Low Battery/Battery Gauge

[Vick!]

I bought my new F150 in September 2022. It was sitting in Dearborn for over three months with other Fords, growing mold in the cabinet air filter. Lately, my radar detector has been screaming "low battery" occasionally. So, I bought a battery/charger/repairer even though it's still under warranty. When I plugged it in today, it showed a reading of 12.1, which is low but it's going up. It's frustrating that my truck doesn't have a battery/voltage gauge.

Question

-If I were to replace the battery, can we run an optima battery or something better than the stock?
-Will the Forcan be able to add a battery/voltage gauge on the dash?

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[RcFlyer330]

I have not seen a battery gauge that can be added via forscan on the dash. what i have seen people do is use a bluetooth obd2 adapter and use live data on a old phone to get the battery voltage or use a plug in voltmeter in the accessory outlet.

you can use a better battery as long as it fits in the mount but that may not fix the low voltage warning issue. there is a thread somewhere on here where a member posted what battery sizes will fit in the tray depending on you engine. I would highly recommend you read the entire thread on the Battery Magament System before you do anything to learn how your charging system works.

below is the link
https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...operly-charge-how-to-power-accessories.13862/

 

[Gros Ventre]

If it had a battery while it sat... that battery is likely weak. Lead acid batteries that are allowed to sit without cycling have weird things happen to them. Get a new battery. I did (@ four months after delivery) and not a peep since.

 

[FirstFord]

If it had a battery while its sat... that battery is likely weak. Lead acid batteries that are allowed to sit without cycling have weird things ahppen to them. Get a new battery. I did not a peep since.

I agree with your overall statement, but I will mention one differing detail: The factory Ford batteries for these trucks are not "wet" lead acid batteries, they are AGM batteries. AGM batteries have different characteristics, and a battery charger needs to be set to "AGM" for proper charging.

 

[Gros Ventre]

I agree with your overall statement, but I will mention one differing detail: The factory Ford batteries for these trucks are not "wet" lead acid batteries, they are AGM batteries. AGM batteries have different characteristics, and a battery charger needs to be set to "AGM" for proper charging.

I take your point on the battery charger. But the AGM battery remains a "wet" Lead Acid battery, thus the characteristics when let sit for months remain the same as with the more common flooded cell battery. And there are several charactristics that are common across these types.

 

[Graygoose2021]

Id run to Advanced, Oreillys and just replace it. You will thank me down the road.

 

[Ziggy73]

I agree with your overall statement, but I will mention one differing detail: The factory Ford batteries for these trucks are not "wet" lead acid batteries, they are AGM batteries. AGM batteries have different characteristics, and a battery charger needs to be set to "AGM" for proper charging.

To your knowledge do jump starters fall into this same category? Meaning, can you use any jump starter for lead acid and AGM batteries alike?

 

[FirstFord]

To your knowledge do jump starters fall into this same category? Meaning, can you use any jump starter for lead acid and AGM batteries alike?

To be clear, I do not claim to be an authority or expert on this subject. However, I have learned some things either out of necessity or curiosity.

Short answer: getting a jump is a different set of circumstances than using a charger.

Long answer: Forever, car batteries were "wet" (flooded) lead acid batteries. Today, there are several battery construction varieties that are used, including AGM, "gel", lithium, and possibly others. As previously mentioned, each of these batteries have different characteristics with regards to charging and even discharge. Most so-called "smart chargers" have different settings to accommodate these different characteristics. The batteries specified on these newer Ford trucks are AGM batteries. AGM batteries aren't "wet" (flooded) like old style traditional batteries. The Interstate Battery company describes it thus: "AGM means absorbed glass mat, and it means the battery acid inside is absorbed into fiberglass mats instead of sitting as a free-flowing liquid." This allows AGM batteries to be mounted in positions/configurations that aren't possible with a flooded battery.

I am unaware / ignorant as to any special instructions as to jump starting an AGM battery. My approach / frame of mind in dealing with such a situation is that if you need a jump, then you are in trouble and need help - you do whatever you need to do to get yourself out of trouble. Further, a "jump" is an instant, temporary, one-time influx of power, whereas a charger is a longer term, slow input of power. This forum has a lot of people who are a heck of a lot smarter than I am, so I am confident that someone may give you a more competent answer.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Jumping to get the engine started is (hopefully) a brief event. Do it, take the connecting cables off, and let the engine recharge the battery. A key element of the AGM is that the chemistry of it is identical to that of the flooded cell battery (EG Lead & Lead oxide in sulphuric acid). The glass mats are there to give more structural integrity, a more compact battery and greater shock resistance - the mats prevent active material getting shocked off the plates and allow closer packing of plates - these batteries are capable of higher burst currents but have less depth of discharge capability). On the other hand the total amount of active material is less than the flooded cell type. So get your truck running, disconnect, go home, and use your AGM battery charger to top it up.

 

[Gros Ventre]

I agree with your overall statement, but I will mention one differing detail: The factory Ford batteries for these trucks are not "wet" lead acid batteries, they are AGM batteries. AGM batteries have different characteristics, and a battery charger needs to be set to "AGM" for proper charging.

Call it what you want, the construction may be different but the chemistry is the same: PbO2-H2SO4-PB. I installed a Voltmeter on my dash. By any measure the operating voltages would be called over charging on most batteries. I am unable to make sense of Ford's system voltage strategy. Since replacing my battery (@ 4 Months after delivery) with a NAPA drop in catalog battery I've not had a peep out of the system.

 

[STL04]

Hey all,

This is one area where I can give some advice-

Background: I've been in the battery business for 13 years and recently left my employer (my last position was Director of Product of a $1B+ company). And now I own my own company in the battery business.

The only car/truck batteries I run my truck or the wife's SUV are manufactured by Northstar.

I've tested or seen independent reports from EVERY manufacturer that sells in the USA and not one comes close.

People think Odyssey (which now owns Northstar) is just as good or better, but they are seriously mistaken.

Optima batteries are beyond junk for newer vehicles, but they have great marketing.

How to find a Northstar battery:

1: Check the Northstar website or google for a distributor. They are usually at specialty battery distributors or Truck shops.

2: The X2 Purelead at Batteries Plus is a rebranded Northstar.

If you want a flooded battery, then you want to use Eastpenn manufacturing- Deka, Duracell, Napa.

Give you an example of AGM cycles- the Eastpenn & Clarios/JCI have a cycle life of less than 125 while the Northstar is 500+.

And the Northstar battery should be mandatory for Powerboost due to how fast it recharges (almost 2X faster than standard AGM)

 

[LouDog]

Hey all,

This is one area where I can give some advice-

Background: I've been in the battery business for 13 years and recently left my employer (my last position was Director of Product of a $1B+ company). And now I own my own company in the battery business.

The only car/truck batteries I run my truck or the wife's SUV are manufactured by Northstar.

I've tested or seen independent reports from EVERY manufacturer that sells in the USA and not one comes close.

People think Odyssey (which now owns Northstar) is just as good or better, but they are seriously mistaken.

Optima batteries are beyond junk for newer vehicles, but they have great marketing.

How to find a Northstar battery:

1: Check the Northstar website or google for a distributor. They are usually at specialty battery distributors or Truck shops.

2: The X2 Purelead at Batteries Plus is a rebranded Northstar.

If you want a flooded battery, then you want to use Eastpenn manufacturing- Deka, Duracell, Napa.

Give you an example of AGM cycles- the Eastpenn & Clarios/JCI have a cycle life of less than 125 while the Northstar is 500+.

And the Northstar battery should be mandatory for Powerboost due to how fast it recharges (almost 2X faster than standard AGM)

I was going to buy a Northstar for my powerboost but was scared off because I read they like to be "fully charged" and the powerboost's BMS likes to keep its 12v battery system at 80% or less even. What are you thoughts on that? Thanks!

 

[KTM753]

2: The X2 Purelead at Batteries Plus is a rebranded Northstar.

Is this the X2 Purelead you suggested?

https://www.batteriesplus.com/produ...ford/f=150/2021/tremor/v6-3.5l-gas/sli48agmdp

 

[STL04]

I was going to buy a Northstar for my powerboost but was scared off because I read they like to be "fully charged" and the powerboost's BMS likes to keep its 12v battery system at 80% or less even. What are your thoughts on that? Thanks!

I saw some of that info, but 12.7V is 100% full. 12.6V is 95% full (roughly) and the trucks do a fine job keeping the voltage above this limit if used regularly.

(All lead batteries need to be above 90% SOC (state of charge) to prevent sulfating.)


The three main selling points of Northstar batteries:

1: They have very little resistance- similar to Lithium, so they recharge extremely fast, which decreases the number of cycles you use, which increases its life even more.

2: These are the only Lead batteries that will provide roughly 500 CCA at 5% SOC. To put this in comparison, most Flooded/AGMs will not start anything at 60% SOC or less.

3: They are exceptional at holding their voltage under a load-

Example: I ran 25A discharge tests on about a dozen different AGM batteries sold in the USA and Northstar smoked every other option:

25A discharge basic results:
Northstar: Held 12.65-12.70 volts for 30+ min. And was the only brand thats reserve capacity was underrated on the label.

Odyssey: Held 12.65-12.70V for 7-10 min.
Was close to meeting its reserve capacity rating.

EVERY other brand failed by 10-60% (including Optima, which was one of the worst options)

 

[STL04]

Is this the X2 Purelead you suggested?

https://www.batteriesplus.com/produ...ford/f=150/2021/tremor/v6-3.5l-gas/sli48agmdp

Yes

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