Battery Charger

[Stickshifter]

Would like to get a trickle charger/maintainer for my 997tt....I want one that will plug into lighter and run it under the sill of the door (can I do that?). Do I need a Porsche maintainer (£&#163 or is their another make that is known to work.

-S

[damiangt3]

The Porsche one is made by CTEK. CTEK have several suitable models, ranging from a trickle-only through to charge and trickle. I have a CTEK 3600, this comes with standard crocodile clips and battery connection leads. A cigarette lighter attachment is available as an extra.

[thegoose]

Maplin do a great solar powered one. Obviously only any good if your car's outside or you have natural light in your garage, but "green" and 1.5W is plenty as a conditioner. Mail order from their website.

[Fusion-Ed]

may claim 1.5w but in reality you'll get about 30% of that on a daily average. Personally id get a small battery conditioner and keep it plugged in.

[cableguy]

Details of the Porsche item which plugs into the cigarette lighter.

Part No. P955.044.900.55 (31C Charger)

£71.59 + £1.00 (Postage) + VAT

C.

[andy tims]

Optimate III does the job perfectly well.

Cost £40.00 tops - available from any decent Motorcycle dealer or accessory shop.

[cityneil]

thegoose said:

Maplin do a great solar powered one. Obviously only any good if your car's outside or you have natural light in your garage, but "green" and 1.5W is plenty as a conditioner. Mail order from their website.

I tried that and it kept popping out of the cigarette lighter. Fixed with a few feet of duck tape. Didn't charge enough to save battery, but it was pretty dead though.

[purds]

I vote optimate too.
Does great job on my car and bike.

[tertius]

cityneil said:

thegoose said:

Maplin do a great solar powered one. Obviously only any good if your car's outside or you have natural light in your garage, but "green" and 1.5W is plenty as a conditioner. Mail order from their website.

I tried that and it kept popping out of the cigarette lighter. Fixed with a few feet of duck tape. Didn't charge enough to save battery, but it was pretty dead though.

I've just put one on mine - they're only a tenner at the moment, so worth a shot I thought.

It appears to work fine in almost any light. However, 1.5W won't do anything except maintain a reaosnably healthy battery though it'll never recharge a flat or nearly flat battery.

[sjr-997]

i've got the ctek one for my 997S. i figure its far cheaper than a battery and costs pennies in electrity ! admittedly my car is garaged, but it was a no brainer for me. I leave the window glass down 10mm to free the cable up.

[Stickshifter]

Thanks for the posts...very helpful...bought the CTEK 3600 on eBay...and the cigarette lighter fitting. Goes under the drivers doors and seals fine without too much pressure...topped the battery up and now trickling...

[Silver993tt]

topped the battery up? Surely you have a sealed/gel battery on a new 997tt? Topping up ended about 15 years ago didn't it?

[Murray993]

I use the CTEK 3600 on my 993, without it my battery would be dead every time I use the car.

[Gaity]

tertius said:

cityneil said:

thegoose said:

Maplin do a great solar powered one. Obviously only any good if your car's outside or you have natural light in your garage, but "green" and 1.5W is plenty as a conditioner. Mail order from their website.

I tried that and it kept popping out of the cigarette lighter. Fixed with a few feet of duck tape. Didn't charge enough to save battery, but it was pretty dead though.

I've just put one on mine - they're only a tenner at the moment, so worth a shot I thought.

It appears to work fine in almost any light. However, 1.5W won't do anything except maintain a reaosnably healthy battery though it'll never recharge a flat or nearly flat battery.

As the ciggy lighter is not live until the key is in the accesory/ignition position (and therefore doesn't provide a connection to the battery for charging!), I've hardwired mine (into rear wiper circuit) and stick the panel in the rear window when the car is sitting on the drive. I just pop it off and tuck it behind the rear seat backs when driving. As said, 1.5W ain't a lot but it helps combat the drain from alarm/tracker/stereo etc.

[thegoose]

tertius said:

cityneil said:

thegoose said:

Maplin do a great solar powered one. Obviously only any good if your car's outside or you have natural light in your garage, but "green" and 1.5W is plenty as a conditioner. Mail order from their website.

I tried that and it kept popping out of the cigarette lighter. Fixed with a few feet of duck tape. Didn't charge enough to save battery, but it was pretty dead though.

I've just put one on mine - they're only a tenner at the moment, so worth a shot I thought.

It appears to work fine in almost any light. However, 1.5W won't do anything except maintain a reaosnably healthy battery though it'll never recharge a flat or nearly flat battery.

It does work well at keeping a battery topped up but won't re-charge a flat one (not designed to). The van I use for towing the race car (Vito 112 CDi) is used little over winter and the battery was always fine when I neede to start it - and it wasn't in the best condition to begin with (would go flat within 4 weeks in summer).

The Maplin is much better than others, due to the size and power rating (whether accurate or not). BE CAREFUL though if not using the cigar lighter plug - the croc clip ends are NOT FUSED. I know someone who had the wires melt the dash on an MGF with one. Luckily the car didn't set alight, but did need a new dash.

[tertius]

Gaity said:

tertius said:

cityneil said:

thegoose said:

Maplin do a great solar powered one. Obviously only any good if your car's outside or you have natural light in your garage, but "green" and 1.5W is plenty as a conditioner. Mail order from their website.

I tried that and it kept popping out of the cigarette lighter. Fixed with a few feet of duck tape. Didn't charge enough to save battery, but it was pretty dead though.

I've just put one on mine - they're only a tenner at the moment, so worth a shot I thought.

It appears to work fine in almost any light. However, 1.5W won't do anything except maintain a reaosnably healthy battery though it'll never recharge a flat or nearly flat battery.

As the ciggy lighter is not live until the key is in the accesory/ignition position (and therefore doesn't provide a connection to the battery for charging!), I've hardwired mine (into rear wiper circuit) and stick the panel in the rear window when the car is sitting on the drive. I just pop it off and tuck it behind the rear seat backs when driving. As said, 1.5W ain't a lot but it helps combat the drain from alarm/tracker/stereo etc.

Not on my car - the cigarette lighter is live the whole time, this is fairly obvious since my RoadPilot thingy is always powered up whether the key is on or not - I have to pull the connection if I want to turn it off.

[4sure]

yea...optimate tickle charger and bat conditioner,used em for years on bikes and cars...£40 mail order...tops

[Stickshifter]

Yes the cigarette lighter is live all the time....unlike my BMW K1200R where it strangely disconnects itself so had to hard wire to battery....

-S

[sleep envy]

speak to fidgets, he's got my old one which he doesn't need anymore and at a fraction of the price that OPC charge

[hog 1]

I use the Porsche branded one which I bought of Gert in Belgium. Works a treat, even after the car has been standing for 6/7 weeks, it starts first time.