2007 quick way to change power points to run thru the ignition?

[chuck s]

The number of toys in my vehicles will kill the battery if the power points don't go thru the ignition.

Any way to quickly reroute these via the ignition switch?

-- Chuck

 

[green03]

you may be able to jump a wire from the source side of an ignition controlled fuse and use an external fuse holder/wire pigtail into the old fuse slot (fused side) for the outlet. This would be pretty easy and allow you to put it back to stock without any trouble.
Matt

 

[green03]

Don't the 03 and up Expeds have a sensor that disconnects the battery when the voltage gets too low at the battery?

 

[chuck s]

If they do that'd be very nice! I carry a small jumpstart battery in my Explorer all the time!

-- Chuck

 

[mustangrfast88]

my 2000 has that option if the voltage goes to low it kills it and what kind of stuff do you have that are using that much power

 

[chuck s]

GPS, and Valentine-1 via the power connectors; and trailer brake controller wired direct. Battery can go dead over a weekend if I don't unplug everything. Ford says the system is fine. Can't prove it by me.

-- Chuck

 

[smo0othride]

I have had a dead battery before on my 03. I just got a gps unit which plugs into the 12v, so I think I'm going to switch to a yellow top battery.

 

[chuck s]

"Yellow top" battery has less amp hours available than your stock Ford battery. The Optimas only advantage is their hardened internal construction.

If you're doing severe off-roading or dropping your truck via parachute the Optima is what you want. Otherwise the standard battery will supply voltage longer.

I'm in the habit of just pulling the plug when I stop, but it's a PITA.

-- Chuck

 

[smo0othride]

Originally posted by chuck s
"Yellow top" battery has less amp hours available than your stock Ford battery. The Optimas only advantage is their hardened internal construction.

If you're doing severe off-roading or dropping your truck via parachute the Optima is what you want. Otherwise the standard battery will supply voltage longer.

I'm in the habit of just pulling the plug when I stop, but it's a PITA.

-- Chuck

Oh really? because when I had my system, I saw on another forum that if I got a yellow top I could play my stereo system longer when the engine was off. So what battery would be better then stock?

 

[chuck s]

It's all about amp hours and reserve capacity. Mainly reserve capacity as amp hours are often overstated or not listed at all.

The Optima "yellow top" is a dual starting-deep cycle battery and will probably survive more deep discharges than your stock battery, but the biggest ones I can find have a reserve capacity (a factor on how long your radio will run without the engine running) of between 90 and 120 minutes. The stock Motorcraft battery in my Explorer has a RC of 130 minutes. I think a 140 RC battery is optional in the Expedition.

If you commonly run the radio until the truck won't start the Optima may survive more of this abuse, but it's not a true deep cycle like the "Blue Top" versions.

If you really need to run electical accessories with the engine off the same battery system used in many boats is required using an additional deep cycle battery and a switch. Rather a pain on our boats to switch batteries, but leaving the switch in BOTH can kill both batteries and require hand starting the engine. Finding a spot for the second battery can be a challenge.

Not sure how well a pure deep cycle battery will start one of these V8 engines. It may be possible to substitute one for the battery under the hood now. Trojan makes one with a RC of 280 minutes (!) but it's 14x7x11 inches (LWH).
-- Chuck

 

[smo0othride]

So would the best solution be to keep the stock battery and then run my amp and other accessories (GPS for now, carputer soon) off a blue top?

 

[chuck s]

Ya don't need the expense of a Blue Top optima. Ya just need a good deep cycle battery. RC is what you're after.

There are large deep cycles with many more amp hours than what comes out of a Blue Top, heck even a simple Group 24 battery will usually out perform the Optima battery in less rugged than severe off road conditions. RC and amp hours are directly related to the amount of lead in the battery and heavier is usually better.

To charge off the truck alternator you probably need an isloator as well. Look at the Hellroaring system which will keep both batteries charged but isloated.

-- Chuck