Battery, Battery Mounting & Battery Cables Ford Econoline E250

SPECIFICATIONS

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS

Battery and Cables

A 72 ampere-hour, maintenance-free battery, mounted in the forward RH side of the engine compartment, is standard.

A 78 ampere-hour, maintenance-free battery, remotely packaged and frame-mounted in the RH frame rail to the rear of the B-pillar, is optional. The secondary frame-mounted battery is connected in parallel with the primary battery.

The battery system consists of the following components

1. Battery
2. Battery cables
3. Battery case
4. Secondary battery
5. Secondary battery cables
6. Secondary battery case

Scheme 46

Ford Motor Company strongly recommends that lead-acid batteries be returned to an authorized recycling facility for disposal.

Battery Eye Operation

The battery eye indicates the state-of-charge of the battery by responding to the specific gravity of a single battery cell electrolyte. The battery eye has a viewing plate, 2 colored balls of different specific gravity and a small passage. As the state-of-charge and specific gravity changes, the balls change their position in the passageway and subsequently display a different color in the viewing eye. The primary purpose of the battery is to be a quick indicator of state-of-charge for assembly plants and dealership pre-delivery processes.

The color of the battery eye indicates the approximate state-of-charge.

1. Red - indicates low state-of-charge.
2. Yellow/Black - indicates between high and low state-of-charge.
3. Green - indicates high state-of-charge.
4. No color can occur after the battery has been in service for several years and some of the plate material has coated the balls.
5. A clear battery eye can occur if the battery case becomes damaged and the electrolyte has fallen below the plates.

Note. The battery eye may remain red for a period of time (up to several days), even after the battery is fully charged, because the acid is not yet fully mixed.

Do not install a new battery based solely on the indication of the battery eye. The battery eye color simply indicates the battery state-of-charge, not its condition. For example, a red or yellow/black battery eye usually indicates the battery is discharged, not defective. If the battery eye indicates the battery may be discharged, it is necessary to recharge the battery before testing its condition.

Charging a Battery

Batteries discharge while the vehicle is on the dealer lot or parked by the customer for an extended period of time due to normal parasitic key-off loads. Also, vehicles still in dealer inventory or in long-term storage may be driven short distances with heavy electrical loads. Over a period of time (30 days or more), this could result in vehicles having shallow or deeply discharged batteries.

1. Deeply discharged - A battery that is drained over a prolonged period of time, such as an unsold vehicle or a vehicle in storage, to the point the battery is dead.
2. Shallow discharge - A battery that is drained by leaving an accessory on for several hours or a few days and has a very low charge.

The vehicle charging system is designed to supply the electrical power needed to maintain the battery near full charge during normal vehicle use. The charging system is not capable of bringing a deeply discharged battery back to near full charge in a short amount of time such as allowing the vehicle to idle for 15 minutes to "recharge the battery". Discharged batteries should be charged using an external charger.

Note. Battery chargers have improved greatly with the addition of the new generation pulse chargers. These chargers pulse current into the battery, breaking down the sulfation layer on the battery plates and generally reduce charging times to less than an hour.

Note. Cold batteries will not readily accept a charge. Therefore, batteries should be allowed to warm to approximately 5°C (41°F) before charging. This may require 4 to 8 hours at room temperature.

The following chart summarizes 2 recommended methods of charging.

Inspection And Verification

1. Verify the customer concern.
2. Visually inspect for obvious signs of mechanical or electrical damage. VISUAL INSPECTION CHART Mechanical Electrical Battery Battery mounting Battery cables Battery posts
3. If an obvious cause for an observed or reported concern is found, correct the cause (if possible) before proceeding to the next step.
4. If the fault is not visually evident, GO to «PINPOINT TEST A»(/ford/econoline-e250/2012-2013/remont/charging-system/#battery-battery-mounting-battery-cables) in the Pinpoint Test procedure.

Pinpoint Test

SPECIAL TOOLS CHART GR 1 190 V3.0 Intelligent Diagnostic Charger 162-00036 or equivalent

Scheme 47

Normal Operation

Battery condition is determined by measuring battery terminal voltage after a specific discharge current is applied for a specified time period.

This pinpoint test is intended to diagnose the following

1. Battery charge
2. Battery

PINPOINT TEST A : BATTERY CONDITION TEST

1. A1 TEST THE BATTERY CONDITION NOTE: A red test-eye indicates the battery is discharged, not necessarily defective. NOTE: Failure to fully charge the battery before retesting may cause false readings. Verify the battery condition using the Intelligent Diagnostic Charger. Is the battery OK? Yes : RETURN the battery to service. No : If the analyzer reads REPLACE BATTERY or REPLACE-BAD CELL, INSTALL a new battery. REFER to «BATTERY - PRIMARY»(/ford/econoline-e250/2012-2013/remont/charging-system/#battery-battery-mounting-battery-cables) or «BATTERY - SECONDARY»(/ford/econoline-e250/2012-2013/remont/charging-system/#battery-battery-mounting-battery-cables) .

Battery - Drain Tests

Note. To prevent damage to the meter, do not crank the engine or operate accessories that draw more than 10A.

Note. No factory-equipped vehicle should have more than a 50 mA (0.050 amp) draw.

Check for current drains on the battery in excess of 50 mA (0.050 amp) with all the electrical accessories off and the vehicle at rest for at least 40 minutes. Current drains can be tested with the following procedure.

Note. Many electronic modules draw 10 mA (0.010 amp) or more continuously.

Note. Typically, a drain of approximately 1 amp is attributed to an engine compartment lamp, glove compartment lamp or interior lamp staying on continually. Other component failures or wiring shorts are located by selectively pulling fuses to pinpoint the location of the current drain. When the current drain is found, the meter reading falls to an acceptable level. If the drain is still not located after checking all the fuses, it may be due to the generator. Disconnect the generator and retest.

Note. To accurately test the drain on a battery, an in-line ammeter must be used between the negative battery post and its respective cable. Use of a test lamp or voltmeter is not an accurate method.

1. Drive the vehicle at least 5 minutes and over 48 km/h (30 mph) to turn on and activate the vehicle systems.
2. After driving the vehicle and before testing, make sure the junction box(es)/fuse panel(s) is accessible without turning on the interior lights or the underhood lights.
3. Allow the vehicle to sit with the key out of the ignition for at least 40 minutes to allow the modules to time out/power down.
4. Connect a fused jumper wire (30A) between the negative battery cable and the negative battery post to prevent modules from resetting.
5. Disconnect the negative battery cable from the negative battery post without breaking the connection of the jumper wire.
6. Connect the battery tester between the negative battery cable and the post. The meter must be capable of reading milliamps and should have a 10-amp capability.
7. Remove the jumper wire.
8. Note the amperage draw. Draw varies from vehicle to vehicle depending on the equipment package. Compare to a similar vehicle for reference. NOTE: If the vehicle sits for an extended period of time and the battery drains, there is the possibility of a control module staying alive and not going into sleep mode. If a module does stay alive, it can also result in battery drain. If a module is suspect, isolate individual modules by disconnecting each module one at a time and note if the excessive draw goes away. NOTE: For vehicles equipped with aftermarket bodies or boxes which contain electrical connections, disconnect the aftermarket to factory connections to isolate the body from the chassis.
9. If the current draw is excessive, remove the fuses from the Battery Junction Box (BJB) one at a time and note the current drop. When the current level drops to an acceptable level after removing a fuse, the circuit containing the excessive draw has been located. The excessive draw can be isolated by continuing to pull sub system fuses. Do not reinstall the fuses until testing is finished. To correctly isolate each of the circuits, all of the fuses may need to be removed, then install one fuse and note the amperage draw, remove the fuse and install the next fuse. Continue this process with each fuse. Once the main circuit is identified, continue to remove the fuses from the Smart Junction Box (SJB) one at a time and note the current reading. Do not reinstall the fuses until testing is finished. To correctly isolate each of the circuits, all of the fuses may need to be removed, then install one fuse and note the amperage draw, remove the fuse and install the next fuse. Continue this process with each fuse.
10. Check the wiring diagrams for any circuits that run from the battery without passing through the BJB or the SJB. If the current draw is still excessive, disconnect these circuits until the draw is found. Also, disconnect the generator electrical connections and retest if the draw cannot be located. The generator may be internally shorted, causing the current drain.

Battery Disconnect

Note. When the battery is disconnected and connected, some abnormal drive symptoms may occur while the vehicle relearns its adaptive strategy. The vehicle may need to be driven to relearn its strategy.

1. Disconnect the battery ground cable. To connect, tighten to 5 Nm (44 lb-in).
2. Disconnect the positive battery cable. To connect, tighten to 5 Nm (44 lb-in).
3. To connect, reverse the disconnect procedure.

Battery Disconnect - Dual

Note. When the battery is disconnected and connected, some abnormal drive symptoms may occur while the vehicle relearns its adaptive strategy. The vehicle may need to be driven to relearn its strategy.

1. Loosen the nut and disconnect the primary battery ground cable. To connect, tighten to 9 Nm (80 lb-in).
2. Remove the bolt and disconnect the secondary battery ground cable from the frame. Completely cover the battery ground cable terminal with electrical tape. To connect, remove the electrical tape from the battery ground cable terminal and tighten to 25 Nm (18 lb-ft).
3. Position a suitable lifting device to the secondary battery tray.
4. Remove the secondary battery tray upper RH bolt. To install, tighten to 40 Nm (30 lb-ft).
5. Loosen the 3 remaining secondary battery tray bolts. To install, tighten to 40 Nm (30 lb-ft).
6. Slide the battery tray up and to the right to disengage the battery tray from the 3 battery tray bolts. Lower the battery tray to access the battery tray cover fasteners.
7. Remove the 2 bolts and position the battery tray cover aside. To install, tighten to 7 Nm (62 lb-in).
8. Loosen the 2 battery cable terminal nuts and disconnect the battery cables. To connect, tighten to 9 Nm (80 lb-in).
9. To connect, reverse the disconnect procedure.

Scheme 48

1. For additional information, refer to the appropriate procedures in this information.

Removal and Installation

1. Disconnect the battery. For additional information, refer to «BATTERY DISCONNECT»(/ford/econoline-e250/2012-2013/remont/charging-system/#battery-battery-mounting-battery-cables__battery-disconnect) .
2. Remove the battery hold-down bolt. To install, tighten to 7 Nm (62 lb-in).
3. Remove the battery.
4. To install, reverse the removal procedure.

1. Remove the battery. For additional information, refer to «BATTERY - PRIMARY»(/ford/econoline-e250/2012-2013/remont/charging-system/#battery-battery-mounting-battery-cables) .
2. Remove the 4 bolts and the battery tray. To install, tighten to 30 Nm (22 lb-ft).
3. To install, reverse the removal procedure.

Scheme 49

1. For additional information, refer to the appropriate procedures in this information .

1. Disconnect the battery. For additional information, refer to «BATTERY DISCONNECT - DUAL»(/ford/econoline-e250/2012-2013/remont/charging-system/#battery-battery-mounting-battery-cables__battery-disconnect-dual)
2. Remove the 2 battery tray safety strap bolts and position the safety straps aside. To install, tighten to 30 Nm (22 lb-ft).
3. Remove the battery tray from the vehicle and place on the work bench.
4. Remove the battery hold-down clamp and bolt. To install, tighten to 7 Nm (62 lb-in).
5. Remove the battery.
6. To install, reverse the removal procedure.

Scheme 50

Scheme 51

Scheme 52

Scheme 53

1. Tighten to 9 Nm (80 lb-in). Tighten to 5 Nm (44 lb-in). Tighten to 12 Nm (106 lb-in).
2. NOTE: The battery cable frame ground is only available for vehicles equipped with a secondary battery. Tighten to 25 Nm (18 lb-ft). 4.6L vehicles, tighten to 15 Nm (133 lb-in). 5.4L and 6.8L vehicles, tighten to 30 Nm (22 lb-ft).
3. Tighten to 17 Nm (150 lb-in).
4. Tighten to 25 Nm (18 lb-ft). Tighten to 12 Nm (106 lb-in). Tighten to 5 Nm (44 lb-in).

Scheme 54

1. Tighten to 9 Nm (80 lb-in). Tighten to 25 Nm (18 lb-ft). NOTE: Cutaway vehicles require 2 wire harness fasteners and bolts, all other vehicles use a single fastener and bolt. Tighten to 27 Nm (20 lb-ft). Tighten to 12 Nm (106 lb-in).

See also:
• SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM
• PINPOINT TEST A
• BATTERY DISCONNECT
• BATTERY DISCONNECT - DUAL