When Lightning Strikes, so does my Lightning (in LA high wind / wildfires)

[Ricks Lightning]

As you have seen on the news since yesterday 1/7/25, our So Calif neighborhood is being pounded by high winds and wildfires. Jobs that I were on in the Pacific Palisades the day prior, might not be around today. Without power at their location, I can't monitor their water usage to see if the house is still standing. Scary to think these wind driven fires are spreading to different parts of LA County with no end in sight.

Last night a WhatsUp message went out to our block captains about fallen trees in the neighborhood. 11pm. No power at home, running off some battery solar packs in the house. Wife and daughter are sleeping, I go out with the Lightning, entire area no power. Meet the security patrol at a larger tree limb that broke off and was blocking 3 of the 4 lanes.

Hooked up my 4" tow strap onto a large limb and front tow hook. Didn't realize it's not an open hook but a closed eye. Fortunately I had a large shackle to connect to the tow hook. Put the truck into tow mode and easily pulled the large limb about 50' and to the curb to allow for 2 lanes. Didn't bother grabbing a chainsaw last night, but always have a corded and cordless Sawzall. Trimming the random offshoots to make it more compact.

Got home 1 hour later and wife and daughter still sleeping. Of course with the lightning, there is no noise while starting and at the other neighborhood

house while cutting the tree with lights and flashers running the entire time.

Sorry no action shots of me pulling , but like I said, the truck didn't even feel the drag.

Waiting for the sun to come up and see what outside looks like . Fortunately I still have a 80% charge on my Flash and will see what the neighborhood looks like.
Fires in the Palisades are devastating as the winds make it impossible for planes and copters to drop water.

Rick

 

[Lytning]

Best wishes for you, your family and your community! Stay safe.

 

[F150ROD]

Stay Safe!!! This winds are devastating on top of the fires

 

[sgreeley]

God bless you all. We pray for your safety!

 

[Scorpio3d]

As you have seen on the news since yesterday 1/7/25, our So Calif neighborhood is being pounded by high winds and wildfires. Jobs that I were on in the Pacific Palisades the day prior, might not be around today. Without power at their location, I can't monitor their water usage to see if the house is still standing. Scary to think these wind driven fires are spreading to different parts of LA County with no end in sight.

Last night a WhatsUp message went out to our block captains about fallen trees in the neighborhood. 11pm. No power at home, running off some battery solar packs in the house. Wife and daughter are sleeping, I go out with the Lightning, entire area no power. Meet the security patrol at a larger tree limb that broke off and was blocking 3 of the 4 lanes.

Hooked up my 4" tow strap onto a large limb and front tow hook. Didn't realize it's not an open hook but a closed eye. Fortunately I had a large shackle to connect to the tow hook. Put the truck into tow mode and easily pulled the large limb about 50' and to the curb to allow for 2 lanes. Didn't bother grabbing a chainsaw last night, but always have a corded and cordless Sawzall. Trimming the random offshoots to make it more compact.

Got home 1 hour later and wife and daughter still sleeping. Of course with the lightning, there is no noise while starting and at the other neighborhood

house while cutting the tree with lights and flashers running the entire time.

Sorry no action shots of me pulling , but like I said, the truck didn't even feel the drag.

Waiting for the sun to come up and see what outside looks like . Fortunately I still have a 80% charge on my Flash and will see what the neighborhood looks like.
Fires in the Palisades are devastating as the winds make it impossible for planes and copters to drop water.

Rick

Hope y’all stay safe!
It is an amazing vehicle and so capable.
Lightning for the win….once again!!!

 

[Ricks Lightning]

Thanks to all that have read and those that have replied.

Winds have calmed down tonight, but new fires are breaking out dozens of miles apart. tonight a fire in the Hollywood hills started up and was spreading fast to the local community and homes.
Our power came back on about 3pm approx 20 hours after it was knocked out.

Had run some cords to the inside of the house to help charge my portable battery packs as there was little solar being produced. Figured I'll leave the lightning home with my 80% charge and put some power back into my portable packs as there was next to no sun.

Plugged into the frunk outlets and was fine drawing roughly 600 watts. Until I got a notice that it's limited to 175 watts when the frunk is closed and shut off minutes later.

What outlets can be used when the truck is stationary and parked with doors and windows, bed locked close?

Rick

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Stay safe!

Many of my friends and colleagues have lost their homes in the Altadena / Pasadena neighborhoods from the Eaton fire. Some family may have also, but there's not enough information to know yet.

Do you have the onboard Pro Power option or just the base power options?

 

[Ricks Lightning]

Stay safe!

Many of my friends and colleagues have lost their homes in the Altadena / Pasadena neighborhoods from the Eaton fire. Some family may have also, but there's not enough information to know yet.

Do you have the onboard Pro Power option or just the base power options?

Both my Pro and my Flash have the pro power. It was the #1 must have option as a plumbing contractor.

175 watts is barly enough to charge my cordless batteries if I did..I charge from inside the cab while driving. But what's the use of all those outlets in the frunk if they're limited to 175 watts.

Rick

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Both my Pro and my Flash have the pro power. It was the #1 must have option as a plumbing contractor.

175 watts is barly enough to charge my cordless batteries if I did..I charge from inside the cab while driving. But what's the use of all those outlets in the frunk if they're limited to 175 watts.

Rick

Yeah, the manual mentions that the power is limited in the frunk when it's closed. You'll have to draw power from the bed outlets for the higher power applications.

 

[RickLightning]

Frunk limited to 400w when closed.

 

[Dino]

Sorry to hear about your circumstances. We are preparing for 6" of snow in middle TN and I tested my truck bed 7.2kw PPOB to power about 2/3 of my house (one 90 amp sub panel) with great success (0 issues). Tested major kitchen appliances and heat (gas furnace)to which leg (A or B or both) they draw from on the truck so that I can level out the load if we do experience any power outages. What I have done is not recommended, (no comments please) but in an emergency situation works great at less than $200.

 

[Ricks Lightning]

Frunk limited to 400w when closed.

I hear what you're saying, but Ford is not doing what you're telling me.

Yes, I have the $1200.00 pro power option in both my Flash and Pro.

Like I said , 175 watts will barely charge a cordless battery pack. 4 outlets and they expect you to leave the frunk open when in use? What is Ford thinking.

Rick

 

[Bigisland Guy]

As I have driven out to damaged sites during the wind storms using my lightning. the on board power has been great to run equipment! The only fun thing was when a Southern Cal Edison EV work truck came by to check on us and he was shocked that we had power. The recovery projects will continue and this truck is one of the best tools we have!

 

[Danface]

Sorry to hear about your circumstances. We are preparing for 6" of snow in middle TN and I tested my truck bed 7.2kw PPOB to power about 2/3 of my house (one 90 amp sub panel) with great success (0 issues). Tested major kitchen appliances and heat (gas furnace)to which leg (A or B or both) they draw from on the truck so that I can level out the load if we do experience any power outages. What I have done is not recommended, (no comments please) but in an emergency situation works great at less than $200.

I''ve used a mechanical lockout on the main panel at my primary residents and our place in Maine and it's legal for a disconnected backup generator (as is not attaching the ground from the panel to the ground on the truck). The lockout is just a piece of metal that slides to prevents the main input from being on at the same time as the input from the generator. It's inexpensive and meets code. The only "thing" is the 30 amp, double pole breaker from the generator plug has to be in the top left position in the panel and it requires a newer panel (the one in Maine is a Square D Home Line Panel)

 

[Ricks Lightning]

Sorry to hear about your circumstances. We are preparing for 6" of snow in middle TN and I tested my truck bed 7.2kw PPOB to power about 2/3 of my house (one 90 amp sub panel) with great success (0 issues). Tested major kitchen appliances and heat (gas furnace)to which leg (A or B or both) they draw from on the truck so that I can level out the load if we do experience any power outages. What I have done is not recommended, (no comments please) but in an emergency situation works great at less than $200.

And when I got home I flipped the truck around to plug into the bed outlets. When I looked up,I noticed my front Ring camera led floodlights were on. Power was restored just as I was ready to power back up.

I wasn't looking to power up the house. Just run the fridge as my 4 batteries for my off grid solar were trying to charge with limited sun. Also slow Charge (80 watt) my 4-40 volt 6ah inverter. Plus 2 more portable inverter devices.

Didn't want to run a generator nor plug into the truck over night.

When I check my charging needs and fridge load, I was showing 546 watts on my load meter, add another 160 watts when the fridge cycles. Probably why the truck was showing 720.
This entire time the frunk was closed.

Then I got the 175watt shut down probably 1 hour later while I wasn't home. Of course no way to reset it when not home so no way to continue charging. That's the whole reason I left the Flash home and took my Nissan ND to the job.

Rick