Setting Charge End Time

[WoodduckMN]

I wish @Ford Motor Company would update the charging programming to allow us to set a charge complete time. Then the truck would determine when it needs to start charging based on the charge end time.

For us the live in a cold climate it would be more efficient to have a warm battery when we depart.

For example, I leave M-F at 6:30 am. I would like to complete charging close to 6:30 am so my battery would be warm and more efficient as I live in a colder climate. I know Tesla and GM already have this as an option for many years. Currently, my truck starts to charge as soon as the lower rates start. If I push back the timer for this and the truck needs more time to charge, it continuously try to communicate with my charger draining the 12v battery and turning my charger on and off every few seconds.

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[Heliian]

If you set a departure time for 630am mon-Fri then your truck will charge to the desired soc and precondition the battery.

Just having the truck plugged in keeps the battery warmish, departure time it's fully ready to go.

Tldr: departure times

 

[Pioneer74]

This is why I constantly adjust my charging amperage for the FCSP. I try to time it to where it's done charging about 30 minutes before I leave for work.

And the FCSP controls in FordPass need a lot of work.

 

[WoodduckMN]

If you set a departure time for 630am mon-Fri then your truck will charge to the desired soc and precondition the battery.

Just having the truck plugged in keeps the battery warmish, departure time it's fully ready to go.

Tldr: departure times

I have the departure time as 6:30 am, my truck start charging at 9 pm and typically finished between 1 and 2 am. Setting the departure time does NOT affect when the truck starts to charge or preconditioning the battery, it only warms the cab.

 

[TaxmanHog]

or preconditioning the battery, it only warms the cab.

By charging just in time or several hours prior, the extra heat minimizes the need for the departure timer to warm the battery in your experience, but change the situation some and the truck might pull more energy just to warm the battery. I've done numerous tests and see the differences in total energy draw between scenarios.

 

[Heliian]

I have the departure time as 6:30 am, my truck start charging at 9 pm and typically finished between 1 and 2 am. Setting the departure time does NOT affect when the truck starts to charge or preconditioning the battery, it only warms the cab.

P. 196 of the owners manual I have:
You can improve driving range and
performance by scheduling departure
times and cabin comfort level with the
Departure and Comfort feature. This not
only warms or cools the cabin but also
conditions the battery to ensure the best
driving range and performance by the set
departure time.

I live in Canada and this will be my 2nd winter with the truck, its been nice and toasty every day at 6am.

 

[WoodduckMN]

P. 196 of the owners manual I have:
You can improve driving range and
performance by scheduling departure
times and cabin comfort level with the
Departure and Comfort feature. This not
only warms or cools the cabin but also
conditions the battery to ensure the best
driving range and performance by the set
departure time.

I live in Canada and this will be my 2nd winter with the truck, its been nice and toasty every day at 6am.

Yes this happens not the most efficient. If the battery charges early in the evening then it get cold over night and takes additional power to condition the cold battery in the morning. If we could delay the charging to end at the depart time it would save electric.

 

[luebri]

By charging just in time or several hours prior, the extra heat minimizes the need for the departure timer to warm the battery in your experience, but change the situation some and the truck might pull more energy just to warm the battery. I've done numerous tests and see the differences in total energy draw between scenarios.

Done some of the same tests. @TaxmanHog is 100% correct on this. No sense in warming the battery twice and wasting kwh.

@WoodduckMN is 100% correct though, a reverse schedule logic would be a great option. I was very surprised it did not work like this when I bought my truck.

A weird workaround I found. I just have my Preferred charge times set to a very tight window from 6 to 8 AM. Then I have a 2nd window for 4 to 5 AM. Not sure why... but it does seem to then use the later AM window only if that is all the charge time that is needed to get to 80% (my target). If it needs more than it will kickoff the charge earlier. It's a weird workaround, but last I checked it was working good. The reason for the 1 hour gap between the windows 5am to 6am is if the windows but into each other Fordpass just automatically merges them into the same window.

Furthermore you will notice I set my charge window to end at 8 AM, even though I typically leave at 7:25. My thought here is, I would rather have the battery charging all the way up to departure than I care about the difference between 75% or whatever SOC and my set target of 80% for daily driving.

 

[Heliian]

not the most efficient

No its not the most efficient, I would agree.

But that's not the point. The battery preconditions at the departure time as per the manual.

Also, when it's cold enough the truck asks to be plugged in, it's to keep the battery more cozy. The longer I can keep the battery happy the better.

Done some of the same tests

How much extra does it take? I do notice an increase in consumption over the winter but it's not that much.

 

[TaxmanHog]

How much extra does it take? I do notice an increase in consumption over the winter but it's not that much

Conditions can impact the values, but I've seen upwards of 8-9 KWH dedicated battery warming, I've got several posts in this thread as well as several others. I'm speculating that at least half that could be saved if the charging cycle is run right up behind intended drive time. To certify that guesstimate I could run a few more test cycles.

 

[Heliian]

Conditions can impact the values, but I've seen upwards of 8-9 KWH dedicated battery warming, I've got several posts in this thread as well as several others. I'm speculating that at least half that could be saved if the charging cycle is run right up behind intended drive time. To certify that guesstimate I could run a few more test cycles.

That's a fair enough chunk to find some savings if you were able.
The trick would be to get the software to accurately predict when it had to start.

 

[rio]

I see the value in this as a separate feature than Departure Time. In particular if I want to charge to 100% prior to a trip. Being able to set a charge end time would minimize the time the truck would have to sit at 100% charge.

 

[Maquis]

I see the value in this as a separate feature than Departure Time. In particular if I want to charge to 100% prior to a trip. Being able to set a charge end time would minimize the time the truck would have to sit at 100% charge.

Sitting a few hours at 100% will not measurably affect battery health compared to charging to 100% and driving immediately.

 

[MontanaLightning]

My android does this automatically

 

[rio]

Sitting a few hours at 100% will not measurably affect battery health compared to charging to 100% and driving immediately.

Fair point.

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