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CTEK
MXS 5.0
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Best Car Battery Chargers · head-to-head
MXS 5.0 vs SC1281 6/2/30/100A Charger & Engine Starter
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. MXS 5.0 is cheaper at —. Every spec and price links to its source.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | MXS 5.0 |  SC1281 6/2/30/100A Charger & Engine Starter |
|---|---|---|
| US price | — | — |
| Brand | CTEK | Schumacher |
| Released | — | — |
| Max charge amps | 4.3 | 12 |
| Voltage support (V) | 12 | 6, 12 |
| Battery chemistry | Flooded/WET and Calcium (Ca/Ca) lead-acid, plus AGM batteries | Standard (flooded), AGM, Gel, and Deep-Cycle lead-acid batteries |
| Modes | 8-step fully automatic: desulfation, soft start, bulk, absorption, analyze, reconditioning (optional/selectable), float, pulse maintenance | 5-in-1: battery charger (2/6/12A continuous, multi-stage, microprocessor-controlled), battery maintainer, 30A boost/rapid charge, 100A engine start, plus built-in battery and alternator testing |
| Waterproof rating | — | — |
| Reverse polarity protection | — | Yes |
| Display | LED indicator lights marking each of the 8 charging steps | Red 7-segment LED digital readout plus indicator lights for rate selection, battery type, and a clamps-reversed warning |
| Temperature compensation | Yes | — |
Sources — MXS 5.0: manualslib.com (verified 2026-08-01). SC1281 6/2/30/100A Charger & Engine Starter: schumacherelectric.com (verified 2026-08-01).
What's the difference between the MXS 5.0 and SC1281 6/2/30/100A Charger & Engine Starter?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 8). Matching specs are omitted.
- Max charge amps: MXS 5.0 4.3 vs SC1281 6/2/30/100A Charger & Engine Starter 12
- Voltage support (V): MXS 5.0 12 vs SC1281 6/2/30/100A Charger & Engine Starter 6, 12
- Battery chemistry: MXS 5.0 Flooded/WET and Calcium (Ca/Ca) lead-acid, plus AGM batteries vs SC1281 6/2/30/100A Charger & Engine Starter Standard (flooded), AGM, Gel, and Deep-Cycle lead-acid batteries
- Modes: MXS 5.0 8-step fully automatic: desulfation, soft start, bulk, absorption, analyze, reconditioning (optional/selectable), float, pulse maintenance vs SC1281 6/2/30/100A Charger & Engine Starter 5-in-1: battery charger (2/6/12A continuous, multi-stage, microprocessor-controlled), battery maintainer, 30A boost/rapid charge, 100A engine start, plus built-in battery and alternator testing
- Display: MXS 5.0 LED indicator lights marking each of the 8 charging steps vs SC1281 6/2/30/100A Charger & Engine Starter Red 7-segment LED digital readout plus indicator lights for rate selection, battery type, and a clamps-reversed warning