Beware of using a CTEK charger

[Jinto100]

Had 2 fire crews round today to pull the car out of the garage and make safe the batteries as a CTEK charger that I use to keep the car topped up had cooked one of the batteries and filled the house with explosive & lethal Hydrogen Sulphide. No sign of any issue yesterday, today potentially fatal!

[jeyjey]

Yikes. I had one fail too, but fortunately it did the opposite and just drained the battery flat.

Cheers,
Jeff.

[av185]

These are the Porsche recommended chargers.

Although Porsche rebrand them with their name and sell them for more.

Which model is the faulty one?

[mybrainhurts]

You'd be more generous with your advice if you put this in General Gassing.

[jeyjey]

The one I had that died was the re-branded Aston Martin one.

Cheers,
Jeff.

[Speculatore]

I used the CTEK MXS 5.0 charger on my DB9 for over 3 years and now the same one on my Continental GT (Once I changed the adapter) with no issues. Losts of people use them on the Aston forum with no reported issues that I can remember.

[enjoythemusic]

Used one on the 06 GT and 07 GTC for many years without problems. Works fine on my new car (non-Bentley) too.

[Jinto100]

Charger was an CTEK Multi MXS 3.6

And yes, good idea, I will post elsewhere

[V8A*ndy]

I posted this elsewhere the other day

"
My rather expensive MXS 10 Ctek just went "Bang!" yesterday.

I took it off my car to run the recon on another battery and it (the charger) lit up like a prop from Frankenstien's Monster complete with sound effects. I thought I was about to get fried.

Hardly used, no knocks or ever dropped and also just out of warranty."

[POORCARDEALER]

Used them for years with no issues....that sounds horrendous

[waterden]

How old is the 3.6? I don't know the details but the latest generation of ctek chargers have I think been redesigned and I'd be astounded if they have not been thoroughly field tested. I use three, 2 x 5.0 and 1 x 3.8, so far without problem but they are all less than one year old.

[SRT Hellcat]

Bloody hell. I'm using 2 mxs5.0 on two of my cars and the official Porsche Ctek £95 charger for another that charges via the cigarette lighter. Sincerely hope this is a one off

[skahigh]

Yikes, I bought mine just a few weeks ago and it's running on my bike full time.

[Poshbury]

The official Bentley supplied charger is a re-branded Ctek.
Not had a problem with mine but I will share this with the other Bentley forum just in case.

[foxsasha]

Why are you so certain it wasn't a battery fault?

[WelshBentleyBoy]

I have 2 CTEK chargers, one for my Arnage and one for my BMW 635. They both run all the time. I had a problem with one of them which simply stopped working, no smoke or fire. I sent it back to them and they sent me a new one.

[turbobloke]

Scary stuff but as per others posting here, my experience is totally different in terns of 'end of unit life' behaviour.

I've had two CTEK battery conditioners since they first became widely available in the UK, about 20 years. One failed not long ago and the signs were that the battery charge wasn't being maintained but slowly drained by the kaput CTEK unit.

The other is still in use and doing the same great job it's been doing for about 20 years. I replaced the dud with a Halfords unit at £25 and apart from taking a battery to 13.0V rather than 12.80V as per the CTEK, it's also doing a good job (so far, crosses fingers and touches wood).

As also pointed out in the thread, these conditioners are rebranded and sold by e.g. Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lamborghini & Bentley.

[V8A*ndy]

WelshBentleyBoy said:

I have 2 CTEK chargers, one for my Arnage and one for my BMW 635. They both run all the time. I had a problem with one of them which simply stopped working, no smoke or fire. I sent it back to them and they sent me a new one.

When you sent it back was it still under warranty?

I ask as my Ctek 10 which cost £110 went frazzle, pop, bang in a big way and it's about a month or so outside the two year warranty. I really feel a bit short changed on that one.

I have purchased a MXS 5 in the mean time however it makes a loud pulsing sound from the switch mode PSU and it gets really hot when on bulk charge.

TBF I don't think any car or battery should ever be left unattended when charging, especially in an integral garage of a house. Yet they advertise these items as perfectly safe to do so.

[WelshBentleyBoy]

Mine was within the 2 year guarantee period.

[hedgefinder]

yikes.... I have 5 running 24/7 for the majority of the year and have done for several years...
I had an accumate go off once years ago, but it just drained the battery rather than charging.. no pops no bangs or smoke etc...