CTEK - 40-206 MXS 5.0 Fully Automatic 4.3 amp Battery Charger and Maintainer 12V

I have two of these chargers. One that I have been using for 4 years and the other for 1 year. They work great and are in almost constant use for keeping a tractor, a mower and a motorcycle charged and the batteries maintained. They are not cheap but I believe that they are worth the price given how well they work, how long they last, and how they extend battery life.

Jay Leno talked about this unit on his show and praised it highly, he's a real car guy plus I highly doubt Jay's endorsement could be bought. I plugged mine onto what had been a healthy 12V car battery that tested at only 11.6 volts when resting. Overnight, the charger went through all 8 steps of charge/test and had a green light. Now the battery tests at 12.6v Maybe any other charger would have restored it that well but this thing puts the battery through a lot of steps to improve and insure it's 'health'. Highly recommend. High quality, fast charge, great power, easy to attach, LONG cord, easy to use basically plug'n'play. The instruction manual however, not so great. I viewed some youtubes to make sure I understood the various functions, there are plenty of them, turns out this is a very popular charger for real car guys.

In the world of battery chargers and maintainers, the CTEK - 40-206 MXS 5.0 stands tall as the undisputed champion. This little powerhouse is the gold standard, setting the bar high for performance and reliability. From the moment you unbox it, the CTEK MXS 5.0 exudes quality. Its sleek design and robust build are just the beginning. This charger is fully automatic, meaning it takes the guesswork out of battery maintenance. Simply connect it, and let it work its magic. The 4.3-amp output is perfect for maintaining 12V batteries, whether in your car, motorcycle, or even your boat. It’s like having a personal battery butler, ensuring your power source is always at peak performance. The various charging modes cater to different needs, from reconditioning deeply discharged batteries to maintaining a steady charge for those infrequently used vehicles. Ease of use is another feather in its cap. The intuitive interface and clear indicators make it simple to operate, even for those who aren’t particularly tech-savvy. You can practically set it and forget it, confident that your battery is in good hands. Performance-wise, the CTEK MXS 5.0 delivers consistently, breathing new life into old batteries and maintaining new ones in pristine condition. It’s a reliable companion, whether you’re preparing for winter storage or just ensuring your vehicle is always ready to go. TL;DR: CTEK - 40-206 MXS 5.0: The gold standard in battery maintainers, offering top-notch performance, ease of use, and reliable maintenance for 12V batteries.

Love the CTEK chargers and have not had one problem with them or any car they have been on. Will charge any battery has a low rate of charge so will not damage electronics in cars and a fraction of cost of OEM chargers. Weight is irrelevant but it comes with a carry bag.

Been using this in my 2021 BMW 228 while it is stored for winter. It is user friendly and easy to use. I can unhook it and start up no problem and it is maintaining the battery well. No complaints and much more affordable than the BMW branded battery packs which I hear are made by the same company

Purchased this in 2018, and has worked well except for a flakey mode button the last couple years, that required very hard repeated pushes to activate. Saw YouTubes on how to clean/replace switch, but they required cracking into unit, compromising water resistance. I fixed mine by cutting through and around the mode button plastic label, lifting out the 1/2inch circle, then popping off the black button underneath. I then squirted some plastic-safe contact cleaner on the surface mount microswitch and repeatedly pushed to work it in. The switch then returned to normal functioning and selected modes easily. Applied clear vinyl tape over reinstalled black button and hole, extending over black label and trimming with razor to edge of label. You could try to save the mode button cutout and install under tape, but I just used a white Dyno label for the now working black mode button. Except for this one switch flaw, it has worked great to charge and rejuvenate car, mower and booster batteries.

3rd Update: My CTEK has now gone to Step 8. I can hear a faint, ticking type of sound coming from it, like I heard in some earlier steps. So,...it works exactly like it's supposed to.🥹 I love it!🥹 2d Update: My CTEK is still keeping my battery charged, at Step 7. I keep the hood open just a bit, and occasionally lift it to check on everything, as I am using the clamps to connect my CTEK. I also check my CTEK daily. I have it sitting on a table near my outlet and my vehicle. I did purchase the additional extension cord from CTEK, but haven't needed it. The only cord that seemed a little short to me was the cord that the clamps are connected to, but it turned out to be plenty long to reach my negative ground point bolt, and to connect to the Comfort Connect cord that goes to my CTEK. CTEK has a video out showing how you can make the clamps cord a little longer, but I think its best to wait and see if you need to do that, because once you pull it apart, you can't really undo what you've done. It was a little awkward for me connecting everything by myself the first time, and I didn't want to drop anything - especially inside my engine compartment - so, I put everything, but the clamps cord in a tote bag and sat it in a secure spot under the hood while I very carefully connected the clamps. I think the first time I did this, I even kept my arm inside the totebag handles. Laugh all you want, but better than fishing it all out of my engine compartment.🥹 Update from Earlier Review Today: It is early afternoon, and my Ctek has now reached Step 7, and is showing a green light at that step!😊 No more dead batteries for me!😊 Original Review: I think this is a fantastic device, and I am so happy I found out about it!😊 I had no idea there was something out there like this. It is now charging my vehicle at Step 4, and I am confident it will continue thru all the steps. When I first hooked it up, my vehicle battery was down to 3.6. I found this out when I jumped it with a jump box, something which I knew nothing about either. I started out looking for jumper cables.😊 So, this device would not go past Step 1. The solid red error light came on, and the green light stayed on. I unplugged it, and reconnected the cables to my battery, and plugged it back into the wall outlet. (I thought maybe one of the cables had moved when I gently lowered my vehicle's hood, and left it open just a little bit. But, that was not the case.) The red light did not come back on, but the green light did, and it did not go back to Step 1. Since the green light came back on, I figured my Ctek was good, and that my battery was just too low for it to charge. So, I jumped my vehicle, (and it immediately came to life, as it is a newer one) and drove it for awhile. I then reconnected my Ctek - after resetting my BMS (Battery Management System), and locking all my vehicle doors, per my vehicle manual - and it immediately went to Step 2, with the green light on. Sometime overnight, it went all the way to Step 4, and I am so very happy!😊 Thank you so much, Ctek!😊

This charger is awesome. One of our cars (a hybrid) went completely dead from lack of use for several weeks in the very cold winter we're having this year. Tried a bunch of times but couldn't jump start it. A friend recommended this product to me to trickle charge the battery. The product is easy to use, the instructions are pretty clear. It did the trick. Took about 18 hours but the completely dead battery was fully charged and the car was completely operational the next day. Real life saver because if you can't jump your car, towing and repair shop bills are next. I love it. And the alligator clamps were set apart with enough reach to get to the two hybrid terminals that weren't as close together as they would be on an actual battery. I also appreciated that the wire from the clamps to the box was long enough for me to rest the charger on my garage floor instead of on top of something under the hood for such a long period. I highly recommend.