There have been a number of posts in the past about connecting a battery charger/maintainer to an F-Type using the instructions for the Jaguar brand "Battery Conditioner". However, I have not seen any which specifically address the attachment, or degree of success, in using one of the Ctek 8-step charger/maintainers on a two battery F-Type (in my case, a Ctek Multi US 7002 on a 2015 F-Type S V8). I have not hooked mine up yet and am concerned that, if by using the Jaguar hook-up instructions, the charger is connected to both batteries it will not be able to determine the condition of each of the individual batteries thus causing something bad to happen.

Has anyone used one of these 8-step Cteks on a two battery F-Type?
Was it hooked up per the Jaguar brand "Battery Conditioner" instructions?
Did it work properly?
Did it actually charge/maintain both batteries, or is only one of the batteries charged/maintained?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

 

•that is a great question ! I use a “Battery Tender” model maintainer on my “R”. I also direct wired it in the rear as per Jag instructions I have had no problems to date with it charging to the point of storage but it does take multiple hours before going from red to green even after driving the car for long trips. I find this to be odd since the battery should be fully charged by the alternator.

 

Because you clicked the strikethru button (between the U and A)?

 

I have used the multi-stage CTEK units on several Jaguars over the years. My F-Type has the two-battery system BUT job #1 on delivery was to disable the stop/start battery to elimate the extremely annoying stop/start(!). The CTEK unit is connected to the positive post of the battery and the negative to one of the connections (it does not matter which) in the oblong black box on the boot floor. It works perfectly. Whether it would also charge the secondary battery, I do not know because it is disconnected (and yes, my dealer is totally unconcerned by this).
with regard to the length of time for the charging unit to show full charge, it is perfectly normal for the process to take hours even after a very long run.
For the record, the "Jaguar brand" battery conditioner IS the basic CTEK unit....and every luxury car manufacturer markets the CTEK units under their own brand name: Audi, Bentley, Maserati, Bugatti, Mercedes....

 

At a considerable price mark-up ....

 

I also disconnected the start-stop feature, so not sure if I need 2nd battery.

I just use my Corvette labeled CTEK maintainer to the front battery with no issues...

 

I use a CTEK Multi US 25000 (a 25 amp version battery maintainer/charger). I have been using it on my two battery F-Type for several years now and both batteries stay charged (I seldom allow the start/stop to work because I almost always drive in dynamic or hit the cancel switch). I always connect the CTEK to the terminals under the hood. Never had an issue.

 

Tp10XKR, thanks for the reply. Does your "R" have the two-battery setup that was in F-Type model years 2014 & 2015? You didn't mention the model year of your car.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies. Here's a summary of what I've got so far:

• Tp10XKR has a two battery F-Type with a "Battery Tender" (not a Ctek) hooked up in accordance with the Jaguar instructions, but I don't know if the Battery Tender works in the same way as an 8-stage Ctek.
• Sov211has two batteries, but has disabled (disconnected?) his stop/start battery.
• NavyBlue has a 2017 model so I presume it doesn't have a 2nd battery, and
• RGPV6S uses an 8-stage Ctek on his 2-battery 2014 F-Type, but hooks it up via the jump start terminals under the hood, rather than per the Jaguar instructions.
• While the Jaguar brand "Battery Conditioner" was really a Ctek unit, pictures of it don't show all the stages that the 8-stage Ctek models have, so I don't know if it operates the same way.

I may be over-thinking this (it certainly wouldn't be the first time), but I am still confused (my normal state of mind). So if anyone has some additional light to shed on this, it will be appreciated.

Thanks again everyone.

 

My 2c worth.
I have a MY2015 with two batteries but I disconnected the secondary battery the day after I got the car 2 years and 10 months ago coz I hate stop/start and I have never had a problem since.
I use a generic battery tender (not a CTEK) I bought from my local auto parts store a few years ago, but it was their top-of-the-range version at the time and it is 8 stage so almost certainly at least as good as a CTEK.
I connect it to the under-hood charging posts, not those directly on the battery or in the trunk and I run it roughly every two weeks coz I don't do a helluva lot of driving these days and most of my trips are very short. It only takes an hour or so to go through all 7 stages to the 8th stage of "maintain".
It has always worked perfectly and I have never had an electrical or battery problem even though it is still the original battery now nearly five years old (car built Oct 2014).

 

I have a 2014 V8S with the 2-battery. I use a CTEK Multi US 7000 connected using the Jag instructions. I have used this setup since the car was new with no problems. Occasionally when I go to start the car after a long period of sitting and charging (maintaining) the dash display will say "battery low start engine" but I know the battery is fully charged and everything starts and runs just fine. I too turn off the ECO start as soon as I start the car so I don't use that. I should just disconnect the 2nd battery and be done with it. But the CTEK works just fine with the 2 battery setup wired with the Jag instructions, although I'm not positive if it really charges the 2nd battery, the car always starts and runs just fine after 6 years and the original batterys.I hope that helps.

Wayne B

 

If the alternator charges both batteries, surely any charge applied to the Jaguar-specified charging points will also charge both. As noted above, it's not clear how the CTEK would assess the battery condition, but it's only looking at the electrical parameters, so presumably takes both into account?

 

I use the CTEK 4.3 - 8 Step on my 2015 S when I park it during the winter months.... so maybe 3 or 4 months it's on the CTEK and still have both batteries hooked up. I do have the auto start/stop feature disabled but both batteries are still hooked up. I don't have any issues with the CTEK. I wired mine into the fuse box in the trunk with the quick connect terminal plug that I cut into the trunks lining and it works out great. The things starts right up when I uncover it come spring time.

 

Hiw did you disable the stop/start function if the dedicated battery, the small one, is still connected?

 

Odds on the same way I disabled mine - by undoing the earth lead (from the negative terminal of the smaller battery) from where it bolts to the floor of the trunk.
That is all I did, no other leads disconnected, small battery still in place.
I suppose you could argue that disconnecting the earth lead means the small battery is no longer "connected".

 

While I have the same question as sov211 about how mcamp disabled the start/stop function without disconnecting the small battery, I do remember an old posting about disconnecting a plug somewhere in the trunk (boot). However, I don't know if that also disconnected the battery.

 

The electrical plug disconnect method is for the later (2016 MY on) single battery set-up, not the earlier dual battery cars.

 

Mine was not done by removing any cables from any batteries...all my cabling is in place. it was done in the computer within the car. The Mod4Cars SmartTop now also does it under function 7. I'll include a link below...if you go with the SmartTop option just make sure you have the latest firmware of the module or you will not get function 7 option to disable ECO mode. If you don't have a vert then you can get it done by plugging into the cars computer and disabling it that way... or just do the 2nd battery ground thing.

mods4cars product manual

 

You can also disable it via a tune. I have an older SmartTop without that feature.

 

Hmm....I wonder if disabling the stop/start function via the computer also shuts off the connection to the small battery in some way.