I'm sure there's a good reason why these chargers do not have an on/off switch. Does anyone know?

 

 

I let my C7 sit for 4 weeks and it started right up. No need for charger if battery is good and you have no shorts in electrical and you are not leaving anything on that drains battery while car is sitting. I would find and fix the problem, not put a bandaid on the problem by relying on trickle charger to keep the battery up.

 

I can only speak for the CTEK brand of smart chargers which I use and know. I have 4 of them in constant use. GM uses the CTEK brand with their battery protection and is a CTEK US3300 charger.

The battery's voltage in the vehicle fluctuates constantly when sitting and when driving the vehicle. Each cell in a battery maintains it's own voltage level. The CTEK line of smart chargers has different cycles or steps (8 steps usually). The CTEK chargers are constantly reading the battery and determine's via their patented technology when to add voltage to the battery via several steps of power. The CTEK analyses the battery and when needed, powers up the battery. The CTEK brand will also disulfate the battery in the first steps of charging. After the battery is brought up to proper levels, the trickle or "float charge" kicks in to maintain the battery voltage. If the battery or vehicle is sitting for more than 10 days, the CTEK brand kicks into the final step 8 and goes to a "pulse" charge to slowly inject a pulse charge into the battery for proper maintenance voltage levels. The CTEK will not overcharge or boil a battery.

There is never any need to turn the CTEK brand off or on, thus no switch is needed. The CTEK's are technologically advanced so the unit does all the work. The CTEK brand of smart chargers can be hooked up to any battery for months at a time if necessary. These are great for winter storage.

Some vehicle owners may be doubtful of the need to maintain proper battery voltage and whether they choose to use a smart charger is strictly their choice.

Personally, I am sold on the brand and the technology of today's advanced smart chargers. I am convinced they are made for their intended purpose and will extend the battery life over a longer period of time vs the expected life written on any battery when purchased.

The investment is small and the reward is great. I use the CTEK MUS 4.3 ... 8 Step...Smart Charger which costs less than $69.00 at Amazon or other vendors. It provides peace of mind on all of my vehicles that I will not have electrical issues unless a sensor or electrical component of some kind actually fails. I am guaranteed that proper voltage in the battery will always be there when I need it.

There is no doubt that the C7 uses battery power. When I park the C7 in the garage and plug the connector to the C7, the CTEK starts at the 3rd step and takes up to 15 to 20 minutes to bring the battery to a proper level.

I have attached 2 images first showing the CTEK plugged in immediately after parking the C7 which shows stage 3 LED and when the C7 is fully charged 15 to 25 minutes later at stage 7 LED. The unit does not go to stage or step 8 unless the C7 sits idle for more than 10 days, then step 8 kicks in for the "pulse charging".

Long explanation, but hope this helps you and others.

Only purchase the smart charger (CTEK) if you are a believer that the battery needs to be maintained. If not, don't spend the money and take the risks associated with low voltage levels.

 

FatMax 110% better than Ctek you get full 8amp charging, plus float charging.

 

So you can quote CTEK's advertising materials. Very impressive. EVERY good float charger works the same way. There's no secret to float charging technology that only CTEK has. Oh, and while every cell may well have "it's own voltage level," the CTEK can't see anything about any individual cell, nor apply a different charge rate to each cell. Like every other charger made, it only sees the total output of the battery, and can only provide power to the two terminals.

Just like EVERY other car sold today. Driving the car will bring the battery up to "a proper level" just as the CTEK does. So will a Battery Tender or other float charger.

I wonder if you get a kick-back from CTEK, or own their stock, the way you hype their chargers for them. If you drive your car regularly, the alternator will charge the battery as effectively as the CTEK. If you don't drive the car regularly, using a float charger is a very good idea, but CTEK has no magic circuitry that makes them work better than other float chargers. They all monitor the voltage of the battery, and reduce their output as the battery reaches full charge, then apply a low voltage to maintain the charge.

 

I wonder how much CTEK pays those manufacturers for the right to brand their products with the logos, and use those logos in their advertising. You don't think those manufacturers do this for free, do you? Marketing 101.

The fact the Papa John's is the "official pizza of the Washington Redskins" doesn't mean their pizza is better than any other, it just means they were willing to pay the Redskins more than any other pizza restaurant.

 

Meyerweb:

I collect $250,000 USD per year to promote their products. I own 120,000 shares of stock that has made me a multi-millionaire. I own 4 of the CTEK smart chargers and CTEK has proprietary technology and patents that no other company has. I use the CTEK smart chargers daily and know the products quite well.

Simply put, for the money there is nothing better than CTEK. CTEK is a reliable OEM supplier to many of the world's most prestigious automotive and motorcycle manufacturers such as Aston Martin, Audi, Maserati, Rolls Royce, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Porsche, Yamaha and yes "General Motors" amongst others. Ferrari delivers a CTEK battery charger with every new car sold as well their aftermarket service offering CTEK chargers for those having earlier models. Lamborghini is the latest manufacturer of high-performance luxury sports cars having reached an agreement with CTEK to supply specific battery chargers.

Almost three million CTEK battery chargers have been sold in 60 countries and on every continent.

Meyerweb:

Papa John's has great pizza, and yes they are the official pizza of the Redskins. Peyton Manning quarterback for the Denver Bronco's is their chief spokesman and owns about 20 franchise stores in the Denver area. He makes millions off the Papa John's brand. Now that's American spirit and true business. Are they the best? depends on your taste. I buy Jack's Pizza found at Sam's Club and they are the best to me. Even better than Domino's or Pizza Hut. Give them a try. There cheap, about $3.00 each for a 13" pie. The Pepperoni is outstanding and has a nice thin crust, and bake's in about 12 minutes in a high-quality Breville oven.

Now back to the CTEK brand........

Plain and simple, the premium automotive brands sell and endorse the CTEK brand of chargers because of their quality, reliability and function. Ferrari, Lamborgini, Aston-Martin, Corvette, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, would not put their name on the chargers if they were inferior products. These premium automotive industry giants have top notch, top gun engineers whom I am certain look at all the items these automotive industry giants provide to their customers before their name goes on.

These automotive giants are like the old Zenith Corporation and their motto is the same....."The Quality Goes In Before the Name Goes On".

I would highly suggest that you make an honest effort to contact the executives at GM to ask if they get paid kick-backs to endorse the CTEK products. If you need the direct telephone line number to the head of GM...CEO Mary Barra, I have her direct line to her office in Detroit. I am not at liberty nor would I post that number in a public forum.

Should you doubt the quality of the CTEK product, I would have to suggest that you spend $70.00 to give it a try. You will be sold as I have been. Once again, I suggest you buy the CTEK MUS 4.3 ..8 step smart charger. Be sure to visit the CTEK website for more informative information. I am sure you can become more educated in the advanced technology that each CTEK charger possess.

Every Corvette C7 owner who bought the "battery protection option" will certainly attest over time, they bought the best. Those C7 owners who use the CTEK US3300 endorsed by GM will not have dead battery or low voltage problems or issues.

Have a great evening.

 

Give us a break. How many out there have ruined their batteries by using one of the "junkie" non-C Tech brands of battery maintainers?
I have a Schumacher that I got at WalMart approx. 10 years ago, and it has successfully maintained batteries on several Corvettes, not to mention other vehicles.

 

nmvettec7 is right. The CTEK 4.3 is worth having.
I have 4 wheelers, small motorcycles, Harley's ....
Some batteries have a short life and the CTEK
will indicate if you have a bad battery.

 

LOL. I think we've had similar conversations before. You're real good at quoteing CTEK's marketing materials, but produce not one single piece of independent evidence that the CTEK is better than anything else. I've used Battery tenders for years, and will swear they work every bit as good as CTEK. I could quote their marketing materials, too, but what's the point. Every manufacturer will claim theirs is the best. Absent independent evidence, marketing claims are meaningless.

And you completely missed the point about my Papa John's analogy. Does CTEK supply these companies because they're better, or because they're willing to pay these companies to use their logos and market their products. You have not a shred of knowledge about the marketing agreements CTEK has with these companies, or the reason they supply CTEK chargers, so you can't demonstrate these "endorsements" mean CTEK is better quality, and more than the fact that Papa John's pays NFL teams and athletes millions of dollar makes there Pizza any better. All we know is that CTEK gets to use these manufacturer logos in their advertising. That doesn't come free.

There you go quoting CTEK's marketing again. Do you believe EVERY advertisement you see? You're a marketer's dream. How many Battery Tenders have been sold? You don't know? Then you don't know if 3 million is a lot or a little. Considering there are some 260 million cars and trucks on the American roads, and about 1.2 BILLION in the world, 3 million CTEK's isn't very many. Aside from the numbers, quantity not = quality. McDonalds probably sells more hamburgers than anyone else in the world, but that doesn't make them good.




Yep, like I said, you completely missed the point. And the fact that you think a frozen pizza is the best makes me seriously question your judgment.


Really? Evidence please. Show me one internal or public manufacturer document that tells us WHY they chose to supply CTEK. No evidence? Then stop quoting CTEK's marketing as if it were fact.

LOL. You are a marketers dream. If they advertise it, you believe it. Zenith made some good products, and some crappy ones. As have Mercedes, Ferrari, Aston Martin, BMW, etc. In fact, Ferrari, Lambo, and Aston have made some of the least reliable cars in the western world. And Zenith's advertising slogan was just that, a slogan, not a fact.

ME? Why? You're the one making the claims for CTEK. Provide some evidence to support your statements, or go home. If you think GM (and Ferrari, and whoever else) isn't getting paid for the use of their logo's in CTEK's advertising, you're incredibly naive.

EVERY single one? So now you're omniscient, too? I'm sorry, but I'm having a hard time keeping a straight face. Every Corvette owner who drives their car at least once every week or two will also not have dead batteries. Nor will owners who use Battery Tenders, or Stanley float chargers. Probably not even those who use Harbor Freight float charges.

Sorry, but you're just talking trash. You have zero facts or evidence to support your grand belief that CTEK chargers have some magic technology that no one else has.

You, too. Enjoy your CTEK, and your feeling of superiority. But you might try to develop a little bit of skepticism when it comes to marketing claims.

 

The CTEK is a fine charger. So are Battery Tenders, Stanley Float chargers, Yuasa chargers, Schumacher chargers, Battery minders, and more.

I have nothing against the CTEK. I just think nmvettec7's unsubstantiated believe that they're dramatically better than anything else is laughable. If you want a CTEK, get one. But don't think it's going to save your battery where nothing else will.

 

OK to close this now, unless someone wants to post that all CTek deniers are morons.

 

I had a similar situation once with a car battery going completely dead. I turned out to be an open circuit fault in the battery.

 

Not knocking Schumacher battery chargers but just a comment to say even a good quality product can fail. Had one installed on my Street Rod for several years and found my battery was dead. The charger (~$30 model) had the green signal light on indicating it was charging fine. It wasn't fine there, there was no output! I emailed the company and they said to send the old one back so they could examine it. While in the process of doing that I bought another of the same model and installed it. It has been fine for several years.
Was a bit ticked when the Post Office would not deliver to that mailing address I was given and subsequent emails provided no satisfaction or another address. Since I was not sure if they would send me a new one was not going to spend more money to send by FedEx so wrote it off! I do check the battery voltage from time to time to be sure it's really charged!

 

techbatterysolutions.com/deltran-battery-tender-plus-12v-charger/?utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=cs e&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=google&utm_t erm=C36&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv7L6BRDxARIsAGj-34ogJnbUFqLpEmPuJZLYgTRbVRZUbw0pMP-qKyTmuFeKWwJTlg6upUcaAqP_

Deltran Battery Tender Plus 12V Charger - using for last 7 yrs

 

Given this is a five year-old thread, he probably already bought a tender/charger.

 

I started using Deltran Battery Tenders back in 1887. I used it on my 1989 C4 and had batteries last 10 years. My garden tractor is connected to one and the battery over 12 years old !!!! My 2016 C7 is 5 years old next month and plugged in now and i hope i can get 5 more years out of its battery !!!!

 

Either that, or he bought a new battery (or two).