new BT50 / Ford Ranger electrical issues

Submitted: Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 18:14
ThreadID: 92527 Views:26321 Replies:14 FollowUps:11
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Hi,
I have been told by mazda you cannot fit any electrical accessory to a new bt50 as they have a computer sensing charge system and it may shut down the system if it detects a extra load, they stated no d/lights, no electric brakes, no radio, no dual batteries nothing!!.
Also you can not change the suspension in anyway as it will bugger the stablilty control.
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Reply By: Notso - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 18:16

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 18:16
That's gotta be the biggest load a garbage. You should talk to another dealer.
AnswerID: 480436

Follow Up By: Notso - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 18:17

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 18:17
They are probably correct about the suspension though!
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Reply By: acdc - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 18:21

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 18:21
so far i have spoken to 4 different sources and they all say the same thing.
AnswerID: 480438

Reply By: nickoff - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 18:55

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 18:55
If this is the case, it makes a mockery of their advertised great towing ability. By law, you need an electrical connection for at least the lights, as well as brakes. If this is so, is the vehicle unfit for purpose, (as advertised) to be able to tow up to 3 Tonnes+? Grounds for false advertising?
AnswerID: 480442

Follow Up By: Member - MUZBRY(Vic) - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 19:24

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 19:24
Gday Nickoff
You might find the circuit needed for towing is already in the vehicle , like a lot of other vehicles .

Muzbry
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Reply By: Member - DW Lennox Head(NSW) - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 19:40

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 19:40
This statement is a load of rubbish. Get the facts correct before you post on a site like this.

I have bull bar, driving lights, dual battery, snorkel and upgraded suspension all done by an ARB dealer.

DW
AnswerID: 480445

Follow Up By: acdc - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 19:50

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 19:50
best you do your homework, what would ARB know they just want your money.
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Follow Up By: acdc - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 19:55

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 19:55
ARB don't have a bullbar at the moment for the new mazda bt50/ranger.
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Follow Up By: Bush Wanderer - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:38

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:38
Dw Lennox head....why get so fired up ?. The guy might be researching the purchase of a car, and wanted to know if what he heard was correct. I see no issue with posting here as there are probably other bt owners that may be able to share their experiences.

You need I rethink before you go off the handle at this fellow.

BW
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Follow Up By: bazz - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 22:56

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 22:56
hows it for towing so far any issues?, 5 cyl diesel sounds good, cheers Bazz
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Follow Up By: sweetnam - Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 08:30

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 08:30
DW Lennox,

I have no problem with the guy putting out the info he is being told by the dealer, that is what these forums are for...

What model is your BT50 - is it the current model or the previous. It may be why there is a misunderstanding.

B
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Follow Up By: Member - DW Lennox Head(NSW) - Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 09:28

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 09:28
Hi sweetnam

I have the last of the previous model.

However, I have seen a current BT50 all set up. It was passing through the area towing a dual axle caravan. I think he was from Queensland.

DW
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Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:04

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:04
acdc,

Interesting post mate.

I happened to be talking to a reputable camper trailer dealership at the Adelaide Camping and 4WD show and he mentioned problems identified with some vehicles with computer controlled charging systems not providing a suitable charge to remote batteries in a camper or van.

Don't know whether a dc-dc charger would overcome the problem but he said some vehicle makes are known for this problem.

Where there's smoke there's fire hey!

Bill


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AnswerID: 480447

Reply By: Bobba - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:26

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:26
I wonder how they get around the factory/dealer fitment of the Genisis Lightforce Driving Lights?

Mark.
AnswerID: 480452

Follow Up By: Rockape - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:33

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:33
Mark,
Yep Mazda seem to offer a few electrical extras for their new BT50.

RA.
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Reply By: Bush Wanderer - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:34

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:34
There are more hitech vehicles than these out there, that have all the gear fitted. The installers just need to know what they are doing.

Auto sparkies attend courses on working with bus wiring. Not all know what they are doing, but those they want to keep up.....do so.

BW
AnswerID: 480456

Reply By: Member - cherrywipe - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:38

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 20:38
Hi acdc,
Check out the accessories for bt-50 on Mazda web site full list of add ons. Shown on the bottom of this page.
Cheers
AnswerID: 480457

Follow Up By: acdc - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 21:34

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 21:34
I also spoke to piranha they also recommend not to fit electric brakes, they have done a couple of dual battery systems with no problem so far, but they also connected all extra loads to the aux battery including d/lights etc.

The local mazda dealer disconnected all accessories on a friends BT50 radio, electric brakes and d/lights and siad this cannot be done.

Obviously there must be an answer to this issue, or who would buy one?
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FollowupID: 755910

Reply By: Battery Value Pty Ltd - Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 23:04

Thursday, Mar 15, 2012 at 23:04
Hi acdc,

for the ECU to charge the battery in closed loop via the alternator, there needs to be battery current/voltage sensors.
These are the eyes and ears telling the ECU something about the state of charge and health of the battery. The alternator voltage is controlled by the ECU, in an attempt to keep the SOC near 100%.
When the battery is fully charged, the system balances the alternator current with the load currents and there's very little current flowing through the battery which means the terminal voltage droops towards the open circuit voltage and it stabilises just above it.

If you just connect a load willy nilly across the battery terminals, the voltage will droop further, and because the ECU doesn't 'know' about this extra load current, it could assume the battery has developed a fault such as a shorted cell.

What I would do is look for the current sensor which could be a ring shaped thing through which the Battery/chassis ground wire is routed (not sure if it's there - the current sensor could also be an integral part of the battery terminal).

You could now try and run the load negative through this ring, in the direction towards the battery terminal (the direction is crucial).

cheers, Peter
AnswerID: 480474

Reply By: gbc - Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 07:00

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 07:00
We tow my uncle's 680 haines around with his new ranger. It's got electric brakes, oh and Led lights on the trailer - that was another fuphey - don't hook up led lights.

Perhaps you should ring the Fraser coast motor centre - they set up his for towing from new.

AnswerID: 480488

Reply By: LeighW - Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 08:43

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 08:43
The problem would seem to be with connecting accessories to the batteries terminals

The electrical load on the vehicles charging system will vary widely depending on what equipment is in use at any one time, ie lights, wipers, aircon and the electrical system has to deal with this.

Keeping the above in mind if you connect any new accessories etc to the vehicles fuse box main bus bar for +VE and connect the -VE to the point where the battery negative terminal grounds to the body and then distribute the +VE through an auxillary fuse box you should not have any problems.

Cheers
LeighW

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AnswerID: 480501

Follow Up By: Battery Value Pty Ltd - Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 09:00

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 09:00
Spot on LeighW,

that way, the loads are connected on the alternator side which bypasses any possible current sensors on the battery side.

cheers, Peter
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FollowupID: 755949

Reply By: andoland - Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 09:34

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 09:34
My father has a new BT50 with dual batteries, electric trailer brake controller and UHF radio. These were all fitted by Mazda.
AnswerID: 480514

Reply By: acdc - Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 18:54

Friday, Mar 16, 2012 at 18:54
I have finally got to the bottom of it all, I have the paperwork from ford australia explaining nothing can be connected directly to the battery, you must use a relay connected to the ignition supply ( there are plenty in the fuse box) then power a fuse box from this relay then run all accessories from this fuse box so when ignition is off all loads are disconnected.
the battery has current sensors and all sorts of sensors connected to it.
there is also an issue with hayman reece trailer plug looms setting of faults.
AnswerID: 480561

Reply By: Peter M37 - Friday, Mar 23, 2012 at 12:11

Friday, Mar 23, 2012 at 12:11
is there any way that you could post a scan or photo of the paperwork from ford/mazda please??
AnswerID: 481182

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