story by: Roadworx Communications 09 July 2010 Get your party started

Have you been feeling the cold? Well, you battery has too and if it is going to fail or become unreliable, chances are it’ll happen in the Winter months: when you crank the engine, it can’t supply the current that is needed because at zero degrees a battery is only about 40 percent efficient – and that’s starting with a fully charged battery. This loss of efficiency happens because the cranking voltage drops due to the high internal resistance created by the low temperature.

Batteries that are used infrequently, then charged up using a standard charger and then allowed to slowly self-discharge to a low level before being recharged, are particularly susceptible to sulphation. This is what happens when the sulphuric acid electrolyte attacks the electrode plates resulting in the formation of lead sulphate, which then acts as an insulator on the plates and prevents a battery from being fully charged thereafter. The result is that it is often batteries in caravans, boats, jet skis, and auxiliary batteries in 4x4 vehicles that have the worst lifespan – and fail unexpectedly just when you need them most because they are unable to provide the power output they’re rated at.

But all a battery needs is a bit of TLC – and a high quality battery charger. CTEK chargers use a multi-stage charging process to charge, condition and then protect your battery: even CTEK’s entry-level model has a constant current mode (the initial rapid charge which takes the battery to a near-full state of charge), a constant voltage stage (which tops up and balances the cells) and a trickle charge phase which supplies a low current to keep the battery fully charged.

With this kind of design a battery can be left charging permanently without any damage to the charger or the battery, resulting in extended battery life. Certain CTEK chargers have a battery reconditioning function whereby they can actually reverse the sulphation process, making a sick battery healthy again and capable of taking a full charge.

All CTEK chargers have reverse polarity protection and can’t be shorted out so they’re much safer than products without these protective measures and they won’t damage sensitive electronics. They’re also splash and dust-proof and have two- or five-year warranty depending on the model.

CTEK chargers have already become popular amongst the motorsport community because the batteries in competition vehicles are often left unused for weeks between events and are thus susceptible to poor conditioning. With a CTEK charger, you’ll never be left out in the cold.
CTEK battery chargers are available from ATS in 6, 12 and 24 Volt applications and start at just R567 (including VAT) for the XS800 model. Contact ATS on 011 670 8400 for more information.

Issued by Roadworx Communications on behalf of Automotive Technology Specialists. For additional media information contact Adrian Burford on 083 274 1139 / adrian@roadworx.co.za or Kobus Roos of ATS on 011 670 8400 / promo@ats-motorsport.co.za