CASE STUDY | Low Voltage | Premium Dealership, Brisbane, Australia

ABOUT THE DEALERSHIP

Servicing modern European vehicles is a highly demanding, customer-centric business with no room for error. As a premium retailer of German vehicles in Brisbane, the dealership strives to offer the best value on quality new and used vehicles, while also offering excellent aftersales servicing and maintenance.

The dealership’s modern workshop ensures every customer vehicle receives the most current parts and servicing available whilst being handled by a fully qualified and experienced mechanic. 

THE CHALLENGE

The busy workshop services up to 80 vehicles per day, and its technicians are constantly seeking best-of-breed technologies that will help to create efficiencies and enhance the value offered to customers. 

For every vehicle that rolls into the workshop, battery maintenance and support has become an increasingly critical element of any service. Kevin, a technician at the dealership, said, “The majority of cars entering our workshop are equipped with start-stop technology, which automatically turns off the engine when the vehicle comes to a halt, and then restarts at the time of acceleration.”

While the technology has positive impacts on the environment, reducing fuel consumption and exhaust emissions, the frequency of engine restarts in a single journey imposes heavy demands on the vehicle’s battery. Kevin explains therefore that many of the vehicles serviced arrive with low battery charge levels. 

Additionally, vehicles arriving into the workshop are increasingly equipped with various multiple computer systems controlling everything from automatic brakes, keyless entry, infotainment and HVAC. These systems often need to be updated with the latest software when the car comes in for service, which requires the ignition to be on for up to 24 hours, without the motor running and operating solely from the power of the battery.

To ensure a vehicle’s battery is at full charge by the end of service, and to avoid battery run-down when the computer systems are being updated, it’s critical the workshop has an intelligent, powerful and easy-to-use battery charge and support solution they can rely on. 

The Brisbane dealership currently uses manufacturer-supplied charging systems, with the OEM demanding that those systems be able to supply 100A. Kevin explains the increase in the number of computers on cars in the future will see this demand rise to 120-150A over the next few years. The workshop also requires a solution that can meet the amperage needs of the vehicles being serviced, both now and into the future.

“We found the solution fully charged the battery by the end of every vehicle service, and we were really impressed with the speed of the charge, when compared to other products we’ve used. Every vehicle that comes through our workshop requires some form of battery charging and support during its service, and for those vehicles that require computer system updates, a solution over 100A is required. It’s the continuous supply of 120A that truly sets the PRO120 above the rest.”
- Kevin, Technician, Brisbane-based dealership

THE SOLUTION

CTEK delivered its latest PRO120 battery charging and support solution to the dealership for testing and evaluation purposes. The CTEK PRO120 is designed to meet the most extreme power demands in any workshop, capable of supporting 120A charging at 12V, and compatible with gel, lead-acid and lithium-based batteries.

The PRO120 restores charge and reconditions batteries using a patented multi-step charging process. Using ‘adaptive charging’ mode, the unit automatically detects the appropriate settings for the battery and applies optimum settings for the fastest charge. 
The Brisbane dealership used the CTEK PRO120 extensively in its workshop, and received a positive response from Kevin and the other technicians. 

“The CTEK PRO120 did exactly what we needed it to do,” he said. “The main problem we had been experiencing was battery support during programming work. We needed the amperage to run and safeguard computer systems while we were completing software updates, and the CTEK PRO120 delivered the power supply we needed to do our job effectively and efficiently.”

Kevin said the CTEK PRO120 was quicker to charge vehicle batteries during service because it supplied higher power supply than the common 40A charger the dealership would typically use during general servicing. While a 100A charger would be used for services that included software updates. 

“Within an hour, the 40A would charge the vehicle during normal servicing,” he said. “The CTEK PRO120 was much faster. It’s an all-in-one solution, coupling power supply needs with essential battery support to avoid battery failure or computer system damage.”

THE RESULT

During testing of the CTEK PRO120, Kevin and his colleagues said the PRO120 was extremely easy to use, and superior to the OEM-supplied charger due to its higher amperage, reliability and quicker charging times. The CTEK PRO120 ensured that vehicle batteries and sensitive electronic systems were protected during servicing and software reprogramming activities, while also delivering a full charge by the end of each service.

Kevin remarked the CTEK solution was a future-proofed option compared to other systems, with the ability to offer a constant, clean supply of 120A. 

ABOUT THE PRO120

The PRO120 from CTEK is a 12V, 120A battery charger and power supply, designed to meet the demands on today’s automotive technicians. With advanced design, technology and superior features, it’s the ultimate choice for comprehensive professional battery charging, care and support in the modern workshop. The PRO120 is the most powerful battery charger and power supply unit CTEK has ever launched, making it the perfect solution to support even the most demanding diagnostic or software flashing work and procedures that require the vehicle’s ignition to be switched on for long periods of time. 

- Easy to use interface with clear LCD display
- Safe for all types of 12V batteries, including lithium (LiFePO4)
- Stable power supply with variable voltage selection
- High operating efficiency and reliability through innovative convection cooling design
- Unique, patent applied ‘adaptive charging’ mode 
- 2-year warranty

“We found the PRO120 really easy to use – the menu is self explanatory and it truly was set and forget using the automated adaptive charging mode. We could trust that the battery’s safety was supported through the PRO120’s maintenance of a constant, stable voltage.”
- Kevin, Technician, Brisbane-based dealership