My First Car Chargers (Mixed Cars)

[oo7ml]

Hi, apologies for yet another car / battery trickle charger thread.

I’ve never had one before as I usually had my cars in a specialised storage facility who provided their own chargers.

I’m now taking 3 of my cars home to a new house garage and I would like to ensure I get the right trickle chargers for the following:

- Ferrari Testarossa

- Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera (1986)

- Lamborghini Huracan (2016)

Does it matter that the cars vary in year, size (power), etc... or do C-Tek have a general ‘one size fits all’ approach with their latest range?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Ferruccio]

I just use C-Tek on cars ranging from 1984 - 2015, lead acid and agm.
It’s not complicated.

[Fast Eddie]

Ferruccio said:

I just use C-Tek on cars ranging from 1984 - 2015, lead acid and agm.
It’s not complicated.

What he said

[oo7ml]

Great, thank you.

There seems to be 10+ different C-Tek trickle chargers on their site.

Any particular recommendation?

[Spindoctor]

I use the MXS 3.8, works perfectly.

[Superleg48]

MX-S5.0 is what I use on a Lamborghini Gallardo and an Aston Martin DB9 GT. Has the AGM option as both cars have AGM batteries. Works flawlessly. Connect into both using the cigarette lighter adapter (Lambo via the 12v socket in the Frunk and Aston via the 12v socket in the boot.)

ETA: MX-S3.8 does not have AGM mode

[Spindoctor]

Superleg48 said:

ETA: MX-S3.8 does not have AGM mode

I may be wrong but I thought the 3.8 was compatible with AGM (see technical data):
https://www.ctek.com/uk/products/car/mxs-3-8-uk

[Superleg48]

Spindoctor said:

Superleg48 said:

ETA: MX-S3.8 does not have AGM mode

I may be wrong but I thought the 3.8 was compatible with AGM (see technical data):
https://www.ctek.com/uk/products/car/mxs-3-8-uk

CTek label the 3.8 as suitable for all lead acid batteries. As an aside it says you can use the cold weather mode for AGM. But the 5.0 has a specific AGM function. I am more comfortable with a specific mode, than a hybrid mode.

[supersport]

In 16 years, for my 3.2 I have had two cheap Halfords ones, cheap and crap.

Currently on one from Lidl centre isle and this seems to be a lot like a c-tek. It.s been around for quite a while now and seems to do a god job.

The F430 is one the one that came with it and I believe is a rebadged C-tek. As others have said I would go with one of these.

[Trev450]

I've had a CTEK for years and it has been faultless. I purchased a cheaper Chinese battery reconditioner for one of my other cars from fleabay about 2 years ago and it stopped self-regulating at some point during the winter, Outcome was that it fried the battery and the smallish saving I made on not purchasing a second CTEK was more than eroded by having to get a new battery, I now have two CTEK's.

[alscar]

Over the years I have had a variety but the CTEK MXS 5 ( amazon usually cheapest and all the accessories you could want ) seems to be best. I have had the 3.8 but tend to use that on the Quad and Lawn Tractors.
2 of my cars have Lithium batteries and have Optimates on those which again seem very reliable.

[oo7ml]

All, very helpful, thank you very much

[Abacus21]

NOCO Genius Battery Charger is miles ahead of CTEK.

[Ferruccio]

Abacus21 said:

NOCO Genius Battery Charger is miles ahead of CTEK.

What does that actually mean?