Can I mount Grizl-E as replacement for mounted Ford mobile charger?

[Skip Towne]

I too am seeing the mobile charger starting to fail. the Grizl-E 40 classic seems like the choice for me for a reliable dumb EVSE.

My question: is the Grizl-e input cable long enough and flexible enough to allow mounting the unit similarly to the Ford Mobile charger - with the unit mounting below the receptacle? I had my receptacle installed to suit "hanging" the mobile charge below the receptacle (as Ford recommended) on a narrow wall surface that won't accomodate mounting side-by-side. The Grizl-e 's input cable feeding the bottom of the unit seems like it might challenge that plan.

Paying for another electrician visit to move the receptacle would be another annoyance coming from the mobile charger failure after a few months of use. I'd like to avoid that if I can.

Experience? Thoughts?

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[Earplug]

This 18 inch extension might work for you.

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[P. T. Magoo]

Or just mount the Grizzle-E box wherever it needs to be (higher up on the wall, upside-down, etc) to where the cord plugs in without needing to be kinked at all.

Aesthetically it's swell to have the box at eye level, but it has no buttons to push or anything so ergonomics isn't really an issue. The indicator light doesn't need to be at eye level to be seen clearly (I can sit on the floor and see mine just fine).

You'll probably want to put the hanger for the coiled cord at about chest height to make it easy to deal with but the box could go anywhere.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

As long as you’re not putting it outside, the Grizzl-E doesn’t care how you mount it. The cord can be ordered at 24’ in length and the premium cord, while way thicker than the ford cord, remains fairly flexible. It’s not going to cool as easily, but it’s not hard to deal with.

 

[fpasta]

Does the Grizzle (Avalance Edition) communicate with the Ford Pass App well? Meaning I can do everything I did with the FMC. Schedule charge times and departure times. View status of charging.. I just ordered mine today.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

Does the Grizzle (Avalance Edition) communicate with the Ford Pass App well? Meaning I can do everything I did with the FMC. Schedule charge times and departure times. View status of charging.. I just ordered mine today.

There's a "yes and no" answer here because the situation is slightly confusing and your question suggests you're a little confused as a result.

The direct answer is "yes" - everything you're doing today with a Ford Mobile Charger will work with any other charger at all, because that's all car-side data being reported and managed. Charge times, departure times, charging status - all being managed in the car's software, being configured by the FordPass app and/or in the in-car Sync 4a screen. It has nothing to do from that viewpoint with the charger at all.

The reason there's a "no" here is that - and I realize this is not your specific case, but others will find this post I suspect and not catch this - this thread is around the Ford Mobile Charger, as in the one that comes with everyone's cars, but Ford also sells a branded connected charger (*), a different unit, which can be controlled by the FordPass app. In that case, you're able to monitor/control/whatever certain things on the charger side as well, not just on the car side.

For the charger side, all that FordPass can talk to at this time (and likely forever) is the Ford-branded connected charge station. But that said, any other connected charger will offer a web site and/or app to let you do similar things, just not in the FordPass app. For example, I'm using an OpenEVSE, and it has a very nice web site that lets me change the charge current, monitor the status, send info into Home Assistant, etc. etc., but that's all outside of FordPass.

Hopefully I didn't just confuse things more.

(*) deliberately not getting into the terminology concern here around "charger" vs. "EVSE" etc.

 

[dbsb3233]

I too am seeing the mobile charger starting to fail. the Grizl-E 40 classic seems like the choice for me for a reliable dumb EVSE.

My question: is the Grizl-e input cable long enough and flexible enough to allow mounting the unit similarly to the Ford Mobile charger - with the unit mounting below the receptacle? I had my receptacle installed to suit "hanging" the mobile charge below the receptacle (as Ford recommended) on a narrow wall surface that won't accomodate mounting side-by-side. The Grizl-e 's input cable feeding the bottom of the unit seems like it might challenge that plan.

Paying for another electrician visit to move the receptacle would be another annoyance coming from the mobile charger failure after a few months of use. I'd like to avoid that if I can.

Experience? Thoughts?

While stout, the pigtail is flexible enough to bend 180 degrees if you need to mount it in the other direction. Or even sideways if needed.

 

[RockwallRick]

I mounted mine upside down. You can see in this picture where the FMC was previously mounted. I decided not to use the socket holder that came with it.

 

[fpasta]

There's a "yes and no" answer here because the situation is slightly confusing and your question suggests you're a little confused as a result.

The direct answer is "yes" - everything you're doing today with a Ford Mobile Charger will work with any other charger at all, because that's all car-side data being reported and managed. Charge times, departure times, charging status - all being managed in the car's software, being configured by the FordPass app and/or in the in-car Sync 4a screen. It has nothing to do from that viewpoint with the charger at all.

Thanks you answered my question.

 

[fpasta]

While stout, the pigtail is flexible enough to bend 180 degrees if you need to mount it in the other direction. Or even sideways if needed.

I plan on wrapping the input cable around that post to the outlet I shouldn't have any problems right? I used a 15" string to test but Its just the cable looks really thick. The charger will be where the remote controls are. If it won't work then it will be mounted upside down below the outlet.

I know you can open the box from reading up on the GrizzLE for the purposes of of getting to the dip switch for the amps. If mounting upside down can't you just also rotate the cover close it up so that the GrizzLEl logo will be right side up???? I guess not the LED lightbulb is set.

 

[dbsb3233]

I plan on wrapping the input cable around that post to the outlet I shouldn't have any problems right? I used a 15" string to test but Its just the cable looks really thick. The charger will be where the remote controls are. If it won't work then it will be mounted upside down below the outlet.

That would be close. Maybe, but my guess is it probably won't quite fit upright on that front surface and both curve and twist to reach around to that protruding outlet. The pigtail on mine is 14" (the actual bendable cord in between the plug and the connector on the Grizzl-E).

But that's OK because it doesn't really matter as much where the unit itself goes. Unlike some EVSEs, the cord doesn't drape onto the Grizzl-E itself, it comes with a separate cord holder. That's what would go on the front surface there, below your remotes. I'd just hang it upside down, and keep the first loop of the 24' cord hanging on the holder to avoid stressing it.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

I plan on wrapping the input cable around that post to the outlet I shouldn't have any problems right? I used a 15" string to test but Its just the cable looks really thick. The charger will be where the remote controls are. If it won't work then it will be mounted upside down below the outlet.

I know you can open the box from reading up on the GrizzLE for the purposes of of getting to the dip switch for the amps. If mounting upside down can't you just also rotate the cover close it up so that the GrizzLEl logo will be right side up???? I guess not the LED lightbulb is set.

I am legit jealous that your garage is large enough and clean enough for those remotes to make sense.

 

[OH2AZ2OH]

Here’s how I mounted mine.

 

[OH2AZ2OH]

The charger is way beefier than the Ford mobile charger. Definitely need to mount to a stud, which is why mine is where it is. Also, %#?$ Robertson head screws, why, GrizzlE, why???

 

[Miav8r]

You can also rotate the receptacle in the box if that enables the stiff input cord to fit your desired location. I rotated mine 90* but you could also rotate 180* if that helps. BTW, the Grizzl E box is deep enough that it can be used as the cord hanger and negate the need to mount the separate hanger. Options and choices!

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