Best Charging Practices?

[TaxmanHog]

With regards to charging speed, I'm curious if anyone with the FCSP derates it to something slower just to take it easier on the battery?

I do not, but have read many posts with folks derating it for that reason.

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[The Weatherman]

With regards to charging speed, I'm curious if anyone with the FCSP derates it to something slower just to take it easier on the battery?

Not on purpose. But I have noticed I’m not getting more than 10.? KWH out of it even though it is set 80amps. I haven’t gotten too excited because it still works for my driving habits and it can’t hurt.

 

[Pioneer74]

With regards to charging speed, I'm curious if anyone with the FCSP derates it to something slower just to take it easier on the battery?

I derate it, but not because I'm worried about the battery. I want it to stop charging as close to my departure time as possible so that the battery is warm in the winter when I leave for work.

 

[COrocket]

With regards to charging speed, I'm curious if anyone with the FCSP derates it to something slower just to take it easier on the battery?

Even at the full 80A setting a full charge would take 6+ hours from 0-100% which is still around 6x “slower” compared to DC fast charging. I personally wouldn’t worry about it

 

[Maxx]

With regards to charging speed, I'm curious if anyone with the FCSP derates it to something slower just to take it easier on the battery?

I use Ford mobile charger at home (30 amps) and 20-24 amp at our vacation home but I am limited in both cases. If I was not, I would still charge at around the same levels to reduce the stress on charging equipment in the truck, the connections that may be lose somewhere along the line. And in winter, longer charging means battery stays warmer longer. I would stay at least one or two levels bellow the weakest link but I would not go too slow because that means the equipment would be working too long and that may wear them out too. I am a big fan of mediocrity. Not too little, not too much.

 

[Yellow Buddy]

I have been charging at home with some assumptions that I am not sure are correct. Currently I am charging to 60% on Sunday night, driving it on Monday, letting it sit around 50% for most of the week driving it on Friday to 40%, charge overnight to 80% for weekend drive. Here is a general question:

Which one is worse for the battery; higher number of cycles? Or spending more time at SOCs away from from 50%? Assuming in both cases you consume the same number of KWhs annually. In other words charging to 90% using 10% every day until you hit 10% (1 cycle but spending a day at 90% and a day at 10%) vs going from 60% to 40% (4 cycles but spending 4 days at 50% )

Also, I have heard when you drive home, you should let the truck sit for a few hours for the battery to balance before you charge. I also heard battery does not like to be at low SOC and like to charged at temps closer to body temperature. So if I get home at 10% SOC when temp outside is 35 degrees and battery is warm from driving, which one takes precedence? Is it better to charge immediately or wait a few hours to charge?

If you have source for your answers please share. If you don’t, I still like to read your opinion with your reasoning.

Forgive me if this is already posted somewhere. I searched and could not find it.

FWIW, it’s a good information topic but one that may not be worth the time.

Different tech, but just throwing this out for comparison. I have several EVs that are over 100,000 miles. One has the worst habits ever, it only ever DCFC and goes to 100% and regularly runs below 5% SOC. It lives on range mode which reduces the conditioning of the battery pack. It’s used sparingly, doing lots of highway miles and sitting for extended periods when it’s not. It’s everything you don’t want.

Over the course of 7 years, over 100,000 miles it has seen a net degradation of ~10% on the battery.

Comparatively we have a second car, same pack and tech. This car almost never DCFCs, rarely goes to 100% and spends most of its life cycling from 70-80% down to 30-40%on a L2 charger at a babied 10-20A/240V rate. It’s used frequently for more local trips. Also 7 years (6 mo older) 10,000 miles more has a net degradation of ~11%.

For me, on my Ford I stopped paying attention. It set at 90% but I’ll let it sit unplugged and drive it down to 30-40% (love having an 80A charger!)

 

[Maxx]

FWIW, it’s a good information topic but one that may not be worth the time.

Different tech, but just throwing this out for comparison. I have several EVs that are over 100,000 miles. One has the worst habits ever, it only ever DCFC and goes to 100% and regularly runs below 5% SOC. It lives on range mode which reduces the conditioning of the battery pack. It’s used sparingly, doing lots of highway miles and sitting for extended periods when it’s not. It’s everything you don’t want.

Over the course of 7 years, over 100,000 miles it has seen a net degradation of ~10% on the battery.

Comparatively we have a second car, same pack and tech. This car almost never DCFCs, rarely goes to 100% and spends most of its life cycling from 70-80% down to 30-40%on a L2 charger at a babied 10-20A/240V rate. It’s used frequently for more local trips. Also 7 years (6 mo older) 10,000 miles more has a net degradation of ~11%.

For me, on my Ford I stopped paying attention. It set at 90% but I’ll let it sit unplugged and drive it down to 30-40% (love having an 80A charger!)

Thanks for sharing. Great info. I assume you are talking about S and X. I hope Ford BMS is as good as Tesla’s. Frankly my main worry is one of the cells voltage goes outside the tolerance and I may have to replace the module. Even though it is under warranty, I have no confidence in techs in my area not screwing up something else when they open up the pack. I have no idea which one of my behaviors could push a cell that is already on the edge over the edge. So I stay cautious about everything to stay out of dealer as much as I can.

 

[Yellow Buddy]

Thanks for sharing. Great info. I assume you are talking about S and X. I hope Ford BMS is as good as Tesla’s. Frankly my main worry is one of the cells voltage goes outside the tolerance and I may have to replace the module. Even though it is under warranty, I have no confidence in techs in my area not screwing up something else when they open up the pack. I have no idea which one of my behaviors could push a cell that is already on the edge over the edge. So I stay cautious about everything to stay out of dealer as much as I can.

That’s correct, S and X same gen and pack size.

As for the modules…unfortunately I have one that will need to be replaced under the recall. No errors but they determined I’m eligible.

Based on the test downs Munro did IIRC (it’s been a while I may be wrong) it’s using a pretty sophisticated BMS. I believe each module had a BMS, with sensors on the pouches and then the pack itself has a BMS as well. It should be able to balance itself within the module as well as across the pack.

Your chance for pushing it over voltage is pretty unlikely. Should your cells end up unbalanced your truck would read the higher voltages as the percentage and stop charging. Should that fail, the battery would get hot from overcharging and trip the temp sensors.

What I do worry about is general Pack temperature maintenance. Unlike Tesla and Rivian, the Ford doesn’t seem to use as much energy to maintain pack temps In hot/cold temps. It’s great for vampire drain but I’m not sure if there are longer term effects as a result or if the Tesla packs are just more temperamental….ill let you know in 7 years/100,000 miles

 

[MickeyAO]

Didn't we have a Li-ion battery expert on the forums that explained his charging strategy and how to make the cells last forever?

I also heard he doesn't follow the advice on how to make the cells last virtually forever, but he still sticks to the charging strategy based on what he has seen over 12 years of cycling a variety of Li-ion chemistries.

 

[ctuan13]

Didn't we have a Li-ion battery expert on the forums that explained his charging strategy and how to make the cells last forever?

I also heard he doesn't follow the advice on how to make the cells last virtually forever, but he still sticks to the charging strategy based on what he has seen over 12 years of cycling a variety of Li-ion chemistries.

Hmm sounds faintly familiar, but I can't say I remember his name...

 

[Maxx]

Didn't we have a Li-ion battery expert on the forums that explained his charging strategy and how to make the cells last forever?

I also heard he doesn't follow the advice on how to make the cells last virtually forever, but he still sticks to the charging strategy based on what he has seen over 12 years of cycling a variety of Li-ion chemistries.

5267 repetition makes one fact. You may have to repeat it a few more times before we really believe you

 

[Thunder1809]

With regards to charging speed, I'm curious if anyone with the FCSP derates it to something slower just to take it easier on the battery?

I have a FCSP and debated from 80 to 60 kw. Did not need the 80 to charge at night and thought it might make the battery last longer. Have been thinking of going even lower.

 

[hturnerfamily]

... " I am a big fan of mediocrity. Not too little, not too much. "

hmmmmmm.... I'm confused. I don't think you can be a 'big fan', and yet love mediocrity.
That would be an:

ox·y·mo·ron
/ˌäksəˈmôrˌän/
noun
a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction





just sayin'... : )

 

[Maquis]

5267 repetition makes one fact. You may have to repeat it a few more times before we really believe you

I think our short attention span is a bigger factor than believability.

 

[Maxx]

ox·y·mo·ron

you learn something new everyday. I thought this was an OX with less than average IQ

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