It seems that lately my battery is getting increasingly reliant on its recharger.

I have a CTEK MXS 5.0 and have been hooking it up about once a week, set to "normal" mode. Each recharge has been taking typically 4-6 hours, even right after a 1 hour drive, in which time I'm led to think the battery should have recharged itself.

There have been a few niggly electrical symptoms pointing towards a possible weak battery problem, like forgetful windows and a feeling like the windows motors are straining to fully close the panes, glass failing to clear the seal on door opening (the adjustment is OK), steering wheel auto-adjustment issues as well as a persistent DSC system fault flashing by on the console when starting up (which I suppose could also be wheel speed sensor related).

Before having the battery checked out and possibly replaced, I'm tempted to try the CTEK's "recondition" mode to try and revive it, which a) seems to aim for a higher voltage than "normal" mode and b) "creates gassing" (see pics).

My concern is whether it's safe to try this, or whether there would be a risk of overcharging/undue gassing, which I understand is not a good thing. I would really hate to witness the Big Bang first-hand

Furthermore, the car sits in a closed (well, sparsely ventilated) garage while charging, with the trunk closed. I'm not sure if the battery is vented, but I believe it's OEM.

Am I about to do something unwise, or has that already happened?

 

I've had my CTEK XS7000 for approaching five years now and have used the Recondition function without any problems. I did follow the instructions to first disconnect the battery and, as an extra precaution, reconditioned it off the car.

An OE battery in Europe spec vehicles will be Varta brand. You can tell the manufacturing date from the code on the negative terminal:




This one is 23/12 meaning manufactured in Week 23 in Year 2012.

Graham

 

I must have missed that bit, anyway it seems like it turned out OK.

 

Thanks Graham, I'll have a look at the negative terminal tomorrow.

Just gave it a full recharge, disconnected the charger and leaving the car untouched till tomorrow morning to see if it needs charging again. Battery drain?

Incidentally, my dealer/indie (not sure about the terminology) happily leaves his cars on charge, battery in vehicle, trunk closed, right in his rather large showroom. He's been selling used Jags for 40+ years, so I guess experience is on his side.

Anyway, save for possible backache, it can't hurt to remove the battery for recond. I'll do that if need be.

 

I leave my battery connected with the CTEK hooked up for the standard 'maintenance' mode - just disconnect for the 'recon' facility.

This is the recommendation for my model but it's five years old now and things could have advanced with CTEK design.

Graham

 

JayNor,
Years and years ago, I worked for a bty company, and when a customer came in complaining about a 2 or 3 year old bty starting to loose it's charge and sometimes would not take a charge, they would remove the bty and hold it about 6" off the concrete and drop it. They would do that a couple of times, recharge the bty. The bty would take the charge and off the guy would go and not be seen again.
The owner told me that as a bty is used, it will build up particles on the plates and if the build up gets severe enough, it will start to short out the plates. By dropping it on a hard surface, most times it will knock the particles off the plates. There is a space between I inch or so between the plates and bottom of the bty, so the particles fall there.
I've seen it work, but don't blame me if it doesn't

 

Hm, I guess CTEK think it's OK. My manual gives these instructions:



They don't mention any specific precautions regarding recond mode.

As far as dropping the battery from a height - I see the logic, but you won't catch me doing it! :-)

 

Found this on CTEK's FAQ page:

Q. Does the battery have to be disconnected from the vehicle when charging with a CTEK charger?
A. No, CTEK chargers cannot damage sensitive electronics so you do not need to disconnect the battery from the vehicle. However, particular attention must be paid when Boost/Recond mode is used as the voltage is 16V. If the voltage is below 16V, most manufacturers consider that everything is in order and CTEK chargers are well under this level, with the exception of Boost/Recond modes. Bear in mind, however, that high voltage shortens the service life of some components. A rule of thumb says that if you raise the voltage by 5 %, a light bulb will lose half of its service life, but normally the problem is not that great. If you have sensitive electronics where the manufacturer advises against higher voltages: Disconnect it!

And, incidentally, this:

Q. Why do you have to connect negative to ground and not to the battery?
A. All CTEK chargers observe the directives that apply in the EU. All battery chargers whatever the brand must be approved in line with the same standards. Many more basic chargers can cause the battery to emit a significant amount of oxy-hydrogen gas and also generate a spark when connecting. This represents a major risk of injury and it is therefore stipulated that the first terminal should be connected away from the battery in order to reduce the risk. A CTEK charger is spark free, has a minimal amount of gassing and can therefore be connected directly to the battery. However, we do not recommend this for approval reasons.

 

Battery is dead, charge, drive, battery is dead, charge, drive, battery is dead, charge, drive, battery is dead......hmmmm....why has no one questioned the alternator?......just wondering.....after all, it is what charges the battery....seems logical.....

 

Id be getting out my multimeter and checking voltage and current out of the alternator for sure in this situation.

What happens if you charge the battery and let it sit for a while, no running the car? Is it still charged and fresh?