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PauloAmore



Member Since: 27 Jan 2007
Location: Bonnie Scotland
Posts: 1289

Scotland 
CTEK Battery Sense & CTEK MXS5

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Chaps,

I use the CTEK Battery Sense product attached to the eyelets of the battery posts under the bonnet. Battery sense reports voltage, temp and status of the battery(s) charge.

I have it set to a battery capacity of 121 Ah.

Over the last year, i have reckoned that Battery Sense has been relatively correct. I.e. it graphs usage, shows when the FBH is smashing the battery etc etc. And after CTEK charging reports 100%.

Turns out that the Range Rover Sport L494 reports a low battery warning on screen when the CTEK is reporting around 55% charge (at least using my guestimate of 121 Ah.

But - CTEK reported a battery charge status of 4% while the car did not report a low voltage and started fine.
- I have noticed over the last couple of months that the remote boot actuator has beeped rather than worked which I had put down to a low voltage.

Anyway - I've had the car on a CTEK MXS5for 18 hours now and the battery has climbed steadily from 4% to 90%. So; anecdotally, i'm thinking that the battery was as low as 4%. BUT - I don't understand why the car didn't report a low battery. So i'm not sure that the CTEK battery sense is correct.

Agree / disagree?

Think i've attached the battery sensor to the right battery?
Think i've goe the battery(s) size correct?
Think a L494 can start with 4%?

FYI - I asked CTEK which battery I should connect to. They didn't express a clear preference which is why it isn't in the boot.

Lastly - i'm thinking about using recon mode.... up to 15.8v spikes to desulphate the battery. Ctek says its fine online at least (though the internet is full of scare stories) and unless your manufacturer warns against it. Anyone used recon mode on a MXS5.0 where the battery remains connected to the vehicle's electrics?

thanks in advance chaps....

EDIT - I have found that my dash cam was incorrectly configured to stay on despite the ignition being off. So perhaps the battery really was that low.

 2022 P440e AB

Post #547591 Sun Feb 04 2018 10:14am
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Col



Member Since: 02 Sep 2012
Location: Hawkes Bay NZ
Posts: 4816

New Zealand 2013 Range Rover Sport Supercharged Autobiography Santorini Black

Not sure about this but does the RRS2 not have a AGM batteries ?, as I didn't think the Recon Mode will work on a AGM battery.
As I say not sure as I am not a auto electrician in any shape or form, just based it on chart in ctek manual but could have got it completely wrong.

Cheers
Col

Post #547716 Mon Feb 05 2018 10:45am
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Lindab



Member Since: 20 Nov 2017
Location: Dundee
Posts: 864

United Kingdom 

My RRS 2 is only used about once a week, so the CTEK MXS 5.0 is on most of the time on recon mode. It is happily sitting with the six yellow lights & green light lit up.
The lights are:-
1 Desulphation
2 Soft start
3 Bulk (the car can be started when it reaches this one
4 Absorption
5 Analyse
6 Recon
7 Float (Green Light)
8 Pulse
Time Limit for lights 1 & 2 Max 8 hrs Light 3 Max 20 hrs Light 4 Max 8 hrs Light 5 3 minutes Light 6 2 or 6 hrs
Light 7 10 days, charge cycle restarts if voltage drops Light 8 is pulse, charge cycle restarts if voltage drops
Settings can be Car, Car+AGM, Car+Recon, Car+AGM+Recon
Hope this helps

Post #547719 Mon Feb 05 2018 11:20am
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PauloAmore



Member Since: 27 Jan 2007
Location: Bonnie Scotland
Posts: 1289

Scotland 

Lindab - thank you.

That gives me some confidence to try recon mode on the L494.

There is so much Censored on the net about charging vehicles; especially with CTEK.

But a piece that i picked up, is that recon is meant for a couple of times a year (not every week). It pulses at 15.8v, higher than the other modes...

Nevertheless, I will recon the batteries next week.

Col - For sure, one can recon an AGM battery.
AGM = snowflake mode - https://smartercharger.com/faq/#batteryknowledge6 2022 P440e AB

Post #547726 Mon Feb 05 2018 11:57am
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insiorc



Member Since: 17 Jul 2016
Location: Scotland
Posts: 533

Scotland 2013 Range Rover Sport SDV6 Autobiography Firenze Red

I just read that smartcharger.com link and on the very last question, the answer states this - "If you have normal wet batteries (not GEL or AGM) remember to RECOND both when you take the boat out of water and put it back in."

Does this not imply to use RECOND only for normal wet cell batteries, and not Gel or AGM? Maybe I read it wrong?

Dennis 13MY Range Rover Sport Autobiography SDV6 - mine
14MY Range Rover Evoque Dynamic SD4 Black Pack - wife's
99MY Defender 90 TD5, Soft Top Conversion - my toy, and bairns favourite

Post #547818 Tue Feb 06 2018 12:03am
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Col



Member Since: 02 Sep 2012
Location: Hawkes Bay NZ
Posts: 4816

New Zealand 2013 Range Rover Sport Supercharged Autobiography Santorini Black

This is what I was looking at, as it was "greyed" out and no specification made me think perhaps it didn't work on the AGM's.



Cheers
Col

Post #547819 Tue Feb 06 2018 12:50am
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PauloAmore



Member Since: 27 Jan 2007
Location: Bonnie Scotland
Posts: 1289

Scotland 

I think that the greyed our box implies that in AGM (only) mode; it won’t run the recon cycle. 2022 P440e AB

Post #547827 Tue Feb 06 2018 7:13am
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insiorc



Member Since: 17 Jul 2016
Location: Scotland
Posts: 533

Scotland 2013 Range Rover Sport SDV6 Autobiography Firenze Red

That's how I see Col's scan aswell, the recon will only run the cycle when in recon mode. But if you check the voltage value's through the cycles, in step 4 the 14.4V for standard battery is the same as the recon mode, whereas AGM goes up to 14.7V. But does it matter, as step 1 goes to 15.8V on each mode? Does the RRS charging system not go over 15V at times?

Personally I won't be using RECON for my AGM's but to each their own and all that. 13MY Range Rover Sport Autobiography SDV6 - mine
14MY Range Rover Evoque Dynamic SD4 Black Pack - wife's
99MY Defender 90 TD5, Soft Top Conversion - my toy, and bairns favourite

Post #547846 Tue Feb 06 2018 9:36am
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Col



Member Since: 02 Sep 2012
Location: Hawkes Bay NZ
Posts: 4816

New Zealand 2013 Range Rover Sport Supercharged Autobiography Santorini Black

Have to admit still not sure one way or the other as there is this Charging Programs Explanation as well, as it adds step 6 to normal battery programme, no mention of AGM programme. Confused I suppose could always email ctek and ask the question for a definitive answer.




Cheers
Col

Post #547848 Tue Feb 06 2018 10:16am
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Hog



Member Since: 03 Dec 2015
Location: Wassenaar
Posts: 254

Netherlands 2012 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Lux Buckingham Blue

Some experts say not to use the recon mode on AGM batteries. The high current would damage it. RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Lux
RRS 3.0 TDV6 gone
LR 3 HSE V8 gone
DiscoveryII V8 Gone
Discovery 1 V8 Gone
Mustang Shelby
Alfa Guilia (classic)

Post #547889 Tue Feb 06 2018 3:47pm
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PauloAmore



Member Since: 27 Jan 2007
Location: Bonnie Scotland
Posts: 1289

Scotland 

Thats the thing... There are alot of "experts / keyboard warrirors" out there.
- If you've got a link etc, please post it up.

CTEK have an AGM Recon mode. They are likely the experts. If it didnt work with AGM batteries, my take is there would not be an AGM Recon mode.

https://www.ctek.com/storage/ma/b343d22758...-UK-EN.pdf

Lindab wrote on this threat that she charges on recond mode often. I was worried about the RRS electronics. I guess I need not worry about that.

More info here on battery
http://speed.academy/how-to-maintain-car-batteries-ctek/
THis is where i saw the advice to recond twice a year. 2022 P440e AB

Post #547900 Tue Feb 06 2018 7:00pm
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Lindab



Member Since: 20 Nov 2017
Location: Dundee
Posts: 864

United Kingdom 

Hog is saying the high current on recon mode can damage the battery. I cant see that as there is no high current. Going by the manual on recon you are boosting the voltage to 15.8V but the current to do this is 1.8amps. This is an extra boost to the voltage at step 3 (bulk) which at any setting, (AMG, RECON, or AMG+RECON) takes the battery up to either 14.4V or 14.7V all at 5amps. If the recon is chosen, it then takes it up to 15.8V at 1.8amps but it is over a 2 or 6 hour timescale. It then sits at float only monitoring the battery, but if it drops too low, the charge cycle restarts

Post #547905 Tue Feb 06 2018 7:51pm
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Hog



Member Since: 03 Dec 2015
Location: Wassenaar
Posts: 254

Netherlands 2012 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Lux Buckingham Blue

I did not mean the amps , but the high volts. The recon mode is triggering gassing. And even CTEK warns to do this not more than once a year. with AGM batteries. So there seem to be some truth in the concerns of some other experts. RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Lux
RRS 3.0 TDV6 gone
LR 3 HSE V8 gone
DiscoveryII V8 Gone
Discovery 1 V8 Gone
Mustang Shelby
Alfa Guilia (classic)

Post #547907 Tue Feb 06 2018 8:07pm
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Col



Member Since: 02 Sep 2012
Location: Hawkes Bay NZ
Posts: 4816

New Zealand 2013 Range Rover Sport Supercharged Autobiography Santorini Black

Is it possible not all ctek chargers have this facility, I have a MXS10 and there is no mention of a AGM Recon mode in the user manual, however there would appear to be two different MSX5 models, one being called MXS5 Test & Charge the other just called a MXS5 and reading the manuals one appears to have this facility the other does not, as PauloAmore said I can't believe ctek would have this option if it did not work or there was a possibility of it damaging the battery.

Cheers
Col

Post #547908 Tue Feb 06 2018 8:32pm
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Lindab



Member Since: 20 Nov 2017
Location: Dundee
Posts: 864

United Kingdom 

AGM batteries due to their construction are sealed and therefore do not gas like a lead acid battery
AGM batteries differ from flooded lead acid batteries in that the electrolyte is held in the glass mats, as opposed to freely flooding the plates. Very thin glass fibers are woven into a mat to increase surface area enough to hold sufficient electrolyte on the cells for their lifetime. The fibers that compose the fine glass mat do not absorb nor are they affected by the acidic electrolyte. These mats are wrung out 2–5% after being soaked in acids, prior to manufacture completion and sealing.
CTEK at stage 1 goes to 15.8volts & at recon goes to 15.8volts so if it gasses at recon it therefore gasses at stage 1 & as already stated CTEK would not allow their product to damage a battery. With so many different combinations of modes to choose from, 8 if you include motorbikes it has to be designed for anyone with no technical knowledge to plug in. You can pick any mode & it will work. The main thing with CTEK its designed to be hooked up for weeks or months unlike a normal charger.
I also have an F Type Jag which has been sitting connected up to a CTEK since the beginning of November. I tried it today for the first time due to these concerns & it started first time. It will probably not be used before the end of March


Last edited by Lindab on Tue Feb 06 2018 11:18pm. Edited 1 time in total

Post #547939 Tue Feb 06 2018 11:01pm
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