Guys, looking to buy a new battery charger to replace my 10yr old Halfords house sized charger. Looking to get a ctek one, but which one? Have searched on here, but couldn’t find anything recent. Also, I have the feeling, although may be mistaken, but you need a specific type of charger for a certain type of battery. Advise please. Ideally want a charger to charge, maintain, etc.
Thanks in advance
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Which CTek charger
Re: Which CTek charger
I can only offer a recommendation to what I settled with
Ctek MXS7.0 as it does Lead and AGM batteries up to 225Ah with full reconditioning cycle
Ctek MXS7.0 as it does Lead and AGM batteries up to 225Ah with full reconditioning cycle
Re: Which CTek charger
Hi
I just bougfht one the other week to replace my old trickle charges.
after loads of research i settled on Ctek MXS5.0 fron the bay at £65.00 with a free extra.
Its a belting bit of kit and easily copes with my battery ampage, the MX7 is better though if you need the higher Ah.
Charges and goes to maintaining cycle in 24 hours ish, can really recommend, plus its a breeze charging via the ports under the bonnet.
HTH
I just bougfht one the other week to replace my old trickle charges.
after loads of research i settled on Ctek MXS5.0 fron the bay at £65.00 with a free extra.
Its a belting bit of kit and easily copes with my battery ampage, the MX7 is better though if you need the higher Ah.
Charges and goes to maintaining cycle in 24 hours ish, can really recommend, plus its a breeze charging via the ports under the bonnet.
HTH
BMW X5 E53 3.0D Auto Sport 2006
Re: Which CTek charger
It’s a good point on the charging,
I use the comfort leads, which have been run to the passenger cubby hole in the boot, this gives enough length to be run through the closed bootlid allowing reverse onto drive and cable run into garage.
The positive eyelet is connected to the battery
The Negative eyelet is connected to a chassis mount eyelet
This gives the benefit of being down stream of the Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) Lead so the system knows it’s being charged.
As mentioned above, overnight the battery is fully charged and put onto the maintenance cycle, I do this twice a year due to short stop start driving cycle, though seldom leave on maintenance (due to child access)
I use the comfort leads, which have been run to the passenger cubby hole in the boot, this gives enough length to be run through the closed bootlid allowing reverse onto drive and cable run into garage.
The positive eyelet is connected to the battery
The Negative eyelet is connected to a chassis mount eyelet
This gives the benefit of being down stream of the Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) Lead so the system knows it’s being charged.
As mentioned above, overnight the battery is fully charged and put onto the maintenance cycle, I do this twice a year due to short stop start driving cycle, though seldom leave on maintenance (due to child access)
Re: Which CTek charger
I keep an E46 on a CTEK 3.8A charger (in storage) and CTEK comfort eyelets under the bonnet (BMW recommend you only charge/jump start via these two points) and a CTEK 10A charger to deal with the X6 - again with comfort eyelets.
The MXS10 also acts as a 10A supply and means a battery can be changed with the car asleep without losing any settings (E70 onwards still need battery coding) for seats, radios, mirrors etc.
If you have an AGM Battery then your charger must support AGM Charging as they have a different charge voltage & cycle to wet lead-acid batteries.
The MXS10 also acts as a 10A supply and means a battery can be changed with the car asleep without losing any settings (E70 onwards still need battery coding) for seats, radios, mirrors etc.
If you have an AGM Battery then your charger must support AGM Charging as they have a different charge voltage & cycle to wet lead-acid batteries.
Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.Re: Which CTek charger
Im with X5 Sport - same charger, and charging ONLY under the bonnet at the positive/negative points, as specified by BMW
Re: Which CTek charger
I hav a sealey/schumacher Starter 150Amp/Intelligent Speed Charge Battery Charger 20Amp 6/12V.
http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.a ... itleID=607
Not a small charger but that is not what i want to say.
I connected it to my 320d after it being stood for some weeks and it wouldn't start.
Connected it under the bonnet as stated in the book and left it.
It never got to 100% just kept charging and the battery is not that old.
So i put my digital tester on the battery and that told me it was 100%.
Connected the charger to the battery and it stopped after a few seconds saying 100%.
http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.a ... itleID=607
Not a small charger but that is not what i want to say.
I connected it to my 320d after it being stood for some weeks and it wouldn't start.
Connected it under the bonnet as stated in the book and left it.
It never got to 100% just kept charging and the battery is not that old.
So i put my digital tester on the battery and that told me it was 100%.
Connected the charger to the battery and it stopped after a few seconds saying 100%.
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dark_stranger
- Member
- Posts: 301
- Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:38 pm
Re: Which CTek charger
Cheers guys, MXS5.0 ordered.
Re: Which CTek charger
Likewise Will £67 extend my 3 batteries life enough to justify the buy??
E53 X5 4.6is, Carbon Black, LPG, Paddle Shift, Dynavin N6, Lowered, 22"Wheels, Side Bars. Perfusion Exhaust
E30 M3 Black, S50B32 Engine, 6 Speed Box, Ireland Engineering ARBs & Big Brake Conversion, Lowered, 18"LMs, CF CAI, CF Splitter & Barge Board, ZM3 Quad Exhaust.
VW R32 Gone
E30 M3 Black, S50B32 Engine, 6 Speed Box, Ireland Engineering ARBs & Big Brake Conversion, Lowered, 18"LMs, CF CAI, CF Splitter & Barge Board, ZM3 Quad Exhaust.
VW R32 Gone
Re: Which CTek charger
If you keep the battery topped up when not used then I would say yes. The 8-Stage chargers from CTEK can be left permanently connected if the car is not in use for a while and will run a charge cycle every 10 day’s, earlier if the unit detects a drop in voltage beyond what is expected of a good battery self-discharging.
Our E46 starts without any drama every time - and it can be months if HRH forgets (or ignores my prompts!).
Keep an eye on places like Amazon as they do run bargains fairly frequently. I got my MXS10 at well under half price
Our E46 starts without any drama every time - and it can be months if HRH forgets (or ignores my prompts!).
Keep an eye on places like Amazon as they do run bargains fairly frequently. I got my MXS10 at well under half price
Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.Re: Which CTek charger
[quote="henrym3"]
Likewise Will £67 extend my 3 batteries life enough to justify the buy??
[/quote]
Yes, its only £22 a battery effectively, but its not just that it keeps all the electrics working well if the battery is up to scratch. It's not just about life extension it's about good quality battery life.
And it will last longer than the batteries so if it extends the next three too then it is more than worth it
Likewise Will £67 extend my 3 batteries life enough to justify the buy??
[/quote]
Yes, its only £22 a battery effectively, but its not just that it keeps all the electrics working well if the battery is up to scratch. It's not just about life extension it's about good quality battery life.
And it will last longer than the batteries so if it extends the next three too then it is more than worth it
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dark_stranger
- Member
- Posts: 301
- Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:38 pm
Re: Which CTek charger
Charger arrived today with comfort cable (eyelets). From the above comments, the comfort cable should only be connected to the engine bay charging points, but how is this done with the eyelets. Havent lifted bonnet yet.
Re: Which CTek charger
unscrew the charging points. Im no expert but you may with to consider disconnecting the points as the positive one is live so disconnecting prevents any accidents but you can do it without. When you have the charging 'nut' off there is a bolt. Slide the eyelet over it and tighten up the bolt, job done. My comfort lead eyelets were too narrow so I couldn't do it. I've though about snipping them to make them open semi circles and nipping them back up
Let us know how it goes
Smee
Let us know how it goes
Smee
Re: Which CTek charger
[quote="Alan Gunn"]
I hav a sealey/schumacher Starter 150Amp/Intelligent Speed Charge Battery Charger 20Amp 6/12V.
http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.a ... itleID=607
Not a small charger but that is not what i want to say.
I connected it to my 320d after it being stood for some weeks and it wouldn't start.
Connected it under the bonnet as stated in the book and left it.
It never got to 100% just kept charging and the battery is not that old.
So i put my digital tester on the battery and that told me it was 100%.
Connected the charger to the battery and it stopped after a few seconds saying 100%.
[/quote]
Mine does this. I looked into it. it is something to do with its accuracy. i.e as soon as a battery is charged, it will to a certain extent, albeit perhaps minimal, start losing charge, so the charger kicks in again saying it inst 100% when in fact most other measuring devices would say it was. Also, I left mine charging with the car locked, as soon as the car gets unlocked, alarm disables, interior light on etc etc it is pulling a charge, so the trick is to charge it with the bonnet open and the car locked so it goes to sleep (after 16 minutes). I sometime come out and it says it isn't yet charged. i disconnect and re-attach immediately then it says it is charged and then starts cycling again like it isn't charged. but it is. Just some nuance of these chargers it seems rather than a fault (mine is CTEK)
I hav a sealey/schumacher Starter 150Amp/Intelligent Speed Charge Battery Charger 20Amp 6/12V.
http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.a ... itleID=607
Not a small charger but that is not what i want to say.
I connected it to my 320d after it being stood for some weeks and it wouldn't start.
Connected it under the bonnet as stated in the book and left it.
It never got to 100% just kept charging and the battery is not that old.
So i put my digital tester on the battery and that told me it was 100%.
Connected the charger to the battery and it stopped after a few seconds saying 100%.
[/quote]
Mine does this. I looked into it. it is something to do with its accuracy. i.e as soon as a battery is charged, it will to a certain extent, albeit perhaps minimal, start losing charge, so the charger kicks in again saying it inst 100% when in fact most other measuring devices would say it was. Also, I left mine charging with the car locked, as soon as the car gets unlocked, alarm disables, interior light on etc etc it is pulling a charge, so the trick is to charge it with the bonnet open and the car locked so it goes to sleep (after 16 minutes). I sometime come out and it says it isn't yet charged. i disconnect and re-attach immediately then it says it is charged and then starts cycling again like it isn't charged. but it is. Just some nuance of these chargers it seems rather than a fault (mine is CTEK)