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Q: How did the tool/equipment function as far as saving you time?
A: Because this charger has its own internal battery it can be used to bring a low battery (3V minimum) up to a starting charge without having to plug it into an outlet or extension cord. It does not need babysitting and that allows you to work on something else.
Q: How has using this tool impacted your shop’s profitability?
A: The CS Free saves money creating profitability because it’s able to be used on any type of 12V battery. It eliminates the need to purchase individual chargers for the several types of batteries we see in the shop.
Q: What kind of setup was involved before using the product?
A: Since the CS FREE has an internal battery it is necessary to fully charge it before use. Setup was quick and easy, it comes with a USB type C cable and power wall adapter. Make the connections similar to any cell phone and let it charge.
Q: How easy was it to use?
A: Each function is easy to set up and use.
Q: How was its packaging? Did it come with any accessories?
A: It was packaged in a box with the company and charger name making it easy to identify. Inside the charger was on one side and the charge clamps were on the other along with the cord and AC adapter. There were socket adapters to use with the wall charger for use in countries outside the U.S. Everything fit nicely and could even be put back in the box after unpacking.
Optional accessories: Carrying bag with handle, Solar Panel Charge Kit with carrying case, Cigarette Lighter Adapter, USB-C Charge Clamps, CS FREE Wall Mount.
Q: Was there a manual included? If so, did you use the manual, and was the manual easy to understand?
A: Yes, there were two manuals included. The small manual gives specs of the unit, safety precautions, and general instructions. The larger manual was all illustrations. It further explained the hookup procedures, more precautions, do’s and don’t’s, and the lights on the unit. The larger manual left me with a few questions, so I contacted support. CTEK’s support is very knowledgeable they answered my questions to satisfaction and even explained the reasons behind the technology that they used in the charger and the benefits of using it.
Q: What features did you like?
A: I loved all of its features. It was very interesting how the Adaptive Boost feature worked. The 20A charger worked well for recharging car batteries and would automatically switch to a smart maintainer. As a power bank, it charged and recharged my devices through its USB and USB-C output ports. No matter what function I was using I was confident that the batteries would be charged and ready to go when I was.
Q: Is there any way you could think to improve or add to this tool?
A: Having an LED number display would be easier to understand the charge and discharge percentages but once you understand how the lights work on the unit you're good to go. It would be nice if there was a way for it to bring a flat battery up to the 3V starting point and then the charger can take over. That being said I think the technology behind the CS FREE and its functions are top notch and I can’t think of any way to improve that.
Q: What types of jobs/repairs did you use this tool for? Please provide a few specific examples.
A: I used the charger for a couple jobs in the shop. I also drained and charged batteries just to see how the CS FREE worked in different cases. I used the CS FREE's Adaptive Boost function to start a couple vehicles that had parasitic draws that wouldn’t start. I used the Solar Panel Kit on a vehicle that will almost drain the battery in 12 hours to see if it could keep up with the load, and it did the trick. The cigarette lighter adapter worked great to recharge the unit after using it as a power bank and charging my tablet, a couple flashlights, my phone, and another power bank. I used the USB-C charge cable clamps and a large 12V truck battery as the power source for the CS FREE to charge a battery. Everything works great.
Q: Have you used a previous version of this tool? If so, what are some new features compared to the old version? / How does this tool compare to other tools you’ve used like it?
A: I have used many battery charges over the years but none with this type of technology and of this high quality.
Q: Is there anything you had questions or concerns about in regard to the tool?
A: I pretty much had things figured out, but I contacted CTEK just to make sure that my thinking was correct.
Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tool overall? Why?
A: I’d give it a 9.5. This smart charger works great. It was able to handle everything thrown at it except a totally flat battery. My solution for that was to hook up a small lithium booster for a couple minutes and that would provide enough power that I could then hook up the CS FREE. The optional accessories are of top quality as well. The solar panels are rugged, waterproof, and produced plenty of power to charge the CS FREE's internal battery but also charge and maintain a full-size battery in a vehicle with a parasitic draw. They even produced over 9V laying flat on the floor of my home on a cloudy day. I thought that was impressive. All of the cables are well made and I feel everything will provide years of dependable service.
