F-150 Lightning Intelligent Backup Power: 15 questions answered by Ford

[Gary Gattis]

Fast charging can be great for EVs taking advantage of super off peak rates. Our utility has a pilot EV rate of 4 cents between midnight and 4am. Definitely need fast charging to fill the lightning in that period.

During fast charging heat causes the battery to charge less balanced between the cells. The battery will not last as long with a charge when the cells are unbalanced. Keeping the battery as close to 78F is ideal so slow charging is better and the battery will perform longer. I do want to be able to get a fast charge when I need one, but there are times you want the battery full and balanced for that long haul.

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[Beans]

During fast charging heat causes the battery to charge less balanced between the cells. The battery will not last as long with a charge when the cells are unbalanced. Keeping the battery as close to 78F is ideal so slow charging is better and the battery will perform longer. I do want to be able to get a fast charge when I need one, but there are times you want the battery full and balanced for that long haul.

I don’t think this is a problem with level 2 charging at 19.2 kW. More of an issue with DC fast charging at 150kW.

 

[hturnerfamily]

The good news is that Ford has thought this through and has provided MANY more charging options than most any current EV, giving us all the ability to choose what works for our personal or business situation, or whether we want the ability to charge during 'off-peak' hours, etc. It's all good.
30a 240v,
48a 240v,
240v PRO - adjustable 20 - 80 amps...
or CCS DC Fast Chargers up to 150kw...
and if your carry your Ford charger with you, ~12a 120v for 'emergency' slow charging.

My current Nissan Leaf has a Level 2 16amp 240v charger for at home, and can access 50kw DC Fast Charger via CHAdeMO plug.

of course, there are also many, many Level 2 chargers available from MANY providers that would work just as well as anything Ford is offering, although Ford is one of the few EV manufacturers that is providing a Level 2 charger with the vehicle - most only provide the basic 120v emergency cord.

 

[Gary Gattis]

I don’t think this is a problem with level 2 charging at 19.2 kW. More of an issue with DC fast charging at 150kW.

DC fast charging would not be good to charge often period.

 

[Maquis]

after viewing the video with Tom M and Ford's intelligent backup power rep, it looks like there are two options to 'whole house charging': Simple and easy, or Automated and expensive.

A) you can choose to go the 'automated' route, with Ford's 80amp Pro IBP charging system setup, and SunRun's equipment, and a licensed Electrician, and permits, and probably over $10,000.00. This system provides an integrated INVERTER to handle the DC 9.6kwh output of the truck's battery, creating the 240v 40amp output back to the home's primary power panel, or a dedicated 'generator subpanel'.

B) you can simply use a 8/3 soow cord with a 30a twist lock 240v male plug to the truck, and the other end a Nema 14-50 male plug back into the very same charging outlet that the provided Ford 32amp charger already uses. This would provide 7.2kw power with 30amps at 240v from the truck back to the home's main power panel, with a breaker interlock, or a dedicated 'generator subpanel' setup, depending on your preference. While a 'manual' whole-house power feed, and 30amps of power, it's certainly as much power as most any home 'needs' for a critical power outage. Plus, nothing keeps you from also making use of the other 2.4kw of power from the other outlets on the truck, with extension cords. Maybe $100.

Good summary. A couple comments:

What you describe in option “B” is what electricians call a “suicide cord.” If you connect and power in the wrong sequence, you can be holding a plug with live, exposed prongs. It would be best to have an inlet on the house circuit and a female end on the cord.

And it wouldn’t surprise me to see option “A” come in well north of $10K in a lot of places.

 

[TaxmanHog]

DC fast charging would not be good to charge often period.

Thoughts for a use case where I'm doing a mid trip pause for 15-30 minutes coffee break to partially replenish so that I can complete my round trip plans.

I'm pulling a 4000# V nose trailer round trip to the local race track about 212 miles, normally a long day with meal stop at the end anyway, so convenience is not the issue, but making sure I will make it home is, so given the options of DCFC or slower L2 I need to figure out if I have received enough electrons to make it home or the next interval for charging.

I look forward to the challenge , once I have figured this out, then the challenge rises to regional races and cross country 800 mile sprints, (1600 R/T) and 1500 miles sprints (3000 R/T) this is when optimized DCFC is important.

 

[Gary Gattis]

Thoughts for a use case where I'm doing a mid trip pause for 15-30 minutes coffee break to partially replenish so that I can complete my round trip plans.

I'm pulling a 4000# V nose trailer round trip to the local race track about 212 miles, normally a long day with meal stop at the end anyway, so convenience is not the issue, but making sure I will make it home is, so given the options of DCFC or slower L2 I need to figure out if I have received enough electrons to make it home or the next interval for charging.

I look forward to the challenge , once I have figured this out, then the challenge rises to regional races and cross country 800 mile sprints, (1600 R/T) and 1500 miles sprints (3000 R/T) this is when optimized DCFC is important.

I would charge as you need to get the job done. Use slower cooler charges when you can.

 

[jefro]

12A usually is only a temp setting, pretty sure it should default to 8A.

 

[hturnerfamily]

What [generator cord] you describe in option “B” is what electricians call a “suicide cord.” If you connect and power in the wrong sequence, you can be holding a plug with live, exposed prongs. It would be best to have an inlet on the house circuit and a female end on the cord.

true, so I use a combination male-to-male N14-50 main cord to the outlet. along with a twist-lock male to N14-50 FEMALE adapter from the truck/generator - this give the same outcome, but includes the protection of the 'female' part, at least, again, if you use it in the correct step - meaning the LAST to plug in.
Of course, none of this matters if the Truck/Generator is not yet providing power/running, which is the TRUE last step in the process.

by the way, that same twist-lock male to N14-50 Female adapter serves as an emergency Charge Cable 'outlet' to provide power to another EV, if the other EV has a 240v EVSE cable with a 50amp 4-prong end, of course... adapters abound for these various situations, if not, and coming from the camping world, I have many that I already own.

 

[yed19]

@tommolog Will you be doing an install video on the HIS at some point in the future? I am installing Solar and I think our electrician is kind of in the dark on some of this as well and I think anything helps at this point. I am very interested in understanding how the system works and its telling that I have not seen a working system at this point. I now have all components to get this all installed with Solar (finally received my charger yesterday). Now to put it all together...

 

[tommolog]

@tommolog Will you be doing an install video on the HIS at some point in the future? I am installing Solar and I think our electrician is kind of in the dark on some of this as well and I think anything helps at this point. I am very interested in understanding how the system works and its telling that I have not seen a working system at this point. I now have all components to get this all installed with Solar (finally received my charger yesterday). Now to put it all together...

Yes, a detailed installation video. But it's going to take 2 months for permitting, service upgrade that I need, and then editing the video. Hoping to begin the installation in late August.

 

[yed19]

Yes, a detailed installation video. But it's going to take 2 months for permitting, service upgrade that I need, and then editing the video. Hoping to begin the installation in late August.

Well, I might beat you to it then... I will be sure to post some installation pics/videos if I can.

 

[yed19]

Well @tommolog , I don't know about you but getting the PUD and permits and the electrical engineer to design this thing is taking way longer than it should have... We are eyeing an install date in the next week or so assuming the PUD comes back in the next say or two with their approval. They needed documentation, etc... I think in hindsight, getting Ford to release the documentation needed by all parties would have been the better route than partnering with SunRun. The worst part about my situation is that I have been relying on 120v for 3 months while they figure this all out. I am sooooooo looking forward when this is all handles, the truck is being powered by the sun, and we don't have long power outages, and I am finally able to more quickly charge the lightning.

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