CTEK 25000

[T1 Terry]

The Mazda has a CTEK Multi XS 25000 charger. The batteries were going to be sitting for a while so I connected the charger and mains and left it do it's thing. When I left it a week ago it was charging at 9 amps. Today I checked, everything i connected the charger quite warm and the battery is at 8.25v disconnected the charger and reconnected it, bi bip bip and it started charging at 23 amp and the voltage climed to 12.15v after about 15 mins. just checked it now, less than an hr later, the thing has stopped harging again and the is back to 8.25v. There is a 40w solar panel permanently conneced across the battery, it appears the charger is flattening the battery not charging it. I thought they were one of those chargers you just level connect to the battery but now I have 2 quite likely stuffed batteries a result.
Anyone else had these issues with these chargers?

T1 Terry

[RussellB[SA]]

You're asking this question about batteries and stuff, you must be desperate.

Being a total TYRO, i can only ask one question and that is: !!!!!!

Nah! leave it to the knowledgeable ones.

[T1 Terry]

I think it's more a case of now I'm sorted the spiderweb wiring so everyting goes through the shunt for the xantrex I can see what's happening and it's not good. The chances of me paying the insane $$ asked for one of these chargers is zero so I haven't actually played with one so I was looking for experiences from those that had.
I want to put Li batteries in there but if I have to throw this charger over my shoulder and replace it with something more reliable then so be it, I just want to be sure it wasn't something I haven't done to keep this charger happy.

T1 Terry

[Wilbor]

Sounds like it’s Wallaby Teds’ Brother, Roo Ted

[spybo]

Hi Terry,

I have the same charger and have had it for about 4 years.
A few years back I had the same thing happen, it turned out that one of the batteries was defective and was draining the good one.
I have it set up to charge any time I am connected to power but just rely on the solar to look after the batteries when not using the motor home.
If you need the manual I'm pretty sure you can download it from ctek website.

[T1 Terry]

Thanks Spybo and welcome to the forum. I just checked the monitor again this morning, the charger had shut down again and the batteries were back to 9v. The charger lights were still on but no lights to indicated battery state of charge. When I disconnected the leads and then reconnected them the charger started up again. I'll try to get the batteries recharged if possible and disconnect the two batteries from the system and each other and see if they hold charge. Just not sure about this charger, I don't wnt to destroy a set of lithium batteries with it, maybe a bridge rectifier between it and the batteries to stop it draining the batteries and just switch it on if ever needed.

T1 Terry

[bob r]

hi terry
I think the cetk 2500 has a battery check
if a battery is faulty it shuts down

[T1 Terry]

Well, went to check progress and that interesting aroma of stewed battery lingered in the air even though the battery voltage was still only 11.28v the gel battery is as warm as toast It was the newest of the batteries as well but it looks like it's gone to battery heaven, didn't seem to last as long as what the knowledgeable ones else where say they should what killed it is now to be determined

[oldtrack123]

Hi Terry
ALL chargers, that I know of, have reverse current protection built in
It is inherent part of the rectifcation.

Yes a shorted battery is most likely the culprit
Perhaps one may be still ok, but I doubt it after that lacing
Yes now Why
Perhaps the older battery was the problem
Some truth in not mixing new with old?
But actually I had a similar problem with a brand new battery

As I hooked it up in parallel I could see by the spark that it was drawing amps from the old bank
Quick smart return ,assured by the battery expert it must be OK suggested he connect to his bank
Peter

[T1 Terry]

I'm thinking in this case the charger killed the battery. It has mostly been recharged from solar, this was the battery I used for the comparison load test against the lithium battery and it was still quite strong then and it has not really done any serious work since, one trip to Taggerty and one night two week ends back. If it wasn't planned to be a spare bedroom over christmas I would have left the solar panel to do it's thing.... but I decided to hurry things up a bit The other 2 batteries are recharging now but a load test will soon determine if they live another day or head for the recyclers as scrap. Just hoping the start battery comes good, that would be a pain in the butt to either replace or rework the alternator charge control so it lives happily with the lithium batteries, I would much prefer to leave that project till after the christmas period, doable but I just need the time to do it

T1 Terry