Limiting Charging Current with Ford Mobile Charger or other chargers (30a dryer circuit)?

[V8BoatBuilder]

Is there a way to limit the truck's current draw when using the included Ford mobile charger on level 2?

For instance - if I can plug into a 30a dryer outlet, then I'd want to limit my current pull to ~24 amps per the 80% rule. Is there a setting in the truck to do this?

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[GDN]

Not included in the truck nor the app. Slight oversight you think?

 

[hturnerfamily]

no, there is not a way to adjust the amperage, so, like today, I ordered a unit that provides the ability to adjust between 10, 16, 20, 24, and 32 amps... I have the same concerns, such as at a campground with only 30amp outlets - using a 'Y' adapter between two to provide 30amps at 240v - although the included Ford Mobile Charger may draw too close to that 30amps on a constant basis to have it work well without tripping a breaker, etc. Dialing back to 24 would be better in that situation.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JB9FLBK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

no, there is not a way to adjust the amperage, so, like today, I ordered a unit that provides the ability to adjust between 10, 16, 20, 24, and 32 amps... I have the same concerns, such as at a campground with only 30amp outlets - using a 'Y' adapter between two to provide 30amps at 240v - although the included Ford Mobile Charger may draw too close to that 30amps on a constant basis to have it work well without tripping a breaker, etc. Dialing back to 24 would be better in that situation.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JB9FLBK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Definitely seems like an oversight. Would be a really nice feature on the truck, but this seems like a great solution.

 

[beatle]

Since Ford has interchangeable plugs on the mobile connector, I'm hoping they end up going the same route as Tesla and later provide different plugs for more receptacles that automatically adjust the power that the EVSE is able to provide. This would let you natively (and safely) plug into different receptacles.

 

[Maquis]

As a hack, you can make an adapter that goes from a dryer plug to a NEMA 5-15R. Then plug in the FMC using the level 1 cord. This would give you 12A @ 240V. Just don’t do something stupid like plug your circular saw into it and let the smoke out!

 

[hturnerfamily]

right, as the guys going to Deadhorse did, modifying a plug to fit another one... over time this will become more adaptable, such as the adjustability of the EVSE amperage, but until then...

 

[Sprta]

Some electrical inspectors (ours) do not like to manually set the amps. They want it hard wired to specific Amp. Found this out when I wanted to dial down the charge station pro to 48 amps.

 

[Maquis]

Some electrical inspectors (ours) do not like to manually set the amps. They want it hard wired to specific Amp. Found this out when I wanted to dial down the charge station pro to 48 amps.

Required by NEC to have a hardware limit. The inspector is doing his job.
I’m assuming you mean setting to 48 in the app, not the hardware setting?

 

[VTbuckeye]

Some electrical inspectors (ours) do not like to manually set the amps. They want it hard wired to specific Amp. Found this out when I wanted to dial down the charge station pro to 48 amps.

The hardware limit should be set to the wiring to set a maximum charge rate (to not start a fire). If you want to charge slower than that, there is no reason why you should not be able to manually select a slower charge rate. My electric dryer has multiple settings. It should be wired so that it does not burn the house down when set to high, but I should not have to dry everything on high.

 

[Sprta]

Correct, the wiring and breaker has to be able to handle 80 amps even though dialing the charger down to 48 amps. In my case wanted to use the charger pro at 48 amps with 60 amp breaker and wire. Inspector stated that the charger had to be hardwired not dialed for 48 amps.

 

[VTbuckeye]

Correct, the wiring and breaker has to be able to handle 80 amps even though dialing the charger down to 48 amps. In my case wanted to use the charger pro at 48 amps with 60 amp breaker and wire. Inspector stated that the charger had to be hardwired not dialed for 48 amps.

Probably a case of You won't change the settings, but a subsequent owner of your house may change the dial settings and burn the house down or trip the breaker. I sort of get it...

 

[Tony Burgh]

Don’t the charger and the vehicle communicate capacities? I assume you’re not trying to plug the 14-50 mobile charger into a 30 amp receptacle.

 

[hturnerfamily]

If we had EVSE devices that could simply detect the maximum Breaker amperage of a circuit, we'd have this licked - but I don't think that technology is advanced enough....yet. Right now, you have to KNOW the circuit's breaker/wiring capacity and use the device that does not expect to draw more amperage than that, or to have an ADJUSTABLE EVSE that provides the ability to 'dial down' the maximum amperage it will try to draw...
I've just ordered one of these today, since the Ford Mobile Charger is FIXED at/about 30amps. Now, whether the Ford EVSE is a CONTINUOUS 30amps draw, or slightly less, is something for someone who already has one to check out. I'm not sure you could really know the amperage unless you apply a CLAMP METER to the EVSE wire between the Charger body and the Outlet.
I'll give this a try when I get my truck soon, but for the time being, I wanted another way to 'lower' that 240v draw, just in case. I do have a 20amp 240v outlet in my garage, which my KIA PHEV uses with a 16amp 240v EVSE, but I would not be able to use the Ford charger since it would certainly kick the breaker quickly.
Also, when camping, having a 50amp 240v outlet is IDEAL, but they are not at every campground, or even every campsite. I know of one campground we love which has TWO 30amp 120v common RV outlets, but not the 50amp, etc.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Don’t the charger and the vehicle communicate capacities? I assume you’re not trying to plug the 14-50 mobile charger into a 30 amp receptacle.

That is exactly what I want to do. Tesla allows you to set charge current from their vehicles.

This feature allows you to safely de-rate the mobile charger to fit the circuit it is plugged into.

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