? How Many Times Per Week (and for how long)?

[Jbrubakerjr]

Trips of less than a mile may not bring a battery up to full charge, even though these trucks (or at least mine) start with very little cranking. It also won't come up to full temperature as others have stated. This is not good for the engine, transmission, or the environment.

Your kind of use is where an electric car would really shine. Because they don't need to be warmed up to work well, short trips will not shorten its life. For trips that short you could charge at home off a standard 120V 15A outlet.

I did have a PHEV 4xe, and it did shine in those instances. But needed the truck. I guess I will just have to make the trip longer until the hybrid Ranger is available.

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[9zero1790]

i only get to drive mine a couple times a week but i normally get a good 60 miles or more in at least two times a month. no batt issues yet. while it was waiting for repair i did get the truck shutting down to save battery message. but it fired right up still. these trucks seem to do a lot of stuff even with while parked and off so im a bit concerned on battery also.

 

[Motorpsychology]

Thanks, Ed. I have not received any messages, but wanting to be proactive in the care of the truck. Great advice.

One telltale that the battery is ok, but probably under 70% charge is the Auto Start/Stop (ASS) stops functioning, but keep in mind ASS won't function in Sport or Trailer mode, Max Defrost or A/C or when the engine is cold regardless.

 

[Dereku]

I did have a PHEV 4xe, and it did shine in those instances. But needed the truck. I guess I will just have to make the trip longer until the hybrid Ranger is available.

Hybrid ranger will have an even bigger battery to have issues with. Hope you have a big battery tender.

?

 

[rang19ca]

As a general rule, When I was still working, we would tell our drivers to drive about 30 minutes after a jump start to recharge their battery. Short trips and many restarts are not good for battery life.

 

[MikeyB]

Wow. This is NOT where I thought this was going based upon the title.

Holy Cow!
My mind's in the gutter..was thinking the same when I saw the OP's post...
What was the question?.....

 

[GTGallop]

Usually every other day in the shower for about 10.... OHHHHH You mean starting the ranger.
I drive mine on the weekends mostly. Seems to work fine.

 

[RANGER_MARC]

So a quick question for those more familiar with the electronics and battery maintenance (an apologies if it has been asked before) - How often is often enough to start and run my Ranger that would eliminate or greatly reduce the need for a battery minder? Typically, I am in my Ranger going somewhere at least twice (sometimes three times) per week, although it is possible that those trips may be less than a mile each way. Is that sufficient for battery maintenance, or do I need to think about a installing a battery minder?

Under normal circumstances, without a minder, we drive the Ranger several times weekly, with ten or twenty miles per trip being the shortest, and I do like firing it up in the hills around our house. However, we have gone on a few international trips and had to leave the truck unattended in the garage for four to five weeks. After coming home, the Ranger started right up each time, but you probably would not want to push it much further than that...

 

[Jbrubakerjr]

One telltale that the battery is ok, but probably under 70% charge is the Auto Start/Stop (ASS) stops functioning, but keep in mind ASS won't function in Sport or Trailer mode, Max Defrost or A/C or when the engine is cold regardless.

Well, I have one with the ASS removed by the factory, so no sign there.

 

[Jbrubakerjr]

Hybrid ranger will have an even bigger battery to have issues with. Hope you have a big battery tender.

?

I would think it would normally be plugged into the charger overnight, so THAT battery should be good. If it's not a PHEV, I don't think I would be interested.

Or does bigger mean more times per week with extenzed sessions?

 

[Tracy Bowman]

Yep, I realize that. It is a bit too far to walk both ways. Maybe I need to purchase a golf cart as well.

Just take the long way once a week. It’ll help the battery & you’ll have a fun, relaxing time.

 

[JesseS]

Keep in mind the above poster says the charging system is programmed to charge to 70% of full capacity (I also heard 80%) but it's why I use a battery tender.

Just to add my purpose is to extend the life of the battery, so depending on the OPs objective he may elect differently. In general batteries charged at or near 100% may prolong their useful life, wet acid in particular but also applies to AGM to a lesser degree.

I changed my battery from 70% (ForScan shows 70%) to 90% because it was going into sleep mode every 10-12 days, recently it sat for over 2 weeks while we were on a trip and was fine.

 

[dtech]

.

I changed my battery from 70% (ForScan shows 70%) to 90% because it was going into sleep mode every 10-12 days, recently it sat for over 2 weeks while we were on a trip and was fine.

Yeah there was a past thread on this - it's nice that the charging algorithm is adjustable as when my batt does die I have the option of replacing with a wet cell, I don't use the ASS function.

Have to assume the reason for 70% charge is to allow for a faster charge with less heat produced but this less than full charge can shorten the life of the battery.

If I get ambitious I may do the same as you have and adjust to the charge level.

 

[JesseS]

.


Yeah there was a past thread on this - it's nice that the charging algorithm is adjustable as when my batt does die I have the option of replacing with a wet cell, I don't use the ASS function.

Have to assume the reason for 70% charge is to allow for a faster charge with less heat produced but this less than full charge can shorten the life of the battery.

If I get ambitious I may do the same as you have and adjust to the charge level.

I just looked at my notes and the stock 'Battery Target State' in the BCM was 75% not 70%, now reads 90%.

 

[dtech]

I just looked at my notes and the stock 'Battery Target State' in the BCM was 75% not 70%, now reads 90%.

so it's understandable that when the battery is charged at 75% capacity that when truck is not used it's going to discharge further until it turns on sleep mode, this enables it to conserve power so the vehicle will start. The downside of this is that lead acid batteries can/will experience shorter life span when consistently not fully charged, hence you see many posts on shorter than expected life span. If they fail under warranty all well and good but I expect to see 5+ yrs out of a battery. YMMV, in the words of Alessandro Volta take care of a battery and it will take care of you .

Tale of a consequences of a failed battery, was working at a golf course and a linkster asks if we sold batteries for his gps where batts had failed, we didn't so he proceeded to call his wife to bring him batteries, 99% of golfer are in a good mood (before teeing off) so I said - wow won't your wife be ticked off about interrupting her morning to bring batteries from her sex toy, I knew the guy to be a joker, the whole club house including ladies broke out in laughter but sure enough when the guy's wife showed up she wasn't in a good mood, sometimes you got call it like it is.

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