HYBRID 12V Battery Mystery SOLVED

[sanpablo]

I recently used Forscan to change my Daytime Running lights from the low beams to the turn signals. Installed Lasfit amber led bulbs because the OEM halogen bulbs were too hot to be used as DRL.
My volt meter in dash 12 volt outlet now indicates about 14.7 volts when running, 12.35 volts when turning off vehicle. Before the DRL mod the numbers were over 15 volts running and about 12 volts when turned off.
I think the DRL mod is forcing a higher charge now
23 XLT hybrid

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[SafetyGuy]

I recently used Forscan to change my Daytime Running lights from the low beams to the turn signals. Installed Lafit amber led bulbs because the OEM halogen bulbs were too hot to be used as DRL.
My volt meter in dash 12 volt outlet now indicates about 14.7 volts when running, 12.35 volts when turning off vehicle. Before the DRL mod the numbers were over 15 volts running and about 12 volts when turned off.
I think the DRL mod is forcing a higher charge now

Good day

It sure does sound like you are getting a better charge.
It would be interesting to see what your battery is resting at, once the truck shuts down completely...then you would know for sure where the battery charge is at.

Good idea, swapping out those halogen bulbs before changing the setting with Forscan. I feel any lights you leave on or use for extended times should not be halogen...The box lights outside the third brake light is a great example of this, and I swapped in led bulbs there when I did my strobing led 3rd brake swap.

Cheers

Andy

 

[Red Eyes - Wide Shut]

How is it that you'd swap out Halogen for LEDs when you are trying to create a draw to trick the truck into better charging the 12v battery? The Halogen bulbs would take a bigger draw. How do you determine the correct levels.

I have a great solution, the Dynamo charger connected at the front of the truck. Every evening after dinner you can burn some calories and charge your battery.

 

[SafetyGuy]

How is it that you'd swap out Halogen for LEDs when you are trying to create a draw to trick the truck into better charging the 12v battery? The Halogen bulbs would take a bigger draw. How do you determine the correct levels.

Good day, @Red Eyes - Wide Shut

I do believe MM covered that query earlier in the thread...it is believed that it is not the actual draw of the light bulbs, it is the switch being selected which somehow tells the truck to up the (edit added - voltage) voltage/amperage in the 12 volt system, to keep the battery charged to a higher state.

That higher charged state is as much as 100% charged, which is much better for our batteries.

If I have misunderstood or have this wrong, or if more expansion is needed in an explanation I imagine it will be coming in due course.

Have a good one,

Andy

 

[Storm Ranger]

I want to thank everyone that has provided all this technical information about fully charging of our Hybrid 12 volt batteries, either using the parking lights or headlights. I have been using the parking lights for most of my trips.

 

[HeyBales]

Thanks you two. Mavster, this is more or less what I supposed without the education to say as much. KenE, thanks for your reply too and enjoyed your writeup on your trip. A generous helping of my relatives are in/from the Old North State and I need to get back over there some day too.

As regards 12v SOC and The Tricks: do they do me any benefit until SOC is higher from one of my longer trips? (perhaps things I dimly grasp like differences in amperage and trickle charges apply) Am I prematurely burning out parking bulbs for no reason?

If for the sake of 12v SOC (to say nothing of overnight voltages), drivers have to frequently put their engines under a sustained period of hard work instead of taking it easy, that's a ridiculous expectation for an economy vehicle, and doubly so for a hybrid.

What say everyone?

There is a circuit straight to the battery that is not on rest of the 12V circuit.

So the lamps aren't getting 36 A during initial min of being on.

Longer trips may not get it there if starting low enough for SOC%. But start out with a charged battery before a trip - and trip is more likely to keep it there doing the tricks as needed. Well, unless just degraded enough.

This extra charging is no skin off the DCDC convertors teeth. (whatever that means!)
No extra load here.
Your engine is running already for the higher highway speeds - there is some charging of the HVB anyway. And 1-2 A on a 12V system from the 220V system - You bringing a big gulp on the trip is probably adding more strain!

 

[sanpablo]

How is it that you'd swap out Halogen for LEDs when you are trying to create a draw to trick the truck into better charging the 12v battery? The Halogen bulbs would take a bigger draw. How do you determine the correct levels.

I have a great solution, the Dynamo charger connected at the front of the truck. Every evening after dinner you can burn some calories and charge your battery.

LOL, good burn. Always enjoy the good snark here.

 

[KO Stradivarius]

I was following this thread at the beginning, and based on the suggestions to help keep the 12V battery more optimally charged I bought one of those trailer hitch receiver brake lights from Amazon that plugs into the trailer harness connector. I also thought it was kinda cool looking.

This must be a known issue, but after doing some research I just realized that it caused the parking assist lines on my backup camera to disappear. Initially I thought it was caused by the Trailer Module Recall OTA update, because I got that update at around the same time.

But I just unplugged the light connector and the lines have returned...problem SOLVED. Makes perfect sense.

So the brake light is removed and now on my shelf. If this is a known issue with these types of brake lights, do people actually make this choice, to have the light and decide to do without the parking assist lines? I stopped reading this thread a while ago, so maybe this was mentioned somewhere in the last 30 or 40 pages? Or is there a workaround?

 

[MakinDoForNow]

I was following this thread at the beginning, and based on the suggestions to help keep the 12V battery more optimally charged I bought one of those trailer hitch receiver brake lights from Amazon that plugs into the trailer harness connector. I also thought it was kinda cool looking.

This must be a known issue, but after doing some research I just realized that it caused the parking assist lines on my backup camera to disappear. Initially I thought it was caused by the Trailer Module Recall OTA update, because I got that update at around the same time.

But I just unplugged the light connector and the lines have returned...problem SOLVED. Makes perfect sense.

So the brake light is removed and now on my shelf. If this is a known issue with these types of brake lights, do people actually make this choice, to have the light and decide to do without the parking assist lines? I stopped reading this thread a while ago, so maybe this was mentioned somewhere in the last 30 or 40 pages? Or is there a workaround?

I think someone determined that the brake light wires in the hitch light connector needed to be cut and only the running light allowed to operate (maybe to solve this issue???).

 

[SafetyGuy]

I think someone determined that the brake light wires in the hitch light connector needed to be cut and only the running light allowed to operate (maybe to solve this issue???).

Good day

In and earlier post I did mention I cut the brake/signal wire on my Hitch light...this was on purpose, as I only wanted the running light to operate (didn't want confusion for following drivers with flashing light in middle of rear of truck). I transfer this light between our Maverick and our camper van, when we are out on the road.

I believe this nullified the light as an option to up the battery charge level when plugged in, as I still need to turn on by running lights to kick up the charge (and confirmed last Sunday).

I also still have my reverse parking lines available when backing, with the wire cut, and when I checked, my truck says "no trailer connected", so all sensors etc are operational.

Have a good one and I hope this helps,

Andy

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