OP
OP
Davexxxx
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #31
Batts at 12.5V, after recovering from another door opening cycle.
Apologies in advance, for this long post.
I'd forgotten how voluminous, in number of threads and posts, the batteries take up.
I'd been allowed to forget, because I 'd found a magic bullet, curing all of those problems, for near a yr., twice. It was nice not to have to think about it for that long. I want that again, or a regimen I can live with.
So, kinda summarizing (isn't there even a thread that does that?),
1) Many have claimed, warranty be damned, to just replace the main batt, with anything other than motorcraft and all is good. Easiest but most expensive.
But that ignores that we have a 2 battery system, so while that may seem like a once n done type fix, in the long run, it won't be.
2) Those who have used LFPs, as replacements for the aux, or as add ons, initially claim stunning success but I've read of couple instances where that was shorter lived than originally hoped and again, ignores that no matter how good the LFP is, those AGMs have different lifespans. So eventually, they'll be back in the same boat as me. I'm a huge fan of LFPs. I want that to work and if there was a drop in, that is the way I'd go but at the moment, there isn't. I'm using the space that an add on would take and I'm not keen on modding the battery box too much. While not a difficult mod, harder than replacing the underhood and while cheaper, if you're not already tooled up, there is some gadgetry to buy, to deal with LFP chemistry. I'm also suspicious of this being a good idea, while under any warranty.
3) Others have accepted the situation and simply install an onboard, plug in charger and either, charge it regularly, or use a monitor to tell them when a charge is needed. Since I most regularly, don't drive my truck much i.e. once or twice per week, for a 16 or so mile round trip, or maybe nothing for 2 weeks, I'm kinda leaning this way. It doesn't get around the fact that they have lifespans but those life spans should be closer to normal. Easy install and cheapest of the choices, with the NOCO Genius 2D, selling for 40 bucks.
Questions,
A) The charger has an automatic desulfator mode. Any downside risk to that, on a PB? I also wonder if it could mask a weak battery, that really should be replaced, leaving you stranded away from home and it's charger.
B) Re the monitor. I was on the verge of ordering the one most commonly recommended here but when I read the permissions required for activation, I didn't get warm fuzzies. It really seemed overly intrusive. And trust me, I've already embraced the suck, in the reality of modern life but that one creeped me out.
Re which SOC chart to use ... Unless someone has something better, I've settled on this one from Batteries Plus as the definitive. Key points being, 12.6 and above = 100%, 12.1 = 50%.
https://www.batteriesplus.com/blog/power/find-voltage-of-car-battery
Extrapolating ...
12.6 = 100%
12.5 = 90
12.4 = 80
12.3 = 70
12.2 = 60
12.1 = 50
Below there, be dragons.
If Ford's strategy is 80%, finding voltage anywhere between 12.4 and 12.1, would be normal but guessing somewhere between the 2, is where the warnings start.
Oh and re-reading the thread about fan speed 5, while I don't think Watt's Law has been repealed, Hammerman had a point, that at the start of my test, my batt was quite low and may have been receiving higher voltage throughout the test than it otherwise would have, showing no boost at FS 5. I'll be rerunning that from a higher SOC. If I was wrong, I won't be bashful about admitting it.
In, fact, I'll be doing that today.
Apologies in advance, for this long post.
I'd forgotten how voluminous, in number of threads and posts, the batteries take up.
I'd been allowed to forget, because I 'd found a magic bullet, curing all of those problems, for near a yr., twice. It was nice not to have to think about it for that long. I want that again, or a regimen I can live with.
So, kinda summarizing (isn't there even a thread that does that?),
1) Many have claimed, warranty be damned, to just replace the main batt, with anything other than motorcraft and all is good. Easiest but most expensive.
But that ignores that we have a 2 battery system, so while that may seem like a once n done type fix, in the long run, it won't be.
2) Those who have used LFPs, as replacements for the aux, or as add ons, initially claim stunning success but I've read of couple instances where that was shorter lived than originally hoped and again, ignores that no matter how good the LFP is, those AGMs have different lifespans. So eventually, they'll be back in the same boat as me. I'm a huge fan of LFPs. I want that to work and if there was a drop in, that is the way I'd go but at the moment, there isn't. I'm using the space that an add on would take and I'm not keen on modding the battery box too much. While not a difficult mod, harder than replacing the underhood and while cheaper, if you're not already tooled up, there is some gadgetry to buy, to deal with LFP chemistry. I'm also suspicious of this being a good idea, while under any warranty.
3) Others have accepted the situation and simply install an onboard, plug in charger and either, charge it regularly, or use a monitor to tell them when a charge is needed. Since I most regularly, don't drive my truck much i.e. once or twice per week, for a 16 or so mile round trip, or maybe nothing for 2 weeks, I'm kinda leaning this way. It doesn't get around the fact that they have lifespans but those life spans should be closer to normal. Easy install and cheapest of the choices, with the NOCO Genius 2D, selling for 40 bucks.
Questions,
A) The charger has an automatic desulfator mode. Any downside risk to that, on a PB? I also wonder if it could mask a weak battery, that really should be replaced, leaving you stranded away from home and it's charger.
B) Re the monitor. I was on the verge of ordering the one most commonly recommended here but when I read the permissions required for activation, I didn't get warm fuzzies. It really seemed overly intrusive. And trust me, I've already embraced the suck, in the reality of modern life but that one creeped me out.
Re which SOC chart to use ... Unless someone has something better, I've settled on this one from Batteries Plus as the definitive. Key points being, 12.6 and above = 100%, 12.1 = 50%.
https://www.batteriesplus.com/blog/power/find-voltage-of-car-battery
Extrapolating ...
12.6 = 100%
12.5 = 90
12.4 = 80
12.3 = 70
12.2 = 60
12.1 = 50
Below there, be dragons.
If Ford's strategy is 80%, finding voltage anywhere between 12.4 and 12.1, would be normal but guessing somewhere between the 2, is where the warnings start.
Oh and re-reading the thread about fan speed 5, while I don't think Watt's Law has been repealed, Hammerman had a point, that at the start of my test, my batt was quite low and may have been receiving higher voltage throughout the test than it otherwise would have, showing no boost at FS 5. I'll be rerunning that from a higher SOC. If I was wrong, I won't be bashful about admitting it.
In, fact, I'll be doing that today.
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