Battery Charging

[griffin]

I have just bought a Cayman which is wonderful.

I tend to use the car mostly at the weekend and PClub events.

I would appreciate some advice on 12V battery charging please. I have bought the CTEK MXS 5.0 which works well using the battery clips but awkward. Is it a good idea to permanently attach the M6 eyelet version to the battery? Is this safe? The eyelet cable that comes with the charger is very short though. Can it be threaded through to always be outside the car so the bonnet can be closed.

I have tried a cigar lighter version but it takes too long

Phil

 

[Buddy]

I use the Porsche Charge o mat in lighter socket myself but the one you have has a higher charge rate but I have seen an MXS 5 used through the lighter socket in a dealership adaptors are available through Amazon and other places. I have also seen a Boxster with the leads fitted to the battery as you describe and left on. Could you put the plug into the boot and connect there? The seal ought to be deep enough.

 

[Motorhead]

ORIGINAL: griffin Is it a good idea to permanently attach the M6 eyelet version to the battery? Is this safe? The eyelet cable that comes with the charger is very short though. Can it be threaded through to always be outside the car so the bonnet can be closed.

That's what it's designed for Phil.! I've had no problems using it or the croc clips for the last 18 months or so. Just leave the connector nestling behind the battery and run the cable up past a windscreen washer nozzle; trap the cable under a wiper if you like. It'll work fine. Jeff

 

[BrianJ]

I bought the MXS5.0 with the cigarette lighter adaptor. Just plugs into the footwell power socket (don't use the one in the centre console). Works fine.

 

[Motorhead]

ORIGINAL: BrianJ I bought the MXS5.0 with the cigarette lighter adaptor. Just plugs into the footwell power socket (don't use the one in the centre console).  Works fine. 

Actually Brian, I thought that it was the other way round - the cigarette lighter usually has a higher current limit. Incidentally, after about six months using the adapter it started going intermittent and I've not used it again since. I'm unsure whether it's the adapter itself or the cigarette lighter circuitry. Jeff

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

I made permanent connections to the batteries on my Cayman and 3.2, so I can swap the Ctek onto whichever I'm not using. On the Cayman, I extended the positive cable, so I could fit a fuse, just to be on the safe side. When charging, I run the cable out the back of the battery cover, and run the Ctek cable in through the gap between the windsceen and bonnet. Like this:

 

[BrianJ]

"Actually Brian, I thought that it was the other way round - the cigarette lighter usually has a higher current limit." Probably true Geoff but I reasoned that as the manual says only connect electrical accessories via the footwell socket and only connect the tyre pump to the cigarette lighter, they couldn't complain if I connected the charger to the footwell socket, particularly as my PC said use footwell socket too.

 

[Buddy]

I've used the lighter socket too as it has been said to have the higher rated fused supply, the footwell socket is there as I have Bose but I understand that non-Bose Caymans don't have this. Do all Gen 2's have it?

 

[Motorhead]

My Gen II Cayman has the footwell socket and I don't have the Bose system Kevan. Jeff

 

[griffin]

Thank you very much for your suggestions - they are really helpful Phil

 

[dereksharpuk]

The wiring is already in for the footwell socket. Your OPC will fit an outlet for a nominal sum. Mine did.