CTEK recently introduced the Lithium US charger – an advanced microprocessor-controlled charger specially designed to recharge and maintain lithium-iron phosphate batteries, including those increasingly used in motorcycle and powersports applications.
The Lithium US is designed to communicate with a lithium batteries’ on-board battery management system (BMS) during the entire charging process to ensure that the appropriate charging and conditioning cycle is delivered safely with no risk to the battery, the vehicle or the user.
“Lithium batteries are becoming more popular for selected motorcycle and powersports applications because they are powerful and lightweight, contributing to vehicle performance and economy,” said Bobbie DuMelle, executive VP of CTEK North America. “But some users incorrectly think that lithium batteries do not require long-term maintenance charging. Lithium batteries are subject to the same issues as lead-acid batteries when connected to a vehicle: weather conditions (particularly low temperatures) and accessories that can drain current. If the battery becomes deeply discharged this could potentially mean a premature end to its life. Lithium batteries need to be charged and it’s even more important to use a charger specifically designed to charge, maintain and recover them.”
The Lithium US is a fully automatic “connect and forget” charger with eight charging steps, including a testing sequence to show if the battery can accept and retain a charge, a unique maximization step to restore full capacity, and patented maintenance charging to ensure maximum performance even after months of inactivity.
“With lithium battery technology, unbalanced cells can significantly shorten battery life – and that is important considering the high cost of these batteries,” said DuMelle. “The Lithium US uses patented CTEK technology to give the battery proper time for internal balancing of voltage. The proprietary CTEK float and pulse maintenance features ensure that the lithium batteries, once fully charged, can be maintained even if the vehicle is left unused for an extended period.”
The Lithium US features an under-voltage protection system using a reset function that will reset the battery management system if the voltage has dropped too low. The charger will also check that the battery is accepting a charge after being deep discharged, an exclusive CTEK function. This allows the battery to be safely recovered and recharged.
It is also splash-proof and dustproof, and features a 5-year warranty.
