[vtails]

I just replaced the AGM battery in my 2013 BB. I chose to let my (not so local) Porsche Dealer do the job at $406 complete with initializing. I was wondering which is best way to park your car in a locked garage. 1) Locked 2) Unlocked. I seem to remember some on making the argument that an unlocked car is eaiser on the battery because a locked car will activate the security system and continually scanning the sensors. I want the new battery to last at least 5 years. Thanks​

 

[danschy]

I have on other cars connected an ammeter to see what the car draws when off, but I have not done it on my Cayman. I doubt leaving it locked or unlocked will much impact battery life. If you do leave it long enough to matter, you probably should have hooked up a battery tender. I think my 07 Cayman goes into some kind of sleep mode after a week of inactivity. The biggest killer of battery life is full discharge, so don't do that. I put a Sears battery in my Cayman which cost around $180 as I recall, so extending battery life is not very high on my priority list - first battery lasted 7.5 years. I leave my car unlocked in the garage because I'm too lazy to lock it. In older cars I'd also leave the keys in the ignition, but modern era cars don't like that. By the way, someone in my neighborhood must have bought a yellow Boxster like yours - I've seen it twice today running errands.

 

[fast1]

I just replaced the AGM battery in my 2013 BB. I chose to let my (not so local) Porsche Dealer do the job at $406 complete with initializing. I was wondering which is best way to park your car in a locked garage. 1) Locked 2) Unlocked. I seem to remember some on making the argument that an unlocked car is eaiser on the battery because a locked car will activate the security system and continually scanning the sensors. I want the new battery to last at least 5 years. Thanks​

Although it seems counter intuitive, I've read posts on this forum that assert that the battery drain is less on a locked car. In my case I never lock my car, unless it's parked on a public street, which is rare. I've owned many Porsches over the decades, the last three being a 1995 993, a 2007 997S and a 2013 981 BS. I typically keep my Porsches for at least six years, and in my life time I have only replaced one battery, and that was over 25 years ago. So anecdotally it seems that not locking the car promotes battery life.

 

[MidLifeCrisis]

I was wondering which is best way to park your car in a locked garage. 1) Locked 2) Unlocked. I seem to remember some on making the argument that an unlocked car is eaiser on the battery because a locked car will activate the security system and continually scanning the sensors. I want the new battery to last at least 5 years. Thanks​

Here is an interesting FAQ someone did several years ago. It documents the drain on the battery during different operations of the car e.g. unlock the car, open the door. open the frunk, sleep mode etc. Granted it is on a 2007 Cayman but it gives you and insight about the battery drain at different times.

Battery Drain FAQ

 

[fast1]

Here is an interesting FAQ someone did several years ago. It documents the drain on the battery during different operations of the car e.g. unlock the car, open the door. open the frunk, sleep mode etc. Granted it is on a 2007 Cayman but it gives you and insight about the battery drain at different times.

Battery Drain FAQ

LOL So based on this study it doesn't matter if the door is locked or unlocked which really doesn't surprise me. My guess is that the battery drain is greater on cars with the push button start. Thanks for sharing the study.

 

[gfspencer]

Don't worry about locked or unlocked. Just use your car . . . or put it on a trickle charger. :cheers:

 

[Westcoaster]

I just replaced the AGM battery in my 2013 BB. I chose to let my (not so local) Porsche Dealer do the job at $406 complete with initializing. I was wondering which is best way to park your car in a locked garage. 1) Locked 2) Unlocked. I seem to remember some on making the argument that an unlocked car is eaiser on the battery because a locked car will activate the security system and continually scanning the sensors. I want the new battery to last at least 5 years. Thanks​

I my locked garage, I do not lock the car, but not because of the worry of draining the battery, simply don't see the need to do it. But I always use a CTEK battery maintainer on the car when parked... I get out and before I leave the building it gets plugged into the lighter socket and then into the AC outlet. I have it mounted on the wall beside where the car parks so I can hook it up in a few seconds.

IMHO this will be the single most important thing you can do to extend the cars battery life.

BTW, there is a fresh thread discussing this very subject: http://www.planet-9.com/981-cayman-and-boxster-electronics/192514-replacing-battery-how.html

 

[vtails]

Thanks fast1 for sharing the amperage study. I agree with gfspencer drive your car or trickle charge it. When stored in the winter the car is connected to a Porsche brand charger but in the summer not so much. This is my second year with the car and I average about two drives per week, sometimes more. After reading your replies, I will now make sure the key is removed from the car and keep it in my garage - unlocked. That being said my Porsche SA wants me to plug in the charger when ever I get home. My car does not have the smoking package so the only 12vdc outlets are the passanger footwell, and the glove box. I use the footwell. Seems to work as eventually I get a green light on the charger.

 

[RickH]

As people have said the best thing you can do is put it on a battery tender/maintainer. i.e. this is NOT a simple "trickle charger". It will charge the battery between 0.750 and a couple of amps, depending on model of charger, while monitoring the voltage. It will decrease the charge as the voltage comes up. A "Trickle Charger" just pump low current into the battery irrespective of voltage. I always lock my 981 when I'm away and put it on a tender that I bought from Auto Zone. The car came with a quick plug, same as was on my motorcycle, that is hard wired directly to the battery. When leaving town I thread the wire through the back of the front bonnet. There is actually a small relief on the passengers side at the rear of the trunk where I feed the wire and then close the trunk. I plug it in and it turns green in 4 to 6 hours. I leave for 3 weeks at a time and when I get home it is good to go!

 

[vtails]

Thankks RickH, I use the Porsche charger. Possibly not the best but it is per their spec.

 

[PCA1983]

IMO, for best battery health and life, use a CTEK or Porsche maintainer anytime the car will sit for more than 4 days. Sulfation is a battery killer, and occurs when batteries discharge over short or longer periods of time. The CTEK & Porsche maintainer will prevent and can even somewhat reverse sulfation.

 

[Westcoaster]

Thankks RickH, I use the Porsche charger. Possibly not the best but it is per their spec.

Actually the Porsche (CTEK) charger is one of the best out there! It is an intelligent battery maintainer, no worries if you leave it connected for long periods of time.

 

[Snip's]

IMO, for best battery health and life, use a CTEK or Porsche maintainer anytime the car will sit for more than 4 days. Sulfation is a battery killer, and occurs when batteries discharge over short or longer periods of time. The CTEK & Porsche maintainer will prevent and can even somewhat reverse sulfation.

Actually the Porsche (CTEK) charger is one of the best out there! It is an intelligent battery maintainer, no worries if you leave it connected for long periods of time.

I've been following this thread....

I knew the Porsche maintainer was a rebranded Ctek model...

Decided I would pick one up...

Went to my local Advance Auto Parts.... Regular price was $86.00, but they had it on sale for $43.00

Wasn't expecting that...:dance:

 

[T-Design]

If it's under two weeks - it doesn't matter. The best way to park your car for prolonged time - is with battery tender! Ctek to name one.

I got my 981S in summer of 2012, and my battery is still running strong.

 

[vtails]

Thank you T-Design. Is a 2012 981 a AGM battery? Can anyone explain what AGM means.

Oh yes, I recently purchased your T-Design phone mount. Far and away the best mount anywhere. I even take it out of the Boxster and use it in my KIA. Just love it. When I use WAZE I plug in a short cord from the glove box to the phone. WAZE really eats up battery power.

 

[T-Design]

Thank you T-Design. Is a 2012 981 a AGM battery? Can anyone explain what AGM means.

Oh yes, I recently purchased your T-Design phone mount. Far and away the best mount anywhere. I even take it out of the Boxster and use it in my KIA. Just love it. When I use WAZE I plug in a short cord from the glove box to the phone. WAZE really eats up battery power.

Thanks!
Waze can eat all it wants as long as it shows us all the speed traps! If everybody had it - speed traps would be thing of the past.

Yes, it's AGM. I don't think they changed battery specs. I don't pretend to understand all this AGM business. As long as it works

 

[vtails]

Do I get a free gift for advertising?

 

[T-Design]

Do I get a free gift for advertising?

Sure! Would you like some free cheese?

 

[ELP_JC]

Actually the Porsche (CTEK) charger is one of the best out there!

Have you shopped around? It's actually a very simple one, and in my experience, unreliable. I threw it away. That's exactly the same Ferraris and Lambos use. Have a much better CTEK (mus4.3), with a desulfation cycle, but only use it for heavy desulfating, as it's also prone to errors. The one I use now is an Optimate-6, which also includes a light desulfating cycle. No errors at all in several years I've been using it. And that's all you need to maintain a new battery. And most importantly, it charges a flat battery (something Battery Tenders and CTEKs can't do), and it goes up to 5A, which is a lot quicker than the others as well. But to each his own. By the way, all of those chargers work best when directly hooked to the battery. Therefore, I always install a pigtail that way, and use the Optimate. The additional benefit of that is you can connect an air compressor or any other device directly to the battery via a SAE connector. And in the case of a Porsche, being able to open the frunk if the battery goes dead without having to jump it from the fuse box inside. Hope this helps.

 

[T-Design]

Have you shopped around? It's actually a very simple one, and in my experience, unreliable. I threw it away. That's exactly the same Ferraris and Lambos use. Have a much better CTEK (mus4.3), with a desulfation cycle, but only use it for heavy desulfating, as it's also prone to errors. The one I use now is an Optimate-6, which also includes a light desulfating cycle. No errors at all in several years I've been using it. And that's all you need to maintain a new battery. And most importantly, it charges a flat battery (something Battery Tenders and CTEKs can't do), and it goes up to 5A, which is a lot quicker than the others as well. But to each his own. By the way, all of those chargers work best when directly hooked to the battery. Therefore, I always install a pigtail that way, and use the Optimate. The additional benefit of that is you can connect an air compressor or any other device directly to the battery via a SAE connector. And in the case of a Porsche, being able to open the frunk if the battery goes dead without having to jump it from the fuse box inside. Hope this helps.

From my anecdotal knowledge (of browsing this site every day for years) 90% of people here use CTEK, and that's the first time I ever heard of any problems with it.