Fitting a battery conditioner... Do's and Don'ts

[AdrianL]

Hi all

I have the CTEK MXS 5.0 with M8 eyelet indicator + extension. So I think I know how to connect it all up using the pictures and info from this thread (thanks all). I do have a few questions:

A) I will be away for 4-6 weeks, can I select the AGM option on the charger and leave it switched on for the duration? It's parked at a relatives garage, so I could ask them to switch the charger on/off if needed. But I would rather just keep it on if that that is ok?

B) The garage isn't heated and it is a bit cold at the moment in the UK. Is it ok to leave the charger exposed on the ground in the garage, as I plan to route the cables/charger out of the boot. Or is it better to keep the charger on the engine cover like some of the pictures in the post, then route the cables out to the power socket in the garage?

Apologies for the basic questions, I don't really know a lot about how to use these chargers. Thank you.

Same setup I have (pictured here).

1) Yes the AGM option for our battery. You don't need to turn it off/on, the CTEK manages this for you. It only charges when needed, otherwise just monitors the battery state. You can leave it as long as you need, don't worry about it.

2) Should be fine. I mounted mine on the wall in the garage, but it's otherwise exposed. I'd be more concerned about leaks / flood water, probably best keeping it off the floor directly, but otherwise will be fine. You can push the boot latch with a key / small screw driver to trick the car in to thinking it's closed (so that the light etc turns off). Just remember to unlock it before you close it properly. Or as other's have done route it through the vent/engine cover.

 

[AA27]

Same setup I have (pictured here).

1) Yes the AGM option for our battery. You don't need to turn it off/on, the CTEK manages this for you. It only charges when needed, otherwise just monitors the battery state. You can leave it as long as you need, don't worry about it.

2) Should be fine. I mounted mine on the wall in the garage, but it's otherwise exposed. I'd be more concerned about leaks / flood water, probably best keeping it off the floor directly, but otherwise will be fine. You can push the boot latch with a key / small screw driver to trick the car in to thinking it's closed (so that the light etc turns off). Just remember to unlock it before you close it properly. Or as other's have done route it through the vent/engine cover.

Thanks for the advice AdrianL Good shout, I will see if I can keep the charger elevated off the ground. If not I will keep it on the engine cover.

 

[Beachbum]

Thanks for the advice AdrianL Good shout, I will see if I can keep the charger elevated off the ground. If not I will keep it on the engine cover.

A plastic ice cream container upside down would be sufficient. Unless you expect more than 8cm of water

 

[Time2Fly]

My Ctek lithium charger is showing all green, but my Antigravity battery is sitting at 83%. Any ideas?

 

[Beachbum]

My Ctek lithium charger is showing all green, but my Antigravity battery is sitting at 83%. Any ideas?

Today I have a similar issue, although with the standard battery. Was on trickle charge for the last 3 days, used it yesterday and this morning the Scorpion Tracker app says its at 12.4v.
Concerned I might have a duff battery

 

[Orchardbike]

I think I have the same problem, but I won’t be able to tell until I get the car back, although I’ve asked the garage to do a full battery check, to see if it’s holding its charge properly. I have the Scorpion tracker as well and asked about battery drain to them, of which they said, it should never be an issue and that seems to be what people on here have said as well. So my conclusion was duff battery, but I’ll wait for the garage to confirm.

 

[seriously]

Used a battery tender for the first time ever. Happy to report my car started up just fine after 25 days on trickle charge.

 

[adrianmcli]

In case it helps anyone, here's a screen shot of page 250 from the Emira Owner's Handbook, indicating how to temporarily hook up a battery tender, rather than fitting "permanent connections" which looks to be the focus of this thread so far.
View attachment 51454

Thanks for this. I'm not sure why everyone is so happy to put in the extra work to wire up a quick disconnect when I can just open up the cover, clip, clip, and I'm done. Maybe I'm just lazier than most. But I'm also someone who is out of the city every 2 weeks, so I'd be doing this once a month.

 

[adrianmcli]

Also, what is the benefit of using the CTEK specific extension cord rather than a regular old extension cord from the wall outlet to the car?

 

[09Cayman]

Since it's convenient, I installed the CTEK "Battery Charger Connection Kit" on the rear bumper myself.
I looked for a more inconspicuous place to install it, but I couldn't find a good place even if I removed the rear bumper.
I ended up installing it in this position.
It was less noticeable than I worried.
So far, there have been no problems driving in the rain.
At the same time, I replaced the battery with a "LiFePO4" battery.

 

[Rainier]

Might be helpful for those with no external power outlet access:

USA I4 came with what appears (?) to be a Lotus branded Battery Tender product (https://www.batterytender.com/products/4amp-selectable-voltage-chemistry).

Dealer removed the crocodile clips and attached the quick connect for me.

I use a 1KW/Hr Portable Power Station that fits in the trunk to power the trickle charger

Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station

The Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station sets a new standard in portable power, offering exceptional performance for a variety of applications. Whether you're camping, traveling off-road, or facing a home emergency, this versatile power station is up to the task. It's the next-generation...

www.jackery.com

If using Jackery suggest get the newer LiFePO4 versions for longer lifespan and lower operating temperature.

Jackery product defaults to turning off after 12 hours or less than 25w draw,
disable the automatic shutoff by pressing and holding both the Power and AC buttons simultaneously for a couple of seconds.