Just brought a Ctek style charger from my local Aldi £12.99!!!!!

Seems to have the same functionality as my Ctek 5.0 and very well made.  405 AB exec seats Baltic and Cirrus
93 RR Classic efi

Remember it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!

Gone in order:
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03 L322 Oslo Blue
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Dont be under any illusions about the ALDI charger it is nowhere near as good as a CTEK. Ive got both and I did a mini review for the caravanning fraternity.

The ALDI unit is cheap and that shows in the quality, you say well made based on what? The leads are poor (one guy actually set his leads on fire when the insulation failed where it entered the battery charger case). The A to D conversion was out by about 0.2v, it doesnt sound much but it is significant in multi stage charging. The ALDI unit will not resume charging if there is a power interruption. The ALDI unit doesnt have the same capability at all.

That said, it does a job and will charge a battery, a bit like a Kia will get you from A to B, the Rangie does it so much better though. BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
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As a layman all seems pretty much good quality to me. Like you say it charges the battery.

I'm no expert on stages A-D but from what it says on the tin it does actually have the same functionality as my Ctek.

Like everything £10 or a £1000 there will be some bad ones, and you can't rule out user error, but for now I'll stick to my comments.

If the power fails so be it - I can't remember the last time that happened round my way.

I'm only using it on a rarely used RRC so for now I'm happy.  405 AB exec seats Baltic and Cirrus
93 RR Classic efi

Remember it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!

Gone in order:
4.4 TDV8 SE - gone to a good home
93 Classic hard dash Plymouth Blue
03 L322 Oslo Blue
2000 Disco TD5 ES Epsom Green
98 P38 Rioja Red
89 Classic Cairngorm Brown

As far as I know the Aldi doesn’t have the capability to charge in cold conditions, recondition batteries or act as a PSU which my CTEK does. BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

The Ctec isn't withouts it's faults though. I've got 3 of the them, and have had issues with them all. Some won't charge when they are cold (must be brought inside to heat up first), some require multiple attempts to actually register that it's supposed to start charging, some just stop charging half way, and must be re-started.

That being said, I've got 3, so obviously I still like them. 2007 L322 3.6 TDV8 Stornoway

You’re the first one I’ve ever heard complain about Ctek. Every day an education! BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

I have 3 C-Teks and 2 work perfectly. The other has stopped allowing me to change the mode which is not too terrible as it's stuck on the regular charge mode with the car icon.

Of my Lidl chargers they both work fine except for the well known issue that if they suffer a power cut they revert to off mode.

Of the 2 Halfords own brand chargers one fell to pieces after about 5 years and the other stopped working after a couple of years.

On that straw poll of 1, Lidl chargers are the in comparison to any others. 2017 5.0 Autobiography Supercharged
2005 Merc SL350
2005 Disco HSE 2.7 oil burner

The 'current' (forgive me) Aldi one has a fast charge 6v standard mode, a 12v 0.8A standard charge mode a 12v 3.8A fast charging mode AND a 12v 3.8 Cold charge mode as well as the trickle charging. The manual also confirms a reconditioning and reactivation function as well as the usual overheat cut out and polarity protection.

Clearly an improved product on older versions.

Might be time for another mini review.

My Ctek has worked without fail buts thats fixed in the car port for the FF. Justifying another £70 for the RRC in the garage seems little extravagant - hence the Aldi. 405 AB exec seats Baltic and Cirrus
93 RR Classic efi

Remember it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!

Gone in order:
4.4 TDV8 SE - gone to a good home
93 Classic hard dash Plymouth Blue
03 L322 Oslo Blue
2000 Disco TD5 ES Epsom Green
98 P38 Rioja Red
89 Classic Cairngorm Brown

I may just go and get another one and have a look, thanks for the info. BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

my Ctek just went pop.....

can't remember whether it was a 5 or 7, but it smelled funny, refused to turn on and when I took it apart to see what was the problem a close inspection of the board found one of the resistors had blown, happened when I was charging the caravan battery, which I have done several times. I was charging it from fully flat but it should do that..... There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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Better get the hammer out to fix it then! BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

yep.....

that didn't work. went in the bin.

going to get a new one on order as i'm without charger at the mo. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial

Care to send it to me, I can probably repair it ? BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

was thinking of having a go, putting my D at electronics A-Level to the test, but its gone now unfortunately, went bang a few weeks back. did cut the wires off tho.... so I have some spare connectors

thanks for the offer  There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial