in the battery cable as it crimps to make the turn in a tight fitting space. Not sure if this had anything to do with it. Not sure where spark would come from. Would think I would have heard explosion if turning the key provided the spark. My first goal was to clean carefully and then have mechanic hopefully figure out what may have happened.
Thanks for any thoughts.
This is a low mileage car which sits a lot. Car was on Porsche battery tender. Always leave on the tender as it is not supposed to overcharge. No previous symptoms. Started about 3 weeks ago and ran fine. Don't think if froze as I usually turn on garage heat but may have missed a night or two so freezing is a possibility.
Did not hear it explode. Turned key and nothing. Checked battery and found much of battery top shattered. I assume an explosion because of the numerous shards of plastic I found. Noticed today while cleaning a small break in the battery cable as it crimps to make the turn in a tight fitting space. Not sure if this had anything to do with it. Not sure where spark would come from. Would think I would have heard explosion if turning the key provided the spark. My first goal was to clean carefully and then have mechanic hopefully figure out what may have happened.
Thanks for any thoughts.
Cruisin'
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Thanks Rob.
Low mileage '87 911 car which sits a lot. Use a Porsche tender and leave on, as it is supposed to be designed to prevent overcharging. Have used tender for several years with no problems. Usually turn heat on in garage but may have missed a night or two so freezing is a possibility. Started car about 3 weeks ago and everything was fine. This time turned key and heard nothing. Checked battery and found most of the battery top shattered into many parts. I assume an explosion because of the number of shards and pieces found. Never heard anything however. Noticed today while cleaning that one battery cable has a small break from the crimping because of the tight turn required to connect to terminal. Not sure if this contributed to issue. If it exploded not sure what may have provided spark.
First concern was to clean carefully and mitigate any damage. Next will be have mechanic try to figure out what may have happened. Do not want to go through this again. Appreciate any thoughts.
Low mileage '87 911 car which sits a lot. Use a Porsche tender and leave on, as it is supposed to be designed to prevent overcharging. Have used tender for several years with no problems. Usually turn heat on in garage but may have missed a night or two so freezing is a possibility. Started car about 3 weeks ago and everything was fine. This time turned key and heard nothing. Checked battery and found most of the battery top shattered into many parts. I assume an explosion because of the number of shards and pieces found. Never heard anything however. Noticed today while cleaning that one battery cable has a small break from the crimping because of the tight turn required to connect to terminal. Not sure if this contributed to issue. If it exploded not sure what may have provided spark.
First concern was to clean carefully and mitigate any damage. Next will be have mechanic try to figure out what may have happened. Do not want to go through this again. Appreciate any thoughts.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,190
Likes: 150
From: Heidelberg, ON
I'm pretty sure my Boxster S battery is toast. 3 months of winter without the tender on it did it in. I took a multimeter to it and got <3V.
I was able to get a bit of charge on it with a 1amp manual charger. I left that on for 12hrs, enough to get the voltage to low 12's, and switched it to the automatic float charger. The float charger can do either 2amp/4amp/float, and it was at 4amp for 24h, and still not full...
I just wanna get enough charge on it to decrease the risk of freezing at this point. Will venture to the local walmart and see how fresh their battery's are... I will bring a multimeter to also test the batt. voltage in store...
P
I was able to get a bit of charge on it with a 1amp manual charger. I left that on for 12hrs, enough to get the voltage to low 12's, and switched it to the automatic float charger. The float charger can do either 2amp/4amp/float, and it was at 4amp for 24h, and still not full...
I just wanna get enough charge on it to decrease the risk of freezing at this point. Will venture to the local walmart and see how fresh their battery's are... I will bring a multimeter to also test the batt. voltage in store...
P
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,190
Likes: 150
From: Heidelberg, ON
I'm contemplating the AGM from CTC, it's "on sale" til today for $175 (Group 94R) (5yr free replacement)
Flooded Lead- Acid Group 94R is $160 normally (4yr free replacement)
Flooded Lead-Acid Group 48 is $130 normally.
I run an old school GPS (Garmin 2610), Bel 945Sti, and a USB cell phone charger usually in my car. 50% of the time, I'll have the headlights on (no DRL hack). Car driven end of March to October/November. If I was smart, I'd put the tender on it all winter.
No heated seats, or extra stereo
Flooded Lead- Acid Group 94R is $160 normally (4yr free replacement)
Flooded Lead-Acid Group 48 is $130 normally.
I run an old school GPS (Garmin 2610), Bel 945Sti, and a USB cell phone charger usually in my car. 50% of the time, I'll have the headlights on (no DRL hack). Car driven end of March to October/November. If I was smart, I'd put the tender on it all winter.
No heated seats, or extra stereo
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,075
Likes: 467
From: Toronto & Mont Tremblant
Funny story. I put a CTC battery in my other car back in the day when they warrantied 'em as long as you own the car. The last battery went 7 years and they replace them no charge every time. A CTC battery will be going in my Porsche even though I'll have to buy a new one every 5 to 7 years....
Race Car
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,526
Likes: 17
From: Ottawa
Thanks Rob.
Low mileage '87 911 car which sits a lot. Use a Porsche tender and leave on, as it is supposed to be designed to prevent overcharging. Have used tender for several years with no problems. Usually turn heat on in garage but may have missed a night or two so freezing is a possibility. Started car about 3 weeks ago and everything was fine. This time turned key and heard nothing. Checked battery and found most of the battery top shattered into many parts. I assume an explosion because of the number of shards and pieces found. Never heard anything however. Noticed today while cleaning that one battery cable has a small break from the crimping because of the tight turn required to connect to terminal. Not sure if this contributed to issue. If it exploded not sure what may have provided spark.
First concern was to clean carefully and mitigate any damage. Next will be have mechanic try to figure out what may have happened. Do not want to go through this again. Appreciate any thoughts.
Low mileage '87 911 car which sits a lot. Use a Porsche tender and leave on, as it is supposed to be designed to prevent overcharging. Have used tender for several years with no problems. Usually turn heat on in garage but may have missed a night or two so freezing is a possibility. Started car about 3 weeks ago and everything was fine. This time turned key and heard nothing. Checked battery and found most of the battery top shattered into many parts. I assume an explosion because of the number of shards and pieces found. Never heard anything however. Noticed today while cleaning that one battery cable has a small break from the crimping because of the tight turn required to connect to terminal. Not sure if this contributed to issue. If it exploded not sure what may have provided spark.
First concern was to clean carefully and mitigate any damage. Next will be have mechanic try to figure out what may have happened. Do not want to go through this again. Appreciate any thoughts.
I'm going to go with an Optima red top and try that out. I've heard generally good things about them especially for our older cars. They're not as cheap as other options but seriously, what's $50 more over the next 5 years?
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Three Wheelin'
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,380
Likes: 1
From: Durham Region/GTA East, Canada
Make your next battery a dry cell, should help prevent leakage.... explosion on the other hand.....
I'm going to go with an Optima red top and try that out. I've heard generally good things about them especially for our older cars. They're not as cheap as other options but seriously, what's $50 more over the next 5 years?
I'm going to go with an Optima red top and try that out. I've heard generally good things about them especially for our older cars. They're not as cheap as other options but seriously, what's $50 more over the next 5 years?
BTW I had a solar battery maintainer/charger, but it seems like in the winter, it could not keep it charged enough with the short winter days. (I have a west facing window in my garage that I hung it infront of. Oh well. Live and learn from my mistake..
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 6,164
Likes: 7
From: Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Ended up with a CTC one for 119 plus taxes. Working perfect so far
And the VW one as well.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 335
Likes: 0
From: Southwestern Ontario
Make sure that the new battery has the proper flange on the bottom for your vehicle. I found out the hard way that the CTC/NAPA battery, which is advertised as the proper group for my 911sc, did not have the end flange that the hold-down bolts down to - it only had side flanges. Interstate, on the other hand, did have the end flange.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,495
Likes: 1,636
From: Cambridge Ontario Canada
Make sure that the new battery has the proper flange on the bottom for your vehicle. I found out the hard way that the CTC/NAPA battery, which is advertised as the proper group for my 911sc, did not have the end flange that the hold-down bolts down to - it only had side flanges. Interstate, on the other hand, did have the end flange.
SC is a group 48 i believe ..
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,495
Likes: 1,636
From: Cambridge Ontario Canada
well thats where you have to be carefull .. outfits like this want to sell you any generic crap that will fit in there and you have to be an educated consumer .. ask then for a group 48 .. if they cant sell you one walk .. if they ask you what its for its because they want to sell you soemthing that might fit NAPA are total crap used to pushing pieces for north american disposable cars .. autozone is a little better .. this is what i got when i pulled for my sc .. did in fact show a group 48 with sie flanges .. but you are right about napa .. none stated group 48 and came up with 7 "OE batteries" ..total crap ..
Last edited by theiceman; Apr 10, 2013 at 11:40 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,190
Likes: 150
From: Heidelberg, ON
Just to bring it full circle.
I`ve been waiting for the flooded lead acid batteries at CTC to go on sale for the past 6 weeks or so, and no luck. The highschool aged parts counter kid said that they weren`t ever on sale. Advertised in the flyer yes, but not on sale.
Last night I went in with a $50 Bday gift card, $63 of CTC money on my MC, and bought the Eliminator line CTC battery. $146.89 out the door, with old battery trade in. 4yr free replacement warranty, and supposedly a 10yr pro-rated warranty? I got a fresh one. shipcode was c-13, which I take as March 2013, and charge by was 9-13. I hooked it up in the boxster, and put the tender on it to top it up.
My old Porsche branded battery only put out 2.7V.
The base red Motomaster brand battery did not have the flange on their Group 48 batteries.
Peter
I`ve been waiting for the flooded lead acid batteries at CTC to go on sale for the past 6 weeks or so, and no luck. The highschool aged parts counter kid said that they weren`t ever on sale. Advertised in the flyer yes, but not on sale.
Last night I went in with a $50 Bday gift card, $63 of CTC money on my MC, and bought the Eliminator line CTC battery. $146.89 out the door, with old battery trade in. 4yr free replacement warranty, and supposedly a 10yr pro-rated warranty? I got a fresh one. shipcode was c-13, which I take as March 2013, and charge by was 9-13. I hooked it up in the boxster, and put the tender on it to top it up.
My old Porsche branded battery only put out 2.7V.
The base red Motomaster brand battery did not have the flange on their Group 48 batteries.
Peter