winter woes

[shad]

Happy new year ladies and gentlemen

I wonder if I can request you for any helpful comments re the following

1. Correct battery for the 924 S ( a new battery bosch silver 70 aH failed after 4 weeks of car not being used -- is there a battery with more oomph especially forf inactive cars in winter?

2. Handbook says after starting immediately drive off and do not idle in a parked position -- why? -- any damage caused ? can't understand why !!

3.Much as I admire the rear wide window of the 924 I can't help thinking it was designed for summer as rear vision in winter is seriously hampered. Any ideas to improve it.

4. Significant moisture in cabin in winter with large droplets on roof and dri[pping on seats with resultant mildew on seats -- a real nuisance. Is there a way to minimise this moisture ?

Many thanks in anticipation for your help

Cheers
Shad

 

[geoff Ives]

Answer to (4)
Is the moisture due to condensation or sunroof seal failure.
If seal, renew it but only after checking that the drain tubes are clear. To do this open sunroof and pour water int the drain holes whilst keeping an eye on the other end of the tubes that are located in the sides of the boot space.
If it is condensation. Have you mains electric access? If so buy a miniture dehumidifier and while you are at it buy a trickle charger to sort out your first problem, with the battery.
Good Luck

 

[924nutter]

Re 1
4 weeks is about average for a battery to last if the alarm is set with the resultant flashing (seemingly obligatory) l.e.ds. which draw more current that you would expect.

Re 2. It is not best practise for safety or economy to idle for long periods. If you have an automatic, the torque converter fluid heats up unnecessarliy as at idle the highest amount of slip occurs.

Re 3 a properly functioning rear window heater clears a good area of the screen, but the designers got their sums a bit wrong, in my opinion, when they thought that exracting air via the front door front shut line, would be effective. Generally it isn't unless you are going like a bat out of hell at autobahn speeds, especially if you have water ingress that you refer to in 4

Re 4 Do as Geoff says and look for leaks in the sunroof seal, also check the rear hatch seal, and the areas around the drivers seat mounts, as continual flexing of the drivers seat mounts cracks the floor and water gets in that way too. Look for water stains down the windscreen pillar trims as a leaking screen will drip onto the carpets, sometime undetected, especially on the passenger's side.

 

[shad]

Many thanks to both of you gentlemen for your very helpful comments. I seem to be having trouble with the reply panel not responding properly .Cheers Shad

 

[peanut]

shad do a search as water ingress and condensation problems to 924 and 944 has been comprehensively covered recently. Most common culpret is the rear lights or hatch locking drain tubes off or blocked. New bateries are supplied dry charged (minimal charge)and rely on several weeks of good charging on the car. try a slow overnight trickle charge and some longer runs

http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=340168&mpage=1&key=water&#340168
http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=335773&mpage=1&key=water&#335865
http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=295739&mpage=1&key=water&#295971

 

[Alpine]

re point 1, you probably need a battery conditioner hooked up to it when you are not using it. I think I have the same battery as you, but mine will be flat after just 1 week of non-use. I have a charger/conditioner on it when in the garage.

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: Alpine

re point 1, you probably need a battery conditioner hooked up to it when you are not using it. I think I have the same battery as you, but mine will be flat after just 1 week of non-use. I have a charger/conditioner on it when in the garage.

trickle charging is the same thing Phil . Battery conditioner is just a fancy new term to justify `charging' the customer more money lol [][][]

 

[shad]

Thanks a lot Phil and "peanut". Unfortunately I am not in a position to use my garage, otherwise trickle charging would have been a breeze. I am wary of doing this inside the house for safety reasons unless there is a way of doing this. I do not have a cigarette lighter so cannot use a solar panel trickle charger. Can this be attached somewhere else?
Thanks again
Shad

 

[AlexG]

Shad - I had a condensation build up in a car years ago which got gradually worse until it became obvious that that heater matrix was starting to leak and thus pumping moisture into the car whenever I was using the heater (which was obviously fairly comedy on demist!). I must have been lucky because a large bottle of radweld fixed it - might be worth trying if all else fails.

 

[Guest]

Ref. drain tubes from sun-roof area. As Geoff says there are two that go rearwards and down into rear corners of the boot space. Are there not also two down the front pillars?

 

[geoff Ives]

Regarding trickle charging etc.
You say that you don't want to charge indoors for safety reasons that seems to infer that you don't mind disconnecting your battery. If this is the case just disconnect the earth lead when you leave the car. I have to do this on my 911 (but not the 924's) as the battery will last 3 days or 3 months I can never tell.
Anotherr option is one of those small solar cells that they sell for the purpose. The downside is that there is less power when yopu need it most, in the Winter, but as they are cheap it may be worth a punt.
Geoff

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: geoff ives

Regarding trickle charging etc.
You say that you don't want to charge indoors for safety reasons that seems to infer that you don't mind disconnecting your battery. If this is the case just disconnect the earth lead when you leave the car. I have to do this on my 911 (but not the 924's) as the battery will last 3 days or 3 months I can never tell.
Anotherr option is one of those small solar cells that they sell for the purpose. The downside is that there is less power when yopu need it most, in the Winter, but as they are cheap it may be worth a punt.
Geoff

I suppose if the car is outside Shad will need the alarm working which might prevent disconection. If not then he could install an electrical isolating switch like the race cars have. I installed one on my wife's horse box they are only a few £quid from Maplins or CPC.

I don't like charging a battery in the house either so I run a lead out through the catflap lol [] did ya see the battery explode on a tv program recently ? someone removed the crocadile clips from the battery with the power still on and it exploded! scared the beejeezus out of me I can tell you. I'm always doing that!

 

[geoff Ives]

That is why you should never attach the croc clip to the earth post. Earth it somewhere away from the battery and when you disconnect take the earth lead off fist. That way the spark is nowhere near the battery or the escaping hydrogen gasses.

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: geoff ives

That is why you should never attach the croc clip to the earth post. Earth it somewhere away from the battery and when you disconnect take the earth lead off fist. That way the spark is nowhere near the battery or the escaping hydrogen gasses.

no s**t !..[]

actually you should never ever connect anything to the battery that could cause a spark so disconect from mains first kids[]

 

[shad]

Many thanks again Alex ,Muddy ,Geoff and peanut. I will try all the suggestions to get rid of the condensation and the battery tips. I would have disconnected the alarm but for the insurance.Someone has suggested using a 100 aH battery. Can this damage the electrics? Really looking forward to Spring. Cheers Shad

 

[declangrady]

ORIGINAL: shad

Someone has suggested using a 100 aH battery. Can this damage the electrics?

I'll jump in & answer that. NO. Cant do any damage.

The AH or (Ah ?) is Ampere-Hours.

Its a measurement of the capacity of the battery,so, it can deliver 1 Amp for 100 Hours, or 100 Amps for 1 Hour, or anywhere in between.

 

[geoff Ives]

On the subject of battery safety.
The battery is in a vunerable position on any 924. If it moves upward the posative terminal post can short out across the bonnet lid, it is only half an inch or so below it. This can happen if you drive quickly over a hump back bridge or brow of a hill. It can also happen if something is dropped on the bonnet.
My cure for this is to stick or bolt (there is provision for this on my battery) a piece of rubber over the post as shown in the image.

 

[Guest]

Geoff makes an excellent point.
You will find that the majority of modern batteries have these two small pre-formed holes (to a DIN standard so I was told) adjacent to the live terminal so that you can fit a purpose made snap-in plastic cover to guard against the 924 shorting problem. I literally picked up two in my local breakers last weekend.

 

[Fred Hindle]

Shad,

I have a few 100 gram packs of Silica Gel sat in both the 924S and the 944 to absorb some moisture but they won't absorb the amount you are talking about. You can get 12 volt mini de-humidifiers which would help prevent the excessive amount you have.
I always carry one of those little scraper things that have a rubber blade and a sponge trapped in them, along with kitchen paper, great for the tailgate and the windscreen.

Try a battery conditioner to keep the battery topped up. Halfrauds do one for about £12 I think.

Cheers,

 

[shad]

Many thanks again gentlemen for your comprehensive tips on moisture condensation and battery safety.
Hopefully these will alleviate the problems
Cheers
Shad