80 Amps Ford Charging Station

[Nikos]

Hello everyone.
According to Ford the 80 Amps charging station for the Lightning should be shipped to your residence two weeks prior to the delivery of the truck. Has anyone who is taking delivery of their trucks in early May and ordered the power back up option has taken delivery of the charger?
Are any updates on this subject lately?
I have not seen any releases from Ford referring to the charger.
Any info?

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[BEMOH]

Great question! Came here today to try and learn more on this as I need to get the garage rewired anyway. Looking to add a bunch of outlets, three new circuits, insulation and redrywall so trying to find as much pre-install info as possible. My understanding is the connection should be on a 100amp circuit, correct?

Rant: Two outlets in 300 sq ft of space and they are connected to a circuit with the GFI in an upstairs bathroom on the other side of the house. I think electricians like to do this kind of stuff to mess with home owners.

 

[Nikos]

Great question! Came here today to try and learn more on this as I need to get the garage rewired anyway. Looking to add a bunch of outlets, three new circuits, insulation and redrywall so trying to find as much pre-install info as possible. My understanding is the connection should be on a 100amp circuit, correct?

Rant: Two outlets in 300 sq ft of space and they are connected to a circuit with the GFI in an upstairs bathroom on the other side of the house. I think electricians like to do this kind of stuff to mess with home owners.

According to what I have read Ford wants a circuit that can handle 80 Amps. You can put it on 100 amps circuit breaker but the wiring should be able to handling it.
The charging station when is turned on to provide power to the home will regulate the discharge to 80 Amps or lower. The same charging station will charge the vehicle at 48 amps max or 35 to 36 miles per hour.
I charge my Mach E with Charge Point station at 48 amps and 34 to 35 miles per hour. Needless to say that 80 Amps circuit is only good if you have the SunRun grid switch installed. Ford partnered with SunRun on this. That means that SunRun has the proprietary info on how Ford discharges power from the truck to your home. Most likely the vehicle, charger and grid switch communicate with each other via FordPass and phone as key app. If you want that capability, you need the 80 amps circuit.
It is a conundrum for me though. I do have solar panels and storage batteries from Enphase. Now I need Enphase to talk to Ford.
I already have the Grid switch. So I have to wait for Enphase to get the info from Ford so we can patch the circuit to the Enphase system. Work in progress. Not as easy as some may think. Little more patience.

 

[Amps]

According to what I have read Ford wants a circuit that can handle 80 Amps. You can put it on 100 amps circuit breaker but the wiring should be able to handling it.

For a continuous load like an EVSE, you can only 'use' 80% of the rating of the circuit. To fully use the charging capability of the supplied 80 Amp EVSE, you'll need to have it hard-wired to a 100 Amp circuit. You'll find this option will be considerably more expensive (cost of the conductors) than a sweet spot that exists (code requirements) for downrating the charging to a hard-wired 48 Amps on a 60 Amp circuit. Theoretically, to maximize the 9.6 kW Vehicle 2 Home bi-directional capabilities of Lightning, you could have a 50 Amp circuit supplying 40 Amps continuous to the Ford Charge Station Pro, although I have not read too deeply into the specs.

 

[Nikos]

For a continuous load like an EVSE, you can only 'use' 80% of the rating of the circuit. To fully use the charging capability of the supplied 80 Amp EVSE, you'll need to have it hard-wired to a 100 Amp circuit. You'll find this option will be considerably more expensive (cost of the conductors) than a sweet spot that exists (code requirements) for downrating the charging to a hard-wired 48 Amps on a 60 Amp circuit. Theoretically, to maximize the 9.6 kW Vehicle 2 Home bi-directional capabilities of Lightning, you could have a 50 Amp circuit supplying 40 Amps continuous to the Ford Charge Station Pro, although I have not read too deeply into the specs.

I do follow what you saying.
If you want to have the capability to use your vehicle to Back Power your home then you need a circuit capable of handling 80 amps. If you only need a circuit to charge the vehicle then a 60 amps circuit is just what you need. It is up to the owner but if you change your mind later and want to exercise the Back Up Power option then you have to upgrade the wiring.
Choices.!!!!!

 

[Amps]

No, the other way around.

Fastest charging = 80 Amp on 100 Amp circuit

Charging and fully using the home backup power that is available to optimize costs of a long cable run installation would be 48 Amps on 60 Amp circuit. (Charging@ 48A and 40 Amp/9.6 kW backup power)

If money is no option, go with the 100A circuit.

 

[adoublee]

Great question! Came here today to try and learn more on this as I need to get the garage rewired anyway. Looking to add a bunch of outlets, three new circuits, insulation and redrywall so trying to find as much pre-install info as possible. My understanding is the connection should be on a 100amp circuit, correct?

Rant: Two outlets in 300 sq ft of space and they are connected to a circuit with the GFI in an upstairs bathroom on the other side of the house. I think electricians like to do this kind of stuff to mess with home owners.

I'll be looking at a 100A circuit to my garage from a breaker in existing panel located in a position opposite side of the main breaker (bottom position). That will run to a new panel in garage located near the 80A EVSE. The new panel will be rated at least 150A and not have a main breaker (main lug only) and will have feed through lugs to feed 100A wiring through to the 80A EVSE. There will also be a 50A breaker that will be in place to feed the Ford/Delta/Sunrun inverter/charger that connects into the Lightning DC bus via the 80A EVSE. If I install and add solar it will connect into it as well. Stationary battery storage could also connect into it but I don't anticipate adding more battery that what the Lightning has. Would be nice if a DC generator like Generac has come out with could connect into the stationary battery position...

 

[Labs4Lightning]

Hello everyone.
According to Ford the 80 Amps charging station for the Lightning should be shipped to your residence two weeks prior to the delivery of the truck. Has anyone who is taking delivery of their trucks in early May and ordered the power back up option has taken delivery of the charger?
Are any updates on this subject lately?
I have not seen any releases from Ford referring to the charger.
Any info?

Nope, notta, zilch, nuttin honey.

 

[Labs4Lightning]

No, the other way around.

Fastest charging = 80 Amp on 100 Amp circuit

Charging and fully using the home backup power that is available to optimize costs of a long cable run installation would be 48 Amps on 60 Amp circuit. (Charging@ 48A and 40 Amp/9.6 kW backup power)

If money is no option, go with the 100A circuit.

Well to some extent money is an issue, setting aside the fact most of getting May deliveries are lariat or platinum. I have 140’ run. Materials breaker $60, wire $535, conduit $275. My time, priceless. My electrician is a friend so he’ll do tie for free.

 

[Amps]

Well to some extent money is an issue, setting aside the fact most of getting May deliveries are lariat or platinum. I have 140’ run. Materials breaker $60, wire $535, conduit $275. My time, priceless. My electrician is a friend so he’ll do tie for free.

Helps to have friends! Judging by the cost of the wire, that's a 60 Amp circuit? My quote for a 100A 150' run is close to $20/ft. for materials.

 

[Labs4Lightning]

Helps to have friends! Judging by the cost of the wire, that's a 60 Amp circuit? My quote for a 100A 150' run is close to $20/ft. for materials.

2 runs of #1 & a run #6 for ground. Btw aluminum wire not copper. That might be reason for price dif.

 

[jefro]

Aluminum wire should have ends crimped on them otherwise you are supposed to torque each year or some silly deal isn't it?

 

[Maquis]

Aluminum wire should have ends crimped on them otherwise you are supposed to torque each year or some silly deal isn't it?

No. Every service drop to homes is aluminum. Once installed correctly, it‘s good to go.

 

[Maquis]

I do follow what you saying.
If you want to have the capability to use your vehicle to Back Power your home then you need a circuit capable of handling 80 amps. If you only need a circuit to charge the vehicle then a 60 amps circuit is just what you need. It is up to the owner but if you change your mind later and want to exercise the Back Up Power option then you have to upgrade the wiring.
Choices.!!!!!

The wiring supplying 240V to the EVSE is not the same wiring that feeds the backup power inverter.

 

[Labs4Lightning]

Aluminum wire should have ends crimped on them otherwise you are supposed to torque each year or some silly deal isn't it?

Like other poster commented service drops to your to meter and meter to panel are aluminum. Also quite common to run aluminum to an electric stove with no crimp or re-torque.

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