Davyo Posted May 3, 2019 Report Share Posted May 3, 2019 Need one to keep on the car from October through to April (MX5) when its put away for winter. Keep hearing Ctek getting mentions.Any recommendations's ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted May 3, 2019 Report Share Posted May 3, 2019 Got a Ctek one for our quad, which doesn't get a lot of use. Not sure of the exact model, but it does a good job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ph5172 Posted May 3, 2019 Report Share Posted May 3, 2019 I got Aldi (or Lidl’s) version and that works perfectly on our summer car. It was £15 if I recall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted May 3, 2019 Report Share Posted May 3, 2019 My son has had his motorcycle battery on maintenance charge over winter, it is a Halfords smartcharge 200, 5amp, switchable stop/start to standard battery charger....it has done the job!...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted May 3, 2019 Report Share Posted May 3, 2019 I use these to keep my lamping etc batteries in top condition. Ebay # 151668197668 They work well, and I've had them for a few years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancer425 Posted May 3, 2019 Report Share Posted May 3, 2019 Have a NOCO genius does 6v or 12v i picked it because it did both modern cars bikes for our 6v side valve fords . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted May 3, 2019 Report Share Posted May 3, 2019 Ctek x5 put it on and leave on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnytheboy Posted May 3, 2019 Report Share Posted May 3, 2019 Ctek optimate 4, we store cars at work and went through chargers like it was going out of style, never had an optimate go dud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted May 4, 2019 Report Share Posted May 4, 2019 Hi Ctek always seem to review well in Autoexpress - I have the x5? and does well including lawnmower battery. Maybe worth a nose at recent Autexpress tests. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted June 6, 2019 Report Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) I have a couple of CTEKs. They are good .......... BUT the push button (to select battery type) becomes very temperamental after a time. CTEK exchanged the first one, but the two I have now have both become a bit temperamental. There us a YouTube showing how to open it and sort it (basically cheap contacts inside get tarnished). I leave one on my SLK all winter - and the other alternates between the Defender and the mower. It is worth fitting a 'plug in point' (including a fuse) to make it easier to connect/disconnect if the battery is awkward to access - as in the Defender where it is under the seat, or some BMWs (3 series estate) where it is under the boot floor. Edited June 6, 2019 by JohnfromUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted June 6, 2019 Report Share Posted June 6, 2019 Ctek are the ones used by most, can't see the point of leaving the battery connected and having to use a smart charger when your not using the car for that time. I would just diconect the battery when at full charge and leave untill your ready to use the car again. Permanent trickle charges dry out the cells over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted June 7, 2019 Report Share Posted June 7, 2019 Modern cars with loads of electronics don't like long periods of disconnection - some don't like disconnection at all - which is why garages use a temporary 'hold up battery' when changing the main battery. From loosing things like radio programming, stored seat positions to loosing many other more complex 'stored parameters' and even the imobiliserer stuff, it can give loads of problems. CTEK and similar chargers are more complex than just low current trickle chargers and don't overcharge (which is what dries out the cells). They sense the battery state and switch to a very low and safe maintain charge, occasionally 'topping up' if needed due to discharge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted June 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 On 07/06/2019 at 07:00, JohnfromUK said: Modern cars with loads of electronics don't like long periods of disconnection - some don't like disconnection at all - which is why garages use a temporary 'hold up battery' when changing the main battery. From loosing things like radio programming, stored seat positions to loosing many other more complex 'stored parameters' and even the imobiliserer stuff, it can give loads of problems. CTEK and similar chargers are more complex than just low current trickle chargers and don't overcharge (which is what dries out the cells). They sense the battery state and switch to a very low and safe maintain charge, occasionally 'topping up' if needed due to discharge. My 5 doesn't like the battery disconnected for the above reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 I use a model railway power supply off ebay, 1amp 12v output. Cost 3 quid off ebay, cut the end off and wired on the connections off a Oxford set up so it's just plug and play so to speak. This is for my bike, but ive not had to buy a battery in years and I only use it 10 times a year roughly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted June 13, 2019 Report Share Posted June 13, 2019 I have a CTEK which I use on my car & motorcycle, fantastic bit of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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