Hey there peeps

i recently bought a 2010 ford e350 paratransit bus (V8)

am wanting to wire up the dcdc charger (not my first rodeo on this) but unsure if best routing option from the starter battery (located on passenger side) to the rear side of the passenger steps.

my beast has the disability access on the side and this is where I have my AUX battery.

I could spend hours looking for a safe path but hoped someone has already invented the wheel.

additionally, is there a ground point on the passenger side I could show a good time?

cheers

Ian

 

On Ford's E and F series when equipped with dual batteries, both batteries are not isolated, they are linked in parallel in purpose to double (Ford's believe) the starting power and output. Both batteries are doing the exact same thing and (Ford's believe) sharing half of the load, making battery balancer out there redundant. Whenever you need to replace you almost always have to replace both at the same time.
So if you are trying to use the dc-to-dc charger to charge the aux battery from the starting battery, it's not needed. Return the charger if possible. If you need to invest something get a solar charger if you don't drive your van often. Check this not very long thread: https://www.fordforum.com/forum/othe...08-f450-49184/

Even if your van doesn't have dual batteries, you can run a factory setup, should be somewhat factory prewired. Or depends on what you need to do, run a custom setup and isolate the batteries.

 

I appreciate the response but I asked a specific question requiring a specific answer. Not an opinion on what I should and should not do.

I want (because I drive a lot in areas with little solar) to install my renogy dcdc mttp charge controller so i can charge my auxiliary HOUSE battery via the alternator and solar when available.

my vehicle is only fitted with one cranking battery

 

So you don't have factory dual battery setup, which is good then you can do a custom setup by utilizing the factory aux battery compartment tray and alter the minimal existing wiring without running all new cables, if not present, just run the same routes and isolate both batteries. I definitely know you originally asking how to run the cables efficiently. Check pdf file attached below that's for 07-e350-v8-5.4L
Still, dc-to-dc charger is not needed, whatever needs charging the current is still circulating within your car internally and you still put a load to your alternator and dc-2-dc charger is unhelpful in your situation. Instead, you should get helper externally, solar or slow charger, you get a external charger like noco or ctek, and use that occasionally maybe once a month during winter time when the solar can't do its best. Check the link to the thread I posted above I can tell you didn't read that yet, all mentioned there, which one to get and its model number, you get bluesea to isolate, you get renogy mppt solar controller, renogy solar panel like 200W. This will keep both batteries in top condition.