How much power does idling with A/C on use?

[Jim Lewis]

But why are you setting the charge level to 50%?

Perhaps the same reason I do in San Antonio, TX (a tad cooler than Phoenix but still an inferno most summer days). Li-ion battery chemistry studies show less temperature aging at 50% SOC vs. 80% vs. 100% (the worst case). So if you don't need a high SOC for your daily driving and/or you don't drive much each day, something like 50% SOC is a lot kinder to your battery in a climate like Phoenix's or San Antonio's than 80% or 90% SOC when your truck is just sitting around, i.e., "in storage." Rick, why does Ford recommend 50% SOC for storage? Why not 80% or 90% if that's the ideal SOC to keep your truck at? Your daily SOC for driving is a compromise as to what's good for battery longevity vs. what's needed to get you through the day.

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[shutterbug]

Ok.

But why are you setting the charge level to 50%?

Simple. Most days I don't need more than than 5-10%. In my case 50% is more than sufficient. I think that if the truck is just going to sit there for a few days, it will help (very very slightly) long term battery health to keep it at 50% than 90%. Those that need more, should by all means set it higher. Also, when I can, I charge at work where it's free. There, I have it set to 80%.

 

[luebri]

I was tent camping a few weeks ago. I had a lot of “pantry” groceries in the back seat area that would not hold up great in 100+ degree cabin temp so I pretty much kept the truck on and cabin temp set at 72 for multiple days and the battery drain was fairly negligible. I didn’t track close but it Seems to me it was ~5% if running all day.

 

[Revenge]

I was tent camping a few weeks ago. I had a lot of “pantry” groceries in the back seat area that would not hold up great in 100+ degree cabin temp so I pretty much kept the truck on and cabin temp set at 72 for multiple days and the battery drain was fairly negligible. I didn’t track close but it Seems to me it was ~5% if running all day.

I would like to see data on how much gas an ICE vehicle would have used running the A/C for multiple days. I always hear about how disastrous it would be to get caught in a snow storm and stuck on a freeway in an EV (I think the concern is BS) But what about the flip side where there is excessive heat and rolling blackouts? Would be great for people to know you could sit in your car for days without any concern.

 

[shutterbug]

Would be great for people to know you could sit in your car for days without any concern.

After doing it for a few hours, it's not so great.

 

[Maquis]

I would like to see data on how much gas an ICE vehicle would have used running the A/C for multiple days. I always hear about how disastrous it would be to get caught in a snow storm and stuck on a freeway in an EV (I think the concern is BS) But what about the flip side where there is excessive heat and rolling blackouts? Would be great for people to know you could sit in your car for days without any concern.

Rule of thumb for gasoline consumption at idle is 0.6L per liter of displacement per hour. In rough figures, that’s about a gallon every two hours for a 3 liter engine.

AC load will increase that, but not by a lot.

 

[Revenge]

After doing it for a few hours, it's not so great.

Totally agree but in a case where you run the risk of overheating vs "chilling" in your car, I would take the uncomfortable car.

 

[Revenge]

Rule of thumb for gasoline consumption at idle is 0.6L per liter of displacement per hour. In rough figures, that’s about a gallon every two hours for a 3 liter engine.

AC load will increase that, but not by a lot.

So rough numbers for a small size car or truck this would be at best 1 day before fuel runs out vs weeks for a charged Lightning.

 

[Jim Lewis]

There is a ton more heat to pull out of the ground than the air.

Yeah, I had hoped that was implicit in the context of my description. When the air is 32 deg F or less out, a heat pump ain't gonna have much heat to draw out of the air to heat your truck. Normally, a "good" heat pump has a dependable heat source (winter) or thermal sink (summer) in the ground. Ain't so for a vehicle. IIRC, heat pumps are good when you're not dealing with temperature extremes but when it's very cold or very hot, conventional methods have higher cooling and heating rates than you're likely to get out of a heat pump without a super-expensive heat exchange setup. That's my ignorant view from having slightly read about heat pumps once upon a time.

 

[cdherman]

After doing it for a few hours, it's not so great.

Install a generator switch. The 7.2 kw from a lightning with the larger inverter should power most home AC. Never mind the fancy home power solution from SunRun. You can go manually plug your truck into your house and run things. At a MINIMUM your fridgerator and freezer and some basic lights. If you have mansion, I guess not.

From years of solar I know what my house demand is. That large battery in an extended range lightning will power stuff for a long time. Its really remarkable.

As for modern heat pumps -- an old AC had been a "one way" heat pump for years. Newer second generation heat pumps are more efficient that the old ones from the 70's. Also more prone to failure. But they can generate heat at like zero F.

My Nissan Leaf with its lowly 40 kwh battery and 7 year old heat pump is amazing how little juice it needs to cool. Does not surprise me that the Lightning is equal or better.

 

[shutterbug]

Install a generator switch. The 7.2 kw from a lightning with the larger inverter should power most home AC. Never mind the fancy home power solution from SunRun. You can go manually plug your truck into your house and run things. At a MINIMUM your fridgerator and freezer and some basic lights. If you have mansion, I guess not.

All reasonable, but this wasn't my problem. My A/C was broken. No transfer switch is going to fix that. Inside of my house got up to 95 degrees.

 

[jerock]

Tom Moloughney from State of Charge did 12 hour tests with the LIghtning & Rivian in a snow storm to see how much power each used if stranded. The heater will draw more current than the air conditioner but gives you an idea on battery usage.

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