Ranger Mods

Hi Stewart,

weird thing just happened.

loaded up Forscan and read all modules.
went to change battery mode as I keep draining battery if I use ignition too much.

I have never changed dual battery modes at all but it was already set at 85% would the dealer do this as a Ford bulletin or service recommendation as I never asked for it?

Also if it was already on 85% and still having issues should I change to 95% or is that SOC a bit high and bad for a single battery?

cheers

Ford cannot do a partial change.

I suggest you may have changed it inadvertently at some point without realising.

Just put it to 100% as chance is your battery will never reach 100% anyway.

is that purely for the case as factory batteries are garbage and not able to 100% charge

I'm no chemist, probably more to do with different battery chemistry and how they absorb.

I did see 98% the other day after I had my calcium on charge for about 8 hours.

http://www2.exide.com/Media/files/Locat ... _13_15.pdf

I finally got around to making a change and I feel people may not be aware of the effect of the charge Voltage and SOC% readings and have attached the document as it has relevant info.

I have had batteries for solar power for my house for 13 years now so have studied battery charging a bit.

My understanding of battery state of charge monitors is that they can be very misleading so are not generally accepted as a good reliable tool.

The set voltage of charge is not setting how charged the battery will get but rather how quickly it will get charged. 14v will charge a abttery to 100% SOC. 16V is to high for general vehicle use,

Have a look at the attached document and consider temp compensation as well as the charge V recommended. You battery manufacture should spcify charging for your battery.

I could have written a lot of explanation but decided to leave it at that for now, if you want to query , discuss, Im happy to expand or be proved wrong.

Whilst reading up on smart charging systems, I came across some info that may explain the 16V charging spikes and 80% state of charge that the Ranger ECU tries to maintain with the smart charge system:

Regenerative braking is an energy recovery technology that takes the kinetic energy of the vehicle that is normally converted into wasted heat in the brake pads and discs during braking and instead converts it into electrical energy to re-charge the starter battery. This is made possible because of the use of smart alternators that can be controlled by the ECU when deceleration is detected. During deceleration (for example when taking your foot off the accelerator) the ECU boosts the alternator voltage output as high as 15V+ to create a burst of charge into the battery. This high voltage puts an increased mechanical load on the engine, resulting in increased engine braking, meaning less of the kinetic energy is converted to wasted heat in the pads and discs. So the deceleration of the vehicle is putting charge back into the battery, saving fuel that would otherwise be required to re-charge it.
This charge is then used to power the vehicle's electrical systems when the vehicle is accelerating or travelling at constant speed. During this time the alternator output voltage is reduced (to as low as around 12.5V), which reduces the load on the engine with a consequent reduction in emissions.

Regenerative braking is only effective if the starter battery has some spare storage capacity to absorb the charge created by the alternator during deceleration. If the starter battery was fully charged the electrical energy created would be wasted and so the ECU aims to maintain the battery at around 80% state of charge (low enough to have spare storage capacity but high enough to guarantee engine starting if required).

https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/auxiliar ... ators.html

I've just changed battery, went to change the dual battery mode setting and noticed in the latest forscan (well I updated from a version that was released a year ago) release there is now an option to choose battery type.

I assume this changes the charging profile and voltages... My current/default setting is listed as "incorrect value or not configured" or #56 when looking at the PID settings.

I have installed an AGM battery (SSB SS75TI) is it worth changing to one of the AGM options?
Has anyone else changed this setting and what effect did you see?

Is the general consensus to have the target SOC at 100% and BMS on 'LIN'?

I have the same battery and have it set @ 90% and I have no issues.
I was told AGM don't like a constant voltage and mine was sitting on 14.8v when in DBM, occasionally it hit 15v.
If you do a lot of shorter runs then maybe try 95%
DBM is okay for the OEM battery as it is calcium and it needs 16 to charge properly.
I did mine on an earlier Forscan version, so no idea on what type it is on.

Rather than a % value of charge I would look at charge voltage specs for AGM batteries.

I cant find SSB charge voltage specs online but if you google search "agm battery charge voltage" there is plenty of info to look at.

Bala1 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 2:30 pm Rather than a % value of charge I would look at charge voltage specs for AGM batteries.

I cant find SSB charge voltage specs online but if you google search "agm battery charge voltage" there is plenty of info to look at.

AFAIK there are no settings in Forscan for charge voltage (unless the 'new' battery type changes this) only thing you can change that is numerical is the state of charge target percentage.

@RossPat, I also had it set to 90% and haven't had any issues, just noticed that the voltage while running the car seemed to stay in the 12s a lot of the time. Assuming this is because the new battery actually reached target charge level unlike the old factory one that which was on the way out requiring more time at 14.4v...

I have it at 100% just now and see what happens

[/quote]

AFAIK there are no settings in Forscan for charge voltage (unless the 'new' battery type changes this) only thing you can change that is numerical is the state of charge target percentage.

@RossPat, I also had it set to 90% and haven't had any issues, just noticed that the voltage while running the car seemed to stay in the 12s a lot of the time. Assuming this is because the new battery actually reached target charge level unlike the old factory one that which was on the way out requiring more time at 14.4v...

I have it at 100% just now and see what happens
[/quote]

The way I read it the State of charge target % is simply a Voltage setting. I set mine at 14.4V and data reads is charging at approx 14.2 over 5000+km, which is what I would expect. I dont see the alternator as being a mutli stage charger but just as a constant voltage charger once DB is enable.

It is not easy for any device to track a battery SOC over long period. It is counting Ah in and Ah out and due to losses and variation of charge and discharge and battery changes with age they would need to be constantly reset to be accurate.

I have seen no written evidence on any documentation that selecting a battery type will change the charging algorithm. Feel free to test and backup your asbuilt first. By default the Ranger/Everest battery tye is not in Fords IDS software, hence why Forscan shows an error.

Ok so stock SOC value is 75%. BCM will try to keep the battery around 75% and load shed to power steering etc to do this while switching off the alternator when required. If it is below 75% then alternator will be running full time.

eg. 80, 82, 90, 95 or 100%, alternator will try and keep battery around this level, switching off when required and load shedding to do so.

Basically if you set at 100% and the battery reaches 100% then you will see voltage output drop back to approx 12.*

SOC setting is basically a desired SOC percentage. Even though it is listed in HEX as a volage when converted to DEC, it really does not have relevance in what the actual alternator output is.

Also keep in mind that NO module is reading the true battery voltage level. BCM is about .2 volts low, PCM lower again. On the test bench I have not found one module that equals an identiacl value to real battery voltage, it is always low. If you want a true voltage reading then take it direct from the battery.

I have noticed one thing happening.
If I am not using the car for a while I connect a charger to keep it full.
So I start the car and note the battery is at 100% SOC
Start driving and the battery monitor is at - 4 to - 10 amps
Turn on the parkers, apply brakes or turn on an indicator and it jumps to around - 15 to - 20amps
Turn all off and back to - 4 to - 10.
SOC eventually drops to around 90% after a few stop/starts and short runs and the monitor goes into + mode, starts charging.
The only thing I can think of as I have the SOC @ 90% it discharges until it is below 90% then starts charging.
I have noticed this often, I may be way off track but I can't think of another explanation.
Maybe Stewart knows why it is happening.

It is exactly doing what you programmed it to do. It is keeping the battery SOC around 90% so you see current draw from the battery and alternator will be disengaged.

Lot of great info above.

Leads me to think the SOC measurement is a combination of Voltage, Ah in/out and Current In to battery.

Im happy with the pretty much Constant low 14 voltage charge I have, mine is the original battery and not the greatest so it would struggle to meet the parameters required to meet a soc charge target.

I will likely fit a new battery soonish and will see what happens then.

I do have a second battery now but the solar will pretty much look after that most of the time.

RossPat wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 8:48 pm I have noticed one thing happening.
If I am not using the car for a while I connect a charger to keep it full.
So I start the car and note the battery is at 100% SOC
Start driving and the battery monitor is at - 4 to - 10 amps
Turn on the parkers, apply brakes or turn on an indicator and it jumps to around - 15 to - 20amps
Turn all off and back to - 4 to - 10.
SOC eventually drops to around 90% after a few stop/starts and short runs and the monitor goes into + mode, starts charging.
The only thing I can think of as I have the SOC @ 90% it discharges until it is below 90% then starts charging.
I have noticed this often, I may be way off track but I can't think of another explanation.
Maybe Stewart knows why it is happening.

This same thing happened to me after I "recharged" my battery (it went flat). Thought I went crazy for a bit there. Maybe I need to bump up the SOC a little?

How are people reading the SOC? Can you do that when you plug in Forscan on the computer?

Yes, you can use Forscan, Scangauge, Ultragauge, OBD Link or similar OBD reader.

Is there a dual battery mode option for the PX1? I can’t see that option in Forscan?
Interested in the comments that BMS is never really turned off even when disabled. Is this also true for the PX1? I have a situation of having BMS disabled yet alternator output changing and dropping to 12v range. I’d like to find away to make it have a constant ~14v output if possible.

Topgear wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 11:03 pm Is there a dual battery mode option for the PX1? I can’t see that option in Forscan?
Interested in the comments that BMS is never really turned off even when disabled. Is this also true for the PX1? I have a situation of having BMS disabled yet alternator output changing and dropping to 12v range. I’d like to find away to make it have a constant ~14v output if possible.

Have a read of this https://www.saeb.net/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1213
Scroll down and there is a pic about Batter Monitor Sensor, that's what you need

Thanks RossPat

I have already done that see below What’s interesting is that I have a PX1 XLT 2012 but my options are different to the one in the thread you mention and I don’t have the last option.

Even with the sensor disabled I’m still getting really variable voltages like the BMS is working even though it’s disabled. A brand new alternator and new battery too.

I’m wondering if somehow even with BMS disabled it can still control the voltage output of the alternator?
Or possibly my BCM is somehow not working as it should?

Ok worked out why my options were different. I had a beta version of Forscan. Changed to v2.3.43 and get the same options now.
A couple of questions. My battery type is an AGM 130AH, 1000CCA. Currently it’s set to ‘Not Configured’.
Wondering if setting to below option may help? no option for a battery as big as I’ve got. Also my alternator option is set as ‘Incorrect value or not configured’. Would this be causing me issues?
I can’t see any options in Forscan for a dual battery option like some mention? Is this only available on px2 onwards and not the px1? Also I can’t see any option for changing SOC% as others have mentioned. Assuming again these are px2 onwards options in Forscan?

Sorry for so many question and thanks again for everyone’s help so far.

Cheers John

I haven't used Forscan on a PX1 so you will need to wait for Stewart to answer.

As per the other post, "without battery monitor sensor" is dual battery mode. Also being AGM then it is most likely the battery is reaching 100% state of charge so is switching off the alternator.

You will be lucky to find the other options configured in any PX1, it is not a necessity.

Hi all, I thought this was a simple process, and maybe I'm just continually overthinking it trying to set it right for my PXII.
Could someone please set me straight on settings?
(I'm using the latest Forscan 2.3.47)

* Primary is a Calcium, newly replaced as the OEM one died.
* Aux is 120Ah Lithium in the tub to drive two 12v fridges
* RedArc BCDC1225D charger in the tub
* There is no direct -ve connection to the chassis - should there be?
* DBM now enabled (prev owner had an AGM in the tub, but DBM had not been set)
* 90% charge set
* There is no setting for 'Calcium' as a battery type, only AGM, Varta, and a bunch of Exide batteries are mentioned
* Battery type is set at 'incorrect value or not configured' - should it stay at that or set to say 'AGM'?
* I'm guessing the downside of leaving Battery Type 'not configured' is that the system is confused on the charging algorithm?

Sorry for all the questions and info, but I'm kinda stuck on all this at the moment.