Ctek MXS 5.0 and Ctek D250se

[Square Peg]

Having recently spent 4 nights away in the van, parked up but with EHU for the leisure side of things, we suffered from the dreaded low battery warning when starting the engine to come home.

Having spent much time reading various threads here, I purchased the MXS 5.0 trickle charger. I took note of the advice here re using a chassis ground point for the negative lead, and fired it up.

The charger reached stage 3 quickly, and then took about 4 hours to reach stage 4. At this point, I noticed the D250 was charging the leisure battery, and again, reading threads here that seems normal.... so no worries there.

However, with the battery probably being the original (20 plate T6.1, 70Ah EFB+) it might be close to the end of it's life. Before splurging out on a new one however, I'm thinking about using the recondition mode on the MXS 5, which might be beneficial.

I do wonder though if using that mode could cause problems to the D250se and/or the leisure battery (Yuasa L35-115), as I understand the max voltage in the recon mode is 15.8 volts. If anyone can say good idea or not, I'd appreciate it.

I do have the Victron Smart Solar MPPT 75/15 and Victron 12117 charger for the leisure side, which both work fine, so I'm considering getting the Ablemail AMT12-2 at a later date, having read glowing reports here too.

 

[Dellmassive]

The MX5 is a good charger..

The auto VSR feature on the Dc-Dc is normal. Most do it.

When camping have the MX5 connected to the starter..

 

[Dellmassive]

[Guide] DC-DC Charger (for leisure battery) -- How I Done It --

Thanks Lee. Or should I say Mr. Renogy! Been looking at your threads so will work out how to do it all now. Thanks bud.

www.t6forum.com

 

[Dellmassive]

[Guide] DC-DC Charger (for leisure battery) -- How I Done It --

@Farnorthsurfer did you set the Dc-dc to lithium mode for the TN100 battery? Also have you got any more BM2 views showing more days? Yes the unit is set to Lithium profile. Easy enough to do when it was powered up. Yesterday was a flat line all day as it just sat on the drive. Back to work...

www.t6forum.com

 

[Dellmassive]

Thread 'Charging Starter and Leisure batteries with same charger - Victron' Charging Starter and Leisure batteries with same charger - Victron

 

[Square Peg]

Thread 'Charging Starter and Leisure batteries with same charger - Victron' Charging Starter and Leisure batteries with same charger - Victron

Many thanks for the above links. I must say it was from reading your advice and recommendations on the forum that I bought it.... so many thanks for the time and effort you take to post the technical stuff.

 

[Drive Wayne]

Many thanks for the above links. I must say it was from reading your advice and recommendations on the forum that I bought it.... so many thanks for the time and effort you take to post the technical stuff.

I have a '20 T6.1, my original EFB 70Ah battery was showing signs of dying at around 4 years old, I put a bigger Bosch AGM 95Ah in and coded it with Carista. At the same time I put in the AMT12-2 and haven't had starter battery anxiety since. I still carry an MXS5 just in case, it's been used twice, on other folks vans!
New battery, Ablemail, more money, no stress!

 

[Square Peg]

I have a '20 T6.1, my original EFB 70Ah battery was showing signs of dying at around 4 years old, I put a bigger Bosch AGM 95Ah in and coded it with Carista. At the same time I put in the AMT12-2 and haven't had starter battery anxiety since. I still carry an MXS5 just in case, it's been used twice, on other folks vans!
New battery, Ablemail, more money, no stress!

I'm seriously considering the Ablemail, but will need to save up a few more pennies first. I see why everyone calls these vans moneypits though.

 

[Drive Wayne]

I'm seriously considering the Ablemail, but will need to save up a few more pennies first. I see why everyone calls these vans moneypits though.

£68 for that Ablemail will add years to your life with no SB anxiety! It's a good father's day present from your family!

 

[Square Peg]

I put the MXS 5.0 on again this morning, and it reached stage 4 within about 5 or 10 minutes. It's now reached stage 7, having passed the stage 5 check, so there's hope that the battery will last a bit longer. I haven't tried the cigar lighter plug route as yet but I'm optomistic now.

 

[Drive Wayne]

I put the MXS 5.0 on again this morning, and it reached stage 4 within about 5 or 10 minutes. It's now reached stage 7, having passed the stage 5 check, so there's hope that the battery will last a bit longer. I haven't tried the cigar lighter plug route as yet but I'm optomistic now.

With the season approaching I would certainly consider the possibility of going into debt to fund a new battery, and it may be that @Dellmassive has a spare AMT12-2 available for purchase, so I've heard on the vine full of grapes...

 

[Square Peg]

Our season got off to a great start last week, with a drive up to Wasdale Head NT campsite in the Lake District from the Somerset/Dorset border. Hopefully it'll continue going as well.

 

[Square Peg]

Having read the glowing reports on the forum re the AMT12-2 I've pushed the boat out and ordered one from RoadPro. Will my wallet ever be the same again? Gulp!

 

[Drive Wayne]

Having read the glowing reports on the forum re the AMT12-2 I've pushed the boat out and ordered one from RoadPro. Will my wallet ever be the same again? Gulp!

You'll be needing a cerbo next to see what the Ablemail is doing! No, it never ends. Just spoken to @antony.charnley about his digital dash for the 6.1, just working out how to fund that! #gottahaveone

 

[Square Peg]

You'll be needing a cerbo next to see what the Ablemail is doing! No, it never ends. Just spoken to @antony.charnley about his digital dash for the 6.1, just working out how to fund that! #gottahaveone

I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that I'll have to sell the van to pay for all the bits I keep buying....

 

[JumpShip]

I think simply being a member on here is bad for my wallet

 

[roadtripper]

However, with the battery probably being the original (20 plate T6.1, 70Ah EFB+) it might be close to the end of it's life. Before splurging out on a new one however, I'm thinking about using the recondition mode on the MXS 5, which might be beneficial.

I do wonder though if using that mode could cause problems to the D250se and/or the leisure battery (Yuasa L35-115), as I understand the max voltage in the recon mode is 15.8 volts. If anyone can say good idea or not, I'd appreciate it.

For context my current chargers are mostly CTEK and I use the same one to keep the van topped up via the towing socket.

The "recon" mode is really only to try and rescue a traditional flooded battery by causing the electrolyte to deliberately form gas bubbles on the plates and maybe that action will clean the plate. On an AGM the electrolyte is held in place by the glass fibre matt so this is likely not a very good idea, there may be some very minor benefit in an EFB.

However, despite what might be claimed/hoped, if the battery has been damaged by age/deep discharge any such recon process is not going to recover the battery to what it was and it would be very temporary. It's worth trying if you are stranded and need to battery to work a few days more to get home and it replaced, it's not something that's going to give you another season of use.

 

[Square Peg]

For context my current chargers are mostly CTEK and I use the same one to keep the van topped up via the towing socket.

The "recon" mode is really only to try and rescue a traditional flooded battery by causing the electrolyte to deliberately form gas bubbles on the plates and maybe that action will clean the plate. On an AGM the electrolyte is held in place by the glass fibre matt so this is likely not a very good idea, there may be some very minor benefit in an EFB.

However, despite what might be claimed/hoped, if the battery has been damaged by age/deep discharge any such recon process is not going to recover the battery to what it was and it would be very temporary. It's worth trying if you are stranded and need to battery to work a few days more to get home and it replaced, it's not something that's going to give you another season of use.

The van is in for seevice and MOT on monday at my local VW service centre (we got the extended warranty and prepaid MOT's just after getting the van), so might ask them to test the battery at the same time. I might give the reconditioning ago at the weekend and see what happens.

 

[roadtripper]

Honestly if you are already suspicious of the health and it's in somewhere consider just get it replaced with a known good battery.

They're very much consumables in modern vans with a life of 3-5 years - and they cost about as much as a full tank of fuel.