Cigarette lighter in 981

[elliotw]

Does anyone know if the cigarette lighter can power devices even when the engine is off/ignition out/car locked?

And is there a risk that this will this drain the battery if say you left an iPhone to charge in the car cigarette lighter while you were off having a picnic?

Thanks

Elliot

 

[Chappelle]

It'll be easy for you to find out - plug in your iPhone and see if it charges with the key out It does in the earlier 987 Boxster, because I use the centre console socket to trickle charge the car when it is in the garage And no, and iPhone will not drain the battery if it's hooked up for short periods (hours not days)

 

[elstonc]

I know you can trickle charge the 981 through the 12V socket in the glove compartment so guess the answer must be yes. And agree, you'd be hard pushed to flatten the battery with an iPhone. Chris

 

[Steve24]

I think it depends on the year of manufacture. I have a 2000 Boxster S and I know the cigar lighter is not live when ignition is off and it is therefore impossible to charge a flat battery this way. It makes getting in to a completely flat battery very tricky (see my earlier post). I don't, however, have a socket in the glove box because there is no glovebox - just an airbag on my car; perhaps that would be different.

 

[PORKA]

ORIGINAL: elliotw Does anyone know if the cigarette lighter can power devices even when the engine is off/ignition out/car locked? And is there a risk that this will this drain the battery if say you left an iPhone to charge in the car cigarette lighter while you were off having a picnic? Thanks Elliot

Mines not a Boxster but in my 996 its live all the time so my SAT NAV stays on unless I disconnect it!

 

[IainCameron]

Does anyone know if the cigarette lighter can power devices even when the engine is off/ignition out/car locked? And is there a risk that this will this drain the battery if say you left an iPhone to charge in the car cigarette lighter while you were off having a picnic? Thanks Elliot

Elliot,

I have a 2015 Boxster 981 and the 12v power points operate differently to previous models. All the 12v power sockets are now powered for about 20 minutes after you remove the ignition key or if you lock the car. So there is now no chance to discharge your battery if you do not disconnect something. All 12v sockets are wired the same.

 

[Motorhead]

Of course Iain, that also means you can't use the socket/sockets to power a battery conditioner and have to connect the device directly to the battery, although I think that you have to use a specially provided [negative?] post rather than the battery terminal itself.

Jeff

 

[IainCameron]

Of course Iain, that also means you can't use the socket/sockets to power a battery conditioner and have to connect the device directly to the battery, although I think that you have to use a specially provided [negative?] post rather than the battery terminal itself.

Jeff

Jeff,

I can tell you that I checked with the Porsche Dealer as I was thinking the same as you but Porsche being Porsche they have thought of that and the power FROM the sockets is switched off after about 30 minutes BUT a conditioner/charger unit can be plugged into a 12v socket and still be used to put power INTO the battery even after the 30 minutes is up. It is true, as I have checked it out and it does work.

I have now had a look at the handbook and what it says is that the Cigarette 12v outlet (if your car is fitted with this) is live all the time whereas all the other 12v outlets disconnect after 30 minutes. Handbook Pages 177, 178 & 179 refers. So this is how I can charge the battery using this power socket.

 

[BrianJ]

My 2013 981 Boxster S trickle charges through the footwell socket, just like my 987 Gen 2 Cayman did. At the time of buying the 981 I was told that all the sockets switch off after 30 mins and if you want to trickle charge you have to plug in and power up before the 30 mins is up, but I have not found that to be necessary. There was quite a bit of forum action on this shortly after deliveries started. My OPC couldn't tell me if the 30 mins was measured from removing the key from the ignition or from locking the car. I suspect the latter as I have frequently unlocked the car without getting the key anywhere near the ignition, then plugged in/powered up the charger, then locked the car again, and it works fine. The version of the manual I had with the car doesn't mention trickle charging at all, and also completely denies the existence of the footwell socket both in the pictures and the text!