I want to make sure I'm using this correctly on a car I picked up this week.
Just plugged it into the cigarette lighter and then plugged into the wall outlet.
It initially just showed the the power light on and I then pushed the "mode" button until it toggled to the "car" icon lighting up ?
Anything else I need to do or know ?

 

I trashed the cig lighter ones years ago, go directly to the battery use a good charger like the Noco Genius, results are much better.

 

Get the adapter for the Porsche battery charger on Amazon and go directly to the battery.

You can also find the adapter at Suncoast,

 

Looks fine to me. I plug mine into the lighters for years, no issues with the same unit. The downside, for me, sometimes, I inadvertently move the power cord while in storage, and it no longer maintains charge. So recommend, checking maintainer regularly it is charging while in storage. So do respect those that go directly to the battery. But on my non-Porsche cars, getting the battery is not that easy.

 

Nothing wrong with your charger. But I agree you should charge at the battery.

 

Just curious why some of you are saying to clip to the battery directly? Whats the advantage or disadvantage of this vs the lighter?

thank you

 

Just better to charge directly to the battery instead of through the electrical system. Just my opinion.

 

Suncoast website states charger can shut down if vehicle is not locked.

Mike

 

I would only add that light turns green when battery is fully "topped up", using this charger for about 5 years now with car always unlocked Never had it shut down, maybe a later version feature

 

So when using the cigarette lighter, you just close the door on the cord?

 

correct does not bother the cord

 

If I remember correctly, Porsche designed a small cutout/gap in the door rubber weatherstrip to accommodate the cord.

 

To each their own and all battery locations are different. I agree if the battery is a distance from the cig lighter, it is best to connect directly to the battery bc the distance is closer and can be safer. If connecting to the battery is not possible, you can use the jumper posts. With some of the newest cars, there is a higher amp draw, so connecting to the cig lighter, and if the battery is a far distance, the cig lighter maintainer element may get warm. I'm not an EE just my opinions from various readings. Of course, some cars, like a newer Ferraris have a direct connection for the maintainer, and placing on the battery posts is not necessary.

 

I don't have a "smoking kit" and thus no cigarette lighter. So I have been using the electrical port in the passenger footwell with the Porsche charger I got with the car when new (2012.5), and it has worked perfectly.

According to the Porsche service techs I have asked, It is as good and as safe as connecting it directly to the battery. Running it out under the door has had no ill effect on the rubber door seal or the cord.

A friend who did the same for as long recently had his (same unit) begin to malfunction. It never gets to the green light. He though it might be the battery but got some newer CTEC unit and it works. I believe the latest Porsche branded units are the same to handle different types of batteries.