Are we stuck with the Ford battery?

[gbub]

I have been working with my solar for charging when in remote wilderness to keep my refrigerator running, This is the first time I have taken a good look at the battery in my Bronco. The negative post looks like it would work on another battery but I am not sure the positive post is compatible with Optima (which has been my preference for the past 30 years or so). I did not disconnect it to investigate further but thought I would check here to see if anyone has tried other batteries.

I checked the voltage before connecting the solar and it read 12.2 V. That seemed low since the vehicle had been parked only 1 day since driving it a little over 20 miles. I don't use ASS either. I checked the voltage on an Optima that is in a vehicle that had been driven 6 miles before it was parked for 1 day. It had been parked for a week before that. It read 12.55 V. That battery is a little over 3 years old and my Bronco only has about 1,300 miles on it.

After I hooked up the solar, it got the Bronco battery to a full charge (~12.7V) in about 3 hours with the refrigerator running. The controller pretty much went into float charge after that. I disconnected the solar once the sun was not giving much energy anymore. I let the refrigerator cycle all night and in the morning the the power port had shut off but the refrigerator was still cold. The battery read 12.1 V at that point. I don't know if the battery has a low reserve or the Bronco also draws on the battery. The refrigerator does not draw that much and from what I was told is equivalent to a dome light being left on. I can usually run the refrigerator without a battery charge all day and night and still be able to start the vehicle.

I don't have room for a second battery so I need to figure out how to make one do the job like I have for many years. It doesn't look like the Ford battery up to it.

Sponsored

 

[brkdncr]

I have a 69 f250. I wouldn’t trust it on its own and it only needs to provide power to the ignition and starter.

i definitely wouldn’t try to use the battery for accessories on anything built with a push button starter.

you can get a small EcoFlow/jackery battery for under $300.

 

[Brian_B]

i definitely wouldn’t try to use the battery for accessories on anything built with a push button starter.

you can get a small EcoFlow/jackery battery for under $300.

Yeah I would second this. I've seen an awful lot of random issues caused around the Bronco because of low battery voltage and these flakey AGM batteries. And the solar charge may create issues with the on-board BMS.

I wouldn't hard wire anything significant to the off the main battery without it being tied to at least ACC power. @brkdncr suggestion of a Jackery (or similar unit) is exactly what I would use if I were going to power something like a fridge for an extended time with the Bronco not running. Your solar panel should tie into those portable power units as well, and you can get alternator charge kits for them. The only drawback is they take up some cargo space.

I've seen some people roll their own with lithium battery bank in the jack storage compartment and an inverter tucked away somewhere, but it's an awful lot of effort (and some amount of risk there) for something that's become a more or less commodity item.

 

[Area51BS]

Do a dual battery set up. You could fit a few small AGM’s in rear under floor storage or custom mounts behind rear cargo trim panel assuming you don’t have the useless subwoofer back there.

 

[broadicustomworks]

@Jazer Didn't you just put a yellow top in yours?

 

[Jazer]

@Jazer Didn't you just put a yellow top in yours?

Yep, went with the DH7.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Sitting alone with no accessories connect your Bronco will draw down the battery. A fridge is a big draw on the system. I am surprised that it didn't draw down further than it did. Nothing to do with the factory battery (FYI, Ford doesn't make batteries). Unless you are driving down the highway you are going to need a secondary power source to power a fridge.

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

Wonder if this would work for you. Could isolate it to not interfere with the main battery.

https://broncoaccessoriesusa.com/products/onboard-compressor-plate

 

[MadMan4BamaNATL]

I have a Bluetti 700s to run my fridge (Dometic CX35) when I park to camp. I wouldn’t run an accessory that draws when the engine is off.

The costs of these portable batteries is low; mine was like $450 and an even smaller unit can run a fridge overnight and you recharge the battery with the 12V port on the Bronco. I do keep extra fuses for my fridge cable as they can blow.

Small investment for peace of mind.

 

[Mr Bacon Jr]

Genesis makes what appears to be a pretty slick dual-battery kit designed for 2 Odyssey batteries.

https://www.genesisoffroad.com/products/gen3-bronco-dual-battery-kit

 

[Dusty]

I have the Optima DH7 in mine, it's pretty much a direct replacement for the factory one. I think the factory battery is made by Clarios, Optima's parent company. They might be pretty much the same battery with a different color enclosure.

 

[gbub]

Thank you everybody for the suggestions. It gives me a lot to think about. When I go out on one of my adventures, it is anywhere from two to four weeks and resupplying is not always convenient. I am used to running with a 02 Supercab Ranger with a 6 foot bed. The refrigerator is up front behind the seat on a platform I built along with the non-refrigerated food. Now, I have a 6 foot space that is narrower. It will need to hold everything that I need including the refrigerator and food. I am going to need to change how I pack and camp, so space is going to be precious.

Having 2 batteries is my last option at this point but is still a possibility. I want an onboard compressor so that space is going to be occupied. Putting one in the side panels is a good possibility.

I still like the idea of an Optima and will look into the DH7. I prefer a Red top because it is more suited to a vehicle that is a daily driver. The Yellow top is better for deep cycle which would be better for my adventures but that is only one month out of the year. I have found the Red top works fairly well as a deep cycle battery for the amount I use it as such.

So far my experimentation with solar is working well. I continued charging the battery with the 200 watt panel and the controller after the battery had dropped to 12.1 V. With good sun the battery was back up to near full charge in about 3 hours. After hooking up the solar, I cycled the ignition on and off and the power port was providing power to the refrigerator again. At the end of the day, the battery was at 12.9 V after I disconnected the solar.

I continued running the refrigerator overnight but at a lower setting so it would not use as much power. I set it at the level I normally run it at during the day. I usually set it even lower at night to conserve energy. It was around 55F last night but still a good test. This morning the refrigerator was still running, so the power port did not shut off. It is very cloudy today so it will give me a chance to see how well the solar performs in bad conditions.

So, far The solar has not been a problem for the Bronco electronics. The controller is set to the gel battery program, so it should not be much different than a gel battery charger plugged into a 110 V outlet.

My Bronco may not be ready for my wilderness adventure this year but I still have my Ranger with over 300K miles on it to do its normal duties. I want to make sure the Bronco is fully ready before it takes on the rough stuff.

 

[UtahBrandon]

It's pretty expensive for what it is, but I was able to pick one of these up for dirt cheap when a local business was closing down. It works surprisingly well, with 18 hours of power, and takes up next to no room as it just attaches via magnets to the side of the fridge. I keep my ARB Zero fridge plugged into the accessory outlet on the daily, but switch to this battery when I need the fridge powered for any length of time when the vehicle isn't running.
ARB Fridge Power Pack

 

[Bikeric]

Having 2 batteries is my last option at this point but is still a possibility. I want an onboard compressor so that space is going to be occupied. Putting one in the side panels is a good possibility.

There is the DV8 option to replace the little plastic ice chest below the rear floor and install a basket that mounts the ARB twin compressor. You can then run the wires up and around to mount somewhere on the interior and run air lines to the exterior. You never need to lift the lid to have a compressor available. It could allow you to utilize the room under the hood for a second battery.

 

[DefNotBuddyLee]

Looked at Odyssey or X2 battery as an option? I have not been a fan of newer Optima batteries, as their quality has gone downhill from what I have seen with friends and in other forums. However, if that is your poison, then go for it. I would personally opt for yellow top which is purpose built for deep cycle. Otherwise you may just be killing your red-top quicker with deep discharge.
However a 2 battery setup or Jackery/Eco Flow would be better options, but when space is a premium sacrifices get made.

Sponsored