R230 Consumer Battery - How To Charge

[nicholas15]

1. - That's good to hear - I was always under the impression that if you remove the consumer battery you had to get it back on STAR as error codes would come up - also means that I don't have to leave the boot open on the car all night whilst charging (note to self - clean out garage!!!)

H

I found that the boot will close even with charger cable running out to the mains plug - soft rubbers?

 

[rexemper]

Hi

There's a CTEK charger thread in the General forum - might be worth looking at that as well.

From what I've read here and elsewhere you won't fry the electronics by charging and conditioning with the battery in the car.

Also, the boot should close easily onto the CTEK leads so you can lock the car and charge away - that's what I did yesterday and have been doing on another car all day today. I can't get a car into the garage either.

Good luck.

 

[flowrider]

Pretty much everyone uses a Ctek charger on their consumer battery, i know i do with no ill effects. I did a recon charge yesterday with the battery insitu with no problems this morning.

 

[alexanderfoti]

Recondition option will be fine on an AGM battery, that said, if you can get it to take a charge without using reconditioning mode, then it will be better for the battery.

An AGM battery needs a slightly higher float absorption charge than a wet cell.

All that said, the battery is probably dead anyway, so I wouldn't worry so much

 

[television]

There is no problem at all in charging the rear battery with the Ctec charger, I have replaced many time at all with problems at all, I have used up 6 amp on the rear battery for too much to remember any ill effects at all ever.

 

[alexanderfoti]

There is no problem at all in charging the rear battery with the Ctec charger, I have replaced many time at all with problems at all, I have used up 6 amp on the rear battery for too much to remember any ill effects at all ever.

I would be happy charging these AGM's at 15-20 Amps. (and do ) They can take a lot of current.

 

[Blaze_One]

All that said, the battery is probably dead anyway, so I wouldn't worry so much

Brilliant!!!

 

[Blaze_One]

Thank you one & all - that really helps...will try giving the consumer battery a charge (wishful thinking but tis the time of year for miracles...lol!!!) and see how I get on from there...

In terms of a replacement battery - worth picking it up from MB (I don't particularly like having my pants pulled down!!) or can I get like for like considerably cheaper elsewhere??

 

[Blaze_One]

Finally, having not used the CTEK on the rear battery - can anyone let me know what mode I need to have it in??

Is it the "snowflake" mode (cold/AGM mode??)

 

[alexanderfoti]

Thats the one

 

[flowrider]

Finally, having not used the CTEK on the rear battery - can anyone let me know what mode I need to have it in??

Is it the "snowflake" mode (cold/AGM mode??)

You have the older model that doesn't have a specific AGM mode so just use the standard option with the recon option.

 

[television]

In fact the standard battery an AGM is a 72 amp

 

[John Laidlaw]

Thank you one & all - that really helps...will try giving the consumer battery a charge (wishful thinking but tis the time of year for miracles...lol!!!) and see how I get on from there...

In terms of a replacement battery - worth picking it up from MB (I don't particularly like having my pants pulled down!!) or can I get like for like considerably cheaper elsewhere??

Replacement battery- as I mentioned earlier MB Grangemouth quoted me around 99 pounds (list is 141 ish) , I think thats decent, of course ECP or many others like Tayna will do cheaper options but not much...personally I prefer to stick in what was there before

 

[Blaze_One]

Replacement battery- as I mentioned earlier MB Grangemouth quoted me around 99 pounds (list is 141 ish) , I think thats decent, of course ECP or many others like Tayna will do cheaper options but not much...personally I prefer to stick in what was there before

Cracking price that John - called my local Benz dealer in West London, they want £180 (inclusive of VAT) - got the rear battery on charge now, took a reading this morning 11.68 volts which is lower then then 11.75 Malcolm suggested I needed as a minimum...

As is the case with being a SL owner - tomorrow is another day & will have to see what (mis)fortune it'll bring

 

[television]

11.75 is all the consumers off Looks like it is recovered

 

[John Laidlaw]

Cracking price that John - called my local Benz dealer in West London, they want £180 (inclusive of VAT) - got the rear battery on charge now, took a reading this morning 11.68 volts which is lower then then 11.75 Malcolm suggested I needed as a minimum...

As is the case with being a SL owner - tomorrow is another day & will have to see what (mis)fortune it'll bring

It is....they will deliver to you for 5 pounds too! They are a forum supporter
Your battery has recovered a bit but if it was me id just replace and be done
And youre right, every day a challenge

 

[Blaze_One]

May just bite the bullet and do it - can't go wrong at that price to be honest...

As an update - battery was fully charged on the 31st - has not been driven since. Got in the car this morning to start up - and no consumers off line message - appears the battery is holding a charge - will give it a more of a drive this week and if any problems, will report and obviously order the battery from Grangemouth..

As always gentlemen, thank you for all your help

 

[davecw000]

I only put the charger on when the car is not being used for a few days/weeks so that’s not too often. But I have always disconnected the negative side of the battery in the belief I am protecting car components. Are we saying there is no need for this?

 

[Submariner1]

Varta technical say "Do not charge AGM batteries at 15.8V! "

I was interested in this thread.
Basically my suspect Battery seems to have recovered :-/
Since charging via the vehicle earth point, (rather than the neg terminal) the battery now reads 12.44V the following day; rather than the ususal circa 12.06V.

And yes I know you can't do an accurate battery level reading connecting ... but its all relative i.e. 12.44V is better than 12.06V ?. Well I assume it is, as it starts the car every time, and I don't get the command consumer needs to shut off in 3 mins message.

And yes at 8.5 years old, and as it can drop to 12.24V it will be replaced as soon as the passenger Window is replaced on Monday ... so I can reset the windows

Reading this thread loads of people said yeah its fine to use the CTEK MX5 and even the Recond Mode, .... it would appear the recond mode chucks out 15.8V
According to Varta Technical its a very, very bad idea to throw high voltages at AGM batteries.
He said those programs are designed for flooded batteries and work well fizzing off the sulphated plates and mixing the acid by gassing it. But that process ruins the longevity of AGM batteries ... as there is nowhere for the detached sulphate to go!
... sounds logical.

He also seemed to know his stuff; and when I asked what flooded batteries they had in my size, (because the only one they did in my size, was an AGM battery ) as I was then unaware, that mine was in fact an AGM battery.
He checked my car, and said "But you have and need an AGM battery, this is the MB part number we make it " (and he was right with the part number ) and he confirmed that the Varta AGM Silver Identity was identical just put in a different coloured case.

I then said, I was thinking of getting a CTEK charger (as MB OEM it) because my charger was charging at 14.7V when the specs said it stopped at 14.4V. My concern being anything left plugged in and "on" for a long time has to be performing to spec, to give me confidence.
He then said well your charger is temperature controlled, and probably upped the voltage to compensate for the cold. And thats why its recovered ... as ideally AGM batteries prefer 14.7 to 14.8V. Whereas flooded like 14.4V.
So he said the compensated charge of 14.76V was ideal for an AGM battery. And hence probably why its performing better/taking more of a charge

He looked at the CTEK MXS 5, that I was thinking of buying and said ... well I wouldnt use that, it starts off with a quick fizz charge or 15.8V to desulphurise the battery. And I definitely would not use the recondition mode.
He suggested I check with CTEK if I selected the Mode button and put it on AGM, was it smart enough to cut out the initial 15.8 V charge?.

Sadly it Seems CTEK dont have a UK phone number ... but they do have one in Albania! More important market :-/

He then pointed out they have a CTEK CTS5 Start Stop version ... 14.55V @ 3.8A,... and there is no mention of the initial 15.8V charge. And it says its tuned for AGM batteries.

So is he right 15.8 is too much for an AGM battery?
.... after all they do make the battery for MB.
And he said the key was if it says VRLA on the case, then its actually an AGM battery. And it does say that and MB Brentford confirmed its an AGM battery despite not saying so.
So far everything he said pans out.

But of course I could be overthinking it
Or just lucky enough not to fry my AGM battery.

Does anyone have a new MXS 5 ? .... if so does it start off with a 15.8 V charge cycle if you select AGM mode.

I emailed CTEK to see if the initial charge is still at 15.8V if you select AGM mode?

And will keep you posted.

 

[rexemper]

Hi

I have a new CTEK MXS5.

In the manual, Step 1 which is Desulphation shows as 15.8V for all types and sizes of battery - from small (which shows as a motorbike symbol) to normal (car symbol) to AGM and Recondition.

Quite a few people on here have used the CTEK and the recondition mode on their cars that have AGM batteries with no ill results.

Let us know what you find out.