Charge port cover options?

[Maxx]

I have to charge in the rain outside once in a while and have been covering the charge port to be safe with temp rigs. Do you guys use anything off the shelf or home made that you are happy with (or unhappy with that I should avoid)? I have heard it should be safe charging in the rain but look of the whole thing is not confidence inspiring. Any advice is appreciated.

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[RickLightning]

No need for anything.

 

[Maxx]

No need for anything.

Have you been charging with your Lightning in the rain a lot?

 

[RickLightning]

Have you been charging with your Lightning in the rain a lot?

A lot? No. But I have no issue charging in the rain. There is no cover needed. In a severe rain storm I would wait for it to let up, following the manual guidance.

 

[Maxx]

A lot? No. But I have no issue charging in the rain. There is no cover needed. In a severe rain storm I would wait for it to let up, following the manual guidance.

One of my frequent destinations is a public charging desert and I get there with low SOC. To do anything next day I have to charge overnight at max rate of 24 amp. Same when I come home, charging at 30 amp in driveway with Ford mobile charger (the charger is protected from rain) I don’t always have a luxury of waiting if things get rough in the middle of the night. At the vacation spot things get windy often and rain goes sideway.

It sounds like in normal rain, I should be OK but I will still have to look for something in rough times.

 

[RickLightning]

I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Henry Ford]

It rains in Dearborn. I'm very confident the engineers accounted for inclement weather. My truck lives outside and I've had zero charge port issues.

 

[sotek2345]

We don't have a garage, so both my Lightning and my wife's Mach-e charge outside. Rain, snow, hail, they have seen it all with no issues.

My only complaint is that with the charge station pro, I have to fold down the DC pin flap and that fills with water. Need to splash it out each time!

 

[Amps]

• Nothing is energized until and unless there is a satisfactory continuous safe connection monitored by the pilot signal.
• Charging is protected by Ground Fault Interrupter protection.
• Never rely solely on safety devices for your personal safety.
• Therefore, don't do any "Hey, watch this" stupidity to prove the efficacy, or lack of efficacy, of safety devices and interlocks.

I don't worry about the rain. But, I do try to make sure that charging is stopped before grabbing the plug, wet or dry, if only to make the truck 'happier.'

 

[Maxx]

if only to make the truck 'happier.'

You get me. Now that I am married to her, the only way to be happy is if she is happy otherwise she would leave me (stranded in middle of nowhere) or set my house on fire with me in it. She is already half crazy (look at the software). I don’t want to piss her off.

 

[viennaxmas]

Ford does sell this, not sure how effective it is: https://accessories.ford.com/products/f-150-2023-charge-port-weather-kit-for-bev-lightning-only

 

[ScubaSteve_TheReal]

No worries for me. Snowed once and just brushed it away with a broom. Freezing rain and ice storms might be little tricky getting charge door open or closed though regardless….

Not much information on this Ford website product or any pictures showing it closed but the $80 weather kit is sold out as of today.
Might be worth considering….
—-
Love to see BestEVmods people come up with something though.

 

[Adventureboy]

No need for anything.

You must not live in a winter climate. Freezing rain and ice is a serious problem with this design. I've had to use heat to melt it several time this past winter to get the charge port door to close.

 

[Bwanapete]

I bought a cordless Ryobi heat gun. It is mild heat and can help with frozen charge port door and windshield wipers but be careful. Check heat output by hand.

 

[EdRudy]

I keep my truck outside and charge daily. Never worried about the rain. So far so good. I do get the water accumulation in the DC flap but I dry it out as much as I can before I close it.

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