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Flat battery = new alternator?

Joined
12 Nov 2004
Messages
22
After having a flat battery (for no apparent reason), I took my 993 to my local OPC for a new battery only to be told that I needed a new alternator instead.

However the RAC man who jumpstarted me tested the charge into the battery and said that it was fine (13.something maybe?) and that the good news was that I definitely did not need a new alternator. His tests on whether the battery was dead however (4 year old Porsche battery) were inconclusive.

When I arrived at the OPC they put in the new battery & tested for a power drain in the car electrics (it seemed at first that there was a small drain) but after a half-hour more testing came back and said the problem was the alternator...........

Is it possible that they can both be right and does anyone have experience of similar battery/alternator problems? Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.

Jeremy

Migration info. Legacy thread was 26396
 
Batteries dont like 993's. There is a current drain which causes them to go flat in a few days. Clock and alarm system are the culprits. Thats probably why Porsche charge 120 quid for a battery - it helps to keep the parts dept profits up.
My car has a battery disconnect switch installed by a previous owner. If you dont use the car every day for a decent drive the battery gradually discharges to the point where it damages the cells. If you have a garage with power you can get a mains fed battery maintainer to keep it in tip top nick.
I would be inclined to run the car for a while and take it to a non porsche specialist auto electrician to test the drain and check the alternator output.

Migration info. Legacy thread was 26397
 
Battery switch and solar cell trickle charger....

/images/migration/UploadedForumImages/battery%20switch.jpg

/images/migration/UploadedForumImages/battery%20charger%20solar.jpg

Migration info. Legacy thread was 26400
 

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