A180 Petrol auto and CTek MXS 5.0 battery charging

[Al Smith]

Have always used the CTek to charge my car batteries .Reading Honest John today ,we are being informed that vehicles with stop/start facility need a specific stop-start charger or you could damage the cars battery......"a smart charger" is needed. Having used the charger more than usual in this freezing,lockdown winter, could anyone please advise me if I am damaging the system and if so , what battery charger/conditioner I should be using.
Many thanks....Alan

 

[Tony Dyson]

A link to exactly what you've read would be appreciated?

 

[flowrider]

I've used an MX5.0 on my stop/start equiped Audi for the past year with no issues. I note that Ctek do a specific smart charger for stop/start cars, I wonder if that's just marketing.

 

[Tony Dyson]

A look at the OM of the CT5 Start/Stop manual and the desulphation cycle is limited to 14.55v in compliance with MB recommendations and general advice for VRLA batteries not to exceed 14.8v whereas the MXS 5 uses 15.8v, a subject that has been covered a few times recently on the forum.

 

[Al Smith]

A look at the OM of the CT5 Start/Stop manual and the desulphation cycle is limited to 14.55v in compliance with MB recommendations and general advice for VRLA batteries not to exceed 14.8v whereas the MXS 5 uses 15.8v, a subject that has been covered a few times recently on the forum.

Thanks Tony....I only use the normal car battery program not the reconditioning which goes to 15.8 v so hopefully the desulphation phase which is very short is not causing damage....or is that too simplistic.....I am a wood butcher not an electrical technician, so please be gentle !!! I read the Honest John article in todays edition of The Saturday Telegraph, but it may be generally available on line.

 

[Al Smith]

I've used an MX5.0 on my stop/start equiped Audi for the past year with no issues. I note that Ctek do a specific smart charger for stop/start cars, I wonder if that's just marketing.

Thanks flowrider. ...good to know. I will look into the CTek smart charger.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

If you want to be really sure buy the MSX 7.0 as I did max charge is limited to 14.7 across all modes

 

[Tony Dyson]

Thanks Tony....I only use the normal car battery program not the reconditioning which goes to 15.8 v so hopefully the desulphation phase which is very short is not causing damage....or is that too simplistic.....I am a wood butcher not an electrical technician, so please be gentle !!! I read the Honest John article in todays edition of The Saturday Telegraph, but it may be generally available on line.

Yours is also the general consensus of opinion of many other MXS 5 owners and providing the initial desulphation phase doesn't interpret any damage to your battery it will remain a momentary application but the danger is in the degradation of the car's battery and the MXS 5 detects some Sulphation it can then automatically apply the 15.8v Desulphation cycle for up to 8 Hrs where damage to the battery and perhaps even the car's electronic components could be a possible outcome, there has I think been an assumption that as CTEK manufacture the MB branded smart charger then any CTEK branded charger is MB compatible but the MB branded charger is limited to 14.8v max output. As @malcolm210 advised above and there are other models with limited outputs, I went for a NOCO charger which limits AGM charging and recovery desulphation modes to 14.8v and also has settings for Flooded, GEL, AGM+ and Lithium if ever needed.

 

[Al Smith]

Yours is also the general consensus of opinion of many other MXS 5 owners and providing the initial desulphation phase doesn't interpret any damage to your battery it will remain a momentary application but the danger is in the degradation of the car's battery and the MXS 5 detects some Sulphation it can then automatically apply the 15.8v Desulphation cycle for up to 8 Hrs where damage to the battery and perhaps even the car's electronic components could be a possible outcome, there has I think been an assumption that as CTEK manufacture the MB branded smart charger then any CTEK branded charger is MB compatible but the MB branded charger is limited to 14.8v max output. As @malcolm210 advised above and there are other models with limited outputs, I went for a NOCO charger which limits AGM charging and recovery desulphation modes to 14.8v and also has settings for Flooded, GEL, AGM+ and Lithium if ever needed.

That is really good ,thorough information....many thanks.
In view of this advice I will keep a careful eye on the desulphation phase when charging and my other eye on deals to purchase a 14.8v max charger ....whether it be CTek with which I have had no issues or alternatives such as NOCO. The MXS 5.0 worked very well on my XKR 150 and is also doing good work keeping my old E270 estate active.
Thankyou to the website and its' enthusiastic,knowledgable supporters.

 

[flowrider]

Yours is also the general consensus of opinion of many other MXS 5 owners and providing the initial desulphation phase doesn't interpret any damage to your battery it will remain a momentary application but the danger is in the degradation of the car's battery and the MXS 5 detects some Sulphation it can then automatically apply the 15.8v Desulphation cycle for up to 8 Hrs where damage to the battery and perhaps even the car's electronic components could be a possible outcome, there has I think been an assumption that as CTEK manufacture the MB branded smart charger then any CTEK branded charger is MB compatible but the MB branded charger is limited to 14.8v max output. As @malcolm210 advised above and there are other models with limited outputs, I went for a NOCO charger which limits AGM charging and recovery desulphation modes to 14.8v and also has settings for Flooded, GEL, AGM+ and Lithium if ever needed.

The MXS5.0 has an AGM mode, just don't use the "recond" mode and you will be fine.

 

[Tony Dyson]

The MXS5.0 has an AGM mode, just don't use the "recond" mode and you will be fine.

As you can see from P5 of the MXS5 OM, the first stage of all selected modes of operations is a Desulphation stage which applies the 15.8v that I was referring to in my earlier comment, not the Recondition mode which can be invoked independently. The MXS 5 even has two AGM Recondition modes that will apply 15.8v.

 

[Gazwould]

I've always wondered what the pretty lights mean .

 

[Srdl]

I’ve been using my CTEK MX5.0 on my car (with Stop/Start) recently with no obvious problems (he says with fingers crossed as it's on the car at the moment). It moves past Desulphation phase instantly but I suppose it might be a problem if the battery was old and knackered.

 

[jimbg]

You are probably right about that.

However it would probably make sense for anyone buying a unit now to get the Start/Stop version.

 

[Janchee]

I have used MX 5.0 on my Mercedes for the past year with no problems. Keep an eye on it and it flicks straight past it. If I were to get another one, just probs get the Mercedes branded one as it’s not that expensive. It does a good job of charging

 

[Tony Dyson]

The Maypole MP7423 limited at 14.8v at £20.39 has to be a contender for a basic Wet and AGM Smart Charger?

 

[flowrider]

I've been using an MXS5.0 and an MXS10 on my R230 SL, with an AGM battery, regularly for over 4 years with no issues.

 

[Srdl]

Of course, if mine did cause a problem with the car, I would just sue this forum because I bought it based on previous recommendations on here

 

[sonic]

I wonder what the maximum voltage on my 50 year old 5 amp charger is?