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YOUR RESEARCHbattery problems....?trickle charger??
Leading reported evidence
Check driver's side today and it's there
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Leading evidence: 'Check driver's side today and it's there' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check alternator' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
Eventually I replaced the battery around 24K (at a tune of $400), but the battery died 10 weeks later.
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I have replaced the battery twice over the years with a Sears battery and my own labor.
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I run the wire under the door anywhere and close it.
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Suggestion
A second test would be to have the dealer check the alternator
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Suggestion · Original poster
So my 2004 996 c4s cab was running beautifully, until around 15K when I kept having the battery die and I would have to jump start it every few weeks, which grew to every few days.
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Suggestion
There is also a notch in the weather stripping on each door to allow you to run the charger wire in that location without damaging the wire when the door is closed.
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Hopefully someone here on Rennlist can help me out. So my 2004 996 c4s cab was running beautifully, until around 15K when I kept having the battery die and I would have to jump start it every few weeks, which grew to every few days.
The dealer said I had to drive it every 2-3 days to keep up the charge. Eventually I replaced the battery around 24K (at a tune of $400), but the battery died 10 weeks later. Now, this was when I was driving it every 2-3 days as the dealer suggested. Now, at that point I jump started the car and then it ran fine for a few months.
Then last week the battery was very very dead, I took it back to the dealer and they told me that just driving it every 2 days isn't enough, since I only drive it a few miles a day, that I need to buy a trickle charger ($130) and charge it every night. they told me they checked the battery and it was 25 mA (they said anything over 30 was bad). Is 25 mA too high? Could there be something else draining the battery, like some electrical problem, that would cause it to be 25?
Now, I bought a Porsche because I wanted a sports car, not a stupid electric
plug in -- what the heck? I want to know from you guys whether you think this is normal, and yes, I need to buy a trickle charger, or whether, as I suspect, there is some electrical draw on the battery that is causing it to draw down. I find it hard to believe that Porsche designs cars that need to be plugged in every night but I admit this is my first 911.
Thanks for your help.
Once a battery is totally drained it will likely short circuit and will need to be replaced. You can charge it 100 times but will not keep it's charge for more than a couple of hours. Get a new battery and then use a
CTEK XS3600 charger
if you don't drive the car regularly.
Let's see if I can get our resident battery expert for an '04 C4S to chime in here. Phil.... PHIL are you there?
Sorry Dr, that's an "inside" joke.
Do you have any aftermarket appliances installed on the car, like a radar detector or stereo system? If they were connected to a non-switched power source, they could be draining the battery. Unfortunately, we have seen a few cars that draw from the battery when parked for an extended amount of time. If you are not driving it much, which apparently you are not, then a trickle charger is your first step.
You could begin by checking the draw from the battery and then remove one fuse at a time to see of the dray is reduced or eliminated. This is a little time consuming but can narrow down the potentially problematic circuit. I am sure other will chime in here with some additional assistance.
BTW - Welcome to Rennlist. It is customary for Newbies to post a couple of pics of their car and tell us a little about it. We love P-car pics!
Battery tender isn't a big deal - but get yourself a fresh battery battery first.
I agree with folks above - once a battery has been totally drained, it can be permanently damaged.
I use this battery tender:
http://www.amazon.com/Porsche-Genuin...032258&sr=1-61
I have the unit plugged into the wall, and the cigarette lighter end hanging on the wall of the garage next to the drivers door.
When I pull in - I just roll down the window, reach over and grab the charger lead, and plug it into the cigarette lighter.
Easy and quick - battery is maintained in perfect shape at al times - only cost me $55.
There is also a notch in the weather stripping on each door to allow you to run the charger wire in that location without damaging the wire when the door is closed.
Wow Tim, you are being so nice to newbies with no pictures,
that I am ... speechless.
Welcome to the board dr90254
Since you replaced the battery, I would have the alternator and other charging
components (voltage regulator, belt) checked.
Sounds like you might have a problem with the alternator. Unless you have a parasitic drain somewhere, your battery should last more than 2 days. Mine has sat for 10 days with no problems.
Here is a test you can perform. Start the car, drive around for 15 minutes or so and stop. Restart the car, turn on the lights and AC and drive for 1 minute then stop. Restart. If you have a problem restarting, I would have your alternator checked. A second test would be to have the dealer check the alternator
Mine alternator was charging the battery, but at a very low voltage (like 12.2). So if I drove a long way, the battery acted fine. But if I drove short distances, the battery was drained. Multiple short trips back to back would kill the battery pretty quickly for me...
-td
Michael,
If I recall correctly, it is in the weather stripping on the bottom of the door, near the the center of the door. I can't recall if it was on both doors or just one. Let me run out to the garage and check....... oh wait..... I don't have a 996 any more!
I don't think I was dreaming when I saw it.
Let me know when you find it on your car.
I try to drive my car every 5 days or so.I've had the battery in there for 4 years and no problems. You may have a parasitic drain you will ned to hunt it down. I left my radar detector plugged in for a day and it almost killed the battery.
When you start the car does the voltage instrument reading go to 14 or is it less? if it is less it is the voltage regulator attached to the alternator that is bad.
+1. They're never the same after a complete kill. Have the battery load tested or pick up a new one.
I've left mine a week at a time regularly without problems on startup. (Until we got -30...), so the 2-3 days only makes sense if a) something's draining it, in which case it's doubtful it would even last 3 days, or more likely b) battery's toast. But the dealer is right, a few miles isn't enough to charge. My rule of thumb after a boost is 15 minutes run time to charge (assuming stereo, headlights etc are off).
I checked my driver's side today and it's there! It was towards the back, not the center. I didn't check the pass door though.
Thanks for the tip! Now, to figure out the best way to get the cable to stay in the notch as I shut the door...
///Michael
Heat plays a very big role in battery life, too. For every 15�C over 77F, battery life is halved. If you leave a car baking in the Florida sun 12 hours a day, the batteries are going to go faster than a car that's garaged in North Dakota; assuming the battery in ND is not left to discharge over the winter, at least.
You can drain a modern battery down to about 80% a reasonable number of times without noticeable drop in battery life, but taking it lower than that, like to the point where it can't start the car, will ruin a battery in one shot. How long this is depends on the battery and the temperature, but they should be recharged at least once a month, whether via a 12V charger or by driving around long enough for the alternator to charge them; 2 or 3 minutes a month won't do it if the battery has been sitting around a while, it has to be a longer trip.
Overcharging will harm them, too, but most chargers are designed to drop back to a trickle charge once they're done, which is generally pretty safe.
Tim, you'll be shocked to hear that not only did I start my car up today, but with roads clear,
I actually took it out of it's winter slumber for a ride!
Battery still fully charged, and the car ran great! You don't believe me do you?
I just started my car after about 2 weeks sitting. It almost didn't turn over! I don't have a trickle charger - is it too late for this battery, or would a trickle charger get it back to usable condition? I did drive it for an hour, and it starts OK now...but I wouldn't want to get stuck in the cold if/when I drive it again.
Also washed the car today. Went great, until the driveway became a sheet of black ice! Blah. Just a little too cold I guess.
Actually, I do believe you. However, I would be lying if I said I expected that to happen, but good for you!!!
Fortunately for me, I haven't had to drive my Honda for 3 days now, so the past 3 days have been good!
You keep this "driving" thing up, and you might make the entire winter w/o a new battery
WTG Phil
Mine is in the garage w the engine hanging down and the intake manifold off, one wheel off and the AOS sitting where the airbox normally would be.... Now to get my new one (Monday) and put it all back together......
I have 3 of these problems. The 2 collectors stay on a Porsche trickle charger always when not in use. I run the wire under the door anywhere and close it. There is no problem starting them. The 3rd "driver" gets started up enough that it's not a problem. I have replaced the battery twice over the years with a Sears battery and my own labor. If you have an ignition switch problem, you may very easily run a battery down in a few days by letting it sit. I had this problem and destroyed a battery. I also recommend a Sears charger with variable settings to bail you out when your battery is low, but not dead.
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