How long have you got to drive a truck to charge the battery fully?

[Lobo1]

A lot of folks will disagree weth me but an alternator is not intended to charge a weak or dead battery, it is intended to maintain the charge of a strong battery to prevent the battery from loosing its charge from the voltage draw while the engine is running, lights being on, electronics operating and so on. Nothing changes a weak or dead battery better than a slow charge using a good battery charger with an adjustable amp switch. Slow charge at a low amp setting charges the weak or dead battery back to full charge with its rated cold cranking amps back i it. Voltage is the power but amps is the torque. Think of it this way, drinking a car head on into a brick wall at 30 mph……… the speed you hit that wall is your voltage , but the amount of damage done to you car and to the brick wall is the amps

 

[Bypass]

I got a 117 dollar schumacher charger at O'Rielly auto parts and hooked it up it was fully charged in an hour from 67 percent it said. Tried it out and no more warning saying truck shutting down to conserve battery life when turning off ignition. Seems to be good to go now. I've never seen a charger charge a battery that fast. 1 hour from 67% to being maintained.

 

[Boomer Mike]

I have only seen one Ford with a voltage drain and it had been wrecked a few times. I have to drive my vehicles just to exercise them since I retired myself. I haven't been driving any more than you. I'll take mine out on the Hwy and put @ 25mi a week on them. That seems to satisfy them. Maybe every once in a great while I'll put the charger on to top them off. My experience is that Ford and Dodge can sit for months at a time without any real trouble. GMs have to be driven at least once every week and a half or they won't start after a vehicle has some age on it. You can also check the battery with a volt meter. It'll give you voltage, but it won't tell you the torque of the battery. In other words, it can measure full voltage but still not be able to start the motor. If your vehicle is parked outside you best drive it once a week to keep varmints from eating your wiring. I learned the hard way on one. Cost me $3k to fix it. That's why I drive them once a week. Keeps the varmints out, keeps seals lubricated and battery charged. Plus this crap for gas they sell won't stay stable like the old gas would. It collects condensation.

for the gasoline--try filling up with NON-ethanol, it's real gas without the corn whiskey. I've used 90 octane (93 is only available way outside the Atlanta area) for over 12 years in all my gas engines (truck, cars, lawn mower, motorcycles, yard trimmer, leaf blower...). More power, better mileage, and no water in the tank issues. I also add Startron fuel treatment (way better than Stabil and the others) and the gas is good for up to TWO years. One pull to start the mower after sitting in the shed for 6 months. Non-ethanol gas costs more, but it's worth it.

 

[canut]

I have a 1994 Z28 that stays in the garage most the winter and when the sun is not shining. Bought one of these and have it hard wired with a pigtail they sell under the hood. Charger/tender is always hooked up. Starts right up after sitting weeks at a time, battery is always fully charged. Move it to my mowers in the spring.. https://www.batterytender.com/3amp-selectable-voltage

 

[rockyfatcat]

Look up battery minder with Desulfator circuit.

 

[Comanche]

Get a full charge then install a battery maintainer.

This.

 

[Sowega86]

I got a 2022 Ford F 150 and I drive it about 1500 miles a year. Today it warned me of low battery but I never drive anywhere to charge it sadly. Thinking about taking it out for a nice long drive. About how far would I have to go to get a full charge?

Or should I hook up a charger to it and charge the battery? I'm worried about damaging the electronics in doing that.

I was told 20 minutes of highway driving- drive with your headlights on, which will help boost the battery. Make sure you unplug accessories at the end of the day. Since I retired, I don't drive enough and keep my SUV battery connected to a NOCO smart charger if I'm not going out for 3 days or more. My NOCO is 1.1 amps and has a pulse feature that helps to break loose the lead sulfate from the lead plates. Remove the sulfate and the amperage increases during the trickle charge.

 

[Comanche]

On my 99 ram diesel I have two yellow top optima’s.
They’ve worn down slap dead after sitting for a couple weeks but I’ve had good luck bringing them back to a healthy charge with just a small pulse battery tender’trickle charger.
It definitely takes a few days for this to happen but trickle chargers are maintainers not jump boxes.

 

[MRH]

I got a 2022 Ford F 150 and I drive it about 1500 miles a year. Today it warned me of low battery but I never drive anywhere to charge it sadly. Thinking about taking it out for a nice long drive. About how far would I have to go to get a full charge?

Or should I hook up a charger to it and charge the battery? I'm worried about damaging the electronics in doing that.

1500 miles per year…SMH…Sounds glorious, and I’m not even joking. My word, I drive that much in 2 weeks.