CTEK Charger and the X5?

[Salty_Dog]

The vehicle does a week of short trips
Then on Weekends it does 300km round trip

So it should be ok.
The OEM Battery lasted 7 years
But we have been through 2 Batteries in the space of 4 years since

[Salty_Dog]

WARNING!!!!!

Here is a tip, do not use a CTEK charger on AGM and RECOND mode at the same time.
Unless you would like to kill your AGM Battery over night!

This was my concern about these Chargers and having them connected while the Battery was in the vehicle!!!
Thankfully, i killed another AGM Battery that was out of the vehicle
Before killing the one in it and probably some expensive sensitive other stuff.

AGM Battery, really dont like voltages over 14.4v or 14.7 if its cold.

The CTEK in AGM mode, with RECOND mode also selected provides 15.8 volts @ 1.5 Amps.

You can expect your $$$ AGM to be dead by morning.
Dead as in killed, toss it in the bin.

As to what 15.8volts does to anything else in your BMW, i have no idea, but its probably not good.

You have been warned.

[Clockwork]

FYI: CTEK does mention which chargers/modes are NOT built/made for AGM batts, so please read instructions carefully before you buy/connect to batt.
I've for 10 plus years been using a CTEK charger on my cars without ever taking batts out of vehicles and have NEVER had an issue and I leave them connected for months at time, or sometimes just over night.

[Salty_Dog]

Thats an interesting point

As the Owners Manual and Retail Box i have does not tell you anywhere which setting NOT to use with AGM.
In fact, it actually shows you in the 8 Stage Chart exactly what that setting will do?
Why publish it if its death for your battery? Or not meant to be used?

Instead, it says in small print,
"RECOND for use with Wet and Calcium Batteries"
It actually says nothing about which Battery not to use that setting on.

I agree, what i have done is User Error and worse, i had actually read that definition of RECOND on the box a week ago. And had made a mental note about it.
Obviously when you are running around the workshop going from Battery to Battery, the mental note failed.
Yes, an expensive mistake.

The really sad point is, why isn't there a Software Lockout??
So if you select AGM, you then can not select RECOND.

I mean come on, CTEK are the Battery experts right?
They bothered to fit a Reverse Polarity Check
And a Low Voltage Check
How hard can it be? Especially when it means Death for you Battery.

Please see below, they even give you the 8 Stage walk through for AGM+RECOND for both Bike and Car??



Worse is this.....



Where it states AGM mode is for 14-160AH... But a have a 7AH AGM Bike Battery.
So what happens when you Select Bike+AGM??
Are you going to cook your 7AH AGM Battery?

[Salty_Dog]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

FYI: CTEK does mention which chargers/modes are NOT built/made for AGM batts, so please read instructions carefully before you buy/connect to batt.
I've for 10 plus years been using a CTEK charger on my cars without ever taking batts out of vehicles and have NEVER had an issue and I leave them connected for months at time, or sometimes just over night.

Could you please show me where it says this?
I can not find what ever it is you are referring to.

Thanks

[Clockwork]

hey Salty_Dog, I have in the manuals for both my CTEK tenders on pages 2 & 3 that these chargers 7002 and 3300 are to be used (in bold letters here) with Lead-Acid batteries only.
http://smartercharger.com/wp-content...US-3300_us.pdf

http://smartercharger.com/wp-content...US-7002_us.pdf

I can't find a manual for your model posted, BUT since you found online pics of the charging cycle, I'm sure your model IS good for AGM tending... BUT I'm just wanting others to know that NOT many models, or all models can do AGM. So read the manual first to be safe.

[Salty_Dog]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

hey Salty_Dog, I have in the manuals for both my CTEK tenders on pages 2 & 3 that these chargers 7002 and 3300 are to be used (in bold letters here) with Lead-Acid batteries only.

You do realise that Lead Acid is an AGM Battery right?
Just a different form, but its still Lead Acid. VRLA, look it up or read the manual

And your Manual specifically say they CAN be used with AGM, its on page 9.

So what was that about reading the Manual first??

And here is the manual for mine.

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&r...27521224,d.dGo

Please show me where you have read the CTEK chargers are not for AGM batteries?

[jsoto]

It's just a battery tender/charger guys.....no need to complicate things.

SD, you learned the hard way. I lost 2 ~high end~ AGM's last year while troubleshooting electrical issues. We're talking about $900 in lead lost..

Anyhow, agm's are more ~sensative~ when it comes to batteries. Wet Cells can take a higher voltage, burp and be fine. FWIW, SOME AGM's like to even be charged at high amp rates like 40-50 amps when deeply discharged.

There is no universal rule when it comes to batteries. However, the one rule I would follow is keep it at 14.7 MAX on AGM on the charge profile for AGM's and you can use higher maintenance voltages on wet cell, but IMO do it ONLY if you think you need to. 1st order would be to just give it a full charge on your charger, see if she holds and then IF you believe you may need to add a battery desulphate into the process, then do the recondition.

[Clockwork]

Originally Posted by Salty_Dog

You do realise that Lead Acid is an AGM Battery right?
Just a different form, but its still Lead Acid. VRLA, look it up or read the manual

Salty, I digress and hang my head in shame... I did NOT know an AGM was still a Lead Acid battery. Never thought about it before to be honest.

[Salty_Dog]

Originally Posted by jsoto

It's just a battery tender/charger guys.....no need to complicate things.

SD, you learned the hard way. I lost 2 ~high end~ AGM's last year while troubleshooting electrical issues. We're talking about $900 in lead lost..

Anyhow, agm's are more ~sensative~ when it comes to batteries. Wet Cells can take a higher voltage, burp and be fine. FWIW, SOME AGM's like to even be charged at high amp rates like 40-50 amps when deeply discharged.

There is no universal rule when it comes to batteries. However, the one rule I would follow is keep it at 14.7 MAX on AGM on the charge profile for AGM's and you can use higher maintenance voltages on wet cell, but IMO do it ONLY if you think you need to. 1st order would be to just give it a full charge on your charger, see if she holds and then IF you believe you may need to add a battery desulphate into the process, then do the recondition.

Thats about it jsoto

The only reason i tried RECOND mode at all, was the wonderful blurb in teh CTEK Manual telling you how you should do it ONCE A YEAR.....
Considering i had never done it, i thought i would, as the Manual made me believe i was doing a good and right thing.

BTW, since i brought this to CTEK in Swedens attention, they are re writing their manual....

Email response from CTEK Sweden here:

Hi
Thank you for contacting us.
You have found a fault in our manual, and we will update as soon as possible.

I understand your confusion, and I will try to explain.

The MXS 5.0 has got 4 modes, this is for you to choose between.

MC: this mode will charge with 14.4V and 0.8A – the low Amp will assure that smaller batteries (from 1.2Ah) will be fully charged but not overcharged.
CAR: this mode will charge with 14.4V and 5A – the higher Amp will shorten the time to fully charge batteries from 14Ah.
AGM: this mode will increase the voltage to 14.7 in order to fill AGM batteries to the top. Should be used together with MC mode for smaller batteries and with CAR mode for batteries from 14Ah.
RECOND: should be used with wet batteries together with MC or CAR in order to prevent and repair batteries with stratified acid.

To charge a small MC battery with CAR mode will in worst scenarios be like filling a coffee cup with the garden hose. It will be full but not in any good way.

If you select MC + AGM your battery should be charged with 14.7V 0.8A.

This is not enough to destroy a smaller battery.
You have chosen the correct modes for your battery.

If the battery after charge shows 10.23V – this is a sign that the battery suffers from at least one broken cell.

The charger can’t break a cell, it will handle all cells equal. But if one cell are week you will most likely find out after a charge. And then it´s easy to see the charger as the problem.
Why your battery has failed is hard to guess without testing it.



Best Regards

CTEK Support team