CTEK CS Free Charger – Product Review
May 14, 2022
We love all forms of classic vehicles here at Car & Classic, whether it be a beautifully original Citroen SM or a sympathetically restored Bentley 3 Litre, an ex-military Land Rover Defender ambulance or a Brough Superior, it matters not. If it’s of advancing years, has wheels and an engine, then we’re into it. We practice what we preach too and there are plenty of classics in our ever-growing fleet, including motorbikes. I myself ride a Triumph but I will be the first to admit that I am very much a fair weather rider. Don’t get me wrong, I have ridden in rather inclement conditions many a time, I simply don’t like it and choose to avoid doing so whenever possible.
This rather sporadic approach to riding does come with inherent problems, however. With many months sometimes passing between use a motorcycle’s battery – and indeed any automotive battery – will discharge over time, whether connected or not. Many a summer ride has been delayed or even scuppered entirely by a bike that refused to start and it’s a sure fire bet that the same thing has happened to many a classic vehicle owner. Disconnecting the battery can be somewhat of a workaround but it’s not the ideal solution and only delays that inevitable discharge. What does work, however, is a dedicated battery maintainer that safely and automatically monitors the status and health of your battery, giving it enough juice to keep it at its optimum level. Well, that’s exactly what we have here with the CS Free from CTEK.
The Product
CTEK has been in the charging game for 25 years, beginning life in 1997 in a small town in Sweden. Since then it has gone on to become the global market leader in battery management solutions with a commitment to top quality products for the home, workshop and race track. One of their flagship charging solutions is the CTEK CS Free, a portable, intelligent battery charger and maintainer that will charge and maintain any 12V lead acid or lithium battery.
Using Adaptive Boost technology the CS FREE will automatically analyse your battery and calculate the safest and quickest way to give it the power it requires without damage or over-charging. It’s also a smart maintainer and power bank that can keep not only your battery, but all of your tech powered without the need for a mains supply.
The Test
Now that the warmer weather has arrived it was time to dust off the old Triumph after being tucked up in the garage over the winter months and lo and behold the battery was dead. A perfect opportunity to whip out the CTEK CS Free then and hook it up. From out of the box to fully charged in a little over an hour (yep, we timed it and it will hold that charge for up to a year) we connected the power bank to the bike’s battery. The clear and uncomplicated display is easy to read and there are no buttons or modes to worry about – the countdown timer simply lets you know how long there is left until the battery is fully charged thanks to that Adaptive Boost technology. Easy. Once charged we then left the CS Free connected but plugged into the mains so as to maintain the battery until our next ride out without fear of over-charging.
The Result
Having connected the CS Free to the bike’s battery the display immediately flashed into life, indicating that the battery would be charged within just one hour. So, off I went to browse the Car & Classic classifieds and auction listings for a while and when I returned the display was flashing, letting me know that the battery was fully charged and now currently maintaining. The bike then happily sprang instantly to life at the first turn of the key. I was back in business and promptly went for a blast. I knew I wasn’t going to be riding again for a few days and so I left the CS Free connected to safely maintain the battery. When I returned again to the bike over a week later the battery remained fully topped up and in excellent health.
The Verdict – 5 out of 5
The CTEK CS Free is a tad pricey at over £200 but it’s the only battery charger and maintainer you’re ever going to need. With complete portability, functionality and versatility thanks to its Adaptive Boost jiggery-pokery and USB connectivity the CS Free can be charged up and stored in your car, ready to safely and automatically top up your battery and tech without the need for a mains electricity supply. It can be plugged in to a socket though, should you wish, and it can also be hooked up to a solar panel kit (which we will be testing in the future) or 12V battery for complete charging freedom wherever you go. It’s a cracking bit of kit that takes all of the worry out of battery charging and maintenance. We love it.
