987 flat battery sorted -what to buy incase it happens again
987 flat battery sorted -what to buy incase it happens again
Author
Discussion

clockworks

Original Poster:

7,040 posts

166 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
quotequote all
Finally had some decent weather last Monday, planned a drive in the Boxster, but the battery was totally flat. Not enough power to open the front lid. My CTek charger wouldn't work on the emergency post in the fusebox, so I had to use jump leads from my other car's battery.
I normally connect the CTek if the car hasn't been driven for a week or two, but it's been parked outside, and I forgot.
Can the front lid be released if I connect the CTek through the cigarrette lighter? I don't currently have a cig lighter adaptor, and I'm wondering whether to buy one of those, a cig lighter booster battery, or a proper jump battery to connect to the emergency post.

nxi20

782 posts

226 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
A CTEK doesn't supply sufficient current to operate the release, you really do need a battery of some kind ime.

bcr5784

7,374 posts

166 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
Assuming the 987 is the same as the 981, you should be able to charge the battery via the 12v socket if you have the adapter. I certainly can.

clockworks

Original Poster:

7,040 posts

166 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
I've ordered the cigarette lighter adaptor

kingston12

5,655 posts

178 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
Definitely worth it. The CTEK with the 12V adaptor has always bought my battery back from the dead.

I have no idea if the battery is actually that healthy afterwards, as I leave it plugged in all the time now.

SFO

5,171 posts

204 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
if your battery has gone flat, it's either dead or on its way out OR there is drain somewhere in your car.


clockworks

Original Poster:

7,040 posts

166 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
SFO said:
if your battery has gone flat, it's either dead or on its way out OR there is drain somewhere in your car.
I was under the impression that this is just one of those things that Porsches do if they are left for a few weeks?
Mine does seem to be worse now than when I bought it 2 years ago, so I've bought a new Bosch 5 year battery, and will fit it next weekend.

kingston12

5,655 posts

178 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
quotequote all
clockworks said:
SFO said:
if your battery has gone flat, it's either dead or on its way out OR there is drain somewhere in your car.
I was under the impression that this is just one of those things that Porsches do if they are left for a few weeks?
Mine does seem to be worse now than when I bought it 2 years ago, so I've bought a new Bosch 5 year battery, and will fit it next weekend.
It isn't just Porsches I don't think. I'd have thought any car left for a few weeks, especially in winter will have flattened it's battery.

I put a brand new Bosch battery in mine a few years ago, connected the CTEK but stupidly forgot to turn it on at the mains. When I came back to the car a month later the battery was dead, but I don't think the battery itself was to blame!