[veeeight]

Another vote for ctek.

http://www.aclassclub.co.uk/forum/battery-charger_topic12117_page1.html?KW=Ctek

 

[veeeight]

Any is the answer, if you’re just looking to do a maintenance charge in between car usage.

They are all intelligent, so even the small 3.8 will do a good job (but will take longer).

 

[veeeight]

It looks to be an identical unit to the 3.8 (same charge current) but with less indicators and less functionality!

So personally, I think it’s a marketing badging exercise to make people think that they need this if they have a start/stop car 😂


If it were my money I’d go for the 3.8 or 5 as those have more functions and indications

 

[veeeight]

Yes, if you can leave it on a CTEK intelligent charger.

 

[veeeight]

It’s fine. It’s pulsing for the desulphation stage. MXS 3.8 does the same 15.8V during desulphation phase.

 

[veeeight]

Yes, shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve used recon mode on much older batteries!

 

[veeeight]

Did you have it in “recondition” or deep discharge mode on the CTEK?

Never had any such issues when charging from a ctek in normal charge mode.

 

[veeeight]

Just try it in car, no AGM mode next time.

it could be completely unrelated, eg the bonnet close switch slightly corroded or not making properly, the alarm sounder has its own battery backup etc.

 

[veeeight]

Update.
Had my car in for its 1st service this week, they looked into the alarm issue that I had back in January and they have replaced the alarm siren.

Second alarm issue noted on this forum this year.

Alarm Siren not sounding after activation

Hi guys, hoping someone can help? Had the car since Wednesday, locked the car today with the dog on the back seat and forgot to disarm the internal sensors. When we got back to the car the hazard lights were flashing madly away but no alarm siren. Thought strange, so opened the window, locked...

www.aclassclub.co.uk

 

[veeeight]

I’ve not been using my 180d very much this winter. I’ve got a smart charger and I was going to charge the battery once a week or so. Will this regular external charging have any detrimental effect on the battery?
cheers,
Dai

It's almost mandatory to use an external charger with the W177 if you don't use the car much!
But do make sure it's an intelligent charger such as a CTEK, see above.

 

[veeeight]

^ +1 Yep. There’s a reason why CTEK is highly regarded in the automotive maintenance world.

 

[veeeight]

^ +1

We use around 20 CTEK chargers of various current charging capacities at work commercially, and they are left connected at all times to both vehicle and leisure batteries 24/7/365 whenever the vehicles are parked.

Plus if it’s good enough for Harry and his vast collection of classic cars in his garage, it’s good enough for me

 

[veeeight]

Thanks for the reassurance 👍

I’m not sure I would be that confident in an unknown brand charger of unknown origin and development though

 

[veeeight]

It also showed the battery was 80% charged before it started.

It may well show SOC….

but extremely doubtful that it will measure SOH which is the important metric re aged batteries.

To test the true state and capacity of a battery you’d need a proper discharge tester.

ACT 612 6V/12V Lead Acid Intelligent Battery Tester - ACT Meters (UK) Ltd

Take seconds to identify low capacity lead acid batteries with the innovative ACT 612 Intelligent Battery Tester for 6V and 12V SLA, GEL and car batteries.

www.actmeters.com

As recounted many times on the forum, no-load voltage on its own is a poor indicator of battery health.

So your “fully charged” battery may well be “fully charged” but only to say 60Ah instead of the 80Ah it was when new.

 

[veeeight]

…… or in a weeks time …..

 

[veeeight]