Battery Maintainers

[MickeyAO]

Since the 12 V lead acid battery seems to be the problem for most problems, how does everyone feel about mounting a battery maintainer in the frunk and having it run from a frunk outlet? I'm looking at this: AmazonSmile: NOCO Genius GEN5X1, 1-Bank, 5-Amp (5-Amp Per Bank) Fully-Automatic Smart Marine Charger, 12V Onboard Battery Charger, Battery Maintainer and Battery Desulfator with Temperature Compensation : Sports & Outdoors

I know almost nothing about 12 V lead acid systems (I have tested them in my labs to the nuclear facility standard where I really didn't need to know about them...but drilling INTO the battery while it was charging, required by the standard, was a real trip).

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[TaxmanHog]

Doesn't the truck need to be ON for the front inverter to operate?
A solar trickle charger might be a better solution for those who park outside.
It's important to connect the charger to the 12 battery on the correct side of 12v-BMS so the system monitors the replenishment.

 

[Mr. Flibble]

Since the 12 V lead acid battery seems to be the problem for most problems, how does everyone feel about mounting a battery maintainer in the frunk and having it run from a frunk outlet? I'm looking at this: AmazonSmile: NOCO Genius GEN5X1, 1-Bank, 5-Amp (5-Amp Per Bank) Fully-Automatic Smart Marine Charger, 12V Onboard Battery Charger, Battery Maintainer and Battery Desulfator with Temperature Compensation : Sports & Outdoors

I know almost nothing about 12 V lead acid systems (I have tested them in my labs to the nuclear facility standard where I really didn't need to know about them...but drilling INTO the battery while it was charging, required by the standard, was a real trip).

That might be worth it - or they could come out with an update. Our Kia had a similar problem until there was an update (not OTA, it can't do OTA) that had the main battery charge the 12v more often. Basically, there were conditions where it could sit and be "on" and drain the 12v, and then you could not turn on the car.

They fixed that by having the system trickle charge the 12v more aggressively.

 

[Maquis]

The battery is AGM, not the typical old lead-acid. I think you’re concerned about something that’s not bound to be an issue.

 

[TadCurious]

Isn't the HVB supposed to kick in and keep the LVB charged? Unless you are doing something like programming with FDRS, it doesn't seem like it should be necessary. There is a whole group on the Mach E forum debating this and it seems like that was the consensus.

 

[Roy2001]

I figured out a simple way. Have 2 wires connect to 12v battery, and the other ends to somewhere you can easily access. In case of low battery, you can charge from the other end. How about that?

 

[GoodSam]

Ford should not let the LVB go low when the HVB is always available. But until then, a small 14Vdc maintainer seems safe. What would be a good size to compensate for 12V loads when the HVB is not feeding the LVB? Plug it in a frunk receptacle and double stick tape it to the walls. The systems that rely on 12Vdc and any sensors that monitor the LVB should not be affected unless the battery maintainer screws up & sends 120Vac to the 12Vdc system! What, me worry? Just to be sure, I would like a Ford engineer to respond to this proposal, but I cannot see the harm, and I think lead acid batteries like being topped off. Must be a conspiracy to sell more batteries!

 

[Mr. Flibble]

I figured out a simple way. Have 2 wires connect to 12v battery, and the other ends to somewhere you can easily access. In case of low battery, you can charge from the other end. How about that?

There is a charging/jump-point on the passenger side frunk top. So you don't need direct access to the battery itself to reach the extended terminals. Though, if you had a trickle charger in the frunk itself, it would probably be easier to go directly to the battery. I think this because those remote terminals are probably covered entirely by the frunk when it is closed. (Thats a guess, I have only seen photos.)

 

[PV2EV]

The battery is AGM, not the typical old lead-acid. I think you’re concerned about something that’s not bound to be an issue.

If it is AGM that is worse. My Merc Sprinter is AGM and after going below 50% SOC twice due to a vampire drain from the RV side, the battery won't take a charge. This battery failure has happened twice, and the factory battery is expensive! I keep both the chassis and coach battery on trickle now.

 

[hturnerfamily]

I have a small 3amp 12v charger, from w*mart, for this very reason, and weather I keep it attached to the battery, in the frunk, even while traveling, or just have it on had 'in case' the 12v battery fails, it will be nice to have. With access to the frunk via a manual pull cord, just in case, it's safe to assume that access to the battery will be available no matter the condition of the 12v battery.

so, with that in mind, let me tell you a story along those lines: just recently, my son's '14 Nissan Leaf started having some 'issues'. A brake system alert. An ABS alert. The brake pedal felt spongy on one occasion, and eventually the car would not even go into gear. Then, the car would not even turn on.
I assessed the situation and came up with a 12v battery replacement plan. I've seen what a 12v battery going 'bad' can do.

Interestingly, though, his HOOD latch would not release. No matter how many times we pulled, nothing. I figured the latch CABLE was the culprit. Yes, it was.
Now, go and try to get a hood of a vehicle open WITHOUT the initial latch release and you'll get our plight!

I had to jack the car's front end up, on both sides, with RV jacks. I had to then find that there was a 'rock cover' that protects the whole bottom of the front of the car, that had to be removed.
I could then peer up, with a flashlight, and just see the latch. But, no, that was not the INITIAL latch that must be released first, it was the secondary latch that you release, by hand, AFTER you have pulled the interior latch release.
So, I watched some videos and thanks to a local Nissan Dealer, was able to see that the initial latch is about 6inches BEHIND the front latch, AND, unfortunately, right above the radiator, not able to be seen from the bottom of the vehicle. Good Grief.

So, the only thing to do is to try somehow to reach up, articulate your arm, if it's small enough, and eventually and hopefully find the cable, and PULL - ......pop! It worked.

The cable sheath had separated from the end of the cable, so when pulling from inside you were only moving the sheath, not the cable. We were able to make a fix, and got the 12v battery replaced, and she purrs like a kitten.


He has a 12v charger for his car, but without the hood releasing, it would have done no good!

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