Ctex charger not detecting battery?

[stephenmercedes]

I agree with the comment that electronic devices, if they are going to fail, usually do it whilst virtually new, otherwise they tend to last a lifetime! This little baby was bought in 1979, so as of today, is now 40 years old - still works!

 

[fourwheels]

I know it's not relevant but I made my first battery charger myself in the 60's.
An old transformer ripped out of something, a metal rectifier probably ripped out of something else, a 5A panel ammeter but with the wrong scale, all mounted in a box made out of scraps of aluminium bolted together. It worked and rescued countless cars I owned through the following 10 years. Got dumped in the end, pity.
Wouldn't suit today's high tech battery's though.

 

[Smart320]

Have 2 CTEK's bought 6/7 years ago, never had a problem, you were probably just unlucky with yours.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

I have one that I bought about 2008 or 9 which has been well used (used to do a lot of 4x4ing in the Outback and had lots of batteries that needed TLC in my offload caravan and in the Landcruiser (3 no) itself) and it is going strong.I just used it last weekend to give my car batteries a treat.

I think the OP probably has a dud !

 

[grober]

Came across this German company which supply similar products to the Scandinavian CTEK.
ABSAAR - Products Like Ctek some of their products are made in China acording to recent review I read. What their quality is like in comparison I don't know but they do offer some products on AMAZON but they appear expensive. Don't know if any of our European based forum members have come across them or not?

 

[doo01]

Got a replacement unit and looks like we’re back in business... for now

 

[doo01]

So I have had this unit for a couple of weeks now. Plugged it in and noticed it stays in stage 4 for a few days. States in the manual that max duration for stage 4 is 10 hours. Does this seem odd that it never seems to move on from stage 4?

 

[grober]

I can only assume that the Ctek uses the back EMF from the battery to monitor its state of charge capacity. Moving from stage 3 bulk charging at maximum current 10A at 14.4 volts to stage 4 absorbtion at 14.4 volts with decreasing charge current should take place at around 80% battery capacity. How long the absorbtion stage takes for the remaining 20% I assume involves a further monitoring of battery voltage subject to an overriding time limit of 10 hours. In reality there may be a complex interaction of time and battery voltage in the CTEK whereby the time limit is not brought into play below a certain back EMF from the battery. This might be explained by either a battery failing to hold charge or an ever present parasitic load large enough to drop the battery EMF with time as charging current is reduced during the absorbtion phase resulting in an endless loop situation? I would suggest for now to carefully monitor charger temperature [ by hand]to make sure its not running too hot as it may be running for longer at maximum current than its designed to. 80% Battery capacity should be fine for most purposes so manually switching off after 10 hours might be wise. This might have the diagnostic effect of demonstrating whether the battery is failing to hold charge or sufferring from another current drain --- faulty alternator rectifier diodes are a favourite source of current drain being
always live even with the ignition off.

 

[doo01]

I can only assume that the Ctek uses the back EMF from the battery to monitor its state of charge capacity. Moving from stage 3 bulk charging at maximum current 10A at 14.4 volts to stage 4 absorbtion at 14.4 volts with decreasing charge current should take place at around 80% battery capacity. How long the absorbtion stage takes for the remaining 20% I assume involves a further monitoring of battery voltage subject to an overriding time limit of 10 hours. In reality there may be a complex interaction of time and battery voltage in the CTEK whereby the time limit is not brought into play below a certain back EMF from the battery. This might be explained by either a battery failing to hold charge or an ever present parasitic load large enough to drop the battery EMF with time as charging current is reduced during the absorbtion phase resulting in an endless loop situation? I would suggest for now to carefully monitor charger temperature [ by hand]to make sure its not running too hot as it may be running for longer than its designed to. 80% Battery capacity should be fine for most purposes so manually switching off after 10 hours might be wise. This might have the diagnostic effect of demonstrating whether the battery is failing to hold charge or sufferring from another current drain --- faulty alternator rectifier diodes are a favourite source of current drain being
always live even with the ignition off.

I thought the idea of these is to plug in and walk away and there are no issues with leaving it on?

 

[grober]

Under normal circumstances yes. Just don't want you to blow another CTEK up??

 

[doo01]

Under normal circumstances yes.

I will continue to monitor and see if it runs ‘hot’. So far it hasn’t happened other than the fact that I thought it odd it stayed at stage 4 for over 24 hours. Unless unlocking the car presents a ‘drain’ but it didn’t happen with the previous unit before it died on me.

 

[doo01]

Under normal circumstances yes. Just don't want you to blow another CTEK up??

I care me about my car than the charger [emoji23][emoji23]

 

[doo01]

Does anyone know if a w218 has an agm or normal battery?

 

[grober]

Normally its on the battery label? Battery will either be in the boot in the spare wheel well or under the heater air ducting [ UNCLIP IT] on the passenger side bulkhead. Swap sides on the front position diagram for RHD

 

[doo01]

Normally its on the battery label? Battery will either be in the boot in the spare wheel well or under the heater air ducting [ UNCLIP IT] on the passenger side bulkhead. Swap sides on the front position diagram for RHD

Thanks. Was lazy to go outside right now btw I tried the charger on another car and it goes all the way to stage 8. But wont go past stage 4 still on this car. So def not charger issue.

 

[grober]

Thanks. Was lazy to go outside right now btw I tried the charger on another car and it goes all the way to stage 8. But wont go past stage 4 still on this car. So def not charger issue.

Which suggests you may have a constant parasitic drain on your car??

 

[doo01]

Which suggests you may have a constant parasitic drain on your car??

Weird tho. When I first received the replacement unit it worked fine. Went all the way to stage 8. Drove it. Got home. Plugged it in and now wont go past stage 4. Not sure what the drain would be. Dashcam? Its not hard wired. I have the same set up in the other car and no issues. Thats why I asked re type of battery. Maybe I should be using ‘AGM’ mode if in fact I have an AGM?

 

[stephenmercedes]

Maybe I should be using ‘AGM’ mode if in fact I have an AGM?

Forgive me, but so many people rave about this expensive charger and it's 'smart' caopability. If you have an AGM battery, should it not sense it and take the appropriate action automatically? (I personally have a £15 Lidl smart charger which has been just perfect for me!)

 

[doo01]

Forgive me, but so many people rave about this expensive charger and it's 'smart' caopability. If you have an AGM battery, should it not sense it and take the appropriate action automatically? (I prsonally have a £15 Lidl smart charger which has been just perfect for me!)

Don’t worry. I still have the receipt and LIDL might very well be where I’m heading next!! [emoji3]

 

[CowleyStJames]

Forgive me, but so many people rave about this expensive charger and it's 'smart' caopability. If you have an AGM battery, should it not sense it and take the appropriate action automatically? (I personally have a £15 Lidl smart charger which has been just perfect for me!)

Ha ha, so have I! Funny thing is, it charges my AGM battery and looks very similar to the Ctek charger all for the princely sun of £14.99 from, in my case, Aldi