Campground charging checklist? What do I need?

[Jamchampnate]

Those who charge at campgrounds on 30a or 50a what do I need? What works? What doesn’t? Gearing up for a lot of campground visits next year and I want to have any adapters I need and want to go into these trips with confidence they will work.

thanks!

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[Heliian]

There should be a few threads about adapters and evse's. First, get a adjustable and portable evse, then adapters.

 

[21st Century Truck]

The Ford 32-amp EVSE will work just fine on the modern 240V RV 50 amp receptacles to charge the Lightning overnight. I make sure plugging into the 50 amp receptacle is the very 1st thing we do when we arrive, to maximize juice refill time for the Lightning's traction battery.

If Your vehicle didn't come with the Ford portable EVSE, there are many (and better / more robust) new and used EVSEs out there on EBay etc. Get a portable one that can pull up to 40 amps.

Use the 240V whip rather than the 120V whip on whatever portable EVSE You'll use, as the Lightning charger will sense a 120V receptacle and derate the pull to 15 amps so as not to trip the 120V circuit, even if it's an old style RV 30-amp TTY receptacle. This would result in very slow overnight charging, for a result of about 3 added miles per hour or so.

You then can use the usual old-style TTY 120V 30-amp plug, or the usual adjacent 120V 15-amp plug, for normal power needs on the camper, if any.

I always carry a 50-foot normal 120V power cord for secondary power needs at an RV state park pad.

 

[Jamchampnate]

The Ford 32-amp EVSE will work just fine on the modern 240V RV 50 amp receptacles to charge the Lightning overnight. I make sure plugging into the 50 amp receptacle is the very 1st thing we do when we arrive, to maximize juice refill time for the Lightning's traction battery.

If Your vehicle didn't come with the Ford portable EVSE, there are many (and better / more robust) new and used EVSEs out there on EBay etc. Get a portable one that can pull up to 40 amps.

Use the 240V whip rather than the 120V whip on whatever portable EVSE You'll use, as the Lightning charger will sense a 120V receptacle and derate the pull to 15 amps so as not to trip the 120V circuit, even if it's an old style RV 30-amp TTY receptacle. This would result in very slow overnight charging, for a result of about 3 added miles per hour or so.

You then can use the usual old-style TTY 120V 30-amp plug, or the usual adjacent 120V 15-amp plug, for normal power needs on the camper, if any.

I always carry a 50-foot normal 120V power cord for secondary power needs at an RV state park pad.

Thanks! Have campgrounds been weird about EV charging or do they generally not care?

 

[B177y]

Thanks! Have campgrounds been weird about EV charging or do they generally not care?

I have seen one campground that explicitly said "No EV charging". I can't remember exactly which campground it was, but it was up here in Washington.

 

[TMND]

Don’t ask don’t tell

hit 10 or so campgrounds this summer. None questioned my intentions. The truck is very incognito. The one time I pulled into a campground and specifically asked if I could charge for a few hours as I wasn’t gonna make it to a destination due to a downed fast charger they were hesitant unless I was willing to pay for a full night stay. But after saying I’d only needed four hours and would be out of there with no mess. They let me give em 20 bucks and use the water hook up and dump tanks while I was there. Worked out well we all got a hot shower and a change while we charged

 

[Jamchampnate]

Don’t ask don’t tell

hit 10 or so campgrounds this summer. None questioned my intentions. The truck is very incognito. The one time I pulled into a campground and specifically asked if I could charge for a few hours as I wasn’t gonna make it to a destination due to a downed fast charger they were hesitant unless I was willing to pay for a full night stay. But after saying I’d only needed four hours and would be out of there with no mess. They let me give em 20 bucks and use the water hook up and dump tanks while I was there. Worked out well we all got a hot shower and a change while we charged

Yeah that’s kind of gonna be my approach. My model x the doors stood out but the f150 just looks like a truck.

 

[TMND]

Annoying thing was this thing lights up like a goddamn Christmas tree anytime you open the door. That does draw a little attention

 

[Wattsgas]

I tow a trailer with my Lightning. Most parks have the Electric and water at the back of the trailer. So I purchased a 50amp extension cord for mine and use the Ford supplied charger. It also allows me to keep the charger box out of the elements. It has always worked fine. I have also seen a couple of sites where the 50AMP receptacle has been damaged. The other nice thing with having the extension cord is that the charger isn't hanging off the power pole.

 

[1Jetpilot]

Don't use a surge protector, it will error you. I think the 50 amp would work just fine. The Lightning blends in and no one will notice

 

[B177y]

Since I purchased my Lightning at the end of Sept, I haven't done a travel trailer trip with it yet. The "No EV charging" park was when I used my gas F350 to tow over the summer, so I don't remember what park it was.

However, when I road tripped previously with my Mach-e, I carried a duffel bag with all sorts of adapters, extension cords, and an adjustable amperage mobile charger. I carry this while traveling in the Lightning now. The mobile charger only has a 14-50 male plug, but can operate on 120 or 240 volt, so I have adapters that all end in a 14-50 female receptacle. Most of these were based on what I had available at friends houses to hook up to and should cover any possibility while traveling to friend's, hotels, Air BnB's, or RV parks:

-50 amp RV Nema 14-50 25' extension cord that that bought from a retired RVer on Craigslist (super heavy)

-50' 12ga 120 volt extension cord for regular household plugs

-Adapters that all end in a Nema 14-50 female:

30 amp 240 volt 4 prong twist lock

20 amp 240 volt air conditioner or welder outlet (one horizontal and one vertical prong)

120 volt 30 amp RV outlet (triangle shaped)

120 volt household plug

240 volt 30 amp dryer outlet (similar to a 14-50 but with an "L" shaped ground prong)

Hope that helps to inspire some ideas that work for you.

 

[hturnerfamily]

after 'camping' in our first fifth-wheel, then our gas motorhome, then our diesel motorhome, all over the country, 48 states, Canada, and even Alaska... EVERY campground is different. There is no 'standard' for any campground or RV park or RV 'resort' or such will provide as for electrical or other needs - you have to be ready, or plan, plan, plan.

So, since the 30amp 120v outlet is more of the 'common' electrical connection at campgrounds that have electricity, you'll find that trying use that will be a very, very slow process, since your EVSE will not use the whole 30amps, but only 8-12 max. That's more 'trickle charging'. You can use your Ford Mobile 120v plug. You will need an additional 30a to 15a adapter, found at any walmart.

If you have access to a true 50amp 240v outlet, sometimes shown on parks and campgrounds as 50/30, you can charge just like you do at home, with the Ford Mobile 240v plug. No need for any additional adapter.

If you will only have a 120v outlet, then the Ford Mobile 120v plug will be used, but at a very slow pace, like the 30amp 120v outlet - no different. No need for any additional adapter.

for a few of us, with electrical prowess and experience, we might have some other adapters that come in handy in very rare instances, like combining two 30a 120v outlets into a single 30a 240v output... for faster charging, but only in those rare occasions where two outlets are close enough, and available.
as to the EV charging at campgrounds and RV parks, I look at it like this: if they don't specifically 'disallow' it, then you are paying for electricity at your campsite, and are welcomed to use it anyhow you please. I do, though, try to be 'discreet' about it, turning my truck at an angle, covering the chargeport with a towel or something while plugged in, etc., so as to not bring 'attention' to the fact, even if it's just the normal "Hey! that's an electric truck!" that some folks want to stop and chat and ask ALL KINDS of typical questions about... "can that thang really tow??! " "do you have to stop and charge every 5 miles or something??! "

Yes, there are many, many different and various types of adapters and even EVSE's that can 'adjust' the 120v or 240v amperage, for various needs, but likely you'll never need one.

 

[hturnerfamily]

now, you're not asking about 'other' situations, like using a 'dryer outlet', which you won't find at campgrounds, or some other 'type' of outlets... just for the typical options that you find while camping.

 

[Lightning Rod]

I tow a trailer with my Lightning. Most parks have the Electric and water at the back of the trailer. So I purchased a 50amp extension cord for mine and use the Ford supplied charger. It also allows me to keep the charger box out of the elements. It has always worked fine. I have also seen a couple of sites where the 50AMP receptacle has been damaged. The other nice thing with having the extension cord is that the charger isn't hanging off the power pole.

Looking at the plugs, does this look compatible with our portable Ford Charger?

 

[B177y]

Looking at the plugs, does this look compatible with our portable Ford Charger?

Yup, should be good to go.