PB Can't Jumpstart when your 12V Battery Goes Bad

[Popplemer]

So this happened to me camping in Joshua Tree over the Xmas break.

Before the tow truck came, I'd tried jumping the engine and the ICE would sometimes actually start, but then everything would shutdown after 15 seconds. So, obviously, jumping wasn't the solution. In every ICE vehicle I've had, even with a bad 12V battery, jumping would at least allow you to get going until you can swap the battery out. But, NOPE, not with the PowerBoost. I actually thought it might be a fuse or something else since jumping wasn't working.

I had no reception, but a ranger was able to call Ford Roadside Assistance and get them to send a tow. Fortunately Joshua Tree is actually relatively close to civilization. So only an hour's drive with my family and a Tow truck and we were able to get to a Ford Dealership, This would have been way worse if I we were at just about any other park. Anyways, The service center was were able to swap out the battery and everything was well again (except a day wasted on our vacation). Ford customer service is great since everything was covered, but I'm much less thrilled with the reliability of the PB now.

So I'm so glad that this happened at a campground, where I could get a tow. However, I do often camp dispersed out in the boonies. I can't imagine how I could get help if that was the case. How can I prepare myself for something like this? Always carry a spare battery? I'm kinda freaked out that maybe the PB isn't a good choice for overloading.

I have similar concerns when camping in my RTT with my PB. So far I've always left the truck in generator mode and have been ok with the stock battery. As an aside, I'm incredibly jealous of your camper setup! ?

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[Samson16]

If it's that sensitive then it's probably sensitive enough for someone to come along and open up the doors to the cab. And then I'd worry they'd just drive off with me in the bed ?

Maybe just bring two fobs, leave one in the cab and use the other to lock the doors.

Good point. I have just locked the fob in the truck with the keypad.

 

[fordtruckman2003]

I did once as an experiment put fob on bumper by tailgate and truck was not seeing it. I was curious if sensor at rear would see fob as it does when I use tailgate and see it as being in cab. Truck is smarter than I thought.

 

[Mike_D]

I usually like to research things as much as possible before purchasing but I'm feeling lazy, so I'll just ask you. Would the Noco Genius 2 be sufficient for maintaining the health of my PB battery? I have a short urban commute 4 days a week (8 miles each way), and then sometimes the truck sits for 2-3 days at a time in between. Was thinking of getting the Noco2 to just plug in overnight or on days off.

@mxwrk

I believe member "turbopilot" has had success maintaining his 2023 Powerboost battery at a high state of charge (90%+) using a 2 amp trickle charger (not sure what brand/model). Of course the Genius2 should have a longer charging time than say the Genius5, but if you have 2-3 days to trickle charge the battery, seems like the Genius2 would do it (Noco says on their web site 37.5hrs to charge a "Truck Battery" at 50% discharge). I also noticed the charger they describe as a "maintainer", the Genius 2D, is a 2 Amp model.

I have the older Noco G3500 3.5 Amp charger, a week or so ago I discovered my 2022 Lariat Powerboost 12V battery SOC was only 60%, I only had a couple/few hours to charge it but I threw the G3500 on it for that limited time and it was able to raise the SOC from 60% to 70%. I then went on a 6 hour highway run and when I got home battery was at 81%. I plan to put the G3500 back on this weekend and let it go through its complete charging cycle. I've been tempted this week to upgrade to the Genius5 5 Amp model, seems to have some nice new features (thermal compensation, better clamps, etc.) over the G3500, but haven't pulled the trigger yet, want to see how the G3500 does with a full cycle first, maybe 3.5A charging current rate is better for the battery than 5A, who knows? I don't, LOL! Probably more important is the "smartness" of the charging profile/steps.

 

[scuba]

I have a slightly related 12v battery question but don't wanna thread hijack. New thread here:

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/cant-jump-with-pb.21540/

 

[Gros Ventre]

Even at 12.7DC, if the battery was partly discharged, it would be charging. The rate would be low, perhaps half an amp or so. The lead-acid battery terminal voltage is proportional to state of charge.

 

[Tosh]

What do you mean "Both 12v batts dead"? There's more than one?

There is an auxiliary 12v battery under the rear passenger-side seat

 

[astrand1]

What do you mean "Both 12v batts dead"? There's more than one?


My battery wasn't just dead, it couldn't hold a charge any longer. So you ware able to jump the PB even though the battery couldn't hold a charge?

Well you did not say that it could not hold a charge. Still I suspected other issues as once the truck is “on” it’s no longer relying on the 12v batts. So that’s what threw me off. But yea both of my batts were stone dead. And with my jump pack it powered right up. Now mind you the truck was angry. lol. Dash looked like a Xmas tree but I had my laptop with me and cleared all the codes and all was well.

 

[DANNER]

Well you did not say that it could not hold a charge,

That's what I meant be "Goes Bad". I dunno what the technical term is. Worn out, Dead-Dead, Mucho-Muerta ?

 

[astrand1]

That's what I meant be "Goes Bad". I dunno what the technical term is. Worn out, Dead-Dead, Mucho-Muerta ?

I’m sure there is a technical term as well. Maybe took a shit! ?? still weird that once jumped the truck would not stay “on” but who knows these things are very finicky to be sure.

 

[HammaMan]

Good point. I have just locked the fob in the truck with the keypad.

The 'fob in truck' relies on the sensor under the cup holder to determine if the fob is in the truck (for he batt boost voltage to work). There's external sensors for the tailgate and front handles for auto-unlock, but the key has to be at them to work.

 

[ReverendQ]

I got a notice yesterday morning that my truck was scheduled for an OTA update at 6pm.
(6.5.0, and I have my Sync Software Update schedule set to 6pm)

I had let my truck sit for 8 days. Ford's SOC algorithm declared the battery at 57%. Perhaps the lowest since I've owned the truck. (approaching the 8th quarter)
I have been lazy and not put the Noco on it while I did a long stretch of EV commuting.

So when I left work yesterday afternoon, instead of shutting the truck down, I just parked and left it in generator mode.
It's pretty much a self-trickle charger, except it's stronger than a Noco 5 or a Noco 10, IF you leave the FOB IN the truck. (I was getting 11amps at 14.4V while outside the truck)

So yeah, while camping, I definitely would include monitoring the low voltage health of the Powerboost as one of the many camping chores.

By the way, by 6pm I had shut the truck down at a Taco stand.
Afterwards, the update reported successfully installed.

Powerboosts are amazing machines. Complex, admittedly, but if you figure their quirks out, you can really enjoy them for everything they offer.

This 2-Step Started after sitting at the Sahara Lost Wages Nevada in nearly freezing temps a few days.
Regarding the original post, running only for a bit sound more like a worn-out battery. Guessing it isn't very old and so was defective from the start (pardon the pun) but just showed as such with the bit of more drain in camping mode?

 

[Snakebitten]

That's an amazingly low SOC for the 12V battery!
No wonder there's 80amps of 15Volts being supplied by the DC/DC converter. And 39amps of it being used to charge that AGM.

Had the truck been parked a few days? Or was it a sudden cold snap revealing an injured battery?

 

[ReverendQ]

That's an amazingly low SOC for the 12V battery!
No wonder there's 80amps of 15Volts being supplied by the DC/DC converter. And 39amps of it being used to charge that AGM.

Had the truck been parked a few days? Or was it a sudden cold snap revealing an injured battery?

@Snakebitten , Parked for about 60 hours with the dashcam load (I haven't measure it yet) in 30-40F. At SoCal to Vegas trip start it was 77% in my driveway. It was at 90% SOC when shut down at arrival to LV. But coming home didn't get above 87% and while voltage/potential was adequate, it wouldn't take any more current. My guess is battery was hot per Ford algorithm. Your thoughts?

 

[Snakebitten]

Not an uncommon set of parameters for me to see.
At 77% SOC, the DC/DC converter would be at 14.7V+.
15.1V is a tad higher than my 2022 PID would be at for any more than a few seconds at times.

At 90% SOC I would never see voltage above ~12.7V unless I used the Hammaman HVAC fan speed hack.
Is that how you are getting 14.4V?

87% SOC and ZERO charging current
Now THAT is pretty much common on mine. Ford just doesn't want to do much charging beyond ~85% SOC.

Interestingly your still at higher voltage though. Surely that too is you using HVAC in an attempt to force the BMS to at least trickle charge the AGM?

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