Ready For The Ford 80A Charge Station Pro

[Amps]

Going to use the included 80amp. My question is when do I get the charger?

if you have an 80a 240v breaker, you should get 64a.

It looks like the confusion is that the original electrician's estimate for the EVSE circuit is for an 80 Amp circuit, not a 100 Amp protected continuous 80 Amp load.

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[davidf01]

I got my truck a few days ago and I'm getting ready to install the Ford station pro and have a few questions.

Can I use aluminum if it meets the heat requirements?
Also what is the RS-485 connector uses for? What kind of communications and whats the Dark start?

I'm not using this to power my home its just for charging the truck off my 200 amp panel.

 

[Lightning.Dav]

The FCSP says it requires #3 copper. You can run aluminum from the panel to a junction box then copper to the FCSP.

 

[Firestop]

I got my truck a few days ago and I'm getting ready to install the Ford station pro and have a few questions.

Can I use aluminum if it meets the heat requirements?
Also what is the RS-485 connector uses for? What kind of communications and whats the Dark start?

I'm not using this to power my home its just for charging the truck off my 200 amp panel.

The FCSP says it requires #3 copper. You can run aluminum from the panel to a junction box then copper to the FCSP.

My recollection is @FlasherZ noted that he didnt feel the FCSP connectors were sized to accept Aluminum conductors of the size necessary to carry the 80A pulled by the FCSP at Setting #7……..and, @Lightning.Dav is correct, the FCSP’s documentation clearly calls for #3 Copper …….

 

[davidf01]

Ok great I like the idea of running aluminum from the panel to a junction box then copper to the FCSP.

How about the RS-485 connector? is that needed if you are not going to use the truck to power your house?

 

[Lightning.Dav]

Ok great I like the idea of running aluminum from the panel to a junction box then copper to the FCSP.

How about the RS-485 connector? is that needed if you are not going to use the truck to power your house?

In my experience, most electronics have some version of serial connection so the manufacturer can load firmware. It is useless for consumers.

If this RS-485 is indeed used for bidirectional communications on the FCSP it would only be used for talking to the inverter. For normal charging it is not used.

Also, never ran across the term dark start. Can you elucidate, please?
EDIT: it is on page 3 of the install guide. No idea what it is. All it says is battery backup on page 6.

 

[Maquis]

Ok great I like the idea of running aluminum from the panel to a junction box then copper to the FCSP.

How about the RS-485 connector? is that needed if you are not going to use the truck to power your house?

The RS-485 is not required unless you’re connecting to the Home Integration System.

 

[FlasherZ]

Also, never ran across the term dark start. Can you elucidate, please?
EDIT: it is on page 3 of the install guide. No idea what it is. All it says is battery backup on page 6.

Ok - it's 9 pm, no sunlight/solar, truck's not charging or discharging so the truck's battery isn't connected to the FCSP via the DC pins, and the grid goes out... in order to start the backup power from the truck, the following has to occur:

1 - the MID box must disconnect your critical loads from the grid so that you're not going to backfeed it
2 - the FCSP must tell the truck to connect the battery to the DC pins on the charge connector so that the power can get over to the inverter
3 - the inverter must stay running to start delivering power (or will have to go through its boot and test sequence all over again, which can take a minute or more)

How does that occur? A small backup battery, a/k/a the "dark start" battery.

It's a Li-Ion battery that allows the system to work in backup mode, it's the equivalent to your 12V battery in the truck, more or less.

 

[FlasherZ]

Ok great I like the idea of running aluminum from the panel to a junction box then copper to the FCSP.

As code requires a disconnect anyway for any 60A or greater charging load, you may as well do this unless your panel is close enough.

 

[davidf01]

Ok - it's 9 pm, no sunlight/solar, truck's not charging or discharging so the truck's battery isn't connected to the FCSP via the DC pins, and the grid goes out... in order to start the backup power from the truck, the following has to occur:

1 - the MID box must disconnect your critical loads from the grid so that you're not going to backfeed it
2 - the FCSP must tell the truck to connect the battery to the DC pins on the charge connector so that the power can get over to the inverter
3 - the inverter must stay running to start delivering power (or will have to go through its boot and test sequence all over again, which can take a minute or more)

How does that occur? A small backup battery, a/k/a the "dark start" battery.

It's a Li-Ion battery that allows the system to work in backup mode, it's the equivalent to your 12V battery in the truck, more or less.

That's a great explanation. Thank you. So I can assume it's not needed if I'm just going to use the FCSP to charge the truck and not use it as back up power?

 

[FlasherZ]

That's a great explanation. Thank you. So I can assume it's not needed if I'm just going to use the FCSP to charge the truck and not use it as back up power?

If you are only using the FCSP and none of the HIS (home integration system) components, you will only need 2 "hot" conductors and a ground conductor.

 

[davidf01]

If you are only using the FCSP and none of the HIS (home integration system) components, you will only need 2 "hot" conductors and a ground conductor.

Got it, great

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