Ctek q
Author
Discussion

Huzzah

Original Poster:

28,299 posts

202 months

Friday 31st October
quotequote all
Hi

One of our cars isn't used regularly so over winter on a ctek. It seems sluggish to start, battery is an unknown age so I'll replace it anyway.

Here's the question

Until I have a chance to change the battery I've put the Ctek on, and fairly quickly it's showing a green light, also barely warm so not drawing much current. Disconnect ctek then over 24 hrs drops from 12.6 to 12.3 with no drain.

I thought the green led meant the battery was good in order, or have I got that wrong?


M138

797 posts

10 months

Friday 31st October
quotequote all
I’ve had similar with my C-Tek, showing green but not much life in the battery, normally after a long lay-up. I then put it on the normal battery charger and after that charge and regular use everything is fine again. I do think it’s my battery and been getting by as it only gets used in the Spring and Summer. No lights on and no fan blower on.

E-bmw

11,569 posts

171 months

Saturday
quotequote all
Reply to both of you.

It sounds like both of your batteries are a bit weak and probably on their way out.

If either were mine I would be replacing them and if a car is "laid up" for a while either leave it connected to a battery conditioner or fully disconnect it.

M138

797 posts

10 months

E-bmw said:
Reply to both of you.

It sounds like both of your batteries are a bit weak and probably on their way out.

If either were mine I would be replacing them and if a car is "laid up" for a while either leave it connected to a battery conditioner or fully disconnect it.
Thanks

MB140

4,728 posts

122 months

Huzzah said:
Hi

One of our cars isn't used regularly so over winter on a ctek. It seems sluggish to start, battery is an unknown age so I'll replace it anyway.

Here's the question

Until I have a chance to change the battery I've put the Ctek on, and fairly quickly it's showing a green light, also barely warm so not drawing much current. Disconnect ctek then over 24 hrs drops from 12.6 to 12.3 with no drain.

I thought the green led meant the battery was good in order, or have I got that wrong?
We have a 996 turbo that sits on a Ctek, like you describe, it would show green as in the battery is charged and good to use but the car wouldn’t even turn over.

Quick measure with a multimeter and it’s down at 11v, clearly dropped a cell. Battery knackered. Replaced battery and no issues since.

I would take what the ctek says with a pinch of salt. I even had a battery that the ctek would refuse to charge would get to the 3rd or 4th of the row of leds on the charger and then indicate battery fault. Ctek said no. My grandad had an old fashioned charger, simple plate rectifier type, put it on that and it bought it back to life for another year.

Huzzah

Original Poster:

28,299 posts

202 months

Thank you both, I've ordered a new battery anyway, old one must be close to EOL.