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    Jan 3, 2006 11:09:15 PM

    hedgehog
    Newbie
    hedgehog
    Loc: OR
    Posts: 9, Gallery
    Registered on: May 15, 2005

    Battery Charging

    Hi, I have a dead battery and was wondering if the Porsche Dual-Mode Battery Charger/Maintainer is capable of charging a dead battery. If not, I was planning on purchasing as Sears battery charger, but since this connects straight to the battery (not through cigarette lighter), does keeping the trunk open (which means light will be on) defeat its purpose?

    Jan 4, 2006 12:01:17 AM

    MMD
    Rennteam VIP
    MMD
    Loc: usa
    Posts: 9652, Gallery
    Registered on: Dec 16, 2004
    Reply to: hedgehog

    Re: Battery Charging

    Battery is 80 amps. Battery mintainer is .5 amps will take 160 hours to charge it. (more if battery is in car because car draws curent).

    Sears stuff is okay, not great, overpriced lower quality.

    Open trunk, with charger on at 8 or 10 amps it shouldn't matter that bulb stays on, you can disconnect bulb if you want.

    Don't charge over 10 hours with 8 amp charger setting. (8 hours with a 10 amp settingm it's aritmetic, see?) I wouldn't trust the sears unit to do a good job regulating itself.

    The bad news is the battery has probably been significantly aged, it's performance might not be the same as new.

    Jan 4, 2006 4:44:18 AM

    Silver Bullet
    Veteran
    Silver Bullet
    Loc: Canada
    Posts: 1126, Gallery
    Registered on: Nov 24, 2004
    Reply to: MMD

    Re: Battery Charging

    You are probably looking at a new battery within 6 months.

    Use the Maintainer religiously after that during winter storage.

    Jan 4, 2006 6:32:03 AM

    hedgehog
    Newbie
    hedgehog
    Loc: OR
    Posts: 9, Gallery
    Registered on: May 15, 2005
    Reply to: Silver Bullet

    Re: Battery Charging

    I actually wasn't storing the car for the winter, just took a 5-day trip and came back to the dead battery. I took delivery of the car in Oct. 2005. I purchased the Porsche battery charger this evening and when I hooked it up, the charger indicated there was a "fault" with the battery so I unhooked the charger and called Roadside Assistance. They dispatched someone from AAA to jump start the car and told me that the service person would know exactly what to do (they would make sure he had the necessary instructions to do the work). He was a very nice person and eager to help, however, he was not at all familiar with how to get the trunk open, etc. I showed him how to do it and then connected the cables to the battery. However, the car would not start. He offered to tow it to the dealership but was also uncertain of the best way to get the car onto the flat bed (where to connect the towing hooks, etc.) and was concerned that something would be damaged. Anyway, I told him to leave the car for now and I would call the dealership in the morning for best procedures to follow.

    Has anyone encountered this problem with a fairly new battery after just a few days of no driving? Also, what do you think is the best thing to do now - I am not very comfortable with "Porsche-AAA" assistance at this point.

    Jan 4, 2006 3:15:05 PM

    P997C2S
    Junior
    P997C2S
    Loc: North East - USA
    Posts: 116, Gallery
    Registered on: Nov 13, 2005
    Reply to: hedgehog

    Re: Battery Charging

    Quote:
    hedgehog said:
    Also, what do you think is the best thing to do now - I am not very comfortable with "Porsche-AAA" assistance at this point.



    I would pull the battery and take it to your dealer for testing. If the battery is internally shorted out they should replace it. If the battery is OK then have it charged or charge it yourself at home while it's out of the car. If you don't have a charger you can get a decent one at Sears for $50-$75.

    Jan 4, 2006 6:10:03 PM

    W8MM
    Rennteam Master
    W8MM
    Loc: Cincinnati, OH , United States
    Posts: 3995, Gallery
    Registered on: Aug 8, 2003
    Reply to: hedgehog

    Re: Battery Charging

    Quote:
    hedgehog said:
    Hi, I have a dead battery ...



    If the battery is completely dead, ... you need a new one.

    Period!

    Starting batteries that get completely discharged acquire a condition known as being "sulfated". They resist charging fully because the chemistry on the plates of each cell has been permanently degraded.

    Don't waste your time with trying ANYTHING to revive the deceased boat-anchor now connected to your car.

    I find myself supremely qualified to make these bold pronouncements because I have done it all before. Many, many times!

    The factory-marketed battery maintainer is an absolute must-have accessory. I am now (after dozens of new batteries over the decades) a fanatical user of these gifts of battery longevity.

    /rant

    Jan 4, 2006 6:27:46 PM

    easy_rider911
    Rennteam VIP
    easy_rider911
    Loc: London , United Kingdom
    Posts: 22190, Gallery
    Registered on: Nov 8, 2004
    Reply to: W8MM

    Re: Battery Charging

    My battery came with my car (purchased in December 1999). During an especially freezing period in London in January 2003, my car wouldn't start and I was told the battery was extremely low. The alternator was charging the battery but was not bringing the battery back up to full charge.

    My car was put on a charger for 24 hours and the battery is still running today after 6 years and 1 month. Touch wood. BMW batteries are great!

    Jan 4, 2006 7:27:56 PM

    P997C2S
    Junior
    P997C2S
    Loc: North East - USA
    Posts: 116, Gallery
    Registered on: Nov 13, 2005
    Reply to: easy_rider911

    Re: Battery Charging

    I've recharged completely dead batteries many times and they were fine. YMMV.

    http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq16.htm

    Jan 4, 2006 7:36:29 PM

    MMD
    Rennteam VIP
    MMD
    Loc: usa
    Posts: 9652, Gallery
    Registered on: Dec 16, 2004
    Reply to: W8MM

    Re: Battery Charging

    Quote:
    W8MM said:
    Quote:
    hedgehog said:
    Hi, I have a dead battery ...



    If the battery is completely dead, ... you need a new one.



    /rant



    Yes and no. IMHO. It's a matter of degree (case by case basis) depends on a few things I don't remember. If the plates get shorted (by excess sulfation) there's a chance they will unshort themselves (precipitate sulfation will re-dissolve) and so you'll have a battery which will still work but not optimally. If the thing gives you one more bit of trouble get rid of it. That's what I'd do. Some guys will just live with it and they'll be fine. Me? One mistake and I'll be caught in the middle of nowhere; THAT'S why I'D replace it.

    Jan 5, 2006 5:13:42 AM

    Silver Bullet
    Veteran
    Silver Bullet
    Loc: Canada
    Posts: 1126, Gallery
    Registered on: Nov 24, 2004
    Reply to: MMD

    Re: Battery Charging

    My battery died during a cold Canadian winter when it was 5 months old and it was never the same again. I tried recharging it and continuing to use it, but no luck.

    Same thing happened with my VW (winter car) and the battery's been fine for 2 years.

    So there you have it.

    Jan 7, 2006 6:10:47 AM

    hedgehog
    Newbie
    hedgehog
    Loc: OR
    Posts: 9, Gallery
    Registered on: May 15, 2005
    Reply to: Silver Bullet

    Re: Battery Charging

    Thanks everyone for your help and advice. I took the battery out of the car and to the dealership. They ran a few tests and told me that the battery seemed to be fine so they charged it overnight and gave it back to me. I put it back in the car this evening and the car started up fine. Drove it for a while and the "PSM Failure/System Fault" light came on. I will put the battery charger/maintainer on it over the weekend (just in case) and bring the car in for diagnostic testing on Tuesday. We'll see what happens......

    Jan 7, 2006 3:35:34 PM

    MMD
    Rennteam VIP
    MMD
    Loc: usa
    Posts: 9652, Gallery
    Registered on: Dec 16, 2004
    Reply to: hedgehog

    Re: Battery Charging

    Check the manual, get rid of the PSM warning light yourself. it's in there. Look under changing batteries.
     
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