Triggering Battery Preconditioning via Nav System

[WRSNH]

I’d like to select my own charging stops using ABRP and PlugShare info. But I’d also like the truck to precondition the battery before arriving at the charger, even if the nav system would have planned on charging at a different charger. What’s the best way to do that?

Does simply selecting a charger as a destination in the Ford nav system trigger battery preconditioning before getting to the charger? And does it matter whether it is an “in-network” charger (e.g., if I want to use one of the Magicdock superchargers)?

I searched but dIdn’t see this question answered. Apologies if I missed something. Thanks.

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[Amps]

I can't answer specifically about the preconditioning. I haven't used DCFC enough to ever see it announce itself. I kind of take it on faith if I have the chargers set.

You can add the chargers you want as waypoints to your route in the Ford Nav system after you set up your final destination. Make sure and select the charger and not the Walmart, etc. I still use the other apps, but have the Ford Nav shadow them to the chargers I have chosen to stop at.

 

[WRSNH]

You can add the chargers you want as waypoints to your route in the Ford Nav system after you set up your final destination. Make sure and select the charger and not the Walmart, etc. I still use the other apps, but have the Ford Nav shadow them to the chargers I have chosen to stop at.

Thanks. Any idea if charger as a waypoint vs the destination makes a difference? I was just going to set the next charger as a new destination while charging at the previous one.

 

[Maquis]

Thanks. Any idea if charger as a waypoint vs the destination makes a difference? I was just going to set the next charger as a new destination while charging at the previous one.

Waypoint should work as long as you can specifically select the charge station, not the address that happens to be the location of the station. Can you even do that? I haven’t tried.

 

[Amps]

Waypoint should work as long as you can specifically select the charge station, not the address that happens to be the location of the station. Can you even do that?

Yes. I look at the address in Plugshare and start the Nav search address with Electrify America, ChargePoint, etc. and then look for the location address I got from Plugshare.

What I have never noticed is whether the HVB pre-conditioning notifies you with a popup when it's happening like in many other EVs.

 

[Labs4Lightning]

@WRSNH why concerned about navigating with preconditioning

it’s summer, doubtful anything special is happening In warm weather.
it’s a winter thing, warming a cold battery.

but as g.I. Joe says “knowing is half the battle”

 

[TaxmanHog]

What I have never noticed is whether the HVB pre-conditioning notifies you with a popup when it's happening like in many other EVs.

The Lightning DOES NOT give you a notification that preconditioning has started.

I'll make my intended charging stop the next destination, especially in the cold season.

 

[Calvin H-C]

@WRSNH why concerned about navigating with preconditioning

it’s summer, doubtful anything special is happening In warm weather.
it’s a winter thing, warming a cold battery.

It's not just a cold weather thing. If the battery is too hot it will not take the charge at the rate you are expecting.

It's a Goldilocks thing - not too hot, and not too cold.

Granted, it tends to be a greater issue in cold weather, but not unheard of in hot.

 

[Zprime29]

I always set whatever charger I'm heading to as my destination, let the truck figure the rest out.

 

[WRSNH]

Waypoint should work as long as you can specifically select the charge station, not the address that happens to be the location of the station. Can you even do that? I haven’t tried.

In the truck, I entered the address of the charger and searched. Once I have that location on the screen, I selected the chargers “tab”. Ford apparently considers the charger to be its own entity and as you and others have noted, selecting the charger is likely important to the preconditioning algorithm. From the chargers tab I selected the charger and then made it a favorite. Now I can navigate to the charger as a favorite - a little more direct.

Also tried this in the app but without success. Could be operator error.

 

[Maquis]

In the truck, I entered the address of the charger and searched. Once I have that location on the screen, I selected the chargers “tab”. Ford apparently considers the charger to be its own entity and as you and others have noted, selecting the charger is likely important to the preconditioning algorithm. From the chargers tab I selected the charger and then made it a favorite. Now I can navigate to the charger as a favorite - a little more direct.

Also tried this in the app but without success. Could be operator error.

That’s what I’m not sure about - can chargers selected on the chargers tab be set as a waypoint instead of the destination? I haven’t tried.

 

[WRSNH]

@WRSNH why concerned about navigating with preconditioning

Actually first had the question planning ski trips in New England, so I was thinking about warming the battery. But it sounds like it might be beneficial for battery cooling in hotter weather.

 

[RickLightning]

To my knowledge, no one has hooked up a reader and CarScanner and shown that any cooling takes place. The car cools the battery while you drive. The heating is to 73 degrees in the winter (at least on the Mach-E, which I have seen with CarScanner). I suspect that no cooling needs to take place.

 

[Amps]

can chargers selected on the chargers tab be set as a waypoint instead of the destination?

Yes.

 

[Capstone]

I have used a charger as a destination and waypoint and pre containing does work. I could see this in the energy usage as external temp creeping up and confirmed by car scanner. It does appear to start around 25/30km out. However, one thing I noticed is if you pick a charger that is 50kw or less it will not pre condition. Maybe it feels it doesn’t need to waste energy for small chargers. I have never experienced any slow charge rate at 50kw even in winter and without preconditioning. But I can also confirm that summer or winter if I don’t pre condition and arrive at a 150kw charger or higher I will only get 60 to 85kw rate. Precondition will run 130/160 right out of the gates.
One thing I wish chargers should show is the vehicle charge rate requested. Many folks think it is the charger broke, but I am sure half the time the vehicle is just not ready or conditioned to ask for the high rates. Hope that helps.

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