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‘Charge Your Car Day’ is October 5, 2023

CTEK, the world leader in battery charging solutions, has released a study that shows half of the car batteries on the road aren’t working nearly as well as they should. Breakdowns linked to batteries are on the rise because people are driving less because of the rising cost of living, which costs drivers over £400 a year.

The RAC did some research and found that up to 40% of all breakdowns in the UK are due to batteries not working. A lot of these batteries are either dead or completely drained. Star Rescue, a company that helps people who have broken down, says that a dead 12V battery is one of the main reasons why electric cars breakdown. On Charge Your Car Day, CTEK wants drivers to think about the health of their battery to help avoid expensive and annoying breakdowns.

The cost for charging your battery
Most people are worried about the rising cost of living because of high energy prices. However, charging your battery uses very little power and is cheaper than buying a new one, which can cost up to £130. It takes the same amount of energy to charge your car battery as to watch TV for five hours. It also takes less energy to cook in an electric oven for an hour, play video games for three hours, or do two loads of washing.

A CTEK customer and car enthusiast named Richard Wilkerson said, “In early 2019, I bought two MXS 5.0s to use on my old AGM Optima Redtop and Yellow Top batteries for their de-sulphation capabilities.” Our cars have low mileage and are kept in a shed most of the time. The garage doesn’t have climate control, so it can get very cold or very hot. 12v batteries do get used up by modern car ECUs and aftermarket alarms, especially in cars with low mileage that don’t get used much. After going abroad for more than a month, it’s great to get back home and start the car. The engine starts right up. The parts used have been used for years with no problems.

“An 11-year-old Optima Redtop AGM battery was the oldest one that my CTEK took care of.” The Redtop’s battery life was only 68% after 11 years, so I got rid of it. It cost $200 USD for the Red Top. Most batteries need to be replaced every 5 years, so the CTEK saved me $200. I also have an Optima Yellow Top that is 8 years old and a CTEK. The cost of my CTEK batteries has been paid for since I’m changing my AGM batteries less often because they last longer.

Watch out for the health of your hybrid battery.
Both electric and plug-in hybrid cars need their batteries to be charged. The 12V auxiliary battery powers important car features like the radio, lights, heating, and air conditioning. It won’t work at its best if it doesn’t get regular upkeep. The car’s DC-DC system charges the 12V battery, but it only gets fully charged when it’s hooked to an external battery charger like the CTEK MXS5.0. It doesn’t get fully charged when you plug the car in for a normal charge. Setting a charge limit of 80 to 90% for the lithium-ion battery in new EVs that is allowed by the vehicle charger is important to keep the battery from breaking down. Most cars have this feature built in, but always check your car manual.

Even if you need to get going fast, take care of your battery.
Maintaining the battery by charging it on a regular basis helps stop sulfation and keeps it in good shape so that it doesn’t break down. When compared to regular jump starts, CTEK’s CS FREE adaptive booster is a better choice if you do break down. The adaptive boost technology in the CS FREE makes sure a safer and smoother start, which lowers the chance of damaging the battery or messing up the electrical system. This new method not only gets you back on the road quickly, but it also protects the health of your battery, giving you peace of mind while you’re on the go and a more sustainable way to keep your car in good shape.

CTEK has been charging the market for 25 years now.
For more than 25 years, CTEK has worked to charge, manage, and protect car batteries all over the world. Not having any special knowledge about cars isn’t needed to use any of the CTEK chargers because they all cleverly check the health of your battery and then apply the right voltage to recharge it and recondition it to make sure it works at its best.

Tony Zeal, Training Manager at CTEK, said, “CTEK battery chargers are famous the world over for their performance and reliability – we even make branded chargers for over 40 of the world’s biggest and most prestigious car manufacturers. Charge Your Car Day was launched to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work of the humble car battery and to raise awareness of how regular battery maintenance saves you money. Charging your car battery reduces breakdown, extends the life of your battery by up to three time, limits the amount of costly repairs and damage to complex electrical systems. In challenging economic times, a car battery charger saves you money especially given the rising trend to using our cars less. This year we’re keen to reinforce the mantra – get moving, stay moving and keep charging!”

Which way do you charge?

Auto Enthusiast: You are crazy about how your engine works on the inside. You get to pick the type of oil you use, and your tyres are high-end and never lose their grip depth. Your charger stays in your garage all the time, and you charge it every day. You know that the battery is the most important part of your car.

Careful Commuter: You already know what to check. You will check your wiper oil and tyre pressure when you refuel or charge. You keep a jump starter in your trunk because you like to be ready, even though you know it could hurt your battery and be unsafe.

A to B: You’re grateful that your car gets you where you need to go. Something like Google Maps is always on, and you know it’s important, but you haven’t opened the hood yet. You don’t think about charging your battery, and if your battery dies, you know who to call for help right away.

Motorists with Magic – Your car works like magic. You don’t know there’s a battery in there, but for a moment you worry that your car might break down. You only drive when you have no other choice, and the steering wheel and the radio level button are the main things you use. Apple CarPlay is great.

You can find out more about “Charge Your Car Day” and get driving tips at Charge Your Car Day | ctek.com