The Ford Home Integration System is a complete joke, and borderline criminal

[PungoteagueDave]

Since you already have experience with Tesla (and stated you really didn’t need a truck) I be interested in why you decided to go with the Lightning instead of a PowerWall for backup power. The only thing I can think of is that a single PowerWall is a fraction of the Lightning’s storage capacity?

Thanks!

Correct, battery size and space issues, plus I need a truck to tow stuff (boat, jet skis, utility trailer) from time to time, and two long tows when switching homes twice per year. I also have limited wall space in the garage, although in hindsight did not realize the HIS has five boxes and takes up about as much space as 20 kwh of Powerwall. That's definitely a better solution understanding what I do now.

I can't use one of our Virginia farm's superduties in Florida, as our HOA disallows any truck over 1/2 ton. The '21 F-150 PowerBoost did the trick with our 9,100-pound boat/trailer, albeit much less efficiently than a proper diesel rig. The Lightning tows the boat well, albeit with 120 mile range, fine around here for maintenance and launching, etc., more of a challenge for the 1,000+mile spring and fall runs between Virginia and Florida, but doable given I-95's frequent charging spacing, and we can run slow, divert to Rt 1, Rt 17 or even A1a if needed. Unhooking the trailer is required some places, so a 14-hour trip becomes two days. But only two times per year. Going back to the PowerBoost will be a step back in some ways, and range is only 150 miles at 4.9 mpg towing, but it's much quicker to refuel and involves no unhitching.

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[Pioneer74]

They were never able to get my '21 King Ranch PowerBoost (project one) to download the required modules to gain the paid-for BlueCruise functionality - which was still nonoperational when traded on the Lightning last July, despite four shop visits at two different dealers, including one six-week session and six cumulative days of tech time, with support from Ford engineering.

That's interesting too. My 2021 Lariat downloaded BlueCruise OTA with no issues. Had about 5 months left on my free 1 year subscription when I bought the Lightning.

Enjoy your Powerboost. That would have been my next truck if it wasn't for the Lightning.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

Just skip the HIS entirely. Get someone to install a standard 60A generator panel with transfer switch (manual or auto), this will run you probably $800 or so. Then plug the backed up circuits into the 7.2 KW outlet on truck when the power goes out.

Yes, you will have to manually go plug the house into the truck. But you will save thousands of dollars on not purchasing an inverter when the truck already has one, and also have the flexibility of using a gasoline generator instead if you choose.

The entire way the HIS has been designed where it does not take any advantage of the trucks own inverter, is ridiculous from the outset... it was basically engineered to generate revenue for SunRun.

SunRun had nothing to do with the design - everything was inhouse at Dearborn labs - SunRun is just the installer. They are as much a victim here as are owners. Ford tried valiantly because the feature was/is a real marketing differentiator, but it is way too complex. Not using the truck's internal inverter is a requirement of how grid-connected power devices must work to meet code - every bidirectional system coming down the pipeline will have the same. Plus it adds the capability to integrate solar panels with no additional equipment except the panels.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

That's interesting too. My 2021 Lariat downloaded BlueCruise OTA with no issues. Had about 5 months left on my free 1 year subscription when I bought the Lightning.

Enjoy your Powerboost. That would have been my next truck if it wasn't for the Lightning.

It all depended on where you were in the production lineup. My truck was an early and infamous "Project One" truck produced February 2021. All Project One trucks had issues receiving the download. Some got it done, reportedly with replacement hardware in some cases, but many simply failed over and over, even with Ford engineering supervision and intervention. I think the switch-over to the next production generation occurred between June to August 2021 IIRC - still sync 4, but significant engineering changes.

 

[v2h8484]

Ford believes the issues are environment-dependent. My dense neighborhood (3-story 2,800-sq-ft waterfront garage townhouses) is full of mesh networks and varying brands of router hardware, all with their own communication protocols. Ford's working theory is that overlapping device signals from adjacent homes is interfering in the wireless datacom between the charger and the truck. They went so far as to sense and determine the specs of the systems sending signals from homes across and next to us, and purchased those devices for the Dearborn engineering lab's house mock-up, and say they were able to replicate the problem there. That's probably more than I should say, but I do believe that it is possible for folks to have a fully operating HIS at this time - just not in a dense location with many nearby wireless devices. Again, they have confidence that revised software can solve it, but I will be gone before that happens and can't spend any more time on this effort.

Relying on shared spectrum wireless comms is no-no for critical control functions. Ford understands cars really well but it looks like they have limited understanding of real-world network comms.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

Relying on shared spectrum wireless comms is no-no for critical control functions. Ford understands cars really well but it looks like they have limited understanding of real-world network comms.

which is why I am skeptical that it can be solved with a software update - I am not very technical, but it seems that if stray wifi conflicts from non-linked nearby access points is the issue interrupting communication between the truck and the FCSP, hardware changes may also be required. Can't say that for sure, but seems logical. In any case, when they gave up (for now, while working on the supposed fix), so did I.

 

[pc500]

which is why I am skeptical that it can be solved with a software update - I am not very technical, but it seems that if stray wifi conflicts from non-linked nearby access points is the issue interrupting communication between the truck and the FCSP, hardware changes may also be required. Can't say that for sure, but seems logical. In any case, when they gave up (for now, while working on the supposed fix), so did I.

There's things they can do. For example, they could move to Bluetooth for the comms instead of wifi. It's enough of a change to "probably" get it to work. They could try 5ghz vs 2.4.

Wired comms from truck to integration is hard without breaking J1772 standards, but there may have been a way they could/should have done electrical signalling.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

There's things they can do. For example, they could move to Bluetooth for the comms instead of wifi. It's enough of a change to "probably" get it to work. They could try 5ghz vs 2.4.

Wired comms from truck to integration is hard without breaking J1772 standards, but there may have been a way they could/should have done electrical signalling.

sure, but does that capability exist in the various elements of hardware? The issue is apparently communication between the truck and the charger. The truck has bluetooth, but does the charger? It requires use of wifi to perform setup functions - initially a direct smartphone connection directly to the hardware's wifi, then through the local wifi network after it is logged into that. Is there evidence of alternative comms hardware in the charger? There is low voltage wiring in separate conduit between the charger and the other boxes (inverter, dark start battery, switch), so I assume from the charger point forward it is a wired system.

 

[pc500]

sure, but does that capability exist in the various elements of hardware? The issue is apparently communication between the truck and the charger. The truck has bluetooth, but does the charger? It requires use of wifi to perform setup functions - initially a direct smartphone connection directly to the hardware's wifi, then through the local wifi network after it is logged into that. Is there evidence of alternative comms hardware in the charger? There is low voltage wiring in separate conduit between the charger and the other boxes (inverter, dark start battery, switch), so I assume from the charger point forward it is a wired system.

We truly don't know (the charger side is typically, more limited, and likely some embedded chipset). To a certain degree though, I question competience here on behalf of engineering. There's some drastic things can try, like hard-coding a certain channel in low bitrate and bandwidth.

If this is truly the problem it's most likely *something* specific that's interfering, rather than just broad-spectrum quantity. I'd try to find that define and pay a neighbor to destroy/replace it. Or build a Faraday cage around your garage

 

[Pioneer74]

It all depended on where you were in the production lineup. My truck was an early and infamous "Project One" truck produced February 2021. All Project One trucks had issues receiving the download. Some got it done, reportedly with replacement hardware in some cases, but many simply failed over and over, even with Ford engineering supervision and intervention. I think the switch-over to the next production generation occurred between June to August 2021 IIRC - still sync 4, but significant engineering changes.

My truck was built in early May and also a Job1 build. All Job2 trucks built had it activated from the factory.

 

[LightningCanuckNB]

Not using the truck's internal inverter is a requirement of how grid-connected power devices must work to meet code - every bidirectional system coming down the pipeline will have the same.

Sorry - that is baloney. Code requires is an automatic transfer switch in order to isolate the inverter from the grid and prevent backfeeding. WHERE the inverter is housed is not relevant to the operation of said transfer switch. Hyundai already sells vehicles with V2L capability that can be plugged right into a home with an automatic transfer switch. All of this meets code. Ford could have designed their system this way, but they did not.

Plus it adds the capability to integrate solar panels with no additional equipment except the panels.

You're now highlighting the real reason Ford made the system this way - it was engineered with that solar use case in mind.

But for people who don't have solar, and only want backup power - which is actually how this was marketed - this complexity harms, not helps.

 

[Replika]

I sold my truck to a dealer and the Powerstation was not part of the deal. Ford is refusing to mark the vehicle "sold" for sunrun until I take it in for a recall on the windshield wiper. Any advice on dealing with Ford/SunRun? My first contacts with SunRun in an attempt to get this station go back to early January.

 

[pc500]

I sold my truck to a dealer and the Powerstation was not part of the deal. Ford is refusing to mark the vehicle "sold" for sunrun until I take it in for a recall on the windshield wiper. Any advice on dealing with Ford/SunRun? My first contacts with SunRun in an attempt to get this station go back to early January.

This seems like the wrong thread for this, but your best bet is to ask the current truck owner to do what is likely a simple recall. They are probably flagging it in the system as stop sale as in many states it's illegal to sell a new vehicle with an open recall.

Sometimes the path of least resistance works best.

 

[ExCivilian]

Sometimes the path of least resistance works best.

On that note, I believe it took the dealership about 20 minutes to change my wiper motor under this recall.

 

[tls]

There's things they can do. For example, they could move to Bluetooth for the comms instead of wifi. It's enough of a change to "probably" get it to work. They could try 5ghz vs 2.4.

Wired comms from truck to integration is hard without breaking J1772 standards, but there may have been a way they could/should have done electrical signalling.

Why are wireless communications of any kind required here? That's insane; every device involved is wired together.

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