High-tech plug & play chargers insure peak battery performance for all cars, especially exotics and Supercars with difficult to access batteries. Consider one as ‘cheap life insurance for peace of mind.’
You’ve come a long way, baby!
When I bought my first trickle charger in the 1970s to keep the battery in my ’67 Corvette convertible at full strength during cold New Jersey winters, it was a multi-pound, steel cased green “brick.” It had a power cord, Charging and Storage warning lights and wired Alligator clamps. You clamped the Positive and Negative terminals and plugged it in. And, it kept the battery charged.
That was then; this is now! Back in the day when the biggest drain (when parked) on a car’s battery was a clock, life was simple. For years now, cars have had complex computer systems and accessory drains. The latest Stop-Start engine technology also places high demands on batteries and charging systems. Letting a “modern” car sit unused and unattended for any length of time (in some cases a week or two) could reward you with a dead battery.
Carmakers have been acutely aware of this situation and some have equipped certain models with two batteries. Typically one is dedicated to starting; the other for systems maintenance. Also, the output of alternators has been upped to meet the increased loads placed on batteries. Most import and exotic car dealers, including Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW and Lamborghini, recommend and sell private label “logo-branded” chargers. The one thing they all have in common: They are manufactured by CTEK.
CTEK manufactures the most sophisticated and comprehensive line of battery chargers for on and off-road wheeled and tracked vehicles, including motorcycles and boats. Models range from 0.8-amp, 6-volt to 25-amp 12/16-volt applications. Designed, engineered, developed and manufactured in Sweden since 1997, sleek CTEK chargers boast unique four-to-eight patented microprocessor-controlled charging programs that consistently monitor battery condition and respond. They automatically regulate charge voltage to protect complex vehicle electronics.
Truth be told, I’ve been a CTEK believe since first purchasing a MUS 3300 almost a decade ago. It has and continues to serve me well. Compared with my original 1970s Fred Flintstone trickle charger, CTEK chargers look and work like something out of Star Wars! I just acquired a CTEK MUS 4.3 for my C6 Corvette that’s not a daily driver. It offers an eight-step, fully automatic charging cycle, tests if a battery can retain a charge, and boasts a patented desulphation phase. Chock full of features previously found on CTEK’s Professional models, it’s splash and dust-proof, non-sparking, reverse-polarity protected and short circuit proof.
“The multi-stage MUS 4.3 “smart charger” communicates with the battery to ensure it is fully charged and maintained. It’s also able to recondition the battery if it is suffering from common problems such as acid stratification,” said Jon Lind, CEO for CTEK Sweden. “Regular battery maintenance can extend battery life by up to three times – a statistic that becomes more significant when many exotics and Supercars and tuck their batteries out of sight but make battery changes expensive and time-consuming.”
As with all CTEK chargers, you can chose from a variety of Comfort Connect installation applications, covering a wide range of personal choices, vehicle specifics and battery location. On the C6 Corvette, above, the ideal hookup is accessing the Positive terminal connected to the under-hood fuse box, and connecting the Ground line to the chassis. Included with the MUS 4.3 are Comfort Connect Eyelet wiring (that we used) as well as Alligator clamps. CTEK also offers a Cig Plug accessory. In order to use the cigarette lighter receptacle, however, it must remain “hot” after the ignition is turned off. There is a full range of accessories including Comfort Indicator components for plug & play monitoring of a battery’s charge level.
While visiting Mike Griffin, right, a noted hot rod and Resto-Mod Corvette builder in Sarasota, FL, I had the hookup for my MUS 4.3 CTEK installed. I didn’t time him, but it couldn’t have taken Mike more than 15 minutes to connect the wiring eyelets to the fuse box terminal and a point on the chassis. We plugged the charger into the wiring connection and power outlet, and the charging process started. That was it.
For more information about the complete line of CTEK battery chargers and accessories, please visit http://smartercharger.com/
And check out this video about CTEK chargers and applications, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHSI_qHOI4U
Shop for a CTEK battery charger and accessories at, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006G14FK8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_4bpzzb43XSDNP