How to Recondition/Service Your 12V Battery

[dbsb3233]

Being in the UK my account is with Ford.co.uk - I went into my account and downloaded the attached info. I charged the vehicle overnight and it shows a range of 282 miles and a full battery symbol but no percentage. As my HVB charge setting is 90% do I presume that the full battery symbol is showing the LVB?

It might be different on the UK website, but it looks like you're on the VEHICLE DASHBOARD page instead. That's the wrong page. You need to click on the [your name]'s ACCOUNT page.

At least that's the way it works on the US website, anyway.

 

[Oldlawman]

It might be different on the UK website, but it looks like you're on the VEHICLE DASHBOARD page instead. That's the wrong page. You need to click on the [your name]'s ACCOUNT page.

At least that's the way it works on the US website, anyway.

Yup I am on the dashboard page - my UK account page does not seem to have the option you describe so I will contact the UK BEV team for their input.

Many thanks guys

 

[dbsb3233]

Yup I am on the dashboard page - my UK account page does not seem to have the option you describe so I will contact the UK BEV team for their input.

Many thanks guys

FWIW, there's some speculation that it displaying the LVB% could be a mistake on the US page, and that it's really intended to be the HVB%. Logically, the titles and format of that page suggest it's intended to be the HVB% and they just screwed up the coding and mistakenly pointed to the LVB% data element instead.

We really don't know. That's just pure speculation. But as it turns out it's far better for us as it's the only place to easily see the LVB% without going through the mess of buying an OBD2 reader, going out to the car, setting up an app, etc. The ability to just look it up online from the comfort of our phone or PC is way easier.

I only point that out to say you may not get any help by calling them as it may not even supposed to be that way in the first place.

Also, this could be moot soon for how it affects PowerUp OTAs. Some have said one of the updates installs an LVB battery-charge routine if it detects the % is too low.

 

[Oldlawman]

FWIW, there's some speculation that it displaying the LVB% could be a mistake on the US page, and they it's really intended to be the HVB%. Logically, the titles and format of that page suggest it's intended to be the HVB% and they just screwed up the coding and pointed to the LVB% data element instead.

We really don't know. That's just pure speculation. But as it turns out it's far better for us as it's the only place to easily see the LVB% without going through the mess of buying an OBD2 reader, going out to the car, setting up an app, etc. The ability to just look it up online from the comfort of our phone or PC is way easier.

I only point that out to say you may not get any help by calling them as it may not even supposed to be that way in the first place.

That’s informative thanks., I have found the UK BEV team really helpful in the past so here’s hoping…….

 

[generaltso]

Yup I am on the dashboard page - my UK account page does not seem to have the option you describe so I will contact the UK BEV team for their input.

Many thanks guys

Not everyone in the US has the LVB listed either. I don’t.

 

[mkhuffman]

Since my car will be sitting all day today and tonight, I am doing my annual desulfating process as Lee described (inserted below). I am using the power supply method.

"Set your supply to 14.5V at max amps and let it charge in CC (bulk stage). Check on it every hour and try to make a note of when it switches to CV at 14.5V (absorption mode). You can leave it at 14.5V timed for up to 6 hours, or monitor the current drop. When the current drops below 1A or 6 hours have elapsed, lower the voltage to 13.6V (float mode) and let it sit for as long as you can. The battery is done desulfating when the float current stops decreasing. This could take a day or several weeks. A battery in great shape will have a float current less than 0.1% of its C rating (<35 mA for the Mach-E 35 Ah battery). For comparison, I had an AGM sitting around at 75% SoC that hadn’t been charged for a year or two, it took about 5 days of floating to reach a current minimum. Last little bit is very slow."

 

[TallNate]

Since my car will be sitting all day today and tonight, I am doing my annual desulfating process as Lee described (inserted below). I am using the power supply method.

"Set your supply to 14.5V at max amps and let it charge in CC (bulk stage). Check on it every hour and try to make a note of when it switches to CV at 14.5V (absorption mode). You can leave it at 14.5V timed for up to 6 hours, or monitor the current drop. When the current drops below 1A or 6 hours have elapsed, lower the voltage to 13.6V (float mode) and let it sit for as long as you can. The battery is done desulfating when the float current stops decreasing. This could take a day or several weeks. A battery in great shape will have a float current less than 0.1% of its C rating (<35 mA for the Mach-E 35 Ah battery). For comparison, I had an AGM sitting around at 75% SoC that hadn’t been charged for a year or two, it took about 5 days of floating to reach a current minimum. Last little bit is very slow."

Wow, I hope that isn’t necessary for every Mach-E. I couldn’t do any of those steps if I tried. Must be what it sounds like to my wife if I talk about the wi-fi router or advanced accounting or my fantasy football team.

 

[Mach-e4x]

I don‘t Drive much so the 12v battery does not really get to 100% Soc.
I charge the car from 40% to 80% every other day so the 12v battery can get too low especially when the weather gets below 32 degrees, so I have learned to use my Ford 110v EVSE totrickle charge over night, the 12v and HVB when needed. I can monitor things using my car scanner app or Ford website.

 

[mkhuffman]

Wow, I hope that isn’t necessary for every Mach-E. I couldn’t do any of those steps if I tried. Must be what it sounds like to my wife if I talk about the wi-fi router or advanced accounting or my fantasy football team.

It isn't a MME issue. It is a battery issue. Tomorrow morning I am moving the power supply over to my ICE SUV and I will condition that 12V battery. Then I will do my other ICE car that also has a AGM battery. It is a maintenance thing that should be done to maintain the 12V battery.

 

[mkhuffman]

So today I am desulfating our new (to us) 2023 Grand Cherokee L. It is used, and the previous owner took delivery last Feb. It is taking a lot longer for the battery to bulk charge and then settle at 13.6V. It seems like this battery really needs to be desulfated.

My MME sat at 00.0 Amps for about 20 hours. The power supply does not show any current below 50 MA (I am assuming 50 mA rounds up to 00.1 A on the display).

 

[Mach-Lee]

I finally got the 12V BMS up to 100%. It took 3 days on the power supply. Was at 99% most of the time, last 1% took two additional days. @mkhuffman

High voltage battery is at 79% FYI.

 

[mkhuffman]

I finally got the 12V BMS up to 100%. It took 3 days on the power supply. Was at 99% most of the time, last 1% took two additional days. @mkhuffman

High voltage battery is at 79% FYI.

So instead of (or maybe in addition to) monitoring the current on the PS, you are checking the Ford site to see what is being reported? That is interesting. Wish I would have thought of that.

Do you think it would work with an OBDII reader, or would the extra load not allow the LVB to get fully charged even with the PS attached?

 

[PianoDan0]

Hey @Mach-Lee, I am going to try your process of desulfating the battery using a power supply. A few questions: you say to set the power supply to max amps - does it matter what that is? My supply supposedly goes up to 30A. Should I set it to 30A or something lower?

I didn't see anything about this, but does it matter if you are plugged in and charging the HVB? Should you do this process with the car unplugged? I would think the car would probably detect a higher voltage on the LVB and not turn on the converter to charge the battery but I don't know about these systems to say for sure.

Thanks!

 

[Mach-Lee]

Hey @Mach-Lee, I am going to try your process of desulfating the battery using a power supply. A few questions: you say to set the power supply to max amps - does it matter what that is? My supply supposedly goes up to 30A. Should I set it to 30A or something lower?

I didn't see anything about this, but does it matter if you are plugged in and charging the HVB? Should you do this process with the car unplugged? I would think the car would probably detect a higher voltage on the LVB and not turn on the converter to charge the battery but I don't know about these systems to say for sure.

Thanks!

That’s okay, AGMs can take 100 amps just fine. You’re going to be limited by voltage most of the time.

Converter will turn on if the vehicle is switched on regardless of voltage.

Plugged in or not doesn’t matter.

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