Delivering a boost to stranded adventurers

When heading off-road, there’s no doubt that a wide range of issues can bring your epic expedition to a disappointing standstill.
Images of a shredded tyre or underbody component failure, brought on by a challenging rocky track, spring immediately to mind.
However, gremlins that you can’t see are often the ones leaving aspiring adventurers stranded, hours away from emergency backup.
“Dead batteries are a fairly common problem on 4×4 trips, especially when making multiple stops, switching the vehicle on and off as you scout trails, or if you haven’t used your car as much before hitting the wide-open road in general,” CTEK APAC Regional Sales Manager, Paul Oddy, said.
“In Australia, we are right on the doorstep of so many amazing natural areas. Travelling off-grid can be a great break from your regular routine, but it’s more essential than ever to pack a bit of extra power when heading off on a road trip.
“A modern vehicle has more than 200 Electronic Control Units (ECU) controlling many of the vehicle’s functions. When you attach a CTEK charger, not only do you ensure the battery is charged, you maintain its long-term performance.
“The CS FREE is therefore the perfect bit of kit – in fact I would recommend that whether you are on your next adventure or taking a ride in your daily drive, you should always carry the CS FREE – it is the ultimate emergency kit!”
The CS FREE is an Adaptive Booster to quickly power up dead batteries, and Portable Battery Charger to charge and maintain your vehicle battery wherever you are.
It can also be used as a hi-tech power bank and is designed to keep your essential devices charged and ready to go.
It is also a safe-start that can be used instead of jump starting or using a traditional booster that could damage the battery or the vehicle’s complex electronics.
Following are CTEK’s top tips to make sure you can enjoy your next road trip with complete peace of mind:

Understand what makes your battery die
It is important to understand what can drain your battery while out on the road.
That’s because your battery provides power to things like the clock, the radio, and the alarm system even while your car is turned off. And if you’re parked up by your tent, your keyless entry key fob might still be trying to connect with the car, drawing further power from the battery.
Plus, every time you open the doors or trunk to get something out, your car springs into life and the interior and door lights will drain the battery, as will playing the radio or music from the vehicle.
When you’re away from a power source, you may also charge your phone or other devices from the car which can draw much more power from the battery than you realise.

Charge before you go
Make sure your battery is fully charged and in tip top condition before you leave home.
Driving around in your car will only charge your battery to 80 percent capacity so, to top it up to 100 percent, you’ll always need an efficient battery charger.
A smart battery charger and maintainer like the CS FREE will check how much charge you have in your battery and get you fully charged for your trip.
This is especially important if you are going away in a motorhome or another vehicle you aren’t using regularly, as a stationary vehicle can lose 0.1V of energy every month, even more so if your parked vehicle is running an alarm system, onboard computer, remote locking, and a host of other systems.

Take a portable charger with you
CTEK says its CS FREE is the perfect companion on a road trip, stating this innovative portable battery charger is compatible with all types of batteries and will get you safely started should your battery die.
Simply charge the CS FREE before you leave home, and then, if you do find yourself stranded, the CS FREE uses patented adaptive boost technology to gently and safely give you enough charge to get you going in a few minutes.
The CS FREE also has USB-A and USB-C ports so you can charge your mobile phone, PC, tablet, camera and other devices while you’re away.
There’s also an optional, easily transportable folding solar panel accessory available to power up the CS FREE while you’re in a remote location away from the power grid.

Don’t be tempted to run the engine
CTEK advises you to not be tempted to start the car and run the engine to put power back into the battery, as this could do more harm than good.
Not only is this bad for the environment, but it actually takes a significant amount of battery power just to start the car, so you’d have to run the engine for a considerable length of time for the alternator to replace this charge. Not to mention the fuel that’s being wasted, especially with soaring fuel prices in mind.

Have fun
Finally, CTEK reminds you to enjoy yourself, stating that following this battery care advice from CTEK will help to ensure that you make the most of your road trip with complete peace of mind.

For more information about CTEK’s range of products, please visit www.ctek.com