What Makes a CTEK Battery Charger Better than a Regular Trickle Charger

Question

Question:

i have a Mercedes Benz ML 270 cdi w163 Auto 2002 , I am looking for the correct and best charger for the above vehicle I dont understand the benefit of using a ctek to an ordinary charger Am I to assume that whilst the car is running the ctek will recharge the battery and keep it tip top charged, but wait a minute, I thought that the Alternator did that anyway !!!!.... so please explain to me the actual benefits, which ctek ?, How to install it ? and what other additional items will I need for this item Thanks

asked by: Mohammad S

0

Expert Reply:

Traditional battery chargers provide voltage/amperage to a battery but they can overcharge and damage the battery. CTEK chargers such as # CTEK56830 provide power to the battery but will not overcharge it. They also recondition the battery so you get the most life out of it. So a CTEK charger is like your Mercedes and a regular charger is like a Yugo. This particular charger has 7 stages of charging (other chargers have one):

1) Desulfation stage is the initial charging phase. This stage uses electronic pulses to desulfate batteries by converting lead sulfate crystals back to usable sulfuric acid.

2) Soft-start stage tests the battery to see whether it can be charged. If the battery is unable to hold the initial charge, the unit goes into Error Mode, alerting you that your battery must be replaced.

3) Bulk stage is the main charging phase. This stage accounts for 80 percent of the charging process and uses a constant charge level.

4) Absorption stage completes the charge (to virtually 100 percent) using diminishing current to prevent battery damage.

5) Analysis stage kicks in if the pre-set maximum time needed for absorption is exceeded. The unit measures the battery voltage and stops the charging process, automatically triggering an error indicator if the battery is faulty.

6) Float-maintenance stage maintains a constant voltage during the first 10 days.

7) Pulse-maintenance stage begins after the 10 days of float maintenance. During this stage, the charger maintains the battery at the optimum charge level of 95 percent to 100 percent. It recognizes any drop in voltage and sends a corresponding pulse of current to keep the battery properly charged. Pulse maintenance can be continued for months at a time.

CTEK chargers are not meant to remain connected to the vehicle when it is not parked so you would remove it before driving. It will attach to the battery either with the alligator clips or ring terminals, both of which are included. Or you can install CTEK Battery-Health Indicator Cable # CTEK56380, mount the indicator part inside the vehicle, attach the wires to the vehicle battery, and the charger will plug into the indicator panel part.