Story & Photos by Patrick P. Tulfo
CTEK, the acknowledged leader in battery maintenance and smart chargers in the world, has gone a long way since it first introduced its lineup of intelligent vehicle battery chargers in the Philippines two years ago.
“From selling a mere 20 to 30 battery chargers a year, we’re now in a thousand products sold, the product has been really well-received in the Philippine market,” said Robert Briggs, the company’s director for sales and marketing, when asked about their sales after his presentation on the company’s latest offering to date.
He admitted, though, that they still have a long way to go when it comes to educating the consumer on the importance of charging their vehicles (whether a car or a motorcycle) properly.
But what excites Briggs nowadays is the introduction of their lineup of professional chargers for the professional workshop. He said “educating the dealers and the media on battery maintenance within a workshop for the professional users is important because vehicles today are so reliant on batteries.”
To stress this, he presented a picture of a family having fun playing with a garden hose during his PowerPoint presentation at the press conference earlier held at the Hai Shin Lou Seafood Restaurant. He explained that the boy hosing down his sister represents a battery that is being charged continuously, with the sister being the battery. This elicited a hearty laugh from all the attendees.
But on a serious note, Briggs explained the features of their Professional Charging Series that meet the needs of a modern workshop, which offers such services to their customers. It is fairly common to have at least 1 in 4 vehicles enter the workshop, or more commonly known as the service center, with an undercharged battery. This condition, if left unchecked, will usually lead to premature battery failures.
CTEK’s powerful professional-grade battery maintenance system was not only designed to meet these needs, but also to make the operations in the shop easier and more efficient.
The two models that were presented to the media and as prospective clients were the PRO60 and Pro Battery Tester.
The PRO60 is an innovative, versatile and highly efficient two-in-one system that not only charges batteries but is also a power supply, as well. And just like its brothers, it restores, charges and reconditions the battery using a patented multistep process. It is compatible with all types of 12V batteries, including the expensive lithium variant (LifePO4). The Adaptive Charging mode feature automatically recognizes the size of the battery and selects the optimum charging settings for the fastest charge.
It is also perfect for diagnostic and software flashing work that requires the vehicle’s ignition to be switched on for a long period of time. The PRO60 provides up to 60A of clean and constant current and has a variable yet extremely stable output. It offers total flexibility for the users with 12.6V to 14.V available and selectable in 0.1 increments. The low voltage ripple, low current ripple plus a range of integrated safety features make it safe for batteries and the vehicles delicate electronic system.
Its compact design allows for convection cooling through a center cooling core plus the unique “Resonant Converter” delivers high levels of stable current even at high ambient temperatures.
Meanwhile, the PRO Battery Tester was designed to perform quick, simple and accurate tests on the battery and electrical systems in mere seconds without the heat or sparks that is common in conventional testers.
It offers excellent flexibility as it is compatible with all battery rating systems (CCA, DIN, EN, IEC, SAE) and 12V lead-acid battery chemistries, such as standard flooded, AGM and GEL types. It will even work on batteries as low as 1V.
It comes equipped with an integrated printer so that results can be printed and reviewed immediately, providing a real-time insight to preventive maintenance routines and customer service.
CTEK made sure that both products (which should be bought together) will be easy to use and will make a fine addition to any shop in the country.
The CTEK PRO Series is now available through CTEK Philippines. To learn more about how this can be a perfect solution or addition to your business, you may visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CTEK.Ph.
Image credits: Patrick P. Tulfo