I have just ordered a CTEC MXS 5.0 for my 2010 1.8ltr MX5
Can I ask when connecting the charger to the battery am I able to connect the negative lead on the ctec unit directly to the battery negative terminal or does the negative lead on the ctec unit need connecting to a suitable point on the bodywork.
Thanks in advance for any feedback.
I always connect directly to the battery terminals. I have Ctek comfort connects on all my cars.
The CTEK destructions IIRC do actually say to connect the red clamp to the positive pole, and the black clamp to a frame part remote from fuel lines and battery. I don’t think I’ve ever done that with a CTEK but then I don’t switch on the mains until it’s connected and I switch off before disconnecting.
Or should I say I did in the past. I now have a permanent connector on the battery terminals and just plug it in.
The reason to attach the negative lead to a place away from the battery is to avoid a spark near to what might be venting hydrogen gas. Obviously when charging the battery away from the vehicle this can’t be done.
I have a CTEK and use the permanent connectors fitted to both battery terminals as earlier posters have also done. Just connect the leads up first and then switch on the mains and you will be fine.
Thanks to all for your replies, much appreciated.
I had an older “smart” charger until about ten days ago. It was on my motorbike in the garage, where I’d left it charging it’s battery. I disconnected it from the mains, leaving it connected to the bike battery via its wired in connection. I moved some stuff out from in front of the bike, turning my back. When I looked back at the bike, I was horrified to see the entire thing going up in smoke. The whole length of the charging cable was red hot and melting and the charger was smoking heavily. I used a screwdriver to yank the the wiring away from the bike. If I’d been thirty seconds longer I reckon the bike would have been set alight. I suspect a reverse current protection diode must have failed, allowing the fully charged bike battery to work as advertised.
Sorry to hear that Paul - must have been worrying at the time. On my CTEK if I am not using the car then after 3 weeks I take if off charge and leave it unconnected for a week - then it goes back on charge. The CTEK is a good quality smart charger so I’m hoping it is protected against malfunctions.
I think that is how these smart chargers are supposed to be used, but I prefer to fully charge the battery then remove the charger. The one I had this recent issue with had been left on for only a couple of days. The bike doesn’t get used over the winter but I do occasionally start it and fully warm it up to keep the oil circulated in the engine and to get some fresher fuel through the carburettor float bowls.
However, I had another charger some years ago that was left on for a few weeks, as per the instructions. When I came to remove it there was no electrolyte left in the battery!
Hopefully you’ll have better luck than I have done.
Thankfully I have another, really good charger, a “Ring” 12A Smart Charger which I use for the cars (expensive but I bought it on special offer and was also able to use my Halfords 10% discount code). This has already revived a leisure battery for our recently acquired caravan, which I thought was a goner, so it’s already saved me it’s own cost. The thing I really like about this is that it has a digital readout of the charging voltage and current so you can keep an eye on what it’s doing. It will also test the battery and give a readout of either percentage of capacity and its cold cranking amps.