We were road testing the CS FREE from CTEK when real-life breakdown assistance was called for.
Well, what a handy device this turned out to be. The CS FREE is an all-in-one solution that not only charges a vehicle’s flat battery, (lead-acid or lithium) but also doubles as a powerful portable power bank for mobile devices. Ideal for RVs, campervans, motorbikes, and even boats.
And what’s more, it works like a dream! How do we know this?
Enter Keith, attending a rugby club family weekend. He was in his van ready to leave but discovered the battery was flat and wouldn’t start the engine! How fortunate then that our testing family, who happened to be at the same event, had their CS FREE with them charging their phones. They were more than happy with its charging performance on all their mobile devices but were racking their brains trying to find a dead vehicle battery to test.
Obviously Keith was more than happy for them to step in and resuscitate his comatose battery, as his only other recourse was to wait for over two hours for roadside recovery.
Over to Jason our unit tester.
“I connected the cables and turned on the CS FREE by CTEK and left it to charge. Amazingly after just ten minutes the van started!
“A game changer? Absolutely. No more running jump leads from one car to another, trying to get them as close together in tight areas, just simply pop the bonnet open, clip the cables on and make a brew while you wait. Maybe charge your phone at the same time so you can cancel the recovery truck!”
A very happy Keith then, and a very impressed Jason. The universe is back in balance once more.
CS FREE by CTEK differs from using jump leads because it puts enough charge back into a flat battery to start a vehicle, and it does it, incredibly, within 15 minutes. Jump leads rely on an external power source to start the engine and put nothing into the battery. The CS FREE actually charges the battery using built-in adaptive boost technology, which first identifies what type of battery it is attached to, and then imports the right amount of charge into it to get it to start the engine safely without damaging the battery. The digital countdown lets you know when there is sufficient charge in the battery to start the engine.
With its maintenance mode, it can keep a battery fully charged when not in use by simply connecting the CSFREE to a power outlet and leaving it under the bonnet to safely get on with charging. On the other hand, if the car is in a remote area with no power outlet available, the unit can be used remotely to keep the battery topped up for at least two days before its own battery is drained.
Perhaps you might be storing the vehicle where there’s no power outlet, but there is a charged external battery? You can connect the CSFREE to this and continue to charge your vehicle.
One more option is to use the CSFREE by CTEK as a power bank for mobile devices. There are USB A and C ports on the unit which will quickly charge any mobile device, be it a phone, a laptop, a camera or a tablet.
The CSFREE by CTEK, a Swedish tech company,has clearly been designed to be a life saver for vehicle batteries in very cold regions. But let’s face it, if you take Keith’s situation as an example, you can get a flat battery anywhere. Better safe than sorry.
Tell me more about the CSFREE by CTEK
The CSFREE by CTEK is available direct from CTEK for £280.
There is also a solar panel charge kit accessory at £320
