Battery charging an R230 SL500

[Clkrichard]

Edgersoldchap thats why I bought a CTEK instead of using my now 40 year old Halfords charger !
The CTEK can have the extra lead I bought permanently attached to the battery and the charger can then be easily plugged into the lead when required.

 

[1945wickedred]

Great little charger the CTEK MXS 5.0 does what it says on the tin,my SL350 is topped up all the time now,no more consumers offline for me.

 

[DidgeD]

What mode are you all running your CTEK MXS 5.0 in for the starter and the consumer batteries? Snowflake for both?

 

[1945wickedred]

Yes I have the CTEK 5.0 and it is perfect,I just lift the boot lid in the garage attach the terminals and switch on,no need to disconnect the battery,I do disconnect the boot light though.£50 from Amazon for the CTEK which I believe is identical to the MB one which costs over £100.

 

[1945wickedred]

Yes snowflake when it is very cold and the normal mode when weather is more temperate,I have had great results,battery always topped up,never seen the 8th light yet,gets to 7 very quickly,a matter of hours for fully charged.

 

[BiKenG]

There's a fundamental difference between what is commonly referred to as a 'battery charger' and what is more correctly known as 'battery optimiser or tender'. The former charges the battery, no matter what and if left connected long enough will overcharge a battery. The latter however monitors the battery condition and supplies just what is required.

An optimiser is designed to be left connected permanently, for as long as the vehicle is not being used. It will do no more damage to the battery when connected than driving the car will. I've had them on a motorcycle battery for >2 years and the battery has been perfect.

You do not need to disconnect the battery when using either of the above. Neither will produce any higher voltage than the car will itself while being used. If there is evidence of damage to a lead, it was not due to the battery being connected to the vehicle at the same time. Something else will have caused it.

Connecting any charger the wrong way has the potential to cause damage to many things, but most (if not all) will be protected in some way to avoid damage of any sort. Optimisers usually have the intelligence to monitor this and simply warn you that you're a dope (hey, we've all done it and a basic charger should be fused to avoid serious consequences.

A normal Halfords type battery charger could be left connected overnight - probably. But it depends on how big is the connected battery and at what rate it is being charged, i.e. how much current is being pushed through the battery by the charger. Unfortunately most cheap chargers give little or no indication of thier output and no control.

Any capacity of optimiser can be used to look after any size of battery. The only issue is that a low capacity optimiser on a large battery will take longer to get there.

The CTEK MXS 5 is ideal for the rear battery.

It is possible to connect this to a terminal in the front fuse box so the CTEK is connected under the hood and not the boot.

I use a CTEK MXS 3 for the front battery simultaneously with the MXS 5 for the rear so connecting both under the hood (bonnet) is the best solution.

I should have shares in CTEK

 

[DidgeD]

Yes snowflake when it is very cold and the normal mode when weather is more temperate...

Is there a reason why you don't use the snowflake all year round, as both batteries are AGM type?

 

[Azkuma]

There's a fundamental difference between what is commonly referred to as a 'battery charger' and what is more correctly known as 'battery optimiser or tender'. The former charges the battery, no matter what and if left connected long enough will overcharge a battery. The latter however monitors the battery condition and supplies just what is required.

An optimiser is designed to be left connected permanently, for as long as the vehicle is not being used. It will do no more damage to the battery when connected than driving the car will. I've had them on a motorcycle battery for >2 years and the battery has been perfect.

You do not need to disconnect the battery when using either of the above. Neither will produce any higher voltage than the car will itself while being used. If there is evidence of damage to a lead, it was not due to the battery being connected to the vehicle at the same time. Something else will have caused it.

Connecting any charger the wrong way has the potential to cause damage to many things, but most (if not all) will be protected in some way to avoid damage of any sort. Optimisers usually have the intelligence to monitor this and simply warn you that you're a dope (hey, we've all done it and a basic charger should be fused to avoid serious consequences.

A normal Halfords type battery charger could be left connected overnight - probably. But it depends on how big is the connected battery and at what rate it is being charged, i.e. how much current is being pushed through the battery by the charger. Unfortunately most cheap chargers give little or no indication of thier output and no control.

Any capacity of optimiser can be used to look after any size of battery. The only issue is that a low capacity optimiser on a large battery will take longer to get there.

The CTEK MXS 5 is ideal for the rear battery.

It is possible to connect this to a terminal in the front fuse box so the CTEK is connected under the hood and not the boot.

I use a CTEK MXS 3 for the front battery simultaneously with the MXS 5 for the rear so connecting both under the hood (bonnet) is the best solution.

I should have shares in CTEK

Of all the replies this one gives very good info, but my initial query is how are you all able to leave the charger in your cars, and then it dawned on me, I don't have a drive or a garage.

So, how to do this from a 1st floor flat???