Ford Charge Station Pro - Newb Question

[RickLightning]

The names and how they are different is very confusing. Which one comes from Sunrun with the ER?

Ford Charge Station Pro.

Confusing names is Ford's #1 business.

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[Maquis]

Ford Charge Station Pro.

Confusing names is Ford's #1 business.

At one time, everything “Pro” was targeted for fleet customers exclusively. No longer.

 

[nanohead]

I did exactly this, although I downrated the Ford charge station to 50 amps (I believe this was it, don't have the manual in front of me)

My main panel is packed to the gills, and the house has only 150Amp service, and we have AC/pool pumps/electric ovens, etc... We also have a 30 amp EV charger for the Mach E. I felt comfortable putting a 60 Amp breaker in the panel, but nothing more

I need to move the house (its 100 years old) to at least 200 Amp service, but when we got our Lightning at the end of 2022 I had some time on my hands to pull the wire from the panel and install the circuit, but no time to deal with the whole service upgrade process which would take months between the town, the utility and all the actual work.

And now, a year or so later, the charging performance is perfectly fine at 50 Amps. I still want to do the service upgrade, and have started the process with an electrician I trust, but we made it through the summer with multiple central AC systems, multiple EV chargers with no fanfare, so I will get to the upgrade this spring finally.

 

[Need_A_Lightning]

100amp service to a car is insane to me.

 

[Dan's Lightning]

It sure is insane for home charging! It's sure nice though... Especially coming home from a long trip and you know your home charger will perform for you. 131kw battery pack, you need the juice!

 

[MurphysLaww]

If you run 4-2, you can step up to an 80A breaker, and then derate the FCSP to 64A. I would not sell the Ford -- as much as some folks have had trouble, most people get the kinks worked out. Is there a reason you don't want the full 80A? Afraid you would overload your main panel? I cannot think of any other reason. If you have an existing 6-2 wire to a decent location, that would be a good reason too I guess.

It is derated via a dial selector buried inside the case. No one will accidentally change that setting without being knowledgeable enough to trust themselves with opening the case and messing with the internals. Not likely. Label is of course not a bad idea.

Faster charging is nice.

I read earlier about someone turning charging up to 80 amps, but I'm assuming, what is above is true. When I self installed for our Solar charger, I derated to 12amps with the dial, as it's on a 6kW Hybrid charge/verter. I know there is a setting in the app to change amperage, but, I'm assuming it can't override the dial setting.

Anyone think this is not true ?

 

[Maquis]

I read earlier about someone turning charging up to 80 amps, but I'm assuming, what is above is true. When I self installed for our Solar charger, I derated to 12amps with the dial, as it's on a 6kW Hybrid charge/verter. I know there is a setting in the app to change amperage, but, I'm assuming it can't override the dial setting.

Anyone think this is not true ?

You can set the charge rate in the app lower, but not higher than the hardware setting.

 

[cdherman]

I don't have the install manual in front of me but I believe Ford calls for 3g wire not 4... I'm pretty confident of this because my guy couldn't source 3g so mine's running on (more expensive) 2g. Nothing wrong with oversizing wire, just don't want to undersize.

I was trying illustrate one's options with the FCSP. 6/2 wire for 50A Breaker>>derated to 40A continous. 4/2 wire for up to 80A>>64A continuous. 3/2 for 100A>>80A Continuous. Perhaps my original post was not clear, though I think it was. The derating thing gets confusing, especially since a derated 100A circuit charges at 80A, and an 80A circuit is also an option (charging at 64A)

Hope this makes it clear.

Though I am not absolutely certain (like, I would have to verify real world, and have not done so) I am as close to certain as I can be that the internal dial selector CANNOT be overridden via software. I would think such a feature would border on engineering malpractice. (That term exists BTW)

 

[Zaptor]

I was trying illustrate one's options with the FCSP. 6/2 wire for 50A Breaker>>derated to 40A continous. 4/2 wire for up to 80A>>64A continuous. 3/2 for 100A>>80A Continuous. Perhaps my original post was not clear, though I think it was. The derating thing gets confusing, especially since a derated 100A circuit charges at 80A, and an 80A circuit is also an option (charging at 64A)

Hope this makes it clear.

Though I am not absolutely certain (like, I would have to verify real world, and have not done so) I am as close to certain as I can be that the internal dial selector CANNOT be overridden via software. I would think such a feature would border on engineering malpractice. (That term exists BTW)

Sure, I absolutely understand what you're saying, but anything less than 3g is 'out of spec' and not approved for use with the FCSP (which is why I suggested selling it and buying one rated for the available power). I'm not an electrician or engineer, nor am I trying to start an argument. I just RTFM which says:

>e)Use 3 AWG, 90°C copper wire only for AC connections (A/L1 and B/L2[N])

-and-

>g) CAUTION to reduce risk of fire, connect only to a circuit with 100 amperes maximum branch circuit overcurrent protection in accordance with the National Electric Code, ANSI/NFPA 70.

This is from the PDF I attached earlier in the thread. While it does tell you how to adjust the internal potentiometer to derate the unit, it *does not* say you can run it on thinner gauge wire and do this safely. Yes it *can* be done the way you describe, but again, that's not a use case specified by Ford, and no, there is no software change that would override the internal setting.

 

[Tony Burgh]

If you run lower amps be sure to use correct circuit breaker or vice versa.

 

[JRT]

I did this by adding an RV 50amp extension and used my outlet. This gives me flexibility to use a portable of needed and cost $30 to do.

 

[Need_A_Lightning]

I’d like to clarify some misinformation or confusion stated above.

let’s get to the facts

Turn your attention to Page 15 of the installation manual. In the said manual, you will learn the default setting for the charger is 7, which implies 80amps or 80% of your 100 amp breaker.

Setting 4 is for 40amps, which implies the use of a 50amp breaker.

Now… 6/2 awg is rated up to 55amps, however 50amp is all I’m willing to put through it, and of course charge at 80% of that.

Here is a picture of the charger for reference.

 

[Lucky Larry]

I have set up my FCSP like @JRT . I used 6/2 wire from my electrical panel to a 6-50R receptacle with a 50 amp breaker. I then put together a short 8/3 SOOW Cord with a 6-50P plug on one end and wired it to my FCSP. As you mentioned I then set the limit switch to # 4 so it will only draw 40 amps.

This set up works fine and I have measured the amperage with the truck plugged in and charging to confirm that it was drawing only 40 amps. Attached are a few pictures

 

[Maquis]

Sure, I absolutely understand what you're saying, but anything less than 3g is 'out of spec' and not approved for use with the FCSP (which is why I suggested selling it and buying one rated for the available power). I'm not an electrician or engineer, nor am I trying to start an argument. I just RTFM which says:

>e)Use 3 AWG, 90°C copper wire only for AC connections (A/L1 and B/L2[N])

-and-

>g) CAUTION to reduce risk of fire, connect only to a circuit with 100 amperes maximum branch circuit overcurrent protection in accordance with the National Electric Code, ANSI/NFPA 70.

This is from the PDF I attached earlier in the thread. While it does tell you how to adjust the internal potentiometer to derate the unit, it *does not* say you can run it on thinner gauge wire and do this safely. Yes it *can* be done the way you describe, but again, that's not a use case specified by Ford, and no, there is no software change that would override the internal setting.

This is a really interesting point, which I have to agree with. Although I think it stems from a poorly-written manual.
The NEC requires you to install equipment according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions, which clearly requires a 100A circuit.
The fact that the hardware switch is provided, and each setting just happens to correspond to 80% of standard circuit breaker ratings, implies that the unit is designed and intended to be capable of use on a lesser circuit. It’s just that the installation instructions don’t allow it. What a cluster!

 

[RickLightning]

Not an electrician, nor a standard writer. BUT, if a manufacturer explained how to do things that didn't comply with standards / rules, then people would do it. Then, when some idiot turned the internal dial from 50amps to 80amps, and their house caught fire and burned to the ground, they'd sue the manufacturer of the product that explained to them how to go around the requirements.

I saw no benefit in installing the FCSP when I got my truck, sold it for $1,000. I am sure in the future, I will have EVs that can charge faster, and there will be lots of EVSEs that allow this, and I'll install the ones that is most widely adopted and best supported. That is unlikely to be something branded Ford, because when you have an issue everyone points fingers (see your dealer, we know nothing, ...)

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