Winter Prep: The Three CTEK Chargers You Need to Know About

Photography: Brandon Cody

  • A Swedish inventor, Bengt Wahlqvist, created the first-ever battery charger to use electronic pulse smart technology and from there, CTEK was born.
  • Today, CTEK develops the industry’s best, safest, and easiest-to-use battery charging solutions for a wide variety of consumer and professional uses.
  • Compared to its competition, CTEK’s smart technology helps maximize battery performance.
  • The company’s first “CS” charger—CS-FREE—has become a popular option and complements the MXS 5.0 and Lithium US as a trio of must-have garage and travel accessories.

There’s nothing worse than starting your day off with a dead battery, especially when you’ve got somewhere important to go. We’ve all been there and have not-so-fond memories of running around trying to find your long-lost jumper cables or, mercifully, spot a neighbor (who you’ve largely managed to avoid small talk conversations with) who could help sort you out. In either case, it’s not an ideal situation. But I’m happy to report that these are frustrating situations that you can easily avoid in 2024 thanks to a Swedish company named CTEK.

THINKING AHEAD

The crux behind CTEK’s success story was anticipation. The company’s founder and inventor, Bengt Wahlqvist, knew that the modern world would be increasingly dependent on batteries and sought to create a solution that would optimize their performance. That intention led Wahlqvist toward discovery, and eventually, the first-ever battery charger to use electronic pulse technology. This “smart” charger was the basis for CTEK’s ascent in the battery space for businesses, property owners, and motorists—including making headway in EV infrastructure overseas. But for car and motorcycle enthusiasts here in the United States, CTEK is primarily recognized as the industry standard for safe battery charging solutions—the ones that made it famous in the first place.

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

A battery charger sounds like a simple concept—a pair of red and black clamps attached to an electronic brick, lights, and an AC adapter to get power from a nearby outlet. But that’d be a gross oversimplification of what CTEK has achieved. I mentioned “safe” earlier, and that’s not something you should gloss over because battery charging can certainly go wrong with subpar equipment. CTEK has grown into a trusted, global company because it’s been hyper-focused on charging solutions, and it continues to invest in its own research, development, and testing methods to drive innovation forward. It’s created something incredibly straightforward for us to use, but that simplicity is the result of CTEK’s forward-thinking, ingenuity, and innovation.

WINTER IS COMING

The bitter cold is a battery’s worst enemy. So much so that manufacturers have begun wrapping cozy blankets around their OE batteries for cars that are destined for northern climates. Generally speaking, batteries rely on chemical reactions within their makeup to provide power. Sub-freezing temperatures slow things down—including the ability for your battery’s innards to move around and interact—which can negatively affect its ability to hold charge. A smart CTEK charger can not only help top off a battery’s internal store but also recondition and rejuvenate it so that it performs and lasts longer. There are three CTEK units that you should know about as the storage season approaches:

MXS 5.0

The MXS 5.0 (40-206) is the Vans Old Skool Pro equivalent—a Sk8 Hi with the PopCush interior. It’s one of CTEK’s most popular models and has taken home several well-deserved awards to prove it. Like the shoe, you’ll have several of these at home—I have four—because they go with everything, and they are a known entity for lead-acid battery types. On the technical side, you’ll spot a “12V 5A” on the front of these MXS 5.0 chargers, which denotes its voltage compatibility and flow rate, respectively, and it touts additional maintenance capability up to 160Ah. Basically, it’s more than enough to trickle charge your car or bike, which you can select via the big MODE button on the device.

The MXS 5.0 has another trick: reconditioning (RECOND) mode. This is beneficial for older or deeply discharged batteries because, as the name suggests, CTEK’s charger will recondition the unit to good health. The RECOND and AGM options can operate individually (or together) depending on what you need. The indicator lights (next to the MODE button) will highlight the MXS 5.0’s current status, should you happen to check on your vehicle periodically. Most of us will just set it, forget it, and come back to a car that’s ready to go. This unit is both splash and dust-proof (IP65), and true to its reputation as a safe and reliable piece of kit, is spark-free, reverse polarity protected, and short circuit proof. The MXS 5.0 features a five-year warranty.

CS FREE

The MXS 5.0 is all well and good when you have the foresight to plug your car or bike in. The CS FREE is the one that bails you out when your vehicle is already down for the count. Its “Adaptive Booster” technology is like a defibrillator for your battery and, through a series of analyses, works out the safest way of bringing it back to life within 15 minutes. That analysis is the crucial difference between the CS FREE and most boosters or jump starters. The CS FREE will only give your battery the charge it needs, so it’s completely safe for your battery and your sensitive vehicle electronics.

The CS FREE is actually a 4-in-1 unit, so in addition to its life-giving technology, it can transform into a 12V lead acid battery charger, smart maintainer, and lithium-ion (LiFePO4) power bank. The CS FREE unit will automatically spin up the right mode depending on what port information it receives. In charging mode, there’s a countdown function that shows how much time is left until your battery reaches full. USB-C and USB-A outputs are built-in, so charging all of your tech—laptops, phones, and more—is possible, even off the grid. It’s the perfect product for adventurists and the burgeoning off-road crowd. There’s a two-year warranty on these.

LITHIUM US

Motorsport heads running Antigravity lithium ion batteries to save weight, fear not; CTEK has a solution for you. It’s called the LITHIUM US (56-926), and this very straightforward nomenclature makes it foolproof to understand that it’s designed to work with LiFePO4 batteries. From a distance, it looks similar to the MXS 5.0, but up close, it’s easily distinguishable by its blue RESET button. There aren’t any modes here—its function is singularly devoted to recovering, charging, and maintaining your lithium battery—but does its job through a unique eight-step procedure. CTEK’s float and pulse maintenance features help care for your battery during periods of inactivity (a.k.a winter). This LITHIUM US unit will charge LiFePO4 batteries from 5Ah to 60Ah and maintain up to 120Ah via a 4.3A current. Like the MXS 5.0, the LITHIUM US is both splash and dust-proof (IP65), spark-free, reverse polarity protected, short circuit proof, and comes with a five-year warranty.

CHARGE UP

There’s a lot to love about the CTEK lineup; its catalog is way more expansive than the three we’ve highlighted here, but if you’re new to the brand or want to know what the enthusiasts are using to keep their cars and bikes ready to go, these are the ones you need to add to your cart today before winter is officially here.


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