Unanswered questions I still have about the Lightning

[Maquis]

The only reason this would change is if the truck detects that the 12V battery is low, then it will charge it back up.

Will this happen in accessory mode? I don’t think it does, but I’m not sure.

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[cvalue13]

I have a related question that I haven’t chased down the explanation to:

a few times, I’ve intended to turn on the truck to let the AC cool down the cab. when I get in later, the car is on and conditioning fans are blowing - but only hot/ambient air. Not until I push the start button does it begin blowing cold.

I’ll admit to not remembering details leading up to this scenario, but it may be that I’ve only reached into the truck (without foot on break) and hit the start button - causing only accessory mode to be on?

If so, does that suggest that if only accessory mode is on (1) the AC will not cool, but (2) the air will still blow!?

seems like that means the fans are run by the 12v, while the cooling the big batteries - but sort of odd that there would exist this purgatory where the fans blow but the AC doesn’t cool

EDIT: I got off my lazy a** to check all this, and sure enough:

(1) if I open the truck without the key and press the power button, the truck wakes up but says “no key detected”

(2) if I open the truck with keys in hand and press power button, the truck wakes to “full accessory power active” - and the screen shows AC/AUTO on full blast, the fans are blowing full blast, but only ambient temp air is coming out

(3) if I put my foot on the break and press power button a second time, nothing else changes except the air begins blowing cold

accordingly, lesson learned: to have the AC come on and condition the cabin one must either

(A) use the FordPass “start” button which fully “starts” the truck (not just ‘full accessory mode’), or

(B) get in the truck with key and foot on break, to fully “start” the truck (not just ‘full accessory mode’)

 

[sotek2345]

Will this happen in accessory mode? I don’t think it does, but I’m not sure.

It is supposed to happen whenever (truck on, truck off, in accessory mode, etc.) to protect the 12V battery. But I wouldn't be surprised if Ford messed something up with that. Lots of issues with the 12V battery not being recharged properly on early Mach-e units

 

[Maquis]

It is supposed to happen whenever (truck on, truck off, in accessory mode, etc.) to protect the 12V battery. But I wouldn't be surprised if Ford messed something up with that. Lots of issues with the 12V battery not being recharged properly on early Mach-e units

I agree, it should work that way. In that case, there’d be no need for a “Powering down to save battery” message.

 

[PiMatrix]

Interesting. So the implication here is that if one had a small fridge in the frunk hooked to the 12V battery (fused), then one could use it 24x7, and the lightning would take care of keeping the battery topped off by the 400v battery even if the car was off? This would solve one issue people seem to be experiencing with refrigerators stop running 30 min after car is shutdown using the AC outlets. I really don't want to keep the screen powered up when not in car to keep a small refrigerator running.

Do you think this might work? I will probably upgrade to a beefier 12V battery if I did this so there would be less cycling from the 400 V DC to DC converter. There are LiPo 12 V replacement batteries avail for the Lightning now.

 

[ExCivilian]

Do you think this might work?

Difficult to know. With a tiny fridge with less than 2cu feet of internal space you could be looking at only a half amp draw. I don't know how small the F150L battery is, but other EVs I've owned came with dinky 12v batteries that wouldn't last a day with a constant half amp draw on them. A 48 amp hour battery, for example, will deliver 1 amp for 48 hours on paper. But those batteries you're likely thinking of are tiny and very expensive--they're really only useful for starting the vehicle. The one I used in my VW was 10 aH (1 amp for ten hours on paper).

But the other issue is that the Ford software might be sophisticated enough to know when there is abnormal parasitic draw on the battery and be programmed to stop charging the 12v battery if the system thinks it will draw the HV battery too low.

 

[PiMatrix]

Difficult to know. With a tiny fridge with less than 2cu feet of internal space you could be looking at only a half amp draw. I don't know how small the F150L battery is, but other EVs I've owned came with dinky 12v batteries that wouldn't last a day with a constant half amp draw on them. A 48 amp hour battery, for example, will deliver 1 amp for 48 hours on paper. But those batteries you're likely thinking of are tiny and very expensive--they're really only useful for starting the vehicle. The one I used in my VW was 10 aH (1 amp for ten hours on paper).

But the other issue is that the Ford software might be sophisticated enough to know when there is abnormal parasitic draw on the battery and be programmed to stop charging the 12v battery if the system thinks it will draw the HV battery too low.

OK, sounds like we'll be doing some experiments to test various configurations. Of course we might be able to stick in larger AGM battery in that spot right behind the frunk once we see what it looks like in there. Lots of possibilities. With the ridiculous cost of a fast food meal on the road, it's nice to think there is always something cool to drink or tasty in the Frunk Have not done but think it might be a game changer to always have this available.

 

[ExCivilian]

With the ridiculous cost of a fast food meal on the road, it's nice to think there is always something cool to drink or tasty in the Frunk Have not done but think it might be a game changer to always have this available.

I think you'll mainly experience issues, if you experience any, during camping trips or if you leave the fridge plugged in while parked in your driveway instead of when you're "on the road."

 

[hturnerfamily]

here's my experiences after over 2,000 miles over the last two weeks, and with a LOT of time with ProPower being ON, and the truck being ON, the WHOLE time:

There are a few nagging things I still do not know about the lightning as I have not seen the answers posted definitively. I thought I'd put them all in the same thread as maybe others have these questions, or some of their own. If anyone has answers on these please chime in.

1) If you are running AC power outlet items in the Lightning, is there a way to prevent the inverter power from turning off(yes, keep the truck ON).

I hear there is some timer in settings but does this work if the car is off or does the AC outlets shut down when you turn off car(yes, the 120v outlets are shut down whenever the truck is OFF).

For example if you have a fridge in frunk and going camping. Do people that have things like refrigerators routinely leave the car running(with the Lightning, yes, if it is a 120v fridge)?

What about screen burn-in or drawing the battery down(the center screen can be turned OFF, but the driver screen will always be active, tho you can use the 'Calm screen' which is a lot less data, and/or throw a small towel in the area to cover it).
Any way around this if you can't keep AC power turned on?(any 120v outlets will require the truck to be in full ON mode)

2) Do cigarette lighter or USB work if the car is turned off?(Yes, and either for a limited time, or, if in 'Accessory' mode, constantly)

3) Are there real (I've only seen estimates) dimensions published on the size of the FRUNK? For example what would be the maximum height box/frig one could put in the frunk?(the 'frunk' is not square, so measuring it can be hazardous - actually putting an item/fridge in there is the best way to know since you may find that the 'height' someone else publishes may be true, but only at a certain point, and maybe not at the full width or depth your fridge needs. I find that the passenger seating area, with either or both of the rear seats UP, you have PLENTY of room for not only a fridge, but a LOT more stuff as well.)

4) What's the deal with the infrared that monitors drivers eyes during blue cruise being on all the time showing up on security cameras? Is that a bug or can it be turned off?(video speed and the 'scanner' equipment infrared speed are at two different speeds - the video is going to make it look like it's doing that, but you'll never see that with your own eyes, in person, while driving)

5) What are the useful things you can monitor from the ford pass app away from the truck? Can you pre-cool the car down with AC? Start it? check cameras? Does it have a theft alarm system or will it notify you if there is unauthorized entry? Are VIN numbers etched in the glass? (my app gives me only a few things that seem that I care about: 'your Charge plug may have been accidentally unplugged', whenever I unplug it while charging, even if I've pushed the center ring to stop it. Apparently it's a App alert that lets you know 'just in case' it wasn't YOU who unplugged it. The app is useful for knowing what your charge status is at any given time, your battery level, miles available, etc. It provides the ability to start or stop charging, or to 'resume' a scheduled charging. It also lets you see 'charge stations' on a map, a list, etc.)

6) Who is the cell carrier, how long is this free with the car?(AT&T, 2gb until used)

7) Are people able to register it as a private vehicle or is it a commercial truck in NY? At one point anything over a certain weight in NY that had no middle passenger seat in front was considered commercial. This may have changed recently. Important because many roads like Taconic Interstate Parkway do not allow commercial vehicles.(I don't have any idea why it would be considered a commercial vehicle anywhere in any state...it's just a truck)

8) This is my first pickup. I heard something about Maria's law and see many trucks get pulled over by police with stuff in the back. Any best practices. Netting to the four Boxlink? I assume ratchet ties as well for bigger stuff. Any recommended products that are just superior for that?(it's just a truck, no special laws for everyday pickup trucks)

 

[hturnerfamily]

...btw, what I've found with leaving the truck 'ON' is that the truck really doesn't CARE, and it does nothing negative - we've been around 'regular' vehicles so long, with engines, that this seems out of place, but it's not - the battery simply does not care whether the truck is ON or not, it is simply in 'ready' mode.
Also, just for everyone's benefit: you CAN lock the doors when the truck is ON, as long as you have the keyfob outside of the truck at that time. I've also found that even if I leave ONE keyfob in the truck, but get out and lock the truck with my other Keyfob, it will STILL lock the doors. It know you have a keyfob, so it is o.k. with that.

So, keep the truck ON, lock the doors, and don't worry.

 

[cvalue13]

So, keep the truck ON, lock the doors, and don't worry.

Try as I might to just accept the idea that to use the AC plugs the entire dash has to be lit up, I’m still left feeling like:

(1) esp at night, those lights are in unnecessary and unwelcome attraction to the truck - regardless if locked

(2) it seems wasteful and unnecessary to have to be running accessories and screens off the 12v just to have power to a plug located eg in the tailgate of the truck

but I guess the cookie has crumbled into the spilled milk!

 

[sotek2345]

Try as I might to just accept the idea that to use the AC plugs the entire dash has to be lit up, I’m still left feeling like:

(1) esp at night, those lights are in unnecessary and unwelcome attraction to the truck - regardless if locked

(2) it seems wasteful and unnecessary to have to be running accessories and screens off the 12v just to have power to a plug located eg in the tailgate of the truck

but I guess the cookie has crumbled into the spilled milk!

If it makes you feel better, those screens draw very little power.

If you are worried about security, set the center screen to show the cameras, so people will think they are being recorded!

 

[cvalue13]

If it makes you feel better, those screens draw very little power.

If you are worried about security, set the center screen to show the cameras, so people will think they are being recorded!

admittedly, it just *feels* unnatural more than being a reasoned, quantitative worry.

that said, don’t you have to manually “shut down“ anything else that is by default on (eg AC, etc.)? Aside from AC, that may not be much, but if so, let me know if I understand the procedure here in the following context:

Say I’m driving cross-country with a 120v cooler/freezer in the back seat, and I stop at a motel for the evening. To keep the cooler/freezer working, I *think* I’m understanding that I’d need to after parking:

(1) simply leave the truck fully “on” and capable of driving (ie *not* just full accessory mode)

(2) manually turn off AC/HEAT, cooled/heated seats, and anything else I didn’t want to leach unnecessarily - probably Bluetooth as well, so that my phone doesn’t keep pairing with it from the motel room

(3) perhaps then turn “off” the big screen (really just standby as it’s still lit), and put dash in calm mode (perhaps cover with towel, or instead turn in camera mode)

(4) take keys with me inside motel room, and finally lock the “running” truck from fob

(5) in the morning, unlock truck, re-set AC/HEAT, Bluetooth, etc.

That seem the basics of it?

 

[sotek2345]

admittedly, it just *feels* unnatural more than being a reasoned, quantitative worry.

that said, don’t you have to manually “shut down“ anything else that is by default on (eg AC, etc.)? Aside from AC, that may not be much, but if so, let me know if I understand the procedure here in the following context:

Say I’m driving cross-country with a 120v cooler/freezer in the back seat, and I stop at a motel for the evening. To keep the cooler/freezer working, I *think* I’m understanding that I’d need to after parking:

(1) simply leave the truck fully “on” and capable of driving (ie *not* just full accessory mode)

(2) manually turn off AC/HEAT, cooled/heated seats, and anything else I didn’t want to leach unnecessarily - probably Bluetooth as well, so that my phone doesn’t keep pairing with it from the motel room

(3) perhaps then turn “off” the big screen (really just standby as it’s still lit), and put dash in calm mode (perhaps cover with towel, or instead turn in camera mode)

(4) take keys with me inside motel room, and finally lock the “running” truck from fob

(5) in the morning, unlock truck, re-set AC/HEAT, Bluetooth, etc.

That seem the basics of it?

Pretty much. To be honest, I would just take the cooler in with me. Before the lightning, we just put a cooler with some ice on the floor in the back seat so we can all reach it and call it done. Lasts all day, then refill at the hotel.

 

[cvalue13]

Pretty much. To be honest, I would just take the cooler in with me.

yeah, I think that’s just the thing of it! Pretty much puts you mind of just not using the AC plugs for those scenarios!

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