Wise winter storage for smooth spring start ups

There’s nothing quite like hitting the open road in your classic or sports car, motorbike or boat during the summer months. But with autumn just around the corner, if you’re thinking about putting your treasured vehicle away for the winter, CTEK, the leading global brand in battery charging solutions, has some useful advice for wise winter storage that will keep your vehicle battery in tip top condition, ready for a smooth spring start. 

“Vehicles left in storage over winter need a special kind of care and attention,” says Gary Brown, Aftermarket Division and Consumer Product Manager for CTEK. “The summer heat may have put strain on your battery without you even knowing it, and once your vehicle is in storage, the battery will continue to lose charge, especially as your vehicle might be still using power in the background, even when the ignition’s turned off.”  

And that’s why CTEK recommends carrying out regular (at least monthly) maintenance charging with a smart battery charger and maintainer like the CTEK CS ONE. This will keep your battery topped up and in peak condition through the winter months, and you can be confident that the engine will start right when you need it, the moment spring comes around again. 

“There is actually a very narrow margin between a fully charged battery and a chemically discharged one, and even a small drop in charge can compromise battery health, as sulphate crystals can build up, degrading the battery, reducing capacity, and even making replacement necessary,” says Gary. “Battery failure can also damage or compromise a vehicle’s electronics, which could be even more costly, so it really does pay to get into a routine of regular maintenance charging while your vehicle is in storage, especially as regular maintenance charging can actually extend your battery’s life by up to three times!” 

CTEK’s CS ONE is the perfect tool for winter battery charging and maintenance. 

It’s got our revolutionary APTO™ (Adaptive Charging) technology on board which does all the thinking for you. Just connect it up and it’ll automatically work out a customised charging program tailored to the exact needs of your battery. 

It also has an automatic ambient temperature sensor that adjusts the output voltage – even in conditions right down to -30°C (-22°C) – so it’ll never under or overcharge your battery. 

And it’s super safe – you can leave CS ONE connected to your vehicle’s battery all winter for continuous maintenance and top up charging. You just hook it up, then come back in six months’ time and know your battery is fully maintained and your vehicle will be ready to spring into action when you are! 

For more information, visit Winter storage