CTEK Battery Sense Device Monitors Battery Condition

by .Smart Charger May 01, 2019

CTEK Battery Sense Device Monitors Battery Condition by Rick Muscoplat

CTEK Battery Sense

Rick's Free Auto Repair Advice

Know your battery’s condition at all times with CTEK’s Battery Sense Monitor

Never get caught by surprise with a dead battery! Install the CTEK Battery Sense Monitor device on your car or boat battery and download the CTEK iOS or Android app. Then sync your phone or tablet to the CTEK Battery Sense unit and you can check your battery’s condition at any time and any place simply by check the CTEK app.

Why You Need a CTEK Battery Sense Monitor

Simple, the CTEK Battery Sense Monitor eliminates surprises due to a dead battery. And, it lets you know when it’s time to charge your battery. Here are some examples to show why you need a CTEK Battery Sense Monitor.

Scenario #1

You drive short distances to work and do your shopping. Or you drive in stop and go traffic. These driving conditions are incredibly hard on your car’s battery because you never drive long enough or at high enough engine RPMs to fully recharge your battery. It’s even worse if you drive your vehicle that way in winter! Lead-acid batteries lose capacity at cold temperatures and cold engines require more amps to start up. So your battery is low as soon as you put it in gear. The short drives simply can’t replace all that lost power. If you don’t drive it long enough to recharge it or you don’t use a battery charger to bring it back to full charge, you’ll get this horrible sound — an engine that won't turn over.

But with a CTEK Battery Sense Monitor connected to your battery, you can check its condition before you turn the key.

Scenario #2

You have multiple vehicles and some of them sit for long periods. All lead-acid batteries self-discharge at the rate of 1-2% PER DAY (depending on temperature). And that’s without any power draw from the vehicle’s computer. Add up the self-discharge rate and the battery drain from the vehicle’s computer and your battery can fail to start the car in as little as 30-days. Connect a CTEK Battery Sense unit to those vehicles so you know when they need to be driven or recharged.

Scenario #3

You own a boat. Do I have to spell this out for you? Right….nobody wants to get caught out on the water with a dead battery. Know your boat battery condition before you even walk onto the dock by installing a CTEK Battery Sense monitor.

How to Install a CTEK Battery Sense Monitor

CTEK sent me a sample unit to install and try. It really is simple to install and use. Here’s what to do:

Loosen the positive battery terminal clamp using a socket/ratchet or wrench. Slide the red “C” lug terminal from the CTEK Battery Sense unit between the nut and the positive terminal. Tighten the nut.

NOTE: Take care not to contact any engine or sheet metal body parts with the wrench or ratchet when working on the positive terminal while the negative battery terminal is connected to the battery. If you’re working in tight quarters and worry that your wrench might contact a grounding point, disconnect the negative terminal from the battery before attempting to connect the positive “C” lug.

Repeat the procedure on the negative battery terminal using the black “C” lug terminal from the CTEK Battery Sense unit between the nut and terminal bolt. Tighten.

Set up the app

Download the CTEK Battery Sense app from the Apple or Google Play site and install it on your smart device. Then launch the app and enter the Battery Sense serial number on the registration screen.

Locate the serial number on the Battery Sense label or box and enter into the app

Enter the vehicle information on the next screen. This is especially helpful if you’re installing multiple CTEK Battery Sense unit on your family fleet. I installed my unit on a Subaru.

Monitor your battery condition

Your battery condition will appear as soon as you complete the setup process. If you’re using an iOS product and want to continuously monitor your battery’s condition, simply leave the CTEK Battery Sense app running. On an Android device, go to app settings and allow it to receive background updates.

Secure the Battery Sense unit

Use the zip ties included in the package to secure the CTEK Battery Sense Monitor in a safe place in your engine compartment.

FTC Disclaimer: CTEK is not paying me to write this post. Also, CTEK provided this sample unit at no charge with no assurance that I would write a positive review. Quite the contrary, my blog policy is that I will never write a positive review on a product unless I actually like it and feel it’s a good choice for my readers. Finally, I am purposely NOT including a link to Amazon for this product to prove that I’m not benefiting financially by endorsing this product.