CTEK MXS 5.0 vs MUS 4.3?

[IcarusLSC]

I'd love to see actual internal differences in the 4.3 and 5.0, auto temp compensation is the only difference (which is inside the unit so probably does very little.) Both have same specs 4.3A etc...

 

[Craig in Canada]

ehhhh. The temp sensing is ambient vs built into the clamp, so really most effective if the charger is sitting on the battery.
It cant tell if that battery is cooking if the unit is sitting on cool concrete, but it can boost the voltage if its cold.

The temperature sensing is to tell the difference between charging in the summer at 90F or the winter in -20F. It's not there to monitor the temp of the battery as part of the charging algorithm. For those of us with seasons, I think it has some value. At the very least it can't hurt. When I was shopping the MUS and MXS were pretty much even in price.

 

[Kamele0N]

Funny that you dont have MXS 10 in your portfolio.......maybe because you dont have that much diesel powered SUVs or 4x4s....

MXS 10 has external temperature sensor....

https://www.ctek.com/uk/products/car/mxs-10-uk

 

[UncleDave]

The temperature sensing is to tell the difference between charging in the summer at 90F or the winter in -20F. It's not there to monitor the temp of the battery as part of the charging algorithm. For those of us with seasons, I think it has some value. At the very least it can't hurt. When I was shopping the MUS and MXS were pretty much even in price.

Agreed it has some value in the winter if you live where there are seasons.

 

[330indy]

Thank you. Informative. Since I have East Penn AGM, I'll use the 14.4-14.6 they say to use. They know their batteries best

Anyone here know Who makes AutoZone Platinum AGMs? And their subsequent charginging recommendations?

 

[UncleDave]

Funny that you dont have MXS 10 in your portfolio.......maybe because you dont have that much diesel powered SUVs or 4x4s....

MXS 10 has external temperature sensor....

https://www.ctek.com/uk/products/car/mxs-10-uk

an external temp sensor on a 10 amp charger might be a bit much, but for smaller batteries ok...
Id far rather pay a few more dollars to put the temp in the positive clamp vs the plug in 3rd wire you have to tape down

CTEK claims 20-300 AH as its range.
To big for my generator and motorcycles batteries.

I think Id rather have an optimate 7, Ill forgo the external temp sensor to get a wider charge range and it goes from 4-400.

 

[SubLGT]

One thing I do not like about the MXS 5.0 is that temperature compensation is not applied to the float voltage. It is 13.6 volts (after 24 hours) at all temperatures, whether it is 120F or 10F, according to CTEK tech support.

Battery Minder I believe does apply temp compensation to the float voltage, but their problem is they set the target voltage too low for some AGM batteries. And if you go to their documentation, they give conflicting information about what target voltage they are using for float. For example, with the 128CEC1 the printed manual says the float voltage is 13.2V at 77F. The online manual says the float voltage is 13.6V at 77F.
This does not inspire confidence in Battery Minder.

 

[jcy]

Hey OP, were you happy with this purchase? Also I have to admit, from your "fait accompli" post I do not know if you bought the 5.0 or the 4.3

 

[Carmudgeon]

Hey OP, were you happy with this purchase? Also I have to admit, from your "fait accompli" post I do not know if you bought the 5.0 or the 4.3

I bought the 5.0.

No problems with mine thus far, with basic charging. When the not-daily-driver's battery starts to occasionally crank slow, I put it on the CTEK and leave it overnight. Nice not having to worry about it boiling off the electrolyte, like a dumb charger would.

I've tried the "repair" function a few times, once on a completely dead battery from a car that had long sat idle, but the battery was too far gone to make a difference, and would not hold a charge. I did have to "goose" it first with the dumb charger before the CTEK would recognize it. Other times, hard to tell if it made a difference.

There is a chap on YT who doesn't believe the mode does anything, and dislikes their build quality.