Pro Power Always On

[Grease Lightning]

I had a question about Pro Power. I have a 2023 XLT ER with the 9.6k package. My cabin Pro Power is always on when I start the Lightning regardless of the number of times I turn it off.

1. Is there a setting somewhere to have it stop automatically enabling at each restart?
2. If not, has anyone determined how much of an energy drain having the cabin on with noting plugged in causes?

thanks!

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[bub]

I'm interested in the solution, if there is one.
But I just want to point out that I can't imagine this drain makes any noticeable difference to your range.

The cabin inverter is 2.4kw. If you were drawing the full 2.4kw (assuming no loses) the ER truck can run that for about 54hrs continuously. People don't seem to be able to grasp just how much energy 130kwh is.

Realistically with nothing plugged in it can't be drawing more than 50w (a generous assumption, its probably much lower). Which would drain 130khw in 2,600hrs.

 

[hturnerfamily]

The CABIN are 'always on' and ready to provide 120v power to anything plugged into them. You then don't have to 'turn on' power to these outlets, which is the 'default' option. You can, though, turn them off, thru the center screen, if you wish.
If this were not the default, most of us would have a similar argument as to 'why' we have to constantly tell the truck to 'turn them on'.... but, I get the annoyance if you think you never want them to be active, no matter. Maybe Ford will provide an option to 'check' whether you want the power to be 'always active', or 'only with my permission' be active. : )

I like that the default is 'always on', but what I DON'T like is the constant 'reminder' when I put the truck in gear after first turning it on, that I must 'ACKNOWLEDGE' that one of the 'other' outlets, such as in the bed, is OPEN and something may be plugged into it. I get that it's a thought about 'safety', in a situation where a tool or extension cord may be plugged in and not 'in' the truck, but it's annoying when you ALWAYS have something plugged in, like a mini-fridge, even when they are not 'on'... you either have to totally UNPLUG everything(basically to allow the outlet cover to CLOSE), or you have to constantly deal with the ALERT that something is plugged in....

sometimes the divergence of Safety and Reason are to blame... "a situation in which two things become different, or the difference between them increases"

 

[Grease Lightning]

The CABIN are 'always on' and ready to provide 120v power to anything plugged into them. You then don't have to 'turn on' power to these outlets, which is the 'default' option. You can, though, turn them off, thru the center screen, if you wish.
If this were not the default, most of us would have a similar argument as to 'why' we have to constantly tell the truck to 'turn them on'.... but, I get the annoyance if you think you never want them to be active, no matter. Maybe Ford will provide an option to 'check' whether you want the power to be 'always active', or 'only with my permission' be active. : )

I like that the default is 'always on', but what I DON'T like is the constant 'reminder' when I put the truck in gear after first turning it on, that I must 'ACKNOWLEDGE' that one of the 'other' outlets, such as in the bed, is OPEN and something may be plugged into it. I get that it's a thought about 'safety', in a situation where a tool or extension cord may be plugged in and not 'in' the truck, but it's annoying when you ALWAYS have something plugged in, like a mini-fridge, even when they are not 'on'... you either have to totally UNPLUG everything(basically to allow the outlet cover to CLOSE), or you have to constantly deal with the ALERT that something is plugged in....

sometimes the divergence of Safety and Reason are to blame... "a situation in which two things become different, or the difference between them increases"

There are definitely good reasons to have the inverter on, at the owners choice. The thing I think is odd is the Ford engineers gave me the option to turn my power tailgate into a manual one in settings, but not the pro power.

While the energy draw is reasonably low, the inverter does draw power as it shows up on my graph, mainly shorter trips where the percentage is enough to display, but it also places wear and tear on the device.

If there is not a way for the owner to choose which default they want, I hope Ford adds one as an update.

 

[Henry Ford]

If there's nothing plugged into the outlet there's nowhere for current to go. I imagine the center screen uses more energy.

 

[lightspeed]

I had a question about Pro Power. I have a 2023 XLT ER with the 9.6k package. My cabin Pro Power is always on when I start the Lightning regardless of the number of times I turn it off.

1. Is there a setting somewhere to have it stop automatically enabling at each restart?
2. If not, has anyone determined how much of an energy drain having the cabin on with noting plugged in causes?

thanks!

The energy drain is near zero. What difference does it make that it's always on?

The vast majority of people would expect the power plugs inside the cabin to work.

 

[Grease Lightning]

The energy drain is near zero. What difference does it make that it's always on?

The vast majority of people would expect the power plugs inside the cabin to work.

I guess I am not the majority

I don’t expect my generator to be on and idling if I am not using it. I don’t expect my smaller solar generators to be on waiting for me and are already converting dc battery energy to ac.

Each of my other cars that had on board AC did not enable them until I turned them on

As my previous post mentioned, it also places strain on the inverter as it is always on.

 

[lightspeed]

I guess I am not the majority

I don’t expect my generator to be on and idling if I am not using it. I don’t expect my smaller solar generators to be on waiting for me and are already converting dc battery energy to ac.

Each of my other cars that had on board AC did not enable them until I turned them on

As my previous post mentioned, it also places strain on the inverter as it is always on.

No objection to there being an option. But to try to appease your OCD:

Cabin inverter probably draws 50 watts max while idling which is nothing compared to everything else. Driving down the road at 65mph is 25,000watts+.

In a gas car, the inverter is driven off the tiny 12v battery so turning it off might be relevant. In the Lightning, the inverter is driven off the humongous high voltage battery. The "strain" is not a real concern.

 

[Adventureboy]

I'm interested in the solution, if there is one.
But I just want to point out that I can't imagine this drain makes any noticeable difference to your range.

The cabin inverter is 2.4kw. If you were drawing the full 2.4kw (assuming no loses) the ER truck can run that for about 54hrs continuously. People don't seem to be able to grasp just how much energy 130kwh is.

Realistically with nothing plugged in it can't be drawing more than 50w (a generous assumption, its probably much lower). Which would drain 130khw in 2,600hrs.

I second this. The truck is a massive powerhouse. I ran 2 refrigerators, a full-size freezer, a 50" TV, an internet connection, a coffee maker, and a toaster oven for lunch for a full 7 hours and used less than 3% SOC. The truck would do this for 8-9 days with a full charge.
I've used it to power tools (circular saw, sanders, drills etc.) all day with no drop in SOC (it was obviously less than 1% since SOC was the same at the end of the day).
The cabin Onboard Power seems to be on by default. Plug stuff in and drive on ;-).

 

[cal]

If nothing is plugged in why would there be any current draw? Where is this energy going/doing?

 

[Maquis]

If nothing is plugged in why would there be any current draw? Where is this energy going/doing?

Inverter idle current. It get dissipated as heat.

 

[cal]

So the Generator inverter (turning DC into AC) is always turned on even if it's not being used? If that's the case why bother with switches? This sure seems like a very wasteful way to do things especially when it would seem that every electron is really more important for range.

Not trying to be argumentative just want to understand how this on board gen system works.

 

[Grumpy2]

I do not have the pro power on, and the reserve power set at about 50% SOC (just as a test). When the SOC approaches 50% I get warning that the reserve is close, followed a few minutes later about pro power is turned off. I have not yet tested if the dash plugs go dead at that point. But that might be a work around to a control to turn off all inverters...?

 

[Maquis]

So the Generator inverter (turning DC into AC) is always turned on even if it's not being used? If that's the case why bother with switches? This sure seems like a very wasteful way to do things especially when it would seem that every electron is really more important for range.

Not trying to be argumentative just want to understand how this on board gen system works.

There is no switch for the front inverter. We don’t know what the idle power draw is, but it’s likely too minuscule to make a difference. Like leaving your phone charger plugged in at home when not in use.

 

[tubby]

If nothing is plugged in why would there be any current draw? Where is this energy going/doing?

Correct. An empty electrical outlet generates no electricity since the circuit is incomplete. Now if something is plugged in and not on, some things consume phantom energy which in most cases is insignificant but can turn into something that may register some usage in the long run. It's kind of like leaving the phone charger plugged in with no phone connected which was brought up in this thread already.

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