HYBRID 12V Battery Mystery SOLVED

[HeyBales]

Dip was Saturday night into Sunday morning.

OTA enabled and set for 1 am. Did not check for updates but am familiar with the process as I also own a Bronco Sport.

Cell signal can be spotty but 60% of the time, works every time. Have also setup to use the house wifi which is a stronger signal

60%...

So it appears yours is keeping a high level - probably doing what the others do. 92% SOC.
Was that 2nd dip on the 28th during some drive time?

Now that first dip, for extended time starting the 20th.
Had you just finished a drive?

That whole extended decline - that appears to be classic parasitic draw down.
Not huge rate or you'd have gone lower with dead battery the next morning.
Reached or almost 12.1 V perhaps - so ya no battery save or deep sleep mode yet.
Appears you started right in time to prevent that - and it reset whatever was the issue.
Intermittent then since not the next night.
And it recovered - charged up just fine next day, if not better actually.

You might want to start your own thread on this - point us to it.
Since this thread is on normally non-issue system just plain undercharging.
Obviously doesn't help a parasitic draw.

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[Finnster]

Dip was Saturday night into Sunday morning.



OTA enabled and set for 1 am. Did not check for updates but am familiar with the process as I also own a Bronco Sport.



Cell signal can be spotty but 60% of the time, works every time. Have also setup to use the house wifi which is a stronger signal

Please consider turning off OTA's until you have thoroughly tested and recorded data for each hack!
Then you will be able to accurately compare pre and post update results. It shouldn't take long to do that if you drive the maverick daily!

I also have sometimes spotty ATT cell service, but it seems to be rock solid during late-night and early mornings, FWIW. Good information!

 

[Finnster]

@Hootbro, I agree with @HeyBales this apparently different MY25-26 charging problem could use it's own thread. Possibly even 39 pages worth!

 

[Hootbro]

@Hootbro,
Did you get a chance to try any/all (except hitch brake light of course) of the inspired @Mavster Mechanic hacks before the trailer module update? Observations?

Well, the only "hack" as you describe I got to do when I got home today to my Maverick that is still on the NOCO maintainer was to turn the headlights on and then I notice the maintainer starting to ramp up both voltage and SOC and it has gone to 100% SOC.

I mentioned in a previous post of hooking up my Curt trailer plug tester to simulate a trailer load but discovered the Curt tester is only setup for 7 pin trailer plugs and my Maverik just has the 4 pin trailer plug 2.5K tow rated package so that did not happen.

I am wondering if I hook up the maintainer directly to the battery instead of the jump connection points under the hood if it will natively charge to 100% SOC without truck metering it down like it is now?

As to me starting another thread, that is not going to happen by me. Not that invested to take ownership of another thread on this subject as I thought posting here was appropriate given the similar situation. I did not think I was steering the OP's topic in a dissimilar direction.

 

[Finnster]

@Hootbro,
Great information! I can try to repeat your "on maintainer" test when I recharge the battery at some point.
100% agreed on the thread and reasons for "steady as she goes".
I am simply not set up to test anything in depth, so I won't start a new thread either!

 

[HeyBales]

Well, the only "hack" as you describe I got to do when I got home today to my Maverick that is still on the NOCO maintainer was to turn the headlights on and then I notice the maintainer starting to ramp up both voltage and SOC and it has gone to 100% SOC.

I mentioned in a previous post of hooking up my Curt trailer plug tester to simulate a trailer load but discovered the Curt tester is only setup for 7 pin trailer plugs and my Maverik just has the 4 pin trailer plug 2.5K tow rated package so that did not happen.

I am wondering if I hook up the maintainer directly to the battery instead of the jump connection points under the hood if it will natively charge to 100% SOC without truck metering it down like it is now?

As to me starting another thread, that is not going to happen by me. Not that invested to take ownership of another thread on this subject as I thought posting here was appropriate given the similar situation. I did not think I was steering the OP's topic in a dissimilar direction.

The truck's system just aren't involved in external charging since it's not on. They aren't metering anything down. I sure hope you don't have the truck on!
Might read the charger manual to discover those instructions.
You added a load while charging - so the voltage went up - to be expected.

Again - that battery monitor SOC value is based on Voltage.
That's all it can be based on - it's not getting any other reading.
Charging voltage - truck or charger - is over whatever value you told it was the top battery value.
It's going over that while charging - that's 100%.
You can't get an actual SOC figure based on voltage while charging, or discharging - it's incorrect. Actually - you can't even get an accurate voltage reading that means anything regarding the battery health - unless you let it sit for hours.
Best we can get is a morning reading.

The end of a charge cycle is supposed to be lower voltage - read the manual - happens to be lower amps too. May be no amps if in maintainer mode, when you happen to look.

So the fact you came home to a charger that's been on the truck for awhile with fully charged battery, and found that is wasn't putting out charging voltage - is what should happen.
The fact you added a load and the charger increased it's voltage because it saw the battery draining - is what should happen.

So you are making a lot of observations on incorrect figures from the battery monitor that doesn't actually tell you anything about the truck charging system when you have it turned off and using an external charger.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Better yet, show this to them . Please don't let them know where you got it.

Thank you Darryl.

 

[rslilly76]

Well that's a buzzkill!
I thought you had noticed a drop in your running voltage supplied to the 12V battery (15.1 - 14.8?) upon plugging in the hitch brake light?
Don't tell me I got that wrong too!
I honestly thought I had discovered the "Oak Island Mystery"! No cameo for me I guess, just fool's gold, Lol.

OK, Theory 6b:
Noticing the the drop in 12V battery voltage supplied that happened concurrently with receiving my 2025 hybrid's Trailer Module update and recognizing that my truck was operating more efficiently , I immediately headed out to the highway and took the longest uninterrupted highway trip (32 miles @70mph) that my truck has ever had, and I recorded my best ever mpg result!
The wild card which I had thought was only marginally important was that I had just headed out on this test run on Wisconsin's first scorchingly hot afternoon of the year (90F. degrees)!
With all other options having been ruled out by @rslilly76, I guess all that leaves is the increased efficiency of my 11 month old 12V battery caused by the 40F. degree jump in ambient temperature, and the longer running time of this single trip! (battery charge time?)
Well, that and some gained efficiency from reduced aerodynamic drag and mechanical drag due to the increased temperature.
At least I enjoyed this lark, but I'll fully understand if not everyone did! Time for me to lurk for a bit!
Thanks for listening!

mine was never 15v

mines always been 14.1-14.5 until I hit 92% charged then it stops charging unless you do 1of the 4 tricks to keep it charging

 

[Finnster]

mine was never 15v

mines always been 14.1-14.5 until I hit 92% charged then it stops charging unless you do 1of the 4 tricks to keep it charging

I think that reflects the wintertime temperature difference between the Gulf Coast, and N.E. Wisconsin(Brrrrr).
My 15.4 reading's were during the dead of winter.
My daily morning ambient reading's now (60F deg.) at my power point voltage gauge are 12.4V before start-up, and 14.8V immediately after start-up.
WAG: Your winter morning start-up temperature ambient at the truck (battery temp. essentially) is approximately 50-60 F.

 

[GApeach]

Just swapped out my OEM battery for a new H4 AGM battery from Wallyworld yesterday OEM did fairly well for me in my 2022 hybrid but was giving signs of degradation (as in, I haven’t seen the dome light come on in a couple of months). Everything went well for me doing the swap other than my back not appreciating the placement of the battery compartment.

A GIANT THANK YOU to the wonderful members who are so helpful with the battery situation especially @Mavster Mechanic and those that took the time to show exactly how to make the switch. I really appreciate the folks in this forum!

Peach

 

[Mareys]

Are there any opinions or tests that gives an idea on how often you need to run your headlights on? Everytime you turn the truck on ? Couple times a week? i drive 4 days a week, twice a day 12miles each way to babysit my grandson. On my days "off" i like to give the truck at least one day idle and maybe a weekend run for errands, all local runs but i always drive 20min minimum even if i have to loop around the neighborhood a few times till i hit the 20min mark each and everytime i start the truck. I have a year old AGM that was the replacement after 4 batteries in a year and a half. 22 Hybrid 63k miles

 

[HeyBales]

Are there any opinions or tests that gives an idea on how often you need to run your headlights on? Everytime you turn the truck on ? Couple times a week? i drive 4 days a week, twice a day 12miles each way to babysit my grandson. On my days "off" i like to give the truck at least one day idle and maybe a weekend run for errands, all local runs but i always drive 20min minimum even if i have to loop around the neighborhood a few times till i hit the 20min mark each and everytime i start the truck. I have a year old AGM that was the replacement after 4 batteries in a year and a half. 22 Hybrid 63k miles

4 batteries in 1.5 years. Ouch, sounds like more than just normal undercharging.

A year old AGM at max 92% SOC charging allowed.

I wonder if it even reaches 92% anymore?

Because it appears the work-arounds need to have a battery in pretty good shape already - so how to tell?

Got a voltmeter, or powerpoint volt reader - to see what happens to Voltage near the end of that 20 min drive?

Or get a couple mornings of voltage reading off the battery before starting - see where it's current level is at.

If it's down at 12.2 V - you'll probably need to get an external charger on it, before the headlight method can even work to keep it fully charged.

Remember fan speed 6 or higher too - then you can drive around looking like your hair is blowing in the wind!

 

[HeyBales]

I think that reflects the wintertime temperature difference between the Gulf Coast, and N.E. Wisconsin(Brrrrr).
My 15.4 reading's were during the dead of winter.
My daily morning ambient reading's now (60F deg.) at my power point voltage gauge are 12.4V before start-up, and 14.8V immediately after start-up.
WAG: Your winter morning start-up temperature ambient at the truck (battery temp. essentially) is approximately 50-60 F.

Yep. Why there's a temp sensor on the battery sensor.
https://www.batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-403-charging-lead-acid

Temperature changes the voltage and this makes “dancing on the head of a pin” more difficult. A warmer ambient requires a slightly lower voltage threshold and a colder temperature prefers a higher setting. Chargers exposed to temperature fluctuations include temperature sensors to adjust the charge voltage for optimum charge efficiency. (See BU-410: Charging at High and Low Temperatures )

 

[Hootbro]

Well, I am done chasing my tail on this and @HeyBales is right on my maintainer just reacting to the loading and unloading.

I left for work this morning and checked on the Maverick that was still sitting with the maintainer hooked up to the jump points under the hood and noticed on the ANCEL app that the stated charge was around 87% and had ramped down from 100% from the previous days experiment of just turning on the headlights and the maintainer ramping up from that.

I moved the maintainer leads at that time from under the hood to directly to the battery posts themselves and left for work. Doing some other things I got a temp 3 days Ford Service info subscription and logged into and it showed the telematics from the vehicle had reported at the same time I moved the maintainer leads to the battery that the vehicle was reporting 89% battery health. With a difference of only 2% from my ANCEL monitor device and app, that at least shows it to be reasonably accurate info it is logging.

Got home this afternoon and checked the ANCEL monitor device log and it showed a now to be expected ramp up to 100% briefly because I disconnected/reconnect the NOCO maintainer lead and then slowly ramp back down to a shown 87% @ 12.84VDC and has been roughly maintaining that so far the rest of the afternoon.

In digging around, there seems to be some variance in what resting voltage constitutes a 100% SOC voltage for a AGM battery? Seems anything from 12.80 to 13.00 VDC is considered a 100% SOC. Given what I am seeing, I am not going to pick the fly shit out of the pepper of what the vehicle is reporting or my ANCEL monitor is as the resting voltage seems to be in spec although on the low end of what is acceptable.

Thanks for putting up with me on this.

 

[HeyBales]

Well, I am done chasing my tail on this and @HeyBales is right on my maintainer just reacting to the loading and unloading.

I left for work this morning and checked on the Maverick that was still sitting with the maintainer hooked up to the jump points under the hood and noticed on the ANCEL app that the stated charge was around 87% and had ramped down from 100% from the previous days experiment of just turning on the headlights and the maintainer ramping up from that.

I moved the maintainer leads at that time from under the hood to directly to the battery posts themselves and left for work. Doing some other things I got a temp 3 days Ford Service info subscription and logged into and it showed the telematics from the vehicle had reported at the same time I moved the maintainer leads to the battery that the vehicle was reporting 89% battery health. With a difference of only 2% from my ANCEL monitor device and app, that at least shows it to be reasonably accurate info it is logging.

Got home this afternoon and checked the ANCEL monitor device log and it showed a now to be expected ramp up to 100% briefly because I disconnected/reconnect the NOCO maintainer lead and then slowly ramp back down to a shown 87% @ 12.84VDC and has been roughly maintaining that so far the rest of the afternoon.

In digging around, there seems to be some variance in what resting voltage constitutes a 100% SOC voltage for a AGM battery? Seems anything from 12.80 to 13.00 VDC is considered a 100% SOC. Given what I am seeing, I am not going to pick the fly shit out of the pepper of what the vehicle is reporting or my ANCEL monitor is as the resting voltage seems to be in spec although on the low end of what is acceptable.

Thanks for putting up with me on this.

Your catching other big drops after a drive though will be entirely useful with those graphs.
Actually - during a drive if you see charging voltage go to 12.8 - then you know the point of this thread is happening.
Discharge.

And whatever SOC% your Ancel shows right then - is 92% in the Ford BMS.

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