Flat Battery after 2 weeks in Garage?

[nsm3]

Car (997S) has been parked up indoors for 2 weeks following vist to OPC for various rectification works, went to check it last night for use today and no-go, the battery can't turn the engine over!

All systems were off (apart from alarm) and the garage is integral so never drops below 5 degreesC.

It's been on trickle charge now for 15 hours and still isn't ready for use. Maximum time from flat is 25hours and if no go after 60hrs the battery is irrecoverable aparently?

Has anyone else suffered from this ie: is it another item from the list of "997 faults"?

It isn't much use to me like this as I only have the car for weekends and the summer etc, I use a coal-burner as my daily drive as I am too tight to pay for the fuel!!

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Nothing unusual at all. Bet you have a tracker?

You need a battery conditioner when storing (search for threads with "battery conditioner" - there is loads of info).

 

[nsm3]

Thanks Mark, I am using an Accumate intelligent charger to try and recover the battery although I am not too confident as 19 hours in and it still hasn't charged back up.

I do have a Tracker Horizon on the car but didn't realise that they drew much power - my old M3 had one and I never experienced this problem after only 2 weeks?

The manual indicates that battery care should only be an issue if you are leaving it for a long time (it recommends charging every 6 weeks?).

It's a shame as todays' weather is the best it has been for weeks round here and I fancied a blast!

 

[THX911]

I have Tracker Monitor and never had any problems when parked for a long period. In Jan I was overseas and the car was untouched for 3 weeks.

Do you have the higher amperage battery (Option code: 197 I think)? If you have the Porsche Sound Package Plus or the Bose Sound System then you would get the higher amperage battery... maybe the standard battery is not good enough to keep the Tracker running for a longer period (?)...

 

[Mark_Bennett]

I don't think the Accumate is really designed to charge a fully discharged battery - it is for monitoring and topping-off a sound battery and making sure it is maintined at full capacity all the time. It charges at milliamps - so it will take a long time (if it actually can do it).

I've heard of people coming back to their Porsche's at the airport after a couple of weeks away and finding them dead. Not the best end to the holiday[&:]

 

[NIL98]

Not a 997, but I've just promoted my 996 to a weekend car after 3 years of daily driving and absolutely faultless service. One week of inactivity and the battery was completely dead.

 

[Guest]

I had a discussion today with my OPC about the Porsche Tracking system (see my post under "Porsche Tracker" thread). He said they have frequent issues with flat batteries for which they blame the tracker. The Porsche tracker uses 30 times less power than the other systems. I may have misheard but I think they have increased the battery capacity on new models to overcome this.

 

[nsm3]

Thanks all for the replies.

It looks like the evidence is stacked up against the Tracker then?

BTW, the Accumate is about 40 hours in now ans still indicating that it is charging. Tha maximum time to recover a fully discharged 75AH battery is 60 hours according to the charger manual, so if no joy by Monday morning the battle to get a new battery under warranty will commence (only had the car 6 weeks although used approved)?

Should you want to leave the car at the airport for 2 weeks then, you have to remember to remove battery from the front and put into passenger footwell along with a set of jump leads (as that is the only way to open the front compartment lid if closed without the battery connected?), thereby leaving the car without tracker or alarm - nice and an interesting insurance claim situation should it get stolen!!

 

[38F3E1]

One of the characteristics of lead-acid batteries is that they can be permanently damaged if allowed to deep discharge. It doesn't matter if the battery is 4 years old or 4 weeks old.

It is better to take a proactive approach and keep the car hooked up to a maintainer if you don't intend to use the car for a while.

Ian.

 

[pvernham]

I have Tracker Horizon on my 997 and it was left for 3 weeks last year whilst we were on holiday. No problems at all when we returned.

I do have BOSE on my car but wasn't aware that it meant I get a stronger battery.

 

[David W.]

I use one of these
http://www.selectsolar.co.uk/pics/batterysaverplus.html
for 12v batteries that are on pigeon scarer (gas gun) duties, it maintains the charge very well and helps prevent the total discharge damage that can occur. If I were to be leaving any modern car that suffers a draw down on the battery from trackers etc for more than 10days or so (airport car parks) I'd plug it into the cigar lighter and leave it on the dash.
or for similar money pop this in the boot
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00062I2XE/002-2323684-6372065?v=glance&n=228013

DW

 

[nsm3]

Panic now over, battery charged after 42 hours on Accumate trickle charger.

Lost PASM and PSM functions but they automatically reset after driving for a while. Also had to re-program window closed positions.

Won't be a mistake made again and will throw charger on every week for a few hours, but I am surprised how easily it got drained?

I like the idea of the solar powered unit for outdoor airport parking, but does anyone know if you can get a unit which is say mains charged and then left in car plugged into cigar lighter - that would be the best solution?

 

[Andyg400]

I don't see why you should have a problem of leaving your car unused for 2weeks plus.
My 996 has a tracker and alarm on, so ball park, about the same as yours.
My car is April 2001 and only just recently have I noticed the turn over when starting is slower, so I suspect the battery is getting old.
I would take the car back and tell them the battery is duff and please fix it with a new one.