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Old 06-11-2017, 07:20 PM   #1
Mr Pachu
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2017 Ford 6.7 diesel

A question to the owners of a 2017 Ford with the 6.7 powerstroke engine.
Did your truck come with a fuse installed for charging the trailer battery? If not did you install one yourself? The reason that I'm asking is my truck did not come with a 30 amp fuse installed in slot 27 of the power distribution box. The shop foreman said that I don't need the fuse as the truck's computer will know when the trailer battery needs charging and will send power to charge the trailer battery as needed. I have never heard of this before. Is this guy out to lunch?

I discharged my battery so that my volt meter read 12.45 volts, I plugged the trailer to my truck and set it up like I was towing and the volt meter still only showed 12.45 volts. This proves to me that I need the fuse added to my truck. I disconnected the trailer from the truck and plugged into shore power and the volt meter went up to 13.5 volts.
 
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Old 06-11-2017, 08:27 PM   #2
Carl n Susan
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If your truck has the trailer towing package, it comes with the fuse. You need it if it is missing. I believe your shop foreman is blowing smoke. I don't believe any truck including the 2017 Ford senses the trailer battery voltage. The output of the alternator is made available on the "12V charge line" circuit if the fuse (and relay) are functional. You can check the voltage on Pin 4 of the truck's plug.

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Old 06-11-2017, 08:39 PM   #3
Mr Pachu
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I have a 12 volt tester plug with different lights on it for checking out all the different connections on the truck end. It won't light up for the 12 volt charge line. I even checked it with a test light connected between #1 & #4 terminals with no power showing.
I agree with you on: I believe your shop foreman is blowing smoke.
I"ll just go and buy a fuse tomorrow.
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Old 06-12-2017, 06:07 PM   #4
Slufoot733
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That shop foreman should be sent back to basic automotive training. You MUST have that fuse..............period.
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Old 06-12-2017, 06:53 PM   #5
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My guess would be that Carl is correct. Both of my new trucks that I bought had the trailer tow package and came with a kit that had instructions, a relay and a fuse that you installed to make your seven prong Bargeman have charging power to your trailer. Otherwise you just had your basic blinkers, parking and brake lights.

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Old 06-13-2017, 12:21 PM   #6
Mr Pachu
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This is what I found on the Ford Truck Forum.

The question: Looking for Trailer Charge Relay - 2016 F250.

1. OK, to put an end to this question: it appears that there is a Trailer Module (TRM) in the 2015-16 F250. This is what controls the charge circuit. As noted earlier, there is no actual relay in 102 nor can one be installed there.

2. On another post a member commented that Ford now controls the Trailer charge line with an intelligent battery monitor system. Basically, if it doesn't see a load (battery that needs charging) on the line it doesn't power the line. They also pointed out that this line isn't fed power until you crank the truck and put your foot on the brake (which since you have to put your foot on the break to crank anyway I wonder if he meant you have to put your foot on it a second time).

3. No relay. Truck has to see a trailer connected after the brake pedal is pressed. The charge lead does not become active until the truck is sure a trailer is connected. That assurance apparently comes from the brake controller finding the trailer when the brake pedal is pushed or, I am assuming the controller is activated manually. Once that happens, the charge lead comes online.

4. You were 100% right on. Pressing the brake makes it come alive!

I'll have to hook up the trailer to my truck and try this out to see if it does work. Hopefully it does. Also on my truck's power distribution box, there is a spot for a relay but there are no terminals for a relay to connect to. Maybe the shop foreman is right, if so he could have explained how it actually works. I'll let you all know if it does work when I get a chance to hook up to the trailer.
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Old 06-13-2017, 12:30 PM   #7
MAwolcott
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I was just about to post a new topic about this. A buddy of mine bought a 2017 F250 and hooked up his camper to it. The battery was dead on the rig, and he couldn't get his jacks up. When he took it back to the dealer that's when he found out there isn't a charging circuit in it. They contacted Ford and were told they didn't install them on the 17s. They never told him about pressing the brake pedal though. I'll relay the message about that to him, although it is too late, he already traded it back in for a 16 model. Does anyone know if the 350s are set up the same way? Not that I'm looking to get rid of mine!
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Old 06-15-2017, 10:18 PM   #8
Mr Pachu
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Today I hooked up my volt meter to the trailer battery and it was registering 12.5 volts. I then plugged the trailer into my truck with it running and the volt meter showed 12.5 volts. I then programed the truck dash to show that I was hooked up to the Montana and then applied the trailer brakes with the brake controller. I checked the volt meter and it was showing 13.1 volts and in a minute or two the volt meter was showing 13.7 volts. I was satisfied that the truck was charging the trailer battery. I guess that the shop foreman was correct but it would have been nice if he would have explained how it worked. My truck does not have a relay or a 30amp fuse in the power distribution box for the trailer charge line.
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