The MXS 5.0 CTEK Battery Charger
26th Nov, 2020
The battery market is filled with different variations and options which offer their own unique features. Despite the wide array of batteries, the conventional 12V lead acid battery has stood the test of time and has remained the most popular choice. Due to its cheap price and reasonable functionality, most cars still use the lead acid battery. The lead acid battery requires maintenance and one important part of taking its care is to maintain its charge levels. One needs a good charger to achieve this goal. Enertec wants to help its vendors by providing an extensive overview of one such charger – the MXS 5.0. (Rated as the best all round consumer charger world wide)
The MXS 5.0 is a versatile charger that caters to small to medium size batteries. That is why it has separate charging programs for motorcycle and car batteries. The diversity of modes is not limited to battery size. There are different special modes such as the RECOND (for reviving deeply discharged batteries) and AGM (for charging AGM batteries) which serve unique purposes. To complement its functional features, the MXS 5.0 has various safety features as well. These include spark-free use, protection against reverse polarity and short circuit proofing. (NB - Recond function should never be used on AGM Batteries)
The MXS 5.0 Battery Charger Specifications
Before we conclude our discussion with describing the charging steps of the MXS 5.0, let us have a quick look at the charger’s technical specifications. The charger offers 3 different charging voltages which are 14.4V, 14.7V and 15.8V. During regular charging, the maximum charging current is 5A. It operates in 8 step automatic charging cycles that do not require any further input from the user. They are ideal for use with 12V lead acid batteries and have a mode that supports charging of AGM batteries as well. The MXS 5.0 is capable of charging batteries ranging from 1.2Ah to 110Ah in terms of capacity. This range increases to 160Ah when the charging is done for maintenance purposes. The charger has an IP65 rating which means that it is splash and dust resistant. Furthermore, it has a built-in temperature compensation mechanism which protects the battery from overheating. It also has a 5-year warranty.
The charging process of the MXS 5.0 comprises of the following 8 steps:
- The first step performs desulphation. This is basically the process of removing any sulfate deposits on the plates of the battery. By doing so, it restores the charge holding capacity of the battery.
- Once the desulphation is completed, the charger performs a soft start on the battery. The purpose of the soft start is to check if the battery is capable of accepting charge. If results are OK, then the charging process begins.
- Initially, the charging is done in bulk. In other words, the maximum charging current is used for charging the battery until it reaches 80% of its full capacity.
- Beyond the 80% charge level, the charging shifts to absorption. This implies a gradual decrease in charging current until the battery reaches 100% charge level.
- Upon completion of the charging process, an analysis of the battery’s charge holding capacity is done. If it is deemed that the battery cannot hold a charge, then it is best to replace the battery.
- Next, the charger runs the RECOND program. This program is used to revive deeply discharged batteries and it is useful for batteries that have been dead for a while.
- The last steps focus on the maintenance of battery and are the reasons why this charger is considered as a “plug and forget” solution. The battery is maintained at full charge level using a constant voltage charge or float charge.
- The final step makes use of pulse charging for maintenance of charge levels between 95% to 100%. It does so by monitoring the battery levels and provide a pulse of voltage if needed to keep the battery in its fully charged state.