Ready For The Ford 80A Charge Station Pro

[hturnerfamily]

My home here in Georgia, with Georgia Power as the local utility provider, has a MAIN exterior panel, with the meter, with a 200amp main breaker AND 8 breaker slots, with LOWER LUGS that provide power then to the inside of the home, where the interior PANEL has about 30 breaker slots.
The interior panel is certainly set for MORE than 200 amps, which is common since everything possible is NOT running at the same time.
The outside Main panel serves as capable of providing some additional outside electrical needs, such as the irrigation Control panel outlet, a feed to an exterior Security light set, AND for my new EVSE feed, which is thru a NEMA 14-50 outlet, providing power to the Ford 30amp charger.

I could easily use a 100amp breaker set as the EV charger circuit, if I wanted, and with the 80amp optional charger, although I think that it is overkill for my needs, and for most. Even though the upgraded charger can provide quicker charging, you still would only have a max of 40amps at 240v coming back into the panel from the vehicle, in the case of using the truck for power need. My setup will handle that easily already.

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[Sdctcher]

From the Ford Charge Station Pro Specs:

"Adjustable power levels to accommodate a range of circuit breakers (20-100 Amps) in situations where power may be limited, to enable compatibility with almost any home electrical system"

"Usable amperage is 80% of home breaker amperage"

Unknown whether the adjustment is automatic or manual.

There is still so much misinformation circulating both here and in other threads about the breaker requirements to hardwire the Ford Charge Station Pro into your system. I thought it important to once again republish this.

You DO NOT have to install a 100A Breaker to use this.

If you bought the ER Battery but are not satisfied with the supplied Ford Mobile Charger @ 30A (requiring a 40A Breaker on a 240v circuit) but are thinking about buying an aftermarket Level 2 charger such as the ChargePoint Home Flex (16A-50A)($699) you could instead use the Free 80A Pro instead even though you are unable to upgrade your electrical panel to a 100A.

Both must be hardwired in a similar way but the Ford Pro is also Amp Flexible 20A-80A (usable). And the Ford Pro is Free to ER Battery buyers.

Many believe the Ford Pro amp setting will be manual but I have my doubts since the ChargePoint is automatic. Why would the newer Ford Pro be engineered to keep tripping your undersized breaker until you manually set it to a correct amps? It does not seem logical.

If you currently have a free 60A Breaker you could hardwire in the Ford Pro and have 48A useable.

I AM NOT an Electrician and I welcome your comments/corrections.

 

[shutterbug]

If you bought the ER Battery but are not satisfied with the supplied Ford Mobile Charger @ 30A (requiring a 40A Breaker on a 240v circuit) but are thinking about buying an aftermarket Level 2 charger such as the ChargePoint Home Flex (16A-50A)($699) you could instead use the Free 80A Pro instead even though you are unable to upgrade your electrical panel to a 100A.

Both must be hardwired in a similar way but the Ford Pro is also Amp Flexible 20A-80A (usable). And the Ford Pro is Free to ER Battery buyers.

ChargePoint does not have to be hardwired. It comes with either 14-50 or 6-50 plug, that can be removed if one desires hardwiring. Ford Pro charger is not free. It's included in the cost of ER upgrade. If you can sell it for $1,000-$2,000, 3rd party chargers come out much cheaper, especially since some utility companies are offering rebates on them.

Many believe the Ford Pro amp setting will be manual but I have my doubts since the ChargePoint is automatic. Why would the newer Ford Pro be engineered to keep tripping your undersized breaker until you manually set it to a correct amps? It does not seem logical.

As has been pointed out before, none of the chargers are able to detect circuit amperage. NONE! ChargePoint and some others can be de-rated using the app, while Ford and others require you to adjust DIP switches. In either case the adjustment is manual.

 

[RickLightning]

Pointing out how much misinformation exists, and then posting incorrect information, isn't great.

The Ford Charge Station Pro information clearly states that it can be installed on a range of circuit breakers from 20 to 100 amps.

I personally think that's dangerous, because anyone can change the charge setting without knowing they're causing an issue.

I also agree that there is no charger that automatically adjusts to the breaker capacity. My JuiceBox charger can be set in the app, no DIP switches.

 

[Tony Burgh]

[QUOTE="
The Ford Charge Station Pro information clearly states that it can be installed on a range of circuit breakers from 20 to 100 amps.
[/QUOTE]
That’s why the instructions say to use a qualified electrician.

 

[RickLightning]

"The Ford Charge Station Pro information clearly states that it can be installed on a range of circuit breakers from 20 to 100 amps."

That’s why the instructions say to use a qualified electrician.

Qualified electrician does the install, puts in a XX amp breaker (not 100). Sets charger properly.

Unqualified homeowner, or second homeowner, raises setting to 100 amps. Oops.

My JuiceBox 48 REQUIRES a 60 amp breaker.

I think the manufacturer of the Ford charger, and Ford, are making a mistake in stating that breakers of 20 to 100 amps can be used, unless it's set by DIP switches AND there is a big warning label by the DIP switches.

 

[Tony Burgh]

I would assume that if the charger tries to pull 100 amps through a 60 amp breaker that the breaker trips. New owner tries again and breaker trips again. Eventually lesson is learned.
BTW - I’m leaning Wallbox Pulsar because of size and simplicity. It will need a 60 amp breaker which is already in my panel but not connected to anything since 1990. Hope it still works.

 

[shutterbug]

Unqualified homeowner, or second homeowner, raises setting to 100 amps. Oops.

Wouldn't that just trip breaker? After a couple of times of this, this unqualified homeowner would call an electrician, or reset the setting to original. Problem solved.

 

[Tony Burgh]

Another thing to consider if using Charger Pro above 48 amps (60 amp breaker) is that NEC requires a lockable disconnect near the charger. With 60 amp breaker I’m going to use a 60 amp a/c pull disconnect beside the charger. Easily found at Home Depot.

 

[Maquis]

This topic was discussed in great detail on mikeholt.com NEC code forum. Members of this forum include electricians, engineers, utility workers, including many who participate in writing the NEC.

The specific example involved a Tesla charger that is capable of being current limited both in hardware and software. The software setting can never exceed the hardware setting.

I’ll spare the gory details, but in the end the consensus was that as long as the internal hardware setting did not exceed 80% of the circuit ampacity, the installation was safe and NEC-compliant. The user can, via an app, limit the charge current below the hardware setting, but not increase it above the setting.

This is how the Ford Connected Charge Station works, I’d bet the Charge Station Pro will as well.

If a user came along later, opened up the unit, and changed the hardware limit to exceed the circuit ampacity, it should eventually trip the breaker.

 

[RickLightning]

I would assume that if the charger tries to pull 100 amps through a 60 amp breaker that the breaker trips. New owner tries again and breaker trips again. Eventually lesson is learned.
BTW - I’m leaning Wallbox Pulsar because of size and simplicity. It will need a 60 amp breaker which is already in my panel but not connected to anything since 1990. Hope it still works.

Wouldn't that just trip breaker? After a couple of times of this, this unqualified homeowner would call an electrician, or reset the setting to original. Problem solved.

Sure. Breaker is supposed to be 125% larger. Wiring is supposed to be of a certain size (IANAE) for the specific use case. Electrician uses the proper wire for the breaker he installed.

Customer sets charger a bit higher, i.e. no longer 125%, but not high enough to pop the breaker. Example could be that it's got a 50 amp breaker, and wiring, for 40 amps. Customer sets it to 48 amps.

There are numerous warnings about using the 32 amp Mach-E charger on a 30 amp dryer circuit, because the wiring could overheat before the breaker pops, a fire danger. What's different here?

 

[Maquis]

Another thing to consider if using Charger Pro above 48 amps (60 amp breaker) is that NEC requires a lockable disconnect near the charger. With 60 amp breaker I’m going to use a 60 amp a/c pull disconnect beside the charger. Easily found at Home Depot.

The disconnect is only required to be lockable if it’s not in sight of the unit. The breaker in your panel can serve as the disconnect if the panel is capable of accepting a breaker lock.

 

[sotek2345]

Qualified electrician does the install, puts in a XX amp breaker (not 100). Sets charger properly.

Unqualified homeowner, or second homeowner, raises setting to 100 amps. Oops.

My JuiceBox 48 REQUIRES a 60 amp breaker.

I think the manufacturer of the Ford charger, and Ford, are making a mistake in stating that breakers of 20 to 100 amps can be used, unless it's set by DIP switches AND there is a big warning label by the DIP switches.

Not sure about the warning label, but I would be willing to bet on DIP switches. Probably unlabeled and you need to look in the manual (which has the warning) to figure out the correct setting. That is how it works with my Grizzl-e

 

[shutterbug]

Sure. Breaker is supposed to be 125% larger. Wiring is supposed to be of a certain size (IANAE) for the specific use case. Electrician uses the proper wire for the breaker he installed.

Customer sets charger a bit higher, i.e. no longer 125%, but not high enough to pop the breaker. Example could be that it's got a 50 amp breaker, and wiring, for 40 amps. Customer sets it to 48 amps.

There are numerous warnings about using the 32 amp Mach-E charger on a 30 amp dryer circuit, because the wiring could overheat before the breaker pops, a fire danger. What's different here?

You can't fully protect people from being stupid. My ChargePoint can be set to 50A. It currently sits on a 60A circuit. My current car maxes out at 48A, but in a future I could get a car that is capable of higher amperage and create a hazard, if I now set the charger to 50A.

 

[Maquis]

You can't fully protect people from being stupid.

That’s the essence of it!

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