Trickle charger required? No mains socket

[SV_WDC]

Hi All
About to buy a Porsche Cayman, very excited. I have been browsing this forum the last couple of months & found lots of useful information.

It was on these forums I came across the issue of battery maintenance for a weekend car. Plan is to use it at the weekend, although in the depths of winter the runs may be more to keep the car ticking over. It will not have a Tracker installed.

3 key questions:
1. With this in mind, am I going to be fine leaving car in garage without worrying about it running flat? It will probably be used at least once every 2 weeks in depths of winter, but at least once a week all other times.

2. If yes to above, what do I need? disconnect the '+' battery connector, trickle charger, conditioner... there's so many options

3. If yes to previous 2; any solutions for a garage without a mains connector? I can't run a mains socket to the garage, a solar panel is also not an option (frankly, in British weather I question the effectiveness anyway).

Thanks in advance

[walamai]

It'll be fine, you don't really need to think about it in my experience.

I had an earlier generation Cayman, and after a while unused (a few weeks I think) it goes in to a 'sleep' mode to preserve the battery. You just needed to manually open the door with the key and it 'wakes up' and all functions work again as normal. Mine often went weeks without being driven, and it 'went to sleep' maybe half a dozen times. No problem at all.

ETA: Just make sure you leave it parked so that you can get to the drivers door, and don't end up with the problem I had!

Edited by walamai on Thursday 24th November 13:18

[LordHaveMurci]

Had my 996 for several years before I got around to purchasing a C-Tek, battery lasts about 2 weeks in the winter then it would need jump starting.

For jump starting I ended up borrowing the battery from my mates camper as he stored it over winter!

[88racing]

How about buying and fitting a battery isolator switch?

[snotrag]

88racing said:

How about buying and fitting a battery isolator switch?

All that will do is cause hassle, you'll be retuning your radio, have no alarm etc.

The key is making sure the battery is healthy when you buy the car.

Note also that I think like Boxsters there are a few different sized batteries that fit (Porsche will fit an extra large one for you at new if you spec it).

When I bought my 986 I replaced the battery but used the biggest one that will fit - It will sit for 2 weeks out on the drive in the cold with no problem. After 1 week approx. it disables the central locking receiver to save power, but just pop the key in and it springs back to life and fires right up.

[SV_WDC]

Many thanks for all the responses, slightly reassuring. As I am buying the car Used I'm unlikely to have input in terms of defining the battery which is fitted, but good to know if I ever have to get it replaced.

[BubblesNW]

Tis looks pretty discrete and could address the power issues. The solar panel is small and only needs daylight so should be OK in the UK. Unless your garage is underground...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-12v-15w-ba...

[kbooker]

I used a Halfords solar trickle charger on a track car I kept on a trailer year round, I was sceptical but needed a solution so gave one a try, it worked a treat, started first time everytime

[gsewell]

If the battery is in good condition, leaving the car for a few weeks is no issue - but he solar powered charger may work although it will obviously be visible through the windows.
When the car is in sleep mode, you don't need to use the key to wake it up. Just pull the driver's door handle. I found this one out last winter when the car was asleep and the frost had got into the lock preventing the key from going in. :-)

[Slushbox]

I've used the cheap £15 solar panels with a cig lighter/ croc clips for about five years now, plonked on the garage roof, feeding the battery. Though not billed as waterproof they seem to last.

Have to use croc clips if cig lighter is switched, but work well even through the Brit winter. Won't charge a flat battery, but does offset the drain from ECU's, radios etc.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SOLAR-POWER-BATTERY-TRICK...