Trickle charger ...

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zena123

zena123

Active Member
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Location
north London
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C220 d Sport Saloon
Reading through posts (thanks to those who've posted in the past) I see that CTek is highly recommended for trickle chargers. My (naive) question is, what is the difference between CTek MXS 5.0 (using AGM mode) or CTek CT5 Stop/start.
Aim is for use in W204 (C220, 2014 Bluetec) and W205 (C220d, 2017) as am asking for a friend as well. Very grateful
once again for the crash-course in education that I get from this Forum !
 
I believe that the MXS 5.0 and CT5 are fundamentally the same, but the CT5 displays how long is left before the battery is charged and the MXS 5.0 displays the stage in the charging cycle. So they do the same thing in the same way, but the CT5 is a little more simple to use and understand. I’d go for the MXS 5.0 though, it’s the pick of the range.
 
You have 2 choices - a CTEK for £40-50+ or Lidl for about £15. You'll see various reports of folk using the Lidl one that are either fine or it cratered inside 3 years. I have a very old non-CTEK from about 20 years ago that was still OK (although cracked case from dropping it) but for the past 2 years or so I've used a Lidl whenever the SLK is garaged (which is a lot) without problem. However, I've never had an AGM battery connected, just normal wet batteries, so don't know if that would be a problem with the Lidl.
 
I have no idea what the differences are but I have a CTek for the SL, not sure what model...not much help I know.. , today it has mostly charged the Mrs Suzuki Swift ,which does next to no miles during the week and failed to start today, success on the charge front.. luckily she's out tomorrow so I can fully charge hers and maybe have a drive out in the SL
 
zena123 said:
My (naive) question is, what is the difference between CTek MXS 5.0 (using AGM mode) or CTek CT5 Stop/start.
Click to expand...

As far as I can make out a CTek MXS on AGM mode charges at 14.7 volts and a CTek CT5 stop/start charges at 14.55 Volts. Stop/Start batteries are not exclusively AGM even if most are. I suspect this will be reason for the slight reduction in charging voltage to accommodate the none AGM's. If the stop/start battery in question is in fact an AGM then the CTek MXS would be more appropriate.

The Lidl charger has the choice of charging at 14.4 volts for "standard" batteries or 14.7 volts for AGM's
 
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I also use the cheap Lidl one, I use it to charge my 2014 E250 auxiliary battery every now and again, most of the time it is connected permanently to my motorbike, never really used it on my main car battery as it never goes flat.
Are your batteries failing ? how often will you need to use it ?
 
Beware with the Lidl ones that if you have a power cut, the charger reverts to OFF when power resumes. The CTEK reverts to it's previous mode I.e. ON. quite important when you are nowhere near your car to switch on manually.
 
zena123 said:
Reading through posts (thanks to those who've posted in the past) I see that CTek is highly recommended for trickle chargers. My (naive) question is, what is the difference between CTek MXS 5.0 (using AGM mode) or CTek CT5 Stop/start.
Aim is for use in W204 (C220, 2014 Bluetec) and W205 (C220d, 2017) as am asking for a friend as well. Very grateful
once again for the crash-course in education that I get from this Forum !
Click to expand...
Their (CTEK) customer service is pretty good and have replied to my emails in teh past. Perhaps an email to them will get the replies you need.
 
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I‘ve been using a Ctek MXS 5.0 for a few years on my MX5 when it’s in the garage during the winter months. Has worked flawlessly. I also noticed that our local Mercedes dealer, have the same chargers hooked up to their showroom cars
 
I have both MXS 5 & Start/Stop. As you probably know, the Start/Stop only has 3 lights, check, charge & care. The MXS 5 has 6 yellow lights & 2 green lights. Once 4 yellow lights illuminate, you can use the car, but if you wait until the first green light illuminates, its fully charged. On mine, I find after the first green light comes on, it takes a week or so before the last green light illuminates, this means its in pulse mode which monitors the voltage & gives it a pulse if it drops to keep the battery fully charged. The start/stop seems to get to the care light pretty quickly. My Cteks can be on for months at a time & cars start first time.
They both work fine but I prefer the MXS 5, no real logic , but I get the idea its better with more lights, as I think I'm in charge (no pun)
Mxs Is cheaper last time I looked
 
GeeJayW said:
I‘ve been using a Ctek MXS 5.0 for a few years on my MX5 when it’s in the garage during the winter months. Has worked flawlessly. I also noticed that our local Mercedes dealer, have the same chargers hooked up to their showroom cars
Click to expand...
Ours does too.
 
Brilliant range of replies (as one might expect from this forum). Good to know Lidl chargers have a lot of support, tho' I'm still inclined towrds CTek, having read BobbyDazzler's et al comments about the difference, I think that'll do for me. CTek do seem responsive: I spoke to them today: they stand by their 5-year guarantee & say, interestingly, they also honour those they sell on Amazon/Ebay, (though one reviewer is in dispute as they are just outside 2y ownership). .... Geoffus asked: are my batteries failing: answer is no/yes: Car was fully charged after long journey, but next day AT the dealership while the car was in for (NOx) diagnostic, a 'failing battery' notification from MercedesMe came up on my phone. Interestingly, the mechanics (& diagnostic) hadn't spotted the v. low battery charge & indeed may have inadvertently caused it. Dealership kindly trickle-charged it to 80%, as I gently explained that if I ignored the MME text, that wd be negligent if, after leaving the garage, I had to call out MMe breakdown service (in rush hour) on the A406. Since this charging, though, I've noticed the ECO Stop/Start working w. more alacrity. There's also the issue of Lock-Downs & fuel shortages ... & I think we can expect more of the latter, if not the former. It doesn't feel good to get caught out ... so a charger is intended as a precautionary measure ... Anyway tx for the replies, it helps to have a wider context in which to work things out ....
 
zena123 said:
Brilliant range of replies (as one might expect from this forum). Good to know Lidl chargers have a lot of support, tho' I'm still inclined towrds CTek, having read BobbyDazzler's et al comments about the difference, I think that'll do for me. CTek do seem responsive: I spoke to them today: they stand by their 5-year guarantee & say, interestingly, they also honour those they sell on Amazon/Ebay, (though one reviewer is in dispute as they are just outside 2y ownership). .... Geoffus asked: are my batteries failing: answer is no/yes: Car was fully charged after long journey, but next day AT the dealership while the car was in for (NOx) diagnostic, a 'failing battery' notification from MercedesMe came up on my phone. Interestingly, the mechanics (& diagnostic) hadn't spotted the v. low battery charge & indeed may have inadvertently caused it. Dealership kindly trickle-charged it to 80%, as I gently explained that if I ignored the MME text, that wd be negligent if, after leaving the garage, I had to call out MMe breakdown service (in rush hour) on the A406. Since this charging, though, I've noticed the ECO Stop/Start working w. more alacrity. There's also the issue of Lock-Downs & fuel shortages ... & I think we can expect more of the latter, if not the former. It doesn't feel good to get caught out ... so a charger is intended as a precautionary measure ... Anyway tx for the replies, it helps to have a wider context in which to work things out ....
Click to expand...
NOx diagnostic may have been an update for NOx emissions, they are usually hooked up to a charger whilst performing updates as the ignition must be on.

Sounds like they may have tried it without hooking up to the charger. I also received low battery warnings whilst a car was being updated at the dealership.
 
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