Making sure that the battery in your vehicle (or ATV, boat or motorbike) is charged is crucial. Who wants to head off on a weekend away only to realise that their conveyance of choice has a deeply discharged battery? Not me.
Problem is, you need a different charger to suit different batteries and considering that your 4WD may have a starter battery (lead-acid) and a second battery (lithium) as part of an onboard dual-battery set-up, then having to store and use two different chargers is on the wrong side of annoying.
Well, that doesn’t need to be the case any more, according to CTEK. The Swedish manufacturer of vehicle-charging products has just launched its CS ONE, which it reckons is an all-in-one battery charger and maintainer, suitable for 12V lead-acid and lithium batteries.
What is the CTEK CS ONE, how does it work and what are some key features?
The functions of this eight-amp, 12-volt unit hinge on CTEK’s newly developed APTO (Adaptive Charging) technology, which is really just a fancy way of saying that this device figures out everything to do by itself without any need for input from the user about modes or level of charge.
It’s all pretty simple.
The unit plugs into your power source (eg, a power point at home), then, once you’ve attached the CS ONE’s black polarity-free* clamps to your battery, APTO automatically works out your battery’s type and size, and what level of charge it needs, and then it delivers the appropriate charge to your battery. (* The CS ONE recognises the positive and negative terminal.)
A circle of white LEDs on the top of the unit indicate your battery’s current level of charge and how long it will take to fully charge it. That’s it. Simple.
For optimum use, it’s worthwhile downloading the free official CTEK app from the App Store or Google Play. I’ve heard of some users having difficulty getting the app connected to their charger, but I had no such strife. You can adjust the brightness of those aforementioned LEDs via the CTEK app on your phone, as well as monitor volts and amps being delivered by the charger.
The CS ONE will diagnose if your battery can’t be charged and notify you. It also has several onboard modes, including RECOND (restores battery life and reconditions flat or deeply discharged batteries), WAKE UP (for lithium batteries with under voltage protection (UVP) or to bring deeply discharged lead-acid batteries back to life), and SUPPLY, which turns CS ONE into a 12V power supply to keep vehicle settings safe if you need to remove the battery.
CS ONE accessories include a protective rubber bumper, a wall-mount, a u-terminal connector for easier access to the battery, and an adaptor for compatibility with all CTEK products.
How much does the CTEK CS ONE cost?
The CTEK CS ONE has a recommended retail price of $399 and is available from Repco stores.
For more details about this CTEK product and others, visit www.ctek.com
Is the CTEK CS ONE any good?
Easy to use, the CTEK CS ONE packs a lot of trouble-free efficacy in one sleek package. Bonus: the accompanying app provides a convenient way to monitor what’s going on with the battery you’re charging or maintaining.
