LiFePo4 battery installed in my Hybrid Maverick

[acelee1895]

Umm, I would slap the factory battery in it and take it in to have it warranty inspected and repaired. That is not normal, if you are frequently driving it.

probably will eventually. i kept the original but I also have extra loads that cause problems. I have a dash cam that runs 24/7 as a parasitic load. Im not super concerned right now because it still starts everytime and I don't remote start it.

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[RonFLA]

that is always an option but for now, i am not super concerned about it . It could also be my fault because i have dashcam that runs 24/7

How do you have the dash cam. wired in? All the outlets have a timed shutoff. Do you have it hardwired?

 

[acelee1895]

didnt see my first post so thought it didnt go th

How do you have the dash cam. wired in? All the outlets have a timed shutoff. Do you have it hardwired?

didnt think my first post went through. It is obd2 port plugged in and is supposed to shut off when voltage gets too low. my guess is thats lower than the cutoff for the deep sleep

 

[MakinDoForNow]

probably will eventually. i kept the original but I also have extra loads that cause problems. I have a dash cam that runs 24/7 as a parasitic load. Im not super concerned right now because it still starts everytime and I don't remote start it.

Read manual and instal new battery after it's fully charged and then run the "new battery installed" learning "up to 8 hour with accessories off truck locked and undisturbed procedure. If not done truck bms will be charging thinking it is the original battery. The dcdc converter can provide up to 265 amps.

 

[acelee1895]

Read manual and instal new battery after it's fully charged and then run the "new battery installed" learning "up to 8 hour with accessories off truck locked and undisturbed procedure. If not done truck bms will be charging thinking it is the original battery. The dcdc converter can provide up to 265 amps.

good idea

 

[RonFLA]

Let’s see some pictures of the actual pack and how you have it installed. Likely get better feedback if we knew exactly what you’re working with.

 

[acelee1895]

Read manual and instal new battery after it's fully charged and then run the "new battery installed" learning "up to 8 hour with accessories off truck locked and undisturbed procedure. If not done truck bms will be charging thinking it is the original battery. The dcdc converter can provide up to 265 amps.

I don’t think the full 265 amps goes to the battery though. I haven’t seen anything close to that and the battery has a 200 amp fuse on its positive terminal

 

[Montana]

Interesting. I'll follow along and see how this plays out. But I agree the BMS will need updated immediately at the very least.

 

[acelee1895]

Let’s see some pictures of the actual pack and how you have it installed. Likely get better feedback if we knew exactly what your working with.

I avoided posting pictures of it in because it is very temporary while I’m tinkering with it. It literally looks like a bomb with wires and blinking lights everywhere. Also only tied down with some cord. I assumed most people here wouldn’t know much about building a battery pack like that. Is there something specific about the pack you want to see?

 

[RonFLA]

I avoided posting pictures of it in because it is very temporary while I’m tinkering with it. It literally looks like a bomb with wires and blinking lights everywhere. Also only tied down with some cord. I assumed most people here wouldn’t know much about building a battery pack like that. Is there something specific about the pack you want to see?

Disclaimer:

Well, it’s kind of a risky proposition doing DIY lithium-ion packs. Even a lower voltage one like you are describing, mostly due to the size of it. There are a lot of cells that all need to be working in harmony, and getting shaken around in the backseat can be kinda problematic. I’m just thinking, it would be good insurance to make sure it’s in a fire resistant container. Hate to image your Maverick getting damaged in the process.

Sorry for the Safety Nanny post. Okay, now having said all that, I am honestly just curious on how you have it setup. Not to bitch about the safety crap but just to see what others are doing in terms of customization. Just because I wouldn’t do it doesn’t mean you can’t and see success in the process.

 

[BradnChristine]

No worries, no accosting taken. My answer is because why not. The battery in the hybrid isn’t a “starting” battery in the traditional sense of high amp output to start the engine. I have only seen a max draw of 50 ish amps. I wanted to know what they dc-dc converter is capable of and this tells me more than an Agm battery could. I can also cycle this significantly more than an Agm with longer life cycle. It has a higher capacity in a smaller footprint so if I want to attach more 12v appliances, it would handle it better. It is also about half the weight.

Now all of that means nothing because this isn’t something everyone should do. In fact almost no one should do it unless they want to which is why I did. That is why I didn’t write it up as a how to, more as an information guide for anyone who wants to know more about their trucks. Unfortunately manufacturers don’t make this information readily available to us so it’s up to some people to test and find out then open source that information to others.

Thanks! Interesting.
I am aware of the need for throttling the alternator with a DC2DC charger feeding thirsty LiFePo batteries. That annoys me in the RV. The manufacturer put only a 30A charger, taking only about 25A from Ford's 175A alternator output in my Transit (Sterling 1230) so as to save on wiring costs I'm guessing and be able to use 10ga to the batteries.

Back to the Maverick...I wish Ford put out more clear info about what actually happens to the 12 volt system. I have seen it down in the 11.7 V range and that certainly cannot be healthy for that battery, long term, to my thinking.

 

[acelee1895]

Disclaimer:

Well, it’s kind of a risky proposition doing DIY lithium-ion packs. Even a lower voltage one like you are describing, mostly due to the size of it. There are a lot of cells that all need to be working in harmony and getting shaken around in the backseat can be kinda problematic. I’m just thinking, it would be good insurance to make sure it’s in a fire resistant container. Hate to image your Maverick getting damaged in the process.

Sorry for the Safety Nanny post. Okay, now having said all that, I am honestly just curious on how you have it setup. Not to bitch about the safety crap but just to see what others are doing in terms of customization. Just because I wouldn’t do it doesn’t mean you can’t and see success on the process.

Oh yeah, fire proof case for sure for long term use cases also to help prevent shorting. But right now I prioritize being able to easily take it out and apart again if I need to change something. I will say it hasn’t moved much even with my minimal securing though I don’t expect that to work if I get into an accident or long term

The positive terminal needed an extension because the truck wiring is super thick and stiff. The negative terminal worked with a terminal bolt and original wire. I did not reattach the 200 amp fuse because I have the bms limited to 144 amps for no more than 10 seconds. But for a more permanent situation a fuse would be safer.

Ill say it again for anyone who might just skip to here, DONT DO THIS. USE A PROPER CASE USE HEAT SHRINK ON ALL CONNECTIONS AND GET A PROPER MOUNTING MECHANISM

 

[acelee1895]

Thanks! Interesting.
I am aware of the need for throttling the alternator with a DC2DC charger feeding thirsty LiFePo batteries. That annoys me in the RV. The manufacturer put only a 30A charger, taking only about 25A from Ford's 175A alternator output in my Transit (Sterling 1230) so as to save on wiring costs I'm guessing and be able to use 10ga to the batteries.

Back to the Maverick...I wish Ford put out more clear info about what actually happens to the 12 volt system. I have seen it down in the 11.7 V range and that certainly cannot be healthy for that battery, long term, to my thinking.

It is not necessary to throttle if you have cells and a bms that can handle it. Most LiFePo4 cells are rated to 1C that means if it’s 100 AH cell, you can charge it up to 100 amps. You can size up the cells to 200 AH or use cells that charge at 2C. Then just have to find a BMS that can also handle that current which they exist. Daly BMS is pretty common and go up to 500 amps if you buy the correct one. Then is also a matter of properly sized fuses and wiring to make sure nothing melts

 

[BradnChristine]

It is not necessary to throttle if you have cells and a bms that can handle it. Most LiFePo4 cells are rated to 1C that means if it’s 100 AH cell, you can charge it up to 100 amps. You can size up the cells to 200 AH or use cells that charge at 2C. Then just have to find a BMS that can also handle that current which they exist. Daly BMS is pretty common and go up to 500 amps if you buy the correct one. Then is also a matter of properly sized fuses and wiring to make sure nothing melts

It's not protection for the battery...its alternator protection in the RV. What I've read is that a dead 200A worth of LiFePo4 batteries will happily attempt to suck all 200A at once from a poor alternator if no B2B is in between.

 

[acelee1895]

Th

It's not protection for the battery...its alternator protection in the RV. What I've read is that a dead 200A worth of LiFePo4 batteries will happily attempt to suck all 200A at once from a poor alternator if no B2B is in between.

That’s interesting. I don’t find this pulling everything possible. It starts at about 150 then slows to 120-130 and as it fills, it gets all the way down to just 10 amps pulled

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